Potential UPS Strike Looms Amid Contract Negotiation

The Teamsters Union, representing 340,000 UPS workers, has authorized a potential nationwide strike beginning August 1, if a contract deal isn't reached by the end of July. This move could result in the largest work stoppage in the US for decades, impacting the transportation of goods and commodities nationwide. Issues under negotiation include higher pay, more full-time positions, and improved working conditions. The strike threat arises amidst the growing significance of delivery infrastructure in the US economy, with 6% of the country’s GDP passing through UPS each year.

In a positive development, UPS and the Teamsters have reached a tentative agreement on several contract issues, including the inclusion of air conditioning in new UPS vans starting next year, and an increase in penalties for payroll errors. Yet, substantial issues like better wages, particularly for part-time employees and a newly created lower-paid class of delivery driver, remain contentious. A potential UPS strike could significantly disrupt the US supply chain, which is still recovering from pandemic-induced backlogs.

Source: The Washington Post