UPS employees are less than a month away from what is projected to be the largest strike in U.S. history.
At issue is market-rate salary increases and things such as air conditioning on UPS trucks. Negotiations between Teamsters and UPS management fell apart early this morning “following marathon negotiations,” according to the Teamsters.
“UPS walked away from the bargaining table after presenting an unacceptable offer to the Teamsters that did not address members’ needs,” the Teamsters posted on Facebook this morning.
“This multibillion-dollar corporation has plenty to give American workers — they just don’t want to,” said Teamsters President Sean O’Brien. “UPS had a choice to make, and they have clearly chosen to go down the wrong road.”
That means about 1,200 local UPS employees may hit the picket line Aug. 1, when the current labor agreement expires.
“Our members are ready to strike,” said Ross Kinson with Teamsters Local 533. “We’re heading toward what’s probably going to be the largest strike in U.S. history. Here in Reno we have 1,200 employees this will affect.”
Kinson said UPS employees will practice picketing tomorrow. UPS employees twice in 2022 protested working conditions, including lack of air conditioning on UPS delivery vehicles.
“The company during Covid profited $24 billion and $8 billion back to shareholders in stock buybacks in just the last year,” Kinson said. “We’re not upset the shareholders are doing well, but you can’t give back to the shareholders and then take it off the backs of the workers.”
Kinson alleged UPS is only willing to address air conditioning in new vehicles “and not until next year.”
UPS on June 22 said of the labor negotiations, “strong progress [has been] made to date; we’re focused on continuing toward an agreement. UPS is proud to provide the best pay and benefits package in the industry, and we plan to keep it that way.”
