Last time, 47% of UPS Teamsters voted No. If UPS’s first offer is weak, then members need to turn out and Vote No in big numbers. Members have the power to reject givebacks and we need to be ready to use it.

UPS makes billions in profits. But Hoffa’s chief negotiator Denis Taylor is proposing contract givebacks, including a two-tier system of low-wage package drivers.

Hybrid Drivers under the Hoffa-Taylor proposal would be paid $6.40 less than the top pay rate for regular Package Drivers. Taylor is reportedly considering trading away 9.5 rights for Hybrid Drivers too.

“Hybrid Drivers” would work Tuesday to Saturday or Sunday to Thursday. Their jobs could combine package delivery and part-time work.

Soft on UPS, Tough on Other Teamsters

Teamsters United leaders spoke out against the Hybrid Drivers two-tier giveback.

Hoffa and Taylor removed Avral Thompson, an IBT Vice President, John Bolton and Matt Taibi from the National Negotiating Committee.

This has been the pattern since the beginning of contract negotiations.

Instead of standing up to the company, Hoffa and Taylor have focused on attacking other Teamsters.

Fred Zuckerman was kept off the negotiating committee. Sean O’Brien was fired as Package Division Director before negotiations began. At UPS Freight, Mike Rankin was thrown off of the National Negotiating Committee.

Final Say Belongs to the Members

The IBT began negotiations with strong contract proposals. But Hoffa’s weak negotiator has consistently settled short.

UPS Teamsters have the right to vote on our national contract. That gives us the power to reject a bad deal and send our negotiators back to the table.

In 2013, UPS Teamsters narrowly voted to approve the national contract, with 53% voting yes.

We are better organized now. The Teamsters United network is reaching out to inform more Teamsters. You can help.

Can Hoffa Override a No Vote?

Hoffa cannot override the vote of the members on a national contract.

In 2013, the Hoffa administration overrode the No votes in three supplements—Louisville, Western Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.

Hoffa used language in the Constitution that allowed the General Executive Board to change the rules on how supplements are approved.

But Hoffa cannot overrule the members’ vote on a national contract. That would violate the Constitution and the law.

Our right to vote on national contracts gives us power. It’s up to the members to use it.

Will The Contract Make UPS Deliver on Part-Time Pay?

Will part-timers get left behind when starting pay goes up under the new contract?

The International Union has proposed:

• $15 starting pay / $16 for skilled positions
• $1 an hour raise every August 1
• An extra annual 25¢ raise for part-timers
• An increase in the part-time starting rate every year

This is an excellent proposal if the IBT doesn’t water it down. But there’s a loophole. All part-timers would only receive the $1.25 increase or the start rate, whichever is higher.

That means part-timers with five years of seniority would be making the same as a new hire! That’s not right and it has happened before.

When UPS has been forced to increase starting pay because of minimum wage laws or to compete with Amazon, some UPS part-timers with years of service have found themselves making the same pay as new hires.

The minimum wage in some cities and counties is already $15 per hour, and by next year there will be more.

The Package Division needs to close this loophole and stick to its guns.

UPS part-timers want $15 starting pay, catchup raises, and pay increases for current part-timers to keep them above the new starting rate.