Some 210,000 Teamster members work for UPS, the world's largest private parcel delivery company. In 1997 union members waged a decisive 15-day strike that shut the company down. The issue of the U.S. capitalists' growing use of temporary workers, who receive lower wages and often fewer benefits, galvanized support for the walkout among tens of millions of working people in the United States. Workers also demanded wage increases and rebuffed a company attack on the union pension plan. In addition to the wage rise, the union won a pledge from the company to convert 2,000 part-time jobs to full-time positions each year for five years.

Ken Hall, the co-chair of the bargaining committee in 1997, told the press that negotiations this year "have been moving forward at a very slow pace." The union strike vote is needed, he said, to help "step up the pace of negotiations. We have to send a message to the company that our members are serious and that our union is serious. These negotiations are not progressing at a pace to finish by July 31."

The union has increased dues recently to build up a strike fund that will give union members a weekly amount ten times their hourly wage--an increase over the $55 they received in 1997.

After the union officials recommended approval of the strike authorization vote, the company settled a number of outstanding issues. Agreement was reached on about half of the 32 supplemental agreements, but the more substantial wage and other national issues are still outstanding.

The contract expires July 31. The union has established a website, www.trakups.org, where articles and updates on the negotiations can be found.  
 
 
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