FedEx shows no signs of stopping plans to slash up to 6,300 jobs in Europe and instead boasts about its multi-billion-dollar pledge to becoming climate-friendly.
FedEx workers are committed to making the industry sustainable, but this can only happen if the company engages with its workforce to jointly find a way forward. FedEx should also be investing in climate initiatives, but the company must recognise that its workers have vital skills and expertise that FedEx needs to draw on to make its business sustainable.
Back in January, FedEx announced plans up to fire thousands of workers across Europe, stating publicly that the completion of the TNT Express integration as a reason. Workers were left in shock and questioned the need for this drastic step.
“There has been no sign from FedEx to stop plans to sack over 6,000 workers despite their obvious financial health,” said Livia Spera, ETF General Secretary. “Whilst we commend the company’s two billion dollar pledge towards reaching zero-net emissions, and 100 million dollars for climate research at Yale, we have to ask why FedEx is continuing to slash the workforce driving its ability to pay for these initiatives.”
Over 6,000 people have signed a petition launched by the ETF and ITF calling on the company to stop job cuts.
Workers have been speaking out.
A TNT worker in Italy described their working day as full of “rapid-fire calls and emails. Constant overtime requests. Work on Saturdays. It seems crazy that these redundancies are announced now.” Another FedEx worker in the UK said that, “It is appalling and disgraceful how FedEx has treated us at a time when unemployment is so high. In the last year, their stocks have risen along with massive profits.” “They’re pushing both old and young colleagues out in times of a global pandemic of which FedEx Group is one of the winners in terms of business”, said a TNT worker in Germany.
A TNT worker in Italy described their working day as full of “rapid-fire calls and emails. Constant overtime requests. Work on Saturdays. It seems crazy that these redundancies are announced now.”
Another FedEx worker in the UK said that, “It is appalling and disgraceful how FedEx has treated us at a time when unemployment is so high. In the last year, their stocks have risen along with massive profits.”
“They’re pushing both old and young colleagues out in times of a global pandemic of which FedEx Group is one of the winners in terms of business”, said a TNT worker in Germany.
The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) will continue to call them out for their disrespectful behaviour towards their workforce and expose corporate greed.
It’s time to deliver a truly sustainable future – one that is kind to the environment as well as people.
Sign the petition here.
For more information please contact:
Begüm Boynukalin, ETF Communications Officer Mobile Phone: (+32) 478 79 40 53 Email: b.boynukalin@etf-europe.org
Zala Tursic, ETF Communications Officer Mobile phone: +32 478 794 112 Email: z.tursic@etf-europe.org Note to the editor:
The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) embraces transport trade unions from the European Union, the European Economic Area, and Central and Eastern Europe. The ETF represents more than 5 million transport workers from more than 200 transport unions and 41 European countries. Our vision is fair transport.