Tampa, FL – On December 19 and 20, UPS workers represented by Teamsters Local 79 and supportive community members attended a picket in Ruskin, Florida in support of Amazon workers who are fighting to form a union across the United States. Amazon workers say they are organizing to win job protection and benefits as well as a seat at the bargaining table.

Throughout the 24-hour pickets, at least 15 supporters were in attendance to show their solidarity.

“We are standing in solidarity with our fellow workers. Corporate America has shown us time and time again that they are going to put the interest of their bottom line over human life and wellbeing,” said Alvin McGary, a UPS driver and steward who was in attendance at the picket. McGary added, “Amazon drivers have spoken out saying that they even fear having to stop to use the bathroom, having to leave the line they worry they will lose their jobs. Amazon drivers deal with ridiculous production quotas. We have them at UPS too but we are protected by the union.”

The pickets were part of a large, coordinated day of pickets around the country and strikes in four cities in California. Other strikes are underway at the UPS location in Atlanta, Georgia as well as Skokie, Illinois.

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Tampa, Fl – On Friday June 30, 100 Teamsters rallied outside the Tampa UPS building for the union’s national practice picketing call to action. UPS drivers rallied first before their start time with a second rally happening for-part timers after they left the early morning or preload shift. June 30 was the deadline the International Brotherhood of Teamsters gave UPS for their best and final economic proposal.

The week before, the Teamsters received UPS’s counter proposal for the economics of the contract. The bargaining committee was outraged at the small raises and cost of living increases. IBT president Sean O’Brien announced in a statement that a strike against UPS seemed imminent.

Teamsters Local 79 organized practice picketing across multiple buildings in west central Florida on June 29 and 30. Outside the Acline building near Ybor city, UPSers held signs saying, “Just practicing for a just contract” and listened to Local 79 leadership explain the counterproposal, the Southern Region supplement, and the importance of being strike ready by August 1.

“We should all take the economic counter-proposal personally, that's what they think our hard work and sacrifice is actually worth, if we have to we will show what it's actually worth,” said Hector Medina, trustee of Teamsters Local 79.

Full-timers and part-timers participated in both rallies. Teamsters who struck in 1997 shared the importance of not crossing the picket line to younger UPSers. Local 79 will host a meeting in July educating members on proposed changes to the Southern Region supplement.

Later that day, the Teamsters announced that UPS would give another economic counter proposal by July 5.

“It's time the company takes these negotiations seriously. We worked hard day and night through the COVID pandemic and UPS has raked in almost double the profits they were making before,” said Gage LaCharite, member of Teamsters Local 79.

There is one month left until the end of the UPS contract and the potential start of the biggest single employer strike in U.S. history. Until then, the Teamsters will continue to educate the membership on being strike ready.

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Tampa, FL – Rank-and-file trade union activists from Teamsters Local 79 hit the gates, Oct. 8, getting petition signatures and handing out call-in information to pressure the IBT National Negotiating Committee into further negotiations with UPS. This comes after Denis Taylor and the Hoffa administration announced the ratification of the contract, despite it being rejected by the membership.

“The fact of the matter is we had a majority no vote and historic turnout. Rank-and-file Teamsters don’t want this contract.” said Gage LaCharite, a trade union activist. “I feel like we haven’t been represented. What’s the point of even having a vote if they’re just going to push it through?” continued LaCharite.

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Tampa, FL – With the vote count a little less than two weeks out, west Florida UPSers will be voting ‘no’ on the tentative agreement. Despite retaliation from the company, rank-and-file militants have been informing the membership of Local 79 throughout the contract negotiation process. Now that balloting information has been mailed out and the vote is underway they are making sure UPS Teamsters have received their ballots and voted.

“Between the efforts of the company and the union to push this contract through, we need to inform the rank and file and get them to vote this deal down,” said Jerrica Hoey, one of the lead organizers for the education campaign. Local 79’s executive board, which represents UPS employees in nine counties of western Florida, has neither endorsed a ‘yes’ vote nor a ‘no’ vote on the tentative agreement. For the 2013 contract, then-president Kenneth Wood and Local 79 leadership urged the membership to vote yes.

Although the vote count will not be until Oct. 5, Jerrica Hoey is confident in a ‘no’ vote from her building. “I work at the Acline building in Tampa and we are definitely going to be a solid ‘no’ vote.” she said. Chris Lovins, a temporary cover driver in Tampa, feels the contract is bad for UPSers. “I’m voting no because of two-tier drivers and the 70-hour work week during Christmas.”

Part-timers inside the warehouse are also voting no. K.C. Hernandez, a sorter with 19 years seniority, is tired of concessionary contracts. “This is my fourth contract and every time we have conceded more while they continue to have record profits.” UPS made over $6 billion in profits last year.

If you have not yet received your balloting information in the mail or need new materials, call your local union as soon as possible. Voting will end Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time and the count will take place later that day at 8 p.m.

#TampaFL #Teamsters #VoteNo #VoteNoOnUPSContract #TeamstersLocal79