FedEx Pilots Prepare to Vote on Strike

Federal Express pilots began refusing to fly voluntary overtime, pressuring the company during the peak holiday shipping season as they try to win a contract with the world’s largest air express package carrier. The FedEx Pilots Assn. also mailed out strike authorization ballots, a union spokesman said. The ballots are to be counted in early December, raising the possibility of a strike just weeks before Christmas. Compensation and scheduling are key issues. The pilots said the refusal of voluntary overtime will begin to affect customers in about a week. But FedEx, a unit of Memphis, Tenn.-based FDX Corp., said the action will not hinder service because it can move pilots from other positions. FDX shares rose 25 cents to close at $54.69 on the NYSE.