June 15 (UPI) — As the deadline for a new labor contract approaches on July 31, Teamsters drivers across the country are anticipated to authorize a strike against UPS on Friday. If approved, the union will have the authority to strike if no agreement is reached by the deadline.
The UPS Teamsters contract addresses the pay, benefits, and working conditions for approximately 340,000 UPS employees nationwide.
Wage issues take center stage at the UPS bargaining table this year. Starting pay for UPS warehouse workers is currently only $15.50 per hour.
After working at UPS for nine years, Cesar Castro stated that he earns $18.85 per hour.
“This wage is not sustainable,” Castro expressed. “I can confidently say that my colleagues want better pay and more full-time jobs. We have put in tremendous effort for this company.”
The union also aims to eliminate a driver classification that allows UPS to pay new drivers approximately $5 less per hour.
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien stated that Teamsters members have shown great enthusiasm by gathering in union halls to cast their strike authorization votes.
The voting process will conclude on Friday. It does not guarantee that a strike will be called, but it grants the union leadership the authority to strike if necessary.
O’Brien emphasized the union’s commitment to securing the best labor contract in UPS history during the ongoing negotiations.
“We are here to protect over 340,000 UPS Teamsters and to achieve the best contract in our union’s history with this company,” he stated.
Earlier this week, UPS reached an agreement with the Teamsters regarding the issue of air conditioning in delivery trucks, aimed at ensuring drivers’ safety in hot weather conditions.
“The Teamsters prioritized air conditioning for their members, and the solutions we have agreed upon will improve airflow, temperature, and comfort for our employees,” UPS stated in a press release.
This agreement will ensure that U.S. UPS package delivery vehicles are equipped with air conditioning starting from January 1, 2024.
According to O’Brien, UPS negotiating subcommittees continue to meet and have made tentative agreements on two dozen issues so far, including the implementation of air conditioning in trucks.
In a statement published on its website, UPS expressed, “We are looking forward to building upon the progress that has been made, which benefit our employees, the union, and UPS, as well as our customers.
In Louisville, 99% of the members of a large Teamsters local voted in favor of a UPS strike.
“Our members have sent a clear message to UPS that the Teamsters are unified and ready to fight for what they deserve,” said Avral Thompson, President of Local 89, in a statement on Facebook. “If a 99% strike authorization vote does not motivate Carol Tome and her associates at UPS to do the right thing and provide our members with the contract they deserve, then they will be held responsible for the consequences that follow in August.”
According to Local 89, the main issues include the creation of more full-time jobs, an end to excessive overtime, the elimination of two-tier pay levels, and higher pay for part-time workers.
The local union stated on its website, “The era of accepting concessionary contracts is over, and instead, the Teamsters union stands united and stronger than ever before. We are prepared, willing, and ready to fight.”
A UPS strike by the Teamsters in 1997 had a significant economic impact on the company.
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