The Teamsters union said Wednesday that it has demanded that UPS Inc. present its last, best and final contractual offer no later than Friday.
The ratcheting up of hostilities comes one day after the Teamsters gave UPS (NYSE: UPS) one week to submit an economic proposal that was superior to the one the Teamsters called “appalling.” The company’s initial proposal offered small pay raises and cuts to traditional cost-of-living adjustments, the union said.
A last, best and final offer (LBFO) is a formal offer that one side — usually the employer — submits to the other for an agreement. It is supposed to include all compromises that the offering party is willing to make, but that is not always the case. The LBFO is often submitted to union members for their vote to reject it or accept it.
The Teamsters met with UPS negotiators late into Tuesday night over Article 34 of the union’s National Master Agreement, governing health and welfare and pension benefits for members. Despite early progress, UPS attempted to “move the goalposts at the 11th hour and withhold any additional benefits from the Teamsters, seeking concessionary language instead,” the union said. The Teamsters did not provide any details.
When the Teamsters walked away from the table, UPS agreed to resume negotiations Wednesday. When corporate executives showed up, they only resubmitted the same proposal for worker concessions under Article 34, the union said.
“The largest single-employer strike in American history now appears inevitable,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Executives at UPS, some of whom get tens of millions of dollars a year, do not care about the hundreds of thousands of American workers who make this company run. They don’t care about our members’ families. UPS doesn’t want to pay up. Their actions and insults at the bargaining table have proven they are just another corporation that wants to keep all the money at the top. Working people who bust their asses every single day do not matter, not to UPS.”
“Last week, we provided our initial economic proposal. This week we followed with a significantly amended proposal to address key demands from the Teamsters,” UPS said in a statement. Reaching consensus requires time and serious, detailed discussion, but it also requires give-and-take from both sides. “
The current contract expires July 31, and union leaders have warned that they will strike Aug. 1 without a contract. Teamsters nationwide authorized a strike this month by 97% should UPS fail to come to terms on a new contract. The strike authorization vote was expected.
“We have an economy today that is reliant on parcel delivery and no one in the game handles more packages per day or provides better service than Teamsters at UPS. Our members are fighting for a post-pandemic agreement that honors the sacrifices they made to keep this country moving during the last several years,” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. “Time has run out for UPS to give workers that honorable contract. “
kevin
i am a retired ups driver who worked at ups for 38 years and retired in 2022. i was on the strike line in 1997 and i can tell you that all ups workers are under paid based on their production ( which is the highest in the industry ) and their sacrifice. Full time drivers work the most FORCED overtime in the industry and its not even close. They never get time with their families and never see their kids grow up. That FORCED overtime is why they make 95000 a year on average that ups claims, but the company purposefully fails to mention that its only due to the EXCESSIVE FORCED OVERTIME.
While the job doesn’t require a college degree, i can guarantee you that most college graduates couldn’t do the job long enough to reach retirement. It is extremely physically demanding and takes a large toll on the body. Ups has often referred to us as INDUSTRIAL ATHLETES. But now they don’t want to share the prosperity that we contributed to with us. My message to ups workers is to IGNORE the scare tactics that ups will implore to try and divide you in order to conquer you. Stay TOGETHER and you will prevail.
Todd
Hold strong Teamsters.
Tommy Davis
I have two sons that work for this company and they bust their butts every day no matter what the weather conditions are. I’ve saw this happen before where the upper people don’t respect the people under them that make things happen. They only take credit for what’s been done by the people like my sons. What a shame to what this country has become.
Upser
@bishop I shouldn’t have to wait 17 years to get a full time job. Or did you totally miss that point? I knew this we coming we were told at the beginning of the year to start saving and so I did, a lot of us did. If we go on strike and it lasts longer then a few days this economy will be crippled. We can last a lot longer than the economy and I did crunch the numbers…I’ll be fine don’t you worry. The company and top share holders make billions. They can buy their 18 year old a BMW instead of a Bugatti they won’t be hurt that bad. They can take a pay cut.