Deal Results in Higher Wages, More Jobs, Equal Pay, A/C, MLK Day, Part-Time Rewards

Press Contact: Kara Deniz Email: kdeniz@teamster.org

(WASHINGTON) – Today, the Teamsters reached the most historic tentative agreement for workers in the history of UPS, protecting and rewarding more than 340,000 UPS Teamsters nationwide. The overwhelmingly lucrative contract raises wages for all workers, creates more full-time jobs, and includes dozens of workplace protections and improvements. The UPS Teamsters National Negotiating Committee unanimously endorsed the five-year tentative agreement.

“Rank-and-file UPS Teamsters sacrificed everything to get this country through a pandemic and enabled UPS to reap record-setting profits. Teamster labor moves America. The union went into this fight committed to winning for our members. We demanded the best contract in the history of UPS, and we got it,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “UPS has put $30 billion in new money on the table as a direct result of these negotiations. We’ve changed the game, battling it out day and night to make sure our members won an agreement that pays strong wages, rewards their labor, and doesn’t require a single concession. This contract sets a new standard in the labor movement and raises the bar for all workers.”

“UPS came dangerously close to putting itself on strike, but we kept firm on our demands. In my more than 40 years in Louisville representing members at Worldport — the largest UPS hub in the country — I have never seen a national contract that levels the playing field for workers so dramatically as this one. The agreement puts more money in our members’ pockets and establishes a full range of new protections for them on the job,” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. “We stayed focused on our members and fought like hell to get everything that full-time and part-time UPS Teamsters deserve.”

“Rank-and-file members served on the committee for the first time, so we got to show up every day to support our fellow Teamsters and share their stories,” said Brandy Harris, a part-time UPS Teamster with Local 174 in Seattle and a member of the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee. “Our hard work has paid off — from those members and leaders negotiating for more at the table to my sisters and brothers building a credible strike threat around the country. Our union was organized and we were relentless. We’ve hit every goal that UPS Teamster members wanted and asked for with this agreement. It’s a ‘yes’ vote for the most historic contract we’ve ever had.”

Highlights of the tentative 2023-2028 UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement include:

• Historic wage increases. Existing full- and part-time UPS Teamsters will get $2.75 more per hour in 2023, and $7.50 more per hour over the length of the contract.

• Existing part-timers will be raised up to no less than $21 per hour immediately, and part-time seniority workers earning more under a market rate adjustment would still receive all new general wage increases.

• General wage increases for part-time workers will be double the amount obtained in the previous UPS Teamsters contract — and existing part-time workers will receive a 48 percent average total wage increase over the next five years.

• Wage increases for full-timers will keep UPS Teamsters the highest paid delivery drivers in the nation, improving their average top rate to $49 per hour.

• Current UPS Teamsters working part-time would receive longevity wage increases of up to $1.50 per hour on top of new hourly raises, compounding their earnings.

• New part-time hires at UPS would start at $21 per hour and advance to $23 per hour.

• All UPS Teamster drivers classified as 22.4s would be reclassified immediately to Regular Package Car Drivers and placed into seniority, ending the unfair two-tier wage system at UPS.

• Safety and health protections, including vehicle air conditioning and cargo ventilation. UPS will equip in-cab A/C in all larger delivery vehicles, sprinter vans, and package cars purchased after Jan. 1, 2024. All cars get two fans and air induction vents in the cargo compartments.

• All UPS Teamsters would receive Martin Luther King Day as a full holiday for the first time.

• No more forced overtime on Teamster drivers’ days off. Drivers would keep one of two workweek schedules and could not be forced into overtime on scheduled off-days.

• UPS Teamster part-timers will have priority to perform all seasonal support work using their own vehicles with a locked-in eight-hour guarantee. For the first time, seasonal work will be contained to five weeks only from November-December.

• The creation of 7,500 new full-time Teamster jobs at UPS and the fulfillment of 22,500 open positions, establishing more opportunities through the life of the agreement for part-timers to transition to full-time work.

• More than 60 total changes and improvements to the National Master Agreement — more than any other time in Teamsters history — and zero concessions from the rank-and-file.

