UPS Inc. and the Teamsters union have reached 24 separate tentative contract agreements, including the ban on UPS introducing new technologies without first bargaining with the union.
Under one of the agreements, UPS would be required to negotiate with the Teamsters at least 45 days before it introduces certain technology such as drones, driverless vehicles and platooning into its network, Teamsters General President Sean O’ Brien said during a webinar on Wednesday updating members on progress in negotiating a new master contract once the current five-year agreement expires July 31.
“Prior to this, there was very loose language which didn’t give us the ability to sit down and negotiate and the company could just implement,” O’Brien said.
UPS and the Teamsters also agreed that 50% of Surepost packages will be delivered by UPS by the end of the next contract, with the remainder still handled by the U.S. Postal Service. Currently, UPS Teamsters deliver about 42% of those shipments.
The tentative agreement also reduces the size of packages eligible for delivery by the Postal Service. Both tenets will result in millions more packages being delivered by union drivers, O’Brien said.
In another change, part-timers will have more flexibility to move to other positions at the company other than for educational purposes.
In addition, UPS will be barred from taking disciplinary action based on technology. The Teamsters have stopped installation of driver-facing cameras and must prove that they be shut off. “UPS cannot use data from any type of technology to discipline drivers,” O’Brien said.
In a statement, UPS said that “we are pleased that we are making steady progress with the Teamsters on a wide array of topics.” All contract language is subject to ratification by the 340,000 rank-and-file Teamsters
Wife of the life
UPS keeps pushing harassment with new technologies and following drivers all day. Making employees fear working. They lose focus get injured, get into accidents and lose their job. This must be stopped. Let the drivers do their job. Stop slaving them with excessive overtime and hire enough people to do the job so they can have a day off to recover and rest. Go teamsters wish you the best
Bill Brayda
Will the retired UPS drivers get any monetary raise to their monthly pensions, like we did 5 years ago?
Xteamster
I was once a teamster, I say once because it was this exact mindset that resulted in literally everyone losing their jobs over a period of time because technology moved forward and the teamsters made themselves irrelevant and unneeded.
Time waits for no man.
Daniel Clay
AS A CURRENT EMPLOYEE I’M HAVING A VERY , VERY, VERY HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING , WHY NO ONE HAS MENTION INCREASED HRS, 15 MIN BREAKS , SHORT STAFFED , BETTER WORKING CONDITION, SAFER WORKING CONDITION, IN THE WINTER THERE IS NO HEAT AT ALL WE WORK IN 40 DEGREE WEATHER AT WHEN IT RAIN OR STORMY , WHY , I HAVE TO PUT ON A SWEATER, THERMAL, A MASK , A HOOD , GLOVES, AND STILL HAVE TO USE THE TECHNIQUE THEY ASK FULLY DRESS TWO LAYERS, SWEATING, VERY UNCOMFORTABLE, AND HAVE MOVE AT VERY HIGH RATE ABOUT 1100 BOXES IN ABOUT 3 HRS, IM CONFUSED TO WHY THIS IS NOT A TOPIC, OR LACK LIGHTING, ITS A LIL DARK UP THERE IN SORT OUT HARD TO SEE THE LABELS , HOW UNTIL EVEN THE PLATFORM IS , YOU CAN TRIP AND FALL JUST WALKING TO YOUR ASSIGN ED DOOR, HOW THE BELT WILL SNAG YOUR FINGER OR HAND S, HOW THE BELT CAN BE SPEEDED UP CAUSING MORE LIKELY TO HAVE MISHAP, NO MOTIVATIONAL, LIKE THANKS FOR COMING , GLAD YOU ARE HERE , APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORT, AND ATTITUDE, YOUR CONSISTENCY, A PAT ON THE BACK , NOT NEGATIVE,ITS LAUNDRY LIST OF THINGS , THE REST ROOM ,, THEY NOT WORKING NOT 2 MAIN BATHROOM DOWN BEEN 10 DAYS, WHEN IT RAIN THE PARKING LOT IS ALMOST UNDER WATER , TO GET TO THE BUILDING IS THE SMALL IS JUST HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE LACK OF APPRECIATION AND WHY IT’S NOT BEING ADDRESSED, ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT YOU CAN ALLOW A SUPERVISOR OR MANAGER TO MAYBE SCREAM OR YELL BE DISRESPECTFUL I MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE THERE TO WITNESS IT OF COURSE NO ONE’S GOING TO SAY IT BUT IT HAPPENS A LOT AND THAT’S NOT HOW YOU TALK TO WRONG MEN AND WOMEN, SO IM A JUST NOT UNDERSTAND ING WHY IS IT MORE LIKE WE THE PEOPLE CAUSE ITS WE THATS MAKING IT WORK DESPITE THE ODDS!!!
Midwest Teamster
UPS has pledged in the language of the last contract to, for example, create X number of full time jobs, take nearly everything off the rail, etc. Did they? No to both. Instead we have more and more contractors hauling freight and equipment.
I hate to say this contract negotiation becomes more of a farce by the day. I hated Hoffa, but at least you knew exactly who he was.
Raymond Fundora
We need mr.o’brien and teamsters to come over to fedex since we get screwed on a daily basis..
Grateful UPS employee
Letting teamsters negotiate before new technology is implemented is no way to run a business. Teamsters need to wake up an know that whether we like it or not technology is the evolution of business. UPS needs to run the business the way they need to and not have to answer to the rank and file. Teamsters should stop look around and see what other job in the US affords the wages and benefits they get with UPS. Remember REA express!!!
Finiece Williams
Thank you, Mr. O’Brien for getting the rolling for all employees at UPS. We need someone like you to get what we need and deserve.