UPS-Teamsters: The Strike That Wasn't, The Tentative Agreement, Union Leadership and The Upcoming Vote | How Did We Miss That?
UPS-Teamsters: The Strike That Wasn't, The Tentative Agreement, Union Leadership and The Upcoming Vote | How Did We Miss That?
Indie has some thoughts
Indie here. I’m especially proud of this segment from Sunday night’s How Did We Miss That and wanted to share it with the INN Substack Family. We go deep, looking at the UPS-Teamsters Tentative Agreement from every angle. Link to the clip is here and at the bottom of the post.
This is being presented as a historic agreement, which it is in many ways, but they’re also trying to spin this as positively as possible. The Teamsters got FAR from what they were demanding, yet settled anyway despite leaving 180,000 part timers in the cold and maintaining the two-tier system of pay (the Teamsters claim this deal eliminates it, but it doesn’t, really). Talk of Teamster’s president Sean O’Brien working personally with Joe Biden did not bode well for the workers. Yes, they got a deal, but…
What Is Missing from the TA?
This Tentative Agreement, which lasts 5 years, affects 340,000 UPS Teamsters and will be voted on over the next 3 weeks. It, unfortunately, also leaves so many unanswered questions.
If it was “$25/hr for the part timers or strike”, why settle for $21/hr - going up to only $23/hr - AFTER 5 YEARS?!?!
Why aren’t the warehouses getting A/C & fans?
Why only 7,500 part timers converting to full-time, when profits & demand are at an all-time high?
Only 1/3 of the fleet will have A/C by 2028. 60,000 trucks still will not have A/C, and trucks will be in service without A/C possibly through 2040. Why agree to that?
Have you heard about the drivers using their personal vehicles for deliveries, or the potential to now have union members working Sundays “to stay competitive”?
Locals On Board
It looks like the Teamsters have gotten the Local leadership on board, which is no surprise given how hard Sean O'Brien & team worked to get this done, but BIG questions loom about why none of them are pushing for more.
All 162 local chapters are encouraging their members to vote YES. Only 1 came out initially saying to vote “No” but quickly retracted & endorsed the deal.
What Happens Now?
This opens up even more questions:
What exactly happened with the pilots (who had no strike fund)?
Will it be a good deal for the rank-and-file workers in 5 years? It seems like it barely is TODAY.
What are the rank-and-file going to do during the open voting period?
Did the workers get a good deal, 5 years after the last one in 2018?
Why make the deal when he had 5-6 days of leverage before the workers were going to strike and you didn't get all your terms met?
Should The Rank and File Vote No?
Sadly, it looks like this TA will likely get approved, but hear from the workers on the inside saying they should vote NO and why from Luigi Morris at Left Voice.
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