On July 31, representatives of the 176 UPS Teamster locals in the U.S. and Puerto Rico will meet to review and recommend the tentative agreement. All UPS rank-and-file members will receive a list of improvements in the contract. Locals will conduct member meetings and Teamsters will have several weeks to vote on the offer electronically. Member voting begins August 3 and concludes August 22.

The UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement is the single largest private-sector collective bargaining agreement in North America.  

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org to learn more and follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Teamsters Applaud Call to Pass Pro Act, Antitrust Laws During Biden SOTU

2023.02.08

(WASHINGTON) – The International Brotherhood of Teamsters applauds the call on Congress to pass the PRO Act during President Biden’s State of the Union address. New labor legislation that puts the needs of working people ahead of corporations was mentioned throughout the speech, including bipartisan antitrust legislation to rein in the power of Big Tech bullies like Amazon. But such laws must be passed and enacted to actually turn the tide in the battle against corporate greed.

“President Biden is putting the needs of working people at the center of public debate and Congress needs to meet this moment to repair labor laws in this country,” said Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters General President. “Bad actors like Amazon have been allowed to flout our nation’s labor and antitrust laws with impunity, running roughshod over honest businesses and their workers. Thanks to our current administration and labor climate, protections for working people are receiving a brighter spotlight and government officials today would be fools to let this chance to invest in the working class pass us by.

“As the President said in his State of the Union address, the time for robust labor and antitrust reform is now. Congress must work to pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and give workers the protections to more easily organize their unions. Lawmakers also must pass the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICOA) to rein in unfair business practices by white collar crime syndicates known as Corporate America. After decades of inaction and erosion on Capitol Hill, America’s labor laws are weak, but the Teamsters will continue to lead the charge to strengthen and improve them.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Teamsters at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Unite to Win Incredible Contract

2022.05.24

Members of Locals 135 and 142 Stand Together to Win Huge Wage Increases, Reduced Health Care Costs

(INDIANAPOLIS) – Members of Teamsters Local 135 and Teamsters Local 142 at Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits ratified a new contract this week. The joint contract covers 120 drivers and warehouse workers at the company’s warehouse in Indianapolis and at its satellite facilities across Indiana.

“The improvements in this contract are the best we’ve ever had,” said Jeff Combs, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 135. “I’m incredibly proud of these members for standing strong and achieving what they did.”

The five-year agreement provides wage increases from $9.50 to $11 per hour over the life of the contract. It also lowers workers’ share of healthcare premium costs to $0 for the first two years of the contract and significantly increases the employer’s pension contributions.

“This bargaining unit used to be two separate units, but were merged together when Southern Wine and Glazer’s merged to form one company five years ago,” Combs explained. “It wasn’t’ an easy process – this group was not unified five years ago and the company knew it.

“Over the past five years, though, these workers came together to form a united and solid group. They understood that standing together in solidarity was the only thing that would win them a better contract and they were 100 percent right.”

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Chief Steward Kevin Clark agreed.

“The company came to us with a low-ball offer back in February, and we voted it down,” said Clark. “We stuck together at the bargaining table and kept all our co-workers updated on how negotiations were going. We stayed united and fought for what we deserve – the company realized they couldn’t divide us and that we weren’t going to back down. That’s how we won.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

NEW …. MYTEAMCARE APP

To assist Local Unions and our members, we’re happy to announce the launch of the new MyTeamCare app.  The app is a new way to find the benefits information you need. With the app, the features of our website are at your fingertips anytime, anywhere.  Registered Local Unions can use the MyTeamCare app on their smartphone or tablet to look up member information, eligibility and view Plan documents.  For members, the new MyTeamCare app allows them to look up claims, deductibles, and TeamCare benefit usage.  In addition, members will have easy access to your digital ID cards.  Finally, members can send a secure message via the Message Center directly from the app.  The MyTeamCare app is available to download now on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

During this crisis, please encourage members to utilize our website MyTeamCare.org to view their explanation of benefits statements (EOBs), download ID cards, download forms and applications, and send any claim questions through our secure Message Center.  Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected. The health of our members has always been our top priority.  This is a rapidly evolving situation that we will continue to monitor.

TEAMSTERS SAFETY & HEALTH

Coronavirus

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Summary and Resources 

Click here to be connected to the latest information