1
 Ralph Brown was 31,000 feet over Minnesota 
2
temporal-same-time

2
when both jets on his Falcon 20 flamed out.
5001
span

3
 At 18,000 feet, 
5233
span

4
he says,
3
attribution-e

5
 he and his co-pilot were looking for an interstate or a cornfield
5004
Same-Unit

6
 to land.
5004
purpose

7
 At 13,000 feet, the engines restarted.
5009
concession

8
 But knowing 
9
attribution

9
that mechanics would probably ground him for repairs,
5008
span

10
 Mr. Brown skipped his stop in nearby Chicago 
5010
List

11
and set course to get his load 
5011
span

12
-- a few hundred parcels -- 
11
elaboration-general-specific-e

13
to the Memphis package-sorting hub on time.
5012
Same-Unit

14
 Had he been a little less gung-ho,
5015
condition

15
 I'd have gotten the thing on the ground 
5015
Sequence

16
and headed for the nearest bar, 
5015
Sequence

17
Mr. Brown says.
5014
attribution

18
 But he flies for Federal Express Corp., perhaps the closest thing in corporate America to the Green Berets.
5018
span

19
 Federal's employees work long hours
5019
List

20
 and seem to thrive on the stress
5020
span

21
 of racing the clock.
20
elaboration-object-attribute-e

22
 Like Mr. Brown, they sometimes go to surprising lengths 
5022
span

23
to meet that overarching corporate goal:
5023
span

24
 delivering the goods on time.
23
elaboration-general-specific-e

25
 They are a tribute to Federal's management 
5025
span

26
which, since the company's founding 16 years ago, has had its way with its work force 
5026
span

27
-- an unusual feat in the contentious transportation industry. 
26
elaboration-additional

28
 That may soon change.
5028
span

29
 This month, Federal's 2,048 pilots,
5029
span

30
 including some 961 
5030
span

31
acquired along with Tiger International Inc. in February, 
30
elaboration-object-attribute-e

32
will decide whether to elect the powerful Air Line Pilots Association as their bargaining agent. 
5031
Same-Unit

33
The election,
5033
span

34
 which would bring the first major union to Federal's U.S. operations, 
33
elaboration-additional-e

35
has pitted new hires against devoted veterans such as Mr. Brown.
5034
Same-Unit

36
 It has also rattled Federal's strongly anti-union management, which is already contending with melding far-flung operations and with falling profits.
5036
span

37
 A union, sooner or later, has to have an adversary, 
5037
List

38
and it has to have a victory, 
5037
List

39
Frederick W. Smith, Federal's chairman and chief executive, says with disdain.
40
attribution

40
 In our formula, we don't have any losers except the competition.
5039
span

41
 What managers really fear is that the pro-union movement could spread beyond the pilots. 
5041
span

42
Under federal transportation law, a government mediator is attempting to reconcile the melding of Tiger's job classifications into Federal's.
5042
span

43
 Depending on the outcome,
44
circumstance

44
 the merged company may face union elections this fall among airplane mechanics, ramp workers, stock clerks and flight dispatchers.
5043
span

45
 These groups constitute up to 10% of its work force.
5043
elaboration-set-member

46
 Unions would have a profound effect on the whole culture of the company, 
5046
span

47
says Bernard La Londe, a professor at Ohio State University at Columbus and a Federal consultant.
46
attribution

48
 That culture,
5048
span

49
 carefully crafted by Mr. Smith, 
48
elaboration-additional-e

50
leaves little, if any, room for unions.
5049
Same-Unit

51
 Since founding the company,
5053
circumstance

52
 the charismatic Vietnam vet,
5052
span

53
 who is still only 46 years old,
52
elaboration-additional-e

54
 has fostered an ethos of combat.
5053
Same-Unit

55
 Flights are missions.
5055
span

56
 Mr. Smith's managers have, at times, been called Ho Chi Minh's Guerrillas.
55
elaboration-additional

57
 The Bravo Zulu award, the Navy accolade for a job well done, is bestowed on Federal's workers 
5057
span

58
who surpass the call of duty.
57
elaboration-object-attribute-e

59
 Competitors are known as the enemy.
5056
elaboration-additional

60
 To reinforce employees' dedication, 
61
purpose

61
Mr. Smith pays well.
5060
span

62
 He also lets workers vent steam through an elaborate grievance procedure and, as a perk, fly free in empty cockpit seats.
5060
elaboration-additional

