Teamsters Reach Historic Agreement with United Parcel Service

Behind the leadership of President James P. Hoffa, UPS members throughout the country will reap the benefits of many hours of some of the toughest negotiations in recent memory. The wage and benefit package will increase package car drivers wages to over $ 28 per hour at the end of the six-year agreement. Part-time employees will also be entitled to the same five dollar per hour increase over the life of the agreement, plus an additional one dollar per hour catch up rate to be paid over the life of the agreement. " This absolutely the best agreement I have ever seen" cited Shop Steward Jim Wiesner. " I keep looking for the take-a-ways, but quite frankly, I can’t find any"

Teamster officials and UPS management were put to the test as a tentative agreement was announced on Monday morning, July 15^th. The old contract was set to expire on July 31^st. Due to the potential loss of volume created by the uncertainty of the negotiations, the Company caved in and withdrew most of the concessions they was seeking. The tentative agreement needs to be ratified by the membership and ballots are scheduled to be mailed in early August.

Terms of the agreement will provide members with a first class retiree health and welfare plan for all full-time and part-time employees. The agreement will also provide for a first time a long-term disability plan for non-work related injuries or illnesses that will pay members 60% of the weekly earnings up to $500 per week after 26 weeks of disability. The provision will become effective in the third year of the agreement. Additionally, pension contributions made by the Company will increase by $1.90 per hour over the life of the agreement to $ 6.25 per hour. Members will continue to enjoy a full M.O.B. (maintenance of benefits) for health and welfare for active members. And finally, the Company has agreed to create an additional 10,000 new full-time jobs from existing part-time jobs over the life of the agreement.

"In totality, this contract provides our members with the security and benefits our members deserve" states Business Agent Phil Rushing. " UPS employees are required to work in very difficult conditions with the Company holding every employee accountable of their daily productivity. It is their hard work that has made this Company one of the most successful and profitable companies in the world. It is about time they spread the wealth." UPS made over $ 10 billion dollars in profit over the last five years of the expired agreement.

President Hoffa couldn’t have say it better. This agreement will set the standard and benchmark for which all others contracts will be negotiated. As General Secretary Treasurer Keegel stated in address to the membership, this agreement wouldn’t have been possible without the strength of our members and their willingness to accept a dues increases that force the Company to take us seriously. "We had a $ 10 million dollar line of credit which got the Company’s attention," stated Keegel.

Teamsters Local 439 would like to thank the Northern California Negotiating Committee, the Leadership on the National Committee, and a very special thanks to Ken Hall, all of whom sacrificed their time away from their families and member to secure an agreement for which all Teamsters can be proud. Finally, we would like to thank every member of this Local who stood strong and unified to win this historic agreement.

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