UPS Inc. said Friday it has begun “business continuity” training to prepare nonunion employees to handle packages in the event a Teamsters union strike disrupts operations.
“Over the coming weeks, many of our U.S. employees will participate in training that would help them safely serve our customers if there is a labor disruption. This “temporary plan’ has no effect on current operations,” UPS (NYSE: UPS) said.
“While we have made great progress and are close to reaching an agreement, we have a responsibility as an essential service provider to take steps to help ensure we can deliver our customers’ packages if the Teamsters choose to strike.” The training is “aligned with our ongoing commitment to safety and business continuity,” the company said.
UPS has been preparing contingencies for some time. As far back as last year, it directed managers not to schedule paid time off during July and August 2023, periods when they could be pressed into service to move parcels if there was a strike.
As of the end of the first quarter, UPS moved about 18.6 million parcels each day in the U.S. It is estimated that management contingency efforts could move about 4 million of those parcels. The balance would be subject to possible diversion to competitors.
The two sides are 17 days shy of the July 31 date when the current five-year contract expires. The Teamsters have warned they will strike Aug. 1 if a contract isn’t agreed to and ratified by the 340,000 rank-and-file members.
Talks stalled out on July 5, reportedly over how much UPS part-timers, who make up at least half of the unionized workforce, should be paid both in starting wages and wages for those established on the job. It was reported that Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said the two sides are $6 to $7 an hour apart in their proposals.
No new talks are scheduled. O’Brien has been touring locations around the New York tri-state area participating in what the Teamsters have called “practice picketing.”
Retired UPSer
I hope UPS learned lesson from the strike of 1996 and is better prepared in the event of a strike come August 1st. They will need more than management to move packages if they want to wait out the Teamsters. It may be time to partner with Amazon and local carriers to get the job done!
Jack Fuller
@Freight Zippy
Many opinions, not supported by facts.
Amazon has very little parcel pickup capability. It’s all Delivery.
“Deadbeat” USPS opinion has no basis in fact.
As for UPS losing volume duiring a strike – customers typically “return to the dance with them than brung ’em”.
Eugene
Low senior drivers will loose thier jobs because ups will loose alot of volume and Teamsters leaders don’t loose so they are hollering strike and this solves the problem but it doesn’t. Teamster employees will loose in some way or another cause we did in the last strike of 97.
Ryan Turner
UPSers should realize that the Teamsters are politicians. They promise and don’t deliver. They don’t care if you’re not getting paid for a few weeks. They have an image to maintain. Remember 1996 when UPS offered $4000 a month retirement and the Teamsters said no. I remember every month I remember when I open my UPS pension check for $1600.. learn the lesson
Midwest Teamster
We are licking our lips with anticipation of this. A UPS package car driver is most likely the most efficient worker in America. We have been dying for the public to truly see the proof of that and here it comes! Get the popcorn ready!
Freight Zippy
This may mark the beginning of the end for unionized parcel carriers. For decades UPS held the high ground on service but that gap has eroded and today they are working with rules from a bygone era.
I suspect that the mega Amazon Fleet has plenty of capacity as almost every package truck returns empty to an Amazon DC???
Plus the deadbeat USPS is looking at the parcel business once again. Thankfully for UPS they are run by the government, otherwise they’d have a serious competitor.
My guess is a strike will cost UPS 1/3 of their volume once the dust settles.
As always the teamsters will win the battle but lose the war..