63
 He gives pep talks in periodic family briefings 
5063
span

64
beamed internationally on FXTV, the company's own television network.
63
elaboration-additional-e

65
 And, with many of his 70,000 workers, Mr. Smith's damn-the-torpedoes attitude has caught on.
5065
span

66
 James Cleveland, a courier 
5066
span

67
who earned a Bravo Zulu 
5067
span

68
for figuring out how to get a major customer's 1,100-parcel-a-week load to its doorstep by 8 a.m.,
67
means

69
 considers himself far more than a courier.
5069
span

70
 We don't just hand the customer the package.
5070
List

71
 That's just the beginning, 
5070
List

72
he says.
5070
attribution

73
 In essence, we run the show.
5071
elaboration-additional

74
 David Sanders, a longtime pilot, bristles at the mere suggestion 
5074
span

75
that a union might tamper with his flight schedule.
74
elaboration-object-attribute-e

76
 This is America, 
5076
span

77
he says.
76
attribution

78
 Nobody has the right 
5078
span

79
to tell me 
80
attribution

80
how much I can work.
5079
span

81
 Such attitudes have given Federal flexibility, 
5081
span

82
not only to rapidly implement new technology 
5082
List

83
but to keep its work force extraordinarily lean.
5082
List

84
 The company deliberately understaffs,
85
result

85
 stretching employees' schedules to the limit. 
5084
span

86
But 
5087
Same-Unit

87
though couriers work as many as 60 hours a week during the autumn rush,
5088
antithesis-e

88
 they leave early during slack times 
5088
span

89
while still being assured of a minimum paycheck.
88
circumstance

90
 Pilots, as well, routinely fly overtime 
5090
span

91
to ensure 
92
attribution

92
that none are furloughed during seasonal lows.
5091
span

93
 The operational freedom has also given Federal a leg up on archrival United Parcel Service Inc., the nation's largest employer of United Brotherhood of Teamsters members.
5093
span

94
 UPS won't discuss its labor practices, 
5096
antithesis

95
but, 
5235
span

96
according to Mr. Cleveland, a former UPS employee, and others, 
95
attribution-e

97
union work rules prohibit UPS drivers from doing more 
5097
Comparison

98
than carrying packages between customers and their vans.
5097
Comparison

99
 Because UPS drivers aren't permitted to load their own vehicles at the depot, 
5099
span

100
say these couriers,
99
attribution

101
 packages often get buried in the load 
5101
List

102
and are delivered late.
5101
List

103
 Labor problems are the last thing 
5103
span

104
Mr. Smith needs right now.
103
elaboration-object-attribute-e

105
 Although the Tiger acquisition has brought Federal a long way toward becoming the global player 
5105
span

106
it wants to be,
105
elaboration-object-attribute-e

107
 it also has brought problems.
5106
span

108
 It more than doubled Federal's long-term debt to $1.9 billion,
5108
List

109
 thrust the company into unknown territory 
5109
span

110
-- heavy cargo -- 
109
elaboration-general-specific

111
and suddenly expanded its landing rights to 21 countries from four.
5108
List

112
 Federal, on its own, hadn't been doing very well overseas.
5111
span

113
 It had hemorrhaged in its attempt 
5112
span

114
to get into Asia, 
115
elaboration-additional-e

115
where treaty restrictions forced it to fly some planes half-empty on certain routes.
5113
span

