At a rally in Atlanta on Saturday, the president of the Teamsters union, Sean O’Brien, said, “We’ve organized, we’ve planned, and now it’s time to pulverize.” This was in response to an upcoming national UPS strike.
In an interview with CNN’s Isabel Rosales, O’Brien said, “Now we’re down to economics, and UPS knows they need to pay our members, especially the part-timers.” This means that the remaining 5% of the contract has been negotiated.
A representative for UPS has stated that part-timers are entitled to the same benefits as regular employees. CNN has previously reported that the average annual salary for full-time workers is $95,000. Part-time workers are paid $16.20 per hour initially and may be eligible for a raise after 30 working days. The representative claims that the median hourly wage for part-time workers is $20.
O’Brien said that they would stop working at midnight on August 1 if an agreement is not reached by July 31.
“UPS represents our members that deliver goods and services that deliver 7% of gross national product,” O’Brien continued. This means “a major blow to [UPS]’s supply chain solutions.”
O’Brien claims that a strike’s effects would be felt around the world. For one, he says, “because the pilots union that represents UPS pilots have committed to us that they will not turn a wheel if the teamsters go on strike.”
Elizabeth Laster, a part-time package handler, told CNN on Saturday that she would be willing to go without pay if a strike were to occur. She has worked for UPS for seven years, and during that time she has raised three sons while feeling that the firm is making millions of dollars while she is barely getting by.
Nothing happens unless we physically move the packets… We’re the ones bringing in the dough, yet we’re not getting our fair share. What kind of justice is that?
“They’ve already gotten our blood, our sweat, and our tears,” Laster said of the firm. We’ve worked hard, so please give us our due.
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