Teamsters President Urges White House to Refrain from Intervention in Potential UPS Worker Strike
Negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters union, representing 340,000 workers, have reached a standstill, with a looming July 31 deadline for a new contract. The union has threatened a strike if an agreement is not reached by the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement. During a webcast with members, Teamsters President Sean O'Brien expressed his request to the White House, asking them not to intervene if a strike occurs. O'Brien emphasized the desire to keep external forces out of the dispute. The Teamsters represent over half of UPS's workforce, making this the largest private-sector contract in North America.
While tentative agreements have been made on various issues, such as installing air conditioning in trucks and eliminating a two-tier wage system, wage increases for part-time workers remain a key point of contention. UPS recently announced plans to train nonunion employees as a precautionary measure in the event of a strike. This potential strike would be the first since a significant walkout 25 years ago.
United Parcel Service (UPS) reported a disappointing start to the year with first-quarter earnings revealing a 5.3% drop in revenue and a 31.5% plunge in operating profit compared to last year.