116
 On routes to South America, the company had no backup jets 
5115
span

117
to ensure delivery 
5116
span

118
when planes were grounded.
117
circumstance

119
 In Europe, business suffered 
5118
span

120
as Federal bought several local companies, 
5119
Sequence

121
only to have the managers quit. 
5119
Sequence

122
 These and other problems squeezed Federal's profit margins last year to 8%, down from more than 13% annually in the first half of the decade.
5121
span

123
 Earnings have plummeted, too, in each of the past three quarters. 
5122
span

124
In the fiscal first period 
5123
span

125
ended Aug. 31,
124
elaboration-object-attribute-e

126
 profit fell 54% to $30.4 million, or 58 cents a share, 
5124
Same-Unit

127
mostly because of the Tiger merger,
5124
result

128
 Federal says.
5125
attribution

129
 Federal's stock price, however, has held up well, 
5128
span

130
driven in part by the general run-up of airline stocks,
5129
span

131
 analysts say.
130
attribution

132
 Since trading as low as $42.25 a share in May, 
133
circumstance

133
Federal's shares have rallied as high as $57.87 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
5131
span

134
 They closed Friday at $53.25, down 50 cents on the day.
5131
elaboration-additional

135
 There's a certain irony in the fact
5134
span

136
 that Federal Express faces its first union problems 
5135
span

137
as a result of its Tiger purchase.
136
result

138
 Tiger itself was founded by a band of gungho airmen 
5137
span

139
who had airlifted supplies over the Hump from India to China during World War II.
138
elaboration-object-attribute-e

140
 In the early 1970s, Mr. Smith modeled his fledgling company on Tiger's innovation of hub-and-spoke and containerized-cargo operations.
5137
background

141
 But from early on, Tiger's workers unionized,
5140
Comparison

142
 while Federal's never have.
5140
Comparison

143
 Federal Express officials acknowledge mistakes in their drive overseas 
5142
Contrast

144
but say 
145
attribution

145
it will pay off eventually.
5143
span

146
 Analysts expect Federal's earnings to improve again in its fiscal third quarter
5145
span

147
 ending Feb. 28,
146
elaboration-object-attribute-e

148
 when the company should begin benefiting from Tiger's extra flights, back-up planes and landing rights.
5145
circumstance

149
 Until then, they expect the cost 
5148
span

150
of integrating the two carriers 
149
elaboration-object-attribute-e

151
to continue crimping profits.
5149
Same-Unit

152
 For now, the union issue is the most nettlesome of Federal's Tiger problems, 
5151
span

153
management believes.
152
attribution

154
 Although encouraging dialogue between managers and workers, 
155
concession

155
Mr. Smith doesn't countenance what he considers insubordination.
5153
span

156
 When a large group of pilots once signed petitions 
5155
span

157
opposing work-rule and compensation changes, 
156
elaboration-object-attribute-e

158
he called a meeting in a company hangar 
5157
Sequence

159
and dressed them down 
5158
span

160
for challenging his authority. 
159
reason

161
He then made most of the changes,
5160
span

162
 pilots say. 
161
attribution

163
 That sort of approach, however, hasn't worked since the addition of Tiger.
5162
span

164
 Its 6,500 workers,
5236
span

165
 who had battled Tiger's management for years over givebacks,
164
elaboration-additional-e

166
 were union members until the day of the merger, 
5164
Same-Unit

167
when most of their unions were automatically decertified.
5164
circumstance

168
 Soon after the merger, moreover, Federal's management asked Tiger's pilots to sign an agreement
5167
span

169
 stating that they could be fired any time,
5168
span

170
 without cause or notice.
169
circumstance

171
 When the pilots refused, 
172
circumstance

172
the company retracted it.
5170
span

173
 Mr. Smith angered Federal's pilots, too.
5172
span

174
 In his haste 
5173
span

175
to seal the deal with Tiger Chairman Saul Steinberg last August, 
174
elaboration-object-attribute-e

176
Mr. Smith ignored a promise 
5175
span

177
that he had made to his own pilots three years ago: 
176
elaboration-additional-e

