Fedex deliveries could slow
Memphis carrier warns that protests and curfews could disrupt its trucks across the nation.
Fedex told customers deliveries might be delayed by street protests and curfews that disrupt traffic and its trucks throughout the nation.
The Memphis-based carrier issued the service alert, confirmed a spate of vandalism in an unidentified city, and separately released a letter from top leaders Frederick Smith and Raj Subramaniam advising “empathy and understanding” as the nation grapples with civil unrest in dozens of cities.
The letter follows the death of a man in St. Louis apparently dragged by a Fedex truck on a side street after the vehicle had been diverted off an interstate highway thronged by a crowd of people.
Demonstrators have regularly turned out in St. Louis and other cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, Nashville, New York and Washington, to signal distress over the deaths of African Americans, including George Floyd. Video footage shows Floyd died after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes on Memorial Day.
Amid the protests in St. Louis, television station KMOV reported on Sunday a man died after being dragged by a Fedex truck. An account by The Hill says:
“St. Louis police told the news channel that the driver was apparently unaware that the man was caught between the two trailers of his vehicle, and attempted to flee after protesters surrounded his cab and at least two pointed guns at him,” the newspaper reported. “Bystanders disputed this to KMOV, saying the protesters were attempting to alert the driver that a man was caught under the wheel of the truck.”
Fedex officials expressed concern after the fatality. A statement from the company says: “Our hearts go out to all those who are grieving the events of this week. We are deeply saddened to learn of a tragic situation involving a demonstrator in St. Louis and one of our vehicles. We offer our sincerest condolences to the family of the individual involved. There is no higher priority for Fedex than safety, and we are cooperating fully with the investigating authorities at this time.”
In response to the protests, Fedex’s top executives released a letter Monday urging empathy and compassion among all 239,000 employees. Under the headline “Letter from Frederick W. Smith and Raj Subramaniam to All Fedex Team Members and Global Leadership,” the statement in part says:
“The recent killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and many others are devastating. The unrest across the nation and the grieving in our local communities are a reminder that we all must keep doing more to create meaningful change and healing.
“At Fedex, our workforce is as diverse as the world we serve, and we believe that everyone deserves respect. “Embracing diversity is not just the right thing to do; we also have proven that it fosters innovation and makes us a more competitive company. It’s also about fostering acceptance, promoting antibiases, and encouraging a more inclusive society. These values are core to who we are and how we operate.”
“As a company and as individuals,” the letter continues, “we must understand the power of our words and thinking. We should demonstrate empathy and kindness in all our actions and be willing to address these topics in and outside of the workplace. The conversation about treating people with respect, dignity, and acceptance is one that is necessary and one we must keep going.
And now, more than ever, it is a priority.”
Smith is Fedex’s chairman and chief executive of the Memphis-based company. Subramaniam is president and chief operating officer.
In cities throughout the nation, demonstrations and curfews intended to curb violence have disrupted fleets of vehicles affiliated with Amazon, Fedex, UPS, Uber and other carriers. Amazon instructed its drivers to obey curfews even if deliveries had to be temporarily suspended. Uber has stopped its ridebooking operations in some cities.
On Monday, Fedex issued a statement, telling customers: “Local restrictions and curfews in certain areas across the U.S. may cause unavoidable service delays. Fedex is committed to providing service to the best of our ability and will continue to do so in areas that are accessible during this time.”
The statement goes on to say: “To help avoid delays, we encourage you to contact your recipients to verify whether their location is open or able to receive deliveries. Shipments not delivered due to local restrictions will be secured in one of our facilities. Delivery will be attempted when local restrictions have been lifted.”
In Memphis, Fedex officials did not provide details about the volume of deliveries disrupted.
Fedex confirmed “some vehicles and facilities, including some Fedex Office stores, have been vandalized,” the news publication Business Insider reported Tuesday without identifying the locations of the vandalism.
According to the publication, a Fedex spokesperson said, “We are reaching out directly to customers whose shipments are affected, and working with local law enforcement in those areas as we assess the damage. Fedex continues to operate in areas where we are able to do so safely. We are taking the proper precautions to help ensure team members stay safe, and have contingency plans in place to lessen any possible impact on service.”