The clock is ticking towards a potential strike at United Parcel Service (UPS), as contract negotiations have broken down and the deadline for a new agreement draws near.
Earlier this month, talks between the Teamsters union, which represents more than half of UPS’s workforce, and the company stalled. Unionized workers have since been holding rallies and practice pickets across the nation.
The current contract expires on Monday, July 31 and with less than a week till this deadline, a strike feels closer than ever. The union has authorized a strike, with the union’s leader, Sean M. O’Brien, vowing to instigate it if their demands are not met.
The Teamsters are calling for better pay, particularly for part-time employees, and improved working conditions. They argue that UPS’s profits have tripled since before the pandemic and that frontline workers deserve a share of these earnings.
UPS, on the other hand, maintains that it already offers “industry-leading pay and benefits”. However, it has expressed willingness to increase this compensation and is aiming to finalize a “fair deal” swiftly.
If a strike does occur, it could significantly disrupt the delivery services that Americans have come to rely on since the pandemic. This would be the first such impasse since 1997, when a walkout by 185,000 workers crippled UPS.
The situation remains fluid, with both parties set to resume talks on Tuesday. The outcome could have wide-reaching implications not just for UPS and its customers, but for organized labor across various industries.