178
that any fliers 
5177
span

179
acquired in future mergers 
178
elaboration-object-attribute-e

180
would be end-tailed 
5179
span

181
-- put at the bottom of the pilot seniority list 
5180
span

182
that determines work schedules, pay and career options.
181
elaboration-object-attribute-e

183
 The Tiger merger agreement stipulated 
184
attribution

184
that the lists be combined on the basis of tenure.
5182
span

185
 Mr. Smith is trying hard to allay the anger.
5184
span

186
 And even some pro-union pilots say 
187
attribution

187
his charisma and popularity among the many former military fliers could be tough to beat.
5185
span

188
 A lot of people are identifying a vote for representation as a vote against Fred Smith,
5187
span

189
 says J.X. Gollich, a Tiger-turned-Federal pilot and union activist.
188
attribution

190
 Mr. Smith and other top Federal executives have met with Tiger workers in Los Angeles, Ohio, New York, Alaska, Asia and Europe.
5189
span

191
 Recently, they have appeared every few weeks in talk-show type videos, countering pro-union arguments.
5190
span

192
 In one video, Mr. Smith defended his agreement 
5191
span

193
to merge the pilot-seniority lists.
192
elaboration-object-attribute-e

194
 He said
5194
attribution

195
 Mr. Steinberg had insisted 
196
attribution

196
that the merger talks move quickly.
5194
span

197
 Regulators, as well, might have quashed the deal 
5196
span

198
if Tiger's pilots hadn't been protected,
197
condition

199
 he said.
5196
attribution

200
 Furthermore, 
5237
span

201
Mr. Smith added,
200
attribution-e

202
 our contract with our pilots says 
5200
Same-Unit

203
that we will manage our fleet operations with their advice.
5200
attribution

204
 It doesn't give any particular group the ability 
5203
span

205
to veto change. 
204
elaboration-object-attribute-e

206
 Already, the fight has been costly.
5205
span

207
 The seniority-list controversy, along with the job-classification dispute, has been turned over to the mediator.
5206
span

208
 Meanwhile, the company is operating with two separate pilot groups and seniority lists, 
5207
Cause-Result

209
and that is costing Federal a big number, 
5207
Cause-Result

210
says James Barksdale, executive vice president and chief operating officer.
5207
attribution

211
 The issue has also cost Federal management a lot of good will among its old pilots.
5210
span

212
 They were willing to mistreat us 
5211
span

213
because we hadn't shown any moxie, any resistance, 
212
reason

214
says William Queenan, a DC-10 pilot and 14-year Federal veteran.
5211
attribution

215
 Adds John Poag, a 727 captain and past chairman of the company-sponsored Flight Advisory Board:
216
attribution

216
 They've made all these magnanimous gestures to the Flying Tiger pilots, and for us, nothing.
5214
span

217
 Such animosity could prove pivotal in the union vote.
5216
span

218
 A large majority of the 961 former Tiger fliers support the union, 
5217
span

219
according to a union study.
218
attribution

220
 But 
5220
Same-Unit

221
though most of the 1,087 Federal pilots are believed opposed,
222
concession-e

222
 it is unclear just how much their loyalty to Mr. Smith has been eroded.
5238
span

