July 21, 2009: Congress may soon vote on a bill to close the FedEx loophole that makes it harder for FedEx workers to unionize.

For years the corporation has used its lobbying muscle to be classified as an airline. This puts FedEx under the Railway Labor Act, which makes it much harder for workers to organize a union. Every other freight and parcel carrier—including UPS—is covered by the National Labor Relations Act.

Both UPS and the Teamsters Union are supporting an effort to close the FedEx loophole. UPS is even having employees write letters to politicians on company time.

UPS’s anti-labor record is well known. But closing the FedEx loophole is one issue that UPS Teamsters and their bosses can agree on.