The company had slowed down its operations and stopped picking up new cargo in the week leading up to the vote, resulting in most Freight employees being laid off. Simultaneously, the IBT had not effectively prepared for a strike, leaving many members unconfident about a strike’s outcome.

Many UPS Freight employees are still laid off and it is unknown at this time how many will be hired back on as the company begins picking up new shipments. In fact, Teamster leader Denis Taylor stated on the IBT conference call announcing the results that laid-off Freight “members who are not called back should file for unemployment compensation just like any layoff.” “It’s my understanding that the other union freight companies are hiring,” added Taylor.

With a tight labor market in the less-than-load shipping market, and UPS Freight’s busiest season approaching, a strike would have had favorable conditions. However, due to UPS and the IBT misleaders working together to force a subpar contract, UPS Freight employees will suffer for the next five years.

#WashingtonDC #PeoplesStruggles #Teamsters #UPS #UPSFreight

Chicago, IL – Negotiations are set to resume Monday, November 12, between Teamsters Local 705 and UPS over a tentative five-year contract for over 10,000 UPS workers in the Chicago area.

One of the last contracts to settle, Local 705 Teamsters are pushing back against concessions passed under the national master contract by Hoffa and Small Package Division negotiator Dennis Taylor that affect over 240,000 Teamsters. Local 705 remains one of the last independent Teamster/UPS contracts in the country.

Local 705 gave UPS a 30-day notice on October 31 to end a contract extension, raising the possibility of a strike. Preparations have been underway to for members to conduct a strike vote.

Earlier today, November 11, a vote count revealed that Teamsters Local 705 UPS Freight drivers voted down a second contract proposal, 125 to 34, showing their willingness to strike in the face of massive threats by the employer. UPS Freight, a division of UPS that handles “less-than-truckload” shipments (typically medium-sized shipments of objects over 150lbs), employs approximately 12,000 nationwide, hundreds of whom work in the Chicago area.

#ChicagoIL #PeoplesStruggles #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal705 #Strikes #VoteNoOnUPSContract #UPSFreight

The vote will be taking place in person at members’ local union halls as opposed to the online voting used for the original offer. Many observers believe that by having in-person voting, the negotiating committee is hoping turnout will be low enough to allow them to ratify the contract using the “2/3rds” article of the Teamsters constitution. The same article was used to impose the unpopular UPS contract last month.

The last offer from UPS has seen nominal improvements from the original offer and is still lacking. Little or no improvements have been made to wage, subcontracting, pension and vacation language. The Teamsters negotiating committee has not endorsed ratification.

UPS Freight is the fifth largest less-than-load (LTL) shipper in the United States. Since only a handful of companies offer a majority of LTL services, a work stoppage at UPS Freight will affect the entire industry. It is predicted cargo shipments across the industry will be slowed down 5 to 10 percent, and customers could see price increases into next year.

As UPS enters peak season, and along with a tight LTL market, conditions are favorable for a strike at UPS Freight. Teamsters across the country are making plans for strike support in the event UPS Freight strikes.

#WashingtonDC #PeoplesStruggles #Teamsters #strike #strikeVote #Strikes #UPSFreight

In an October 25 memorandum sent to all UPSF Teamster members, the negotiating committee said, “the LBFO does not sufficiently address the issues raised by the members.” However, “because of the company’s insistence that there is no more money to be had...the negotiating committee decided to submit the LBFO for acceptance or rejection.”

The claim that there is “no more money to be had” is ridiculous. UPS announced on October 24 that profits are up: $250 million higher than this time last year and a projected annual profit of $6.1 to $6.4 billion. Despite these record profits, the Teamsters negotiating committees are parroting the company’s talking points rather than calling them out.

A strike could occur as early as November 12 if the LBFO is rejected by the membership.

#WashingtonDC #PeoplesStruggles #Teamsters #Strikes #VoteNoOnUPSContract #UPSFreight