223
 The fight has turned ugly 
5223
result

224
and, among pilots at least, has shattered the esprit de corps 
5223
span

225
that Mr. Smith worked so hard to build.
224
elaboration-object-attribute-e

226
 Anti-union pilots have held ballot-burning parties.
5225
List

227
 Some younger pilots say
5227
attribution

228
 they have had to endure anti-union harangues by senior pilots
5227
span

229
 while flying across the country.
228
circumstance

230
 And for now, at least, the competition isn't the only enemy.
5228
span

231
 Barney Barnhardt, a 727 captain and leader of the pro-union forces, said 
5230
attribution

232
he has received two anonymous death threats 
5230
List

233
and been challenged to a fight with tire irons by a colleague.
5230
List

234
 The pilots are either for us or extremely against us,
5232
span

235
 he says with a sigh.
234
attribution

5001
span
5002
span

5002
span
5102
Topic-Drift

5003
span



5004
multinuc
5005
span

5005
span
5006
span

5006
span
5001
elaboration-additional

5007
span
5013
span

5008
span
5010
reason

5009
span
5007
span

5010
multinuc
5009
span

5011
span
5012
Same-Unit

5012
multinuc
5010
List

5013
span
5005
elaboration-additional

5014
span
5016
span

5015
multinuc
5014
span

5016
span
5017
span

5017
span
5007
elaboration-additional

5018
span
5016
circumstance

5019
multinuc
5021
span

5020
span
5019
List

5021
span
5024
span

5022
span
5019
elaboration-additional

5023
span
22
purpose

5024
span
5028
antithesis

5025
span
5021
elaboration-additional

5026
span
25
elaboration-additional-e

5027
span
18
explanation-argumentative

5028
span
5027
span

5029
span
5031
Same-Unit

5030
span
29
elaboration-set-member-e

5031
multinuc
5032
span

5032
span
28
explanation-argumentative

5033
span
5034
Same-Unit

5034
multinuc
5035
span

5035
span
5031
elaboration-additional

5036
span
5040
span

5037
multinuc
5038
span

5038
span
36
explanation-argumentative

5039
span
5037
attribution

5040
span
5034
elaboration-additional

5041
span
5045
span

5042
span
41
circumstance

5043
span
5044
span

5044
span
42
explanation-argumentative

5045
span
5036
elaboration-additional

5046
span
5047
span

5047
span
5050
span

5048
span
5049
Same-Unit

5049
multinuc
5046
elaboration-additional

5050
span
5041
explanation-argumentative

5051
span
5054
span

5052
span
5053
Same-Unit

5053
multinuc
5051
span

5054
span
5059
span

5055
span
5056
span

5056
span
5058
span

5057
span
5055
elaboration-additional

5058
span
5051
explanation-argumentative

5059
span
5047
elaboration-additional

5060
span
5061
span

5061
span
5062
span

5062
span
5064
Cause-Result

5063
span
5061
elaboration-additional

5064
multinuc
5054
elaboration-additional

5065
span
5080
span

5066
span
5068
Same-Unit

5067
span
66
elaboration-additional-e

5068
multinuc
5073
List

5069
span
5068
Same-Unit

5070
multinuc
5071
span

5071
span
5072
span

5072
span
69
explanation-argumentative

5073
multinuc
65
explanation-argumentative

5074
span
5075
span

5075
span
5073
List

5076
span
5077
span

5077
span
5074
explanation-argumentative

5078
span
5076
elaboration-additional

5079
span
78
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5080
span
5064
Cause-Result

5081
span
5083
span

5082
multinuc
81
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5083
span
5065
elaboration-additional

5084
span
5085
Contrast

5085
multinuc
5092
span

5086
span



5087
multinuc
5089
span

5088
span
5234
span

5089
span
5085
Contrast

5090
span
5087
elaboration-additional

5091
span
90
purpose

5092
span
5081
elaboration-additional

5093
span
5085
elaboration-additional

5094
span
5098
span

5095
span



5096
multinuc
5094
span

5097
multinuc
5096
Same-Unit

5098
span
93
elaboration-additional

5099
span
5101
result

5100
span
5094
cause

5101
multinuc
5100
span

5102
multinuc
5133
span

5103
span
5104
span

5104
span
5110
span

5105
span
107
antithesis

5106
span
5107
span

5107
span
5103
explanation-argumentative

5108
multinuc
5106
example

5109
span
5108
List

5110
span
5102
Topic-Drift

5111
span
5104
background

5112
span
5114
span

5113
span
113
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5114
span
5121
result

