UPS Workers Vote to Authorize Strike as Contract Negotiations Continue

 "UPS Workers Overwhelmingly Approve Strike Authorization as Contract Talks Persist"

UPS workers have voted in favor of going on strike if a new agreement with the company is not reached by the expiration of their current contract. The voting results showed 97% approval for strike authorization among the approximately 340,000 workers represented by the Teamsters union. The negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters started in May 2023 and are still ongoing.

The workers emphasize that they do not want to go on strike but believe it is the company's responsibility to address their concerns. Some of their demands for the new contract include installing air conditioning in UPS vehicles, increasing pay for part-time workers to at least $25 per hour, eliminating the two-tier wage system, ending subcontracting and driver-facing cameras, abolishing the requirement for a sixth workday, and providing more full-time opportunities.

The workers point out that they worked tirelessly during the pandemic, putting their health at risk, but did not receive adequate compensation for their essential work. They argue that UPS has made substantial profits, including $56.3 billion under the current contract from 2019 to 2023, and they expect to share in these gains in the new contract.

While the Teamsters union has achieved 43 non-economic changes in negotiations so far, including securing air conditioning for the UPS fleet, economic proposals are yet to be discussed. The union has taken a more assertive stance on the new contract after the previous contract in 2018 was ratified by union leadership despite members voting against it. The UPS spokesperson expressed confidence in reaching an agreement and downplayed the immediate impact of the strike authorization vote, stating that it is a normal step in labor union negotiations and does not affect their current operations.