UPS staff came together as 97% of employees voted to authorize a strike as contract negotiations continue, making headway for a potential work stoppage as soon as August 1.
Negotiators for UPS and members of the Teamsters Union have been pushing for better work conditions, primarily focusing on installing air conditioning for UPS’s fleet of 95,000 delivery vans.
Record temperatures of more than 120 degrees have been recorded in the cargo compartment of the vans, becoming a health hazard within work conditions. At least one heat-related death of a UPS driver in Texas is currently being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
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“This vote shows that hundreds of thousands of Teamsters are united and determined to get the best contract in our history at UPS. If this multibillion-dollar corporation fails to deliver on the contract that our hardworking members deserve, UPS will be striking itself. The strongest leverage our members have is their labor and they are prepared to withhold it to ensure UPS acts accordingly,” said Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters General President.
Current fleets will all get two fans per van after the contract is ratified, along with air induction vents installed in the cargo compartments to alleviate extreme temperatures in the back of the vehicles. Those vehicles that are fully electric will have exhaust heat shields installed.
“The results do not mean that a strike is imminent and do not impact our current business operations in any way,” a statement from the company said. “We continue to make progress on key issues and remain confident that we will reach an agreement that provides wins for our employees, the Teamsters, our company and our customers.”
If a work strike does occur, it would be the largest against a single employer in America’s history, as UPS remains the largest unionized employer in the sector. Just last year, they delivered 18.7 million domestic packages a day within the first three months of the year.
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