5115
span
5117
List

5116
span
116
purpose

5117
multinuc
5112
elaboration-additional

5118
span
5117
List

5119
multinuc
119
circumstance

5120
span
112
explanation-argumentative

5121
span
5120
span

5122
span
5130
concession

5123
span
5124
Same-Unit

5124
multinuc
5125
span

5125
span
5126
span

5126
span
123
elaboration-additional

5127
span
122
elaboration-additional

5128
span
5130
span

5129
span
129
elaboration-additional-e

5130
span
5127
span

5131
span
5132
span

5132
span
5128
explanation-argumentative

5133
span



5134
span
5136
span

5135
span
135
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5136
span
5102
comment

5137
span
5138
span

5138
span
5140
antithesis

5139
span
5141
span

5140
multinuc
5139
span

5141
span
5134
explanation-argumentative

5142
multinuc
5144
span

5143
span
5142
Contrast

5144
span
5139
elaboration-additional

5145
span
5146
span

5146
span
5147
span

5147
span
5142
elaboration-additional

5148
span
5149
Same-Unit

5149
multinuc
5150
List

5150
multinuc
5146
circumstance

5151
span
5152
span

5152
span
5204
span

5153
span
5154
span

5154
span
5151
elaboration-additional

5155
span
5157
circumstance

5156
span
5160
concession

5157
multinuc
5156
span

5158
span
5157
Sequence

5159
span
5161
span

5160
span
5159
span

5161
span
5153
example

5162
span
5171
span

5163
span



5164
multinuc
5165
span

5165
span
5166
span

5166
span
163
explanation-argumentative

5167
span
5169
span

5168
span
168
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5169
span
5165
elaboration-additional

5170
span
5167
elaboration-additional

5171
span
5159
elaboration-additional

5172
span
5183
Problem-Solution

5173
span
5174
Same-Unit

5174
multinuc
173
explanation-argumentative

5175
span
5176
span

5176
span
5181
span

5177
span
5178
Same-Unit

5178
multinuc
5175
elaboration-object-attribute-e

5179
span
5178
Same-Unit

5180
span
180
definition

5181
span
5174
Same-Unit

5182
span
5176
elaboration-additional

5183
multinuc
5162
elaboration-additional

5184
span
5188
span

5185
span
5186
span

5186
span
185
elaboration-additional

5187
span
5185
explanation-argumentative

5188
span
5183
Problem-Solution

5189
span
5184
elaboration-additional

5190
span
190
elaboration-additional

5191
span
5192
span

5192
span
191
elaboration-additional

5193
span
5195
span

5194
span
5193
span

5195
span
5191
explanation-argumentative

5196
span
5197
span

5197
span
5198
List

5198
multinuc
5193
elaboration-additional

5199
span



5200
multinuc
5201
span

5201
span
5202
span

5202
span
5198
List

5203
span
5201
elaboration-additional

5204
span
5150
List

5205
span
5152
cause

5206
span
206
explanation-argumentative

5207
multinuc
5208
span

5208
span
5209
List

5209
multinuc
207
elaboration-additional

5210
span
5209
List

5211
span
5212
span

5212
span
5213
span

5213
span
5215
span

5214
span
5212
elaboration-additional

5215
span
211
explanation-argumentative

5216
span
5221
span

5217
span
5220
antithesis

5218
span
217
explanation-argumentative

5219
span



5220
multinuc
5218
span

5221
span
5213
elaboration-additional

5222
span
5224
span

5223
span
5222
span

5224
span
5216
evaluation-s

5225
multinuc
5222
explanation-argumentative

5226
span
5225
List

5227
span
5226
span

5228
span
5225
List

5229
span
5231
span

5230
multinuc
5229
span

5231
span
230
explanation-argumentative

5232
span
5229
elaboration-additional

5233
span
5004
Same-Unit

5234
span
5087
Same-Unit

5235
span
5096
Same-Unit

5236
span
5164
Same-Unit

5237
span
5200
Same-Unit

5238
span
5220
Same-Unit

