According to a July 27 statement from the local, the proposed 22.4 Combination Driver classification, along with the new wage system, are major concerns in the tentative UPS National Master Agreement.

According to the Local 89 statement, “The new 22.4 classification will effectively create a two-tier wage structure that has never before been in place. We have no doubts that the Company will use this second tier in future negotiations to weaken and downsize our traditional package car jobs in favor of these lower-paid 22.4 positions. It is also clear that the Company’s intent with these jobs is not to simply lessen the overtime burden on our package car drivers but remove it altogether in order to shift it onto 22.4 drivers who will make significantly less money, therefore providing UPS with tremendous savings.”

The statement also noted, “On wages, we took the position early on that the starting pay rate should be increased to $15, with an additional bump in pay for all existing part-time workers to separate them from this new starting pay and reward them for their years of service to the Company. While the proposed changes will phase the starting pay up to $15.50 by the final year of the agreement, there is no reason that UPS cannot do so immediately. Further, the proposed changes fail to give any sort of bump whatsoever to existing part-time workers aside from bringing those who are below $13 up to that rate, which is what new hires will be making retroactively to August 1 of 2018.”

On the issue of the Central Region Supplement, it is stated “our members and those across the Region have long sought changes to Article 17, in particular 17i, which gives UPS broad authority to terminate our members for ofaten unclear violations. This language needs to be either tightly defined or removed altogether. The changes made to 17i in this proposed agreement does little and perhaps nothing to clear up the vagueness that plagues this particular language.”

The leadership of Local 89 says that these are only some of the reasons to vote against the UPS National Master Agreement (NMA) and the UPS Central Region Supplement (CRS).

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In making his announcement, Zuckerman said, “Hoffa has failed to organize in our core industries of carhaul, freight, warehousing, and grocery... He's negotiated concessionary contracts, even during a time when companies like UPS were making billions of dollars.  To protect the members we have, we need to rebuild organizing efforts in each and every one of those industries.”

Zuckerman made the announcement on a nationwide conference call to supporters January 10, 2016.

During the last contract at UPS, Zuckerman as President of Teamsters Local 89 set an example when his Local union overwhelmingly, repeatedly, and consistently voted down the UPS contract and its supplements. Teamsters Local 89 with reform Teamster leaders across the country formed the central leadership of a “Vote No” campaign in opposition to Hoffa’s bad deal with UPS.

Despite this, in a move that stretched the legality of the Teamster constitution, Hoffa signed the concessionary agreement.

“Hoffa’s sellout looked like a done deal until Fred Zuckerman’s Local 89 and other reform leaders stood up to the sellout,” said Teamsters Local 344 activist Adam Frederick, “this gave me the strength to speak out as part of a national movement fighting for all UPS workers.”

Zuckerman will run with other reformers on the Teamsters United slate. Initially, Teamsters United announced Tim Sylvester would run for President, but moved Zuckerman into the slot after Sylvester was defeated in a local union election.

Zuckerman joined the Teamsters when he helped organize Houston’s Chemical Express workers in 1979. Later he took a job as a car hauler in Kentucky which made him a member of Local 89. As an active member, he became a steward for 7 years, then a business agent, and was elected Local 89 President in 2000.

Zuckerman also held the important national position of Grievance Panel Chair under Presidents Ron Carey and Jim Hoffa. Then he was the IBT Carhaul Director until he broke with Hoffa’s failed leadership. Along with being president of Teamsters Local 89, Zuckerman is currently the President of Teamsters Joint Council 94. Under Zuckerman’s leadership, Local 89 is known for its organizing of new union members and fighting the boss to protect their members’ standard of living.

Zuckerman wants to fight at UPS as well as for the national freight truckdrivers, carhaul drivers, and other core Teamster industries. He argues for mobilizing the membership to fight for a better standard of living for all Teamsters. This stands in stark contrast to Hoffa’s “Let’s make a deal!” approach.

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“UPS promises its customers on-time delivery, but after four years of labor negotiations, the company has failed to deliver a contract for its own pilots,” said Independent Pilots Association President Captain Robert Travis on Oct. 23, “In a clear voice, UPS pilots have said they are willing to strike if necessary to finish the job.”

The five-pilot IPA Executive Board now has the authority to formally request a release from federally mediated negotiations with UPS and the discretion to conduct a strike once mediation is concluded.

The Teamsters have vowed to support a Independent Pilots Association strike.

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In late June, the national contract with UPS passed with only 53% of Teamsters voting yes, the narrowest margin ever. 18 supplements and riders have been rejected, including the Louisville Air Supplement.

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The website of Teamster Local 89 reports, “On Friday night, May 24, sisters and brothers from both the Air and Ground divisions showed their solidarity by standing together to inform their fellow members of upcoming contract vote on the proposed National Master Agreement and Central Region Supplement. In just three hours, volunteers handed out over 4000 leaflets to Next Day Air workers at every entrance to the Air District. These handbills help explain the unanimous decision, by UPS stewards, business agents and Executive Board, to recommend rejection of the two proposed agreements. The overwhelming majority of members said they will be voting NO!”

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