(Washington, D.C.) - The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has launched a new web site and initiated a series of weeklong actions at FedEx Express facilities to support workers who are among tens of thousands of nonunion parcel delivery employees who are exploited on a daily basis by their employers.

“FedEx has built much of its empire on low-cost business models and other unsavory practices,” said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “This September, African-American and Latino workers won class-action status for their lawsuit (Satchell v. FedEx Corp.) against the shipping giant, alleging discrimination in pay, promotions and disciplinary action.”

In addition, many FedEx Express workers do not qualify for company health care or retirement benefits. In contrast to their counterparts at FedEx, UPS workers are represented by the Teamsters Union and benefit from a collective bargaining agreement that provides medical care, pensions and a 401(k).

The FedExWatch.com web site gives details on a judge’s ruling in late September, 2005, that opened the door for thousands of black and Latino employees of nonunion FedEx Express to sue the company over claims of discrimination in pay, promotions, evaluations and discipline. Employees sued FedEx Express over personnel practices in the company’s Western region.

The lawsuit alleges FedEx Express relegates minorities to the lowest-paying jobs with the least job security and denies them promotions through discriminatory tests, subjective evaluation standards and a culture of hostility.

Every day this week, Teamsters are leafleting FedEx Express facilities in Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Arizona. “People are More Important Than Packages,” is the theme of the leaflets.

“The public needs to know about FedEx’s shameful personnel practices,” Hoffa said.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States and Canada.