For eight years, Rob Becker labored as a supply driver for UPS in Queens, New York. About 5 years in the past, he was terminated. He obtained concerned in his native union, Teamsters Native 804, and fought, efficiently, to get reinstated.
Whereas pushing for modifications and gathering signatures in current months at UPS because the Teamsters put together for a brand new union contract struggle throughout on the firm in 2023, Becker, an alternate union steward, was once more fired from his job.
“I assume I used to be costing the corporate an excessive amount of cash,” stated Becker. “We're always harassed and intimidated by our administration. It’s unending, we do undergo some calm durations, however inevitably it turns again up in some unspecified time in the future after they resolve to crack the whip.”
He stated his termination famous that he was fired for taking a two- to three-minute break within the morning to get a drink of water.
Within the new union contract, Becker and different employees have been pushing for higher time beyond regulation protections, an elimination of a second tier of supply drivers who're paid much less and supplied with much less protections for doing the identical work, higher pay for part-time staff and warmth safety.
UPS employees and the Teamsters have signaled preparations to strike to win these calls for within the subsequent union contract.
“We're able to strike 100%. It’s clearly a weapon of final resort,” stated Becker.
In August, Teamsters Worldwide launched the contract struggle at UPS, because the union management newly elected in 2021 has signaled an finish to accepting concessions in union contracts with UPS.
The union is combating for the top of misclassifying employees as a method to pay them much less, comparable to private car drivers who work as short-term contractors. In addition they need the growing surveillance of drivers on the job, a two-tier worker system of drivers, no less than a $20 an hour beginning pay for part-time staff and warmth protections as UPS automobiles usually are not outfitted with air con.
UPS reduce hourly pay for a lot of part-time employees earlier this 12 months, as the corporate reported report earnings of almost $13bn in 2021.
“Our union is resolved to win the perfect contract for UPS members and to reset the requirements for wages and advantages on this trade by August 1, 2023. We gained’t prolong negotiations by a single day. We’ll both have a signed settlement that day or be hitting the pavement,” the Teamsters Worldwide president, Sean O’Brien, stated in a assertion.
Ben Douglass, one other UPS driver in Queens, New York for 2 years, was additionally fired on 24 August, the identical day as Becker, whereas serving as an alternate union steward. He stated over the previous six months, retaliation and harassment has ramped up.
“Myself and different employee activists have turn out to be thorns within the facet of administration. Within the lead as much as the contract struggle, administration has a method of making an attempt to scare the workforce so folks aren’t absolutely ready to struggle in opposition to accepting a subpar contract,” he stated.
Douglass is without doubt one of the supply drivers who is classed as a 22.4 driver, within the second tier of supply drivers the place pay is way decrease they usually don’t obtain time beyond regulation protections. He’s additionally combating to enhance pay and dealing situations for part-time employees and warmth protections within the wake of drivers requiring medical consideration and the heat-related demise of 24-year-old driver Esteban Chavez in California earlier this 12 months.
Douglass and Becker have each filed grievances to push to be reinstated to their positions view their firings as a part of concentrating on of union activists and organizers within the office forward of the brand new union contract struggle.
“I feel there’s a scientific coverage from the UPS administration to focus on activists within the office and there’s a tradition of harassment and retaliation,” added Douglass.
UPS didn't touch upon the firings and claims of retaliation.
Regarding the union contract negotiations, a UPS spokesperson stated in an e-mail: “These, and lots of others, are necessary subjects that we are going to focus on as a part of our negotiation. UPS and the Teamsters have labored cooperatively for nearly 100 years to fulfill the wants of UPS staff, prospects, and the communities the place we dwell and work. We've got constructed UPS into the world’s main bundle supply firm collectively, which has additionally bolstered Teamsters membership over time. We imagine we’ll proceed to search out frequent floor with the Teamsters and attain an settlement that’s good for everybody concerned.”
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