A tentative deal on a new five-year contract between Sandy Springs-based UPS and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters was cheered by people in Atlanta and elsewhere.
A strike, which the Teamsters had threatened if a deal had not been reached by July 31, would have crippled shipping across the country, affecting millions of deliveries a day and damaging UPS’s reputation with customers.
Here’s what company and union leaders and others had to say about the new tentative agreement:
“Rank-and-file UPS Teamsters sacrificed everything to get this country through a pandemic and enabled UPS to reap record-setting profits. Teamster labor moves America. The union went into this fight committed to winning for our members. We demanded the best contract in the history of UPS, and we got it. UPS has put $30 billion in new money on the table as a direct result of these negotiations. We’ve changed the game, battling it out day and night to make sure our members won an agreement that pays strong wages, rewards their labor, and doesn’t require a single concession. This contract sets a new standard in the labor movement and raises the bar for all workers.” -- Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien
💥“WE’VE CHANGED THE GAME”: TEAMSTERS WIN HISTORIC UPS CONTRACT💥
— Teamsters (@Teamsters) July 25, 2023
Today, the #Teamsters reached the most historic tentative agreement for workers in the history of @UPS, protecting and rewarding more than 340,000 UPS Teamsters nationwide. #1u pic.twitter.com/4Ap3j4XUTD
“Together we reached a win-win-win agreement on the issues that are important to Teamsters leadership, our employees and to UPS and our customers. This agreement continues to reward UPS’s full- and part-time employees with industry-leading pay and benefits while retaining the flexibility we need to stay competitive, serve our customers and keep our business strong.” -- UPS CEO Carol Tomé
”I applaud the Teamsters and UPS for coming together, negotiating in good faith, and reaching a tentative agreement today that will avoid a shutdown at UPS. While this agreement still awaits final ratification by Teamsters members, today’s announcement moves us closer to a better deal for workers that will also add to our economic momentum. I’ve always said that collective bargaining works by providing workers a seat at the table and the opportunity to improve their lives while contributing fully to their employer’s success. This agreement is a testament to the power of employers and employees coming together to work out their differences at the bargaining table in a manner that helps businesses succeed while helping workers secure pay and benefits they can raise a family on and retire with dignity and respect.” -- President Joe Biden
”The agreement between UPS and Labor is welcome news for our local and global workforce, the company who calls Atlanta home and the entire economy. Thank you both parties at all levels for remaining at the table and keeping the lines of communication open to ensure a positive outcome for employees, stakeholders, and customers.” -- Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens
“Why were UPS workers ready to strike? Maybe because UPS recorded record profits the past two years. And because UPS spent $8.6 (billion) on stock buybacks and dividends in 2022, while paying its CEO $19 (million). These workers rightfully wanted a bigger piece of the pie they helped create.” -- Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich
Why were UPS workers ready to strike?
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) July 25, 2023
Maybe because UPS recorded record profits the past two years.
And because UPS spent $8.6B on stock buybacks and dividends in 2022, while paying its CEO $19M.
These workers rightfully wanted a bigger piece of the pie they helped create.
“We partner together, Norfolk Southern and UPS, to play a critical role and the nation’s supply chain. And I’m happy that they’re as focused on employee engagement as we are. I’m glad they came to an amiable solution, that we can both work together supporting our mutual customers growth.” -- Alan Shaw, CEO of Atlanta-based Norfolk Southern, which has UPS as a key customer
“Last year, UPS implemented a general rate increase of 6.9%, which was a full percentage point above the typical 4.9% to 5.9% increases. Considering the additional compensation for workers, we should anticipate a rise of at least 8% following this new contract, when factoring in accessorial and fuel increases as well.” -- Tommy Storch, transportation procurement expert at Insight Sourcing Group
“This is a great day for the industry and for UPS and for its employees and for shippers,” who would have been negatively impacted by a strike. But, “online retailers are starting to reevaluate free shipping and some are starting to implement shipping charges. Others are increasing the minimum from $35 to $45 for free shipping. And that will be impacted by this. ... There is no free shipping — nothing is free. Even in the restaurant when you go and they serve you bread and butter for free when you sit down —try and eat that and leave and see what happens.” -- Satish Jindel, founder of transportation and logistics consulting firm SJ Consulting Group Inc.
“The right to strike is about encouraging agreement. It is fundamental to collective bargaining and the only countervailing force to capitalism that is otherwise unchecked. The Teamsters led a brilliant contract campaign and strike preparation that made UPS get serious at the bargaining table and meet the needs of the workers who deliver every time for the company and our country. ... Their strategic and solid action changes the game and turns the tide on the gross, exponential growth of inequality over the past several decades.” -- Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants union
“I’m glad that the Teamsters and UPS have reached an agreement that will keep deliveries on schedule and drivers compensated fairly. Countless families across America rely on both our nation’s robust shipping industry and the dedicated men and women who get things where they need to go. This is good news for everyone.” -- U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Suwanee
“Congratulations to Sean O’Brien and the Teamsters for negotiating a strong pro-worker contract with UPS. This is what progressive, grass-roots union leadership is all about. This is a major victory for the American working class. Let’s keep going.” -- U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont
I’m heartened by the recent growth of unions, particularly as it relates to rising wages, workplace protections & safety measures. Congrats to @Teamsters UPS Teamsters on their historic agreement. When unions thrive, workers’ rights thrive & this lucrative deal confirms that.
— Rep. Hank Johnson (@RepHankJohnson) July 25, 2023
“This is fantastic news for the UPS @Teamsters! Working families built this country and this is proof that every worker deserves a union.” -- U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta
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