Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Hoffa and Hall Walk Away From UPS Freight Teamsters
October 17, 2013: UPS Freight Teamsters wonder what happened to their union. They've heard next to nothing since they rejected the proposed contract in June with a 69 percent No vote. Four months of silence. It's clear that Hoffa and Hall have no plan for winning significant contract improvements.
So where does that leave Teamsters working at UPS Freight? We can still win a good contract if we unite behind solid issues.
With the 2008 contract, Hoffa and Hall both spoke of the importance of having the same expiration dates for the parcel and freight contracts, to have more leverage. But when the membership stood together in solidarity to reject the first offer, Hoffa and Hall didn't hear the wake up call.
UPS Freight Teamsters couldn't believe how little headway was made on improvements from the original contract. What changes were proposed, in many areas, were for the worse. And to top it off, the negotiating committee agreed to a new line haul classification with lower wages and benefits.
Some key areas stand out if members are to approve the next proposal:
There has to be clear language banning subcontracting of Teamster work and the elimination of the proposed substandard line haul driver classification.
We need pension improvements. Raise the accrual to keep pace with inflation.
No premiums for health insurance. We should get what our sisters and brothers get in the UPS Parcel and freight contracts.
Raises of $1 per hour or at least a match with the UPS Parcel wage increases.
And better language on layoff recall rights.
There's no reason UPS Freight Teamsters should get anything less from their contract. In fact, they should expect the union to deliver more from a corporation that made $4.5 billion in profits. With the strong No vote, members sent a clear message to the IBT that negotiations had to win more.
So where does that leave Teamsters working at UPS Freight? We can still win a good contract if we unite behind solid issues.
With the 2008 contract, Hoffa and Hall both spoke of the importance of having the same expiration dates for the parcel and freight contracts, to have more leverage. But when the membership stood together in solidarity to reject the first offer, Hoffa and Hall didn't hear the wake up call.
UPS Freight Teamsters couldn't believe how little headway was made on improvements from the original contract. What changes were proposed, in many areas, were for the worse. And to top it off, the negotiating committee agreed to a new line haul classification with lower wages and benefits.
Some key areas stand out if members are to approve the next proposal:
There has to be clear language banning subcontracting of Teamster work and the elimination of the proposed substandard line haul driver classification.
We need pension improvements. Raise the accrual to keep pace with inflation.
No premiums for health insurance. We should get what our sisters and brothers get in the UPS Parcel and freight contracts.
Raises of $1 per hour or at least a match with the UPS Parcel wage increases.
And better language on layoff recall rights.
There's no reason UPS Freight Teamsters should get anything less from their contract. In fact, they should expect the union to deliver more from a corporation that made $4.5 billion in profits. With the strong No vote, members sent a clear message to the IBT that negotiations had to win more.
http://www.upsfreighttalk.org/
The creation of the "linehaul driver" position would be a huge step back for workers at UPS Freight. People in that new classification would do the same job as a road driver but they would be paid significantly less money for it - approx .62 cents per mile as a "Road Driver" vs. .47 cents per mile as a "Linehaul Driver".
There is absolutely no justification for this at a company making billions of dollars. Hopefully the rank and file will stay strong and continue to vote NO on this garbage.
Hoffa/Hall swore subcontracting of Road Driver work would be addressed with this contract. They didn't tell anyone their solution was to create a new classification making cut rate pay for doing the same job!
