UPS chief Scott Davis slams increasing protectionist sentiment

17 June 2009

While both FedEx and and UPS disagree strongly on an number of issues involving labour law, the companies agree strongly on at least one hot-button issue - protectionism.

UPS CEO Scott Davis speaking at the Detroit Economic Club's National Summit yesterday said that global trade offered the best path to ending global recession. He decried protectionism as the principal threat to the global economy arising from the economic turmoil.

Davis also pointed out that the biggest declines associated from the downturn had already occurred.

UPS which is world's largest package delivery company, is considered a barometer of the economy as people ship more packages in a boom, while shipments fall when the economy fails.

He said that protectionism was the worst response at the worst time and political expediency cannot be allowed to cloud global reality.

Even as Davis was speaking at the summit, just across the Detroit River from where he spoke, the $787-billion economic stimulus package and its Buy American provisions continue to remain a consuming issue.