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. “
CharlieMac
I’ve been with FedEx Ground awhile.
I was a contractor for 24 years since 1992 then I sold my one route and truck and I’ve been senior Operations manger for another owner for 7 years.
I guarantee you offer $45 an hour and benefits and you’ll be bombarded with Ground drivers.
We already work 7 days a week and left up to 150lbs boxes all day.
The problem is no one want to be a loader or part time.
I hope y’all don’t have to strike because it’ll destroy us.
Good luck to the teamsters.
I just wish I would have started with UPS in 1992.
Terry
Ask how many pensions the leaders of the union get when they retire. I had enough of the teamsters when I found that out. WE Break our backs for maybe a good year of $75,000. But the union leadership is making bank off the employees that are doing all the heavy lifting.
Greed
Ego
Self absorbed
Is what all of this is about.
John
Yeah this teamster president is the best thing that happened ups they will break the union all ups will need to do is offer the $45 an hour with employee contribute to healthcare in a 401(k) they will get so many drivers form fedex ground and fedex express and Amazon they might have a little disruption but if they hold out they can do it
Alan Merklin
Teamsters at one time were an asset to it’s brotherhood…..Now not so much. I certainly do not agree with part timers being stuck in the same position for many years with zero chance of fulltime employment. At least now UPS trucks will eventually have AC . Do keep in mind all UPS moves so much freight that all it has to do is go to court and partition for Economic Replacements.
Bishop
@Upser…you are trying to make a part time job for 17 years into a career. It isn’t.
You obviously haven’t done the math on the size your strike fund. I suggest you do so. Strike and expect the blowback you deserve. O’Brian should be at the negotiating table working for you instead of blathering and leaking…in violation of the NLRB… on twitter
Robert Baggett
How much money does the Teamsters president and others make compared to the workers they supposedly care about. Go on strike and that will be the end of UPS. Unions are just a protection rack company.
Upser
@bishop you’re an idiot. If ups went out strike long enough for the teamsters strike fund to collapse this economy would be hurt. Our pilots and mechanics all are going to strike with us. Good luck getting planes off the ground. We have two strike funds that we will be getting. This economy can’t last for a two week strike.
Some of you idiots need to realize this company kept secrets from us during Covid. They told employees who had it NOT to tell their coworkers. They told managers not to tell their employees who has Covid or not. Someone you work with that you are loading planes with could have had it and you will never know. 100 billion in profit. We never once got a bonus/raise anything from being essential. We kept this country running with us shipping the vaccine.
@james Ross
There’s more to ups than just package car drivers. I have been there 17 years and I don’t make half of that. I would be lucky to get 47k and that’s only because of our peak season and the long hours and 7 days a week we work. You need to get your facts straight before you comment. This isn’t rocket science get the facts before you type away.
Mike Decker
Why should money be the reward for ” sacrifices during COVID”? Sacrifice means giving or helping for free. Giving up a little for the good of all. Union aggressiveness , selfishness and corruption led to the outsourcing of production overseas. Helped by liberals and socialists . Irresponsible Union demands raise the cost of living for everyone else. Why not run UPS out of business so they can regroup in nations friendly to business. I’ve refused Union membership twice, & am very happily retired. Not rich, like old Union workers, but not spoiled and unprincipled either.