The managers had a strict script of buzzwords during the campaign. "Get All The Facts" and the "Dues, Fees, Fines, Assessment Fees" is what we heard over and over on a daily basis.
The "facts" were typically half-truths. FedEx did correctly point out that there are initiation fees, none of us would pay them since that fee is waved for those who organize first.
I was also an "at-will" employee while I did this. The law clearly states that if FedEx fires you for organizing, you can sue them for a huge settlement. Talk to people you trust and make it a point to not tell anyone who's ever tried to get a promotion or someone who's an idiot. We kept organizing the union a secret from management for six months since everyone at the hub hated management. Our mistake was telling an idiot about the union drive and asking him to sign a union card.
You did bring up a good point about a lockout (which is a long way down the road). The most important part of a union drive is getting it to spread to other hubs. We launched an organizing drive at a small terminal next to ours which went pretty well. Had we not had the petition pulled we would have been able to turn in cards at the small hub.
