Conservative Group Hit Up FedEx in UPS Dispute

A major conservative interest group asked FedEx for a $2 million to $3 million donation in exchange for the group’s backing in a legislative battle with UPS, according to a published report Friday.

Politico, a Washington-based publication, saying it had received a copy of the letter from the American Conservative Union, reported FedEx did not respond to the request. The conservative group since then has endorsed UPS and its call for Congress to change the way FedEx is covered under federal labor law.

FedEx is fighting a measure in Congress that would move coverage of the operator’s air express business, now under the Railway Labor Act, to the National Labor Relations Act, which could make it easier for labor unions to organize FedEx Express workers at individual terminals.

The letter said that for $2 million, the ACU would offer “op-eds and articles written by ACU’s Chairman David Keene and/or other members of the ACU’s board of directors.”

The group was among several conservative organizations that this week issued a statement sharply condemning FedEx for its attack on the legislation in Congress. FedEx has called that measure a “Brown bailout” – referring to UPS – and the groups countered that the attack is a “disinformation campaign.”

Politico quoted an official at the American Conservative Union who said the group did not receive money from UPS.