According to statements made by the Teamsters union’s leader on Sunday, he has asked the White House to refrain from interfering if UPS employees who are members of the union decide to go on strike.
The deadline to reach an agreement on a new contract, July 31, is quickly approaching, but the delivery firm and the union that represents 340,000 of its workers have been unable to make any progress in their negotiations for more than a week.
The labor union has threatened to go on strike if a deal is not reached by the time outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.
Teamsters President Sean O’Brien was questioned about the likelihood of the White House forcing the union into a contract during a teleconference with members on Sunday. O’Brien responded by saying he has frequently asked the White House to avoid intervening.
The Teamsters union represents more than half of the company’s employees under the largest private-sector contract in North America. This business is located in Atlanta.
UPS Workers On The Verge Of Strike
If there is a strike, it will be the first one since exactly 25 years ago when 185,000 workers went on strike for 15 days and brought the company to its knees.
Prior to the breakdown of contract negotiations, the two parties had reached a provisional agreement on a number of issues.
It includes the addition of air conditioning to a greater number of vehicles and the removal of a two-tier wage system for drivers who work weekends and earn less.
Part-time employees’ minimum pay, according to UPS, is $16.20 per hour, which has turned into a stumbling block in the continuing discussions regarding pay raises.
In the case of a strike, UPS said a week ago that it will start training non-union employees in the US to fill in for them.
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Source: www.msn.com