Last Updated on June 16, 2023, 11:57 PM | Published: June 16, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY — Workers at the United Parcel Service [UPS] in Oklahoma City have joined with other workers nationwide to authorize a strike on July 31 if the company and the union do not reach a tentative agreement by then.
The authorization passed overwhelmingly with 97% of workers across the country voting yes. This would be the first UPS strike since 1997.
UPS is a key delivery service company in Oklahoma City and employs hundreds of workers here as drivers and as hub workers who sort packages before they go into delivery trucks.
Seeking a new master agreement
Negotiations between UPS and their workers began nationally on April 17th. The deadline to reach a tentative five-year agreement is July 31, when the “National Master Agreement” expires. After that, the 340,000 workers represented by the Teamsters will officially be on strike.
According to the Teamsters’ statement and the Teamsters’ General President, “This vote shows that hundreds of thousands of Teamsters are united and determined to get the best contract in our history at UPS. If this multibillion-dollar corporation fails to deliver on the contract that our hard-working members deserve, UPS will be striking itself”.
The statement continued, “The UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement is the largest private-sector contract in North America. Full, and part-time UPS Teamsters are working in lockstep for a new five-year agreement that guarantees higher wages for all workers, more full-time jobs, an end to forced overtime and harassment from management, elimination of a two-tier wage system, and protection from heat and other workplace hazards.”
UPS company response
UPS couldn’t be reached immediately for comment via phone call, but a press release was posted on their website.
The statement is as follows,
“The International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced it received approval from its UPS members who voted on its strike authorization. The results do not mean a strike is imminent and do not impact our current business operations in any way. Authorization votes and approvals are normal steps in labor union negotiations. We continue to make progress on key issues and remain confident that we will reach an agreement that provides wins for our employees, the Teamsters, our company and our customers.”
Local workers speak out
Free Press reached out to Oklahoma City union members of Teamsters Local 886 for a response to the democratic call for a strike authorization.
Matthew Smith, Regular Package Car Driver (RPCD) for UPS said, “This authorization was basically to show how serious we are. So I was pretty excited just now when I saw the 97%…it doesn’t get much more credible than that.”
He continued, “Also the news about the air conditioning breakthrough [in negotiations]…all of this has me feeling pretty good about everything. I’d rather not go on strike, so it’s a good sign to me that they’ve already had success. The air conditioning was personally my most important issue by far. So I’m feeling pretty positive overall.”
UPS also mentioned the addition of air conditioning to package delivery cars. UPS said on its website, “Talks on the National Master Agreement continued this week. UPS and the Teamsters reached a substantial agreement on heat safety—including vehicle enhancements to improve airflow, comfort, and temperature. This agreement builds on important heat-safety actions the company announced in the spring.”
The corporation also mentioned that subcommittees have made progress on other items such as safety and health, subcontracting, and overtime rules.
To read more about the lack of air conditioning in package cars, the two-tier wage system mentioned in the Teamsters’ statement, or just about the build-up to the strike authorization, read our previous report:
Holly Baca, Package Handler, and Teamsters Local 886 member spoke with Free Press. She said, “I’m excited that we got the word out enough for a 97% yes vote on the strike authorization. It shows the company that we are serious about getting the contract we deserve. I’m also excited to hear that progress is being made and that we have given zero concessions on all completed supplements. Teamsters are staying strong in negotiations!”
Baca clarified that “completed” doesn’t mean “voted on and ratified”. She continued, “Once all supplements and the national master agreement have reached tentative agreements, all language will be made available for members to view before voting yes or no on the proposal.”
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters are an established labor union with 1.2 million workers in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. They’ve been representing workers since 1903, and are now joining a chorus of younger labor unions pushing for workers’ rights and fair labor practices.
Alex Gatley covers labor activities in the state of Oklahoma.
