The Teamsters union headed into Southern California over the weekend to demand higher wages and better benefits from UPS Inc. The two sides begin negotiations on Monday over a new master contract and spar over how far they’ve gotten in bargaining 40 regional supplemental agreements tied to the master compact.
“There are 12 weeks from Monday until the expiration of the contract. We’ve stated our intentions. Teamsters will not be working beyond the expiration date of that contract unless there is a new contract that our members deserve, endorse, embrace, and vote on. We are prepared to work seven days a week to get it done,” said Sean M. O’Brien, general president of the Teamsters, speaking Saturday in Orange.
The Teamsters national negotiating committee meets with UPS on Monday in Washington, D.C., to address supplemental negotiations. Last Wednesday, the union demanded that UPS resolve supplemental agreements before a national agreement can be negotiated.
The Teamsters said that of the 40 supplementals, 30 remain unresolved due to repeated delays by UPS. The company said negotiating national and supplemental contracts at the same time is common. It denied that it is foot-dragging or negotiating in bad faith.
More than 340,000 Teamsters are covered under the master five-year contract, which expires July 31. They are also covered by multiple agreements specific to the regions where they work. The agreements cover provisions like paid time off, seniority, overtime and work hours.
The supplementals are also areas of great contention among members, and with UPS, as they geographically impact workers’ lives and livelihoods. In past cycles, supplementals were often ratified after the main contract was settled.
The Teamsters’ UPS contract is the largest private sector collective bargaining agreement in North America.
“UPS told our members they were heroes during the pandemic, that they were essential. The time for talk is over. The time is now for UPS to put pen to paper, negotiate a contract, sign it, and reward our members for the record profits they’ve made for this company,” said Eric Jimenez, secretary-treasurer of Local 952 in Los Angeles.
“UPS got record profits from the pandemic off your backs. This is your fight and you’re going to get what you deserve,” said Victor Mineros, secretary-treasurer of Local 396 in Los Angeles.
“UPS made $13 billion last year. They gave $5 billion of that to line the pockets of top executives and shareholders in stock buybacks. Every UPS Teamster deserves to share in the profits they created,” said Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), who appeared at the event.
The Teamsters are looking to guarantee better pay for all workers, eliminate the two-tier wage 22.4 job classification where junior-seniority full-time workers allegedly have lower status contracts below their work levels. The union also wants more full-time jobs, improved job security, and an end to excessive overtime. Also on the table are safety and health concerns around heat illness and stronger protections against alleged company harassment.