March 2, 2009: In 1997, UPS Teamsters went on strike to tell the company, “Part-Time America Won’t Work.” And we won! Our contract requires UPS to combine 40,000 part-time jobs into full-time jobs—and to maintain 20,000 full-time combo jobs no matter what.
But the company is thousands of jobs short of the 20,000 quota—and management is eliminating more combo jobs every day.
Thousands of Teamsters are being denied full-time jobs that are required by the contract. Some combo Teamsters are even being forced back to part-time.
What the International Union Can Do
Up until now, the International Union has left it up to individual members and local unions to file Article 22.3 grievances. Management is simply deadlocking these grievances and buying time for more violations.
The International Union can end the stall tactics and enforce the contract by filing a national grievance. The International Union can back up this grievance by conducting a national audit.
The contract requires UPS to give the International Union a detailed list of the 20,000 jobs it must maintain under Article 22.3. The International should provide every local union with a copy of this list to document exactly how many more full-time combo jobs UPS has to create to come into compliance with the contract.
The International Union has power that no local has to win full-time job creation. It’s time to use it.
What You Can Do
UPS Teamsters from across the country have launched a national petition drive to make UPS create more full-time jobs.
The petition calls on the International Union to file a national grievance to make UPS create all 20,000 full-time jobs that members are owed under the contract. And it calls on the International Union to conduct a national audit.
Do your part to make UPS create more full-time jobs. Pass out leaflets so members are informed. Collect petition signatures so our International Union gets the message that it’s time to enforce our contract.
Go to www.makeUPSdeliver.org to download leaflets and petitions. Or call Teamsters for a Democratic Union at (313) 842-2600.
To view the following article as a map, click here.
RHODE ISLAND
“The company has designs on 22.3 jobs. We’ve had jobs eliminated because they’re not filled when they go vacant. If management can ‘move’ these jobs, or just outright eliminate them, they will. The lives of Teamsters who need full-time jobs hang in the balance. We’re petitioning so the International Union sees members care about this issue and want something done.”
Matt Taibi, Local 251
NEW YORK CITY
Full-time combo jobs have been destroyed because vacancies were never posted or filled.
“Part-time America does not work. It’s a disgrace to have so many work so hard for so few hours, for such a meager ‘salary.’ It’s no longer the working class but rather the working poor! Hoffa, Hall and Redmond should enforce the contract!”
William Riley Fernandez, Local 804
PHILADELPHIA
“When Article 22.3 positions have gone vacant in our building over the past year, they’ve just disappeared. We hear that they’ve been relocated, but we get no solid indication of what the International is doing to make sure the relocated jobs still exist. When members hear rumors, I want to be able to tell them, ‘Eliminating 22.3 jobs is against the contract. It will never happen.’ But it’s hard to say that when we can’t verify that it hasn’t already happened.”
Howard Hall, Local 384
BALTIMORE
“Management has refused to bid some vacant combo positions—eliminating full-time jobs. We’re getting members to sign the petition and take a stand for full-time jobs. We won these jobs by standing together, and that’s how we’ll protect them for the future.”
Bill Paul, Local 355
FLORENCE, S.C.
“As a part-timer, I know how hard it is to make ends meet at UPS. I’m working two jobs—and some of my co-workers are doing more. My Teamster brothers and sisters went on strike in 1997 to win more full-time job opportunities for members like me. I’m petitioning to do my part to make UPS deliver those full-time jobs.”
Antonio Jones, Part-Time Steward, Local 71
SYRACUSE
When 22.3 Teamsters have gone driving, their full-time combo positions are eliminated. Management claims to be “redistributing” the jobs but cannot explain where the positions have been moved. Combo positions have been reconfigured and one eliminated in Utica Local 182.
GRAND RAPIDS
Four air/preload combo positions eliminated in Grand Rapids building in November.
CINCINNATI
“Our local got the list of combo jobs the company claims it is maintaining here as part of the 20,000 jobs required nationally. My steward alternate and I found 11 jobs on the list that exist only on paper in our work area alone. Other stewards could identify another dozen or more full-time jobs that have been destroyed in our building.”
Sam Bucalo, Elected Steward, Local 100
KANSAS CITY
Twenty-two full-time combo positions eliminated through layoffs in Kansas City and Lenexa, Kan.
ST. LOUIS
Members have a grievance over 23 full-time jobs that were eliminated because management never filled vacancies.
LOUISVILLE
“Members in some cities have been told by management that their full-time combo jobs are being moved to Louisville. I can tell you that isn’t true. Under our local rider, the company is supposed to create 50 full-time combos this year. They haven’t created more jobs than that. Louisville can’t account for the combo jobs that have been eliminated elsewhere.”
Mark Huckleberry, Local 89
FLORIDA
“I took two days off work to ask members to sign the petition to create more full-time jobs. Almost every member I asked signed the petition. Part-timers want more full-time job opportunities. And full-timers remember what our union won when we stuck together in the 1997 strike. I work at Roadway—not UPS. But I know that our union is stronger when we all stick together and do our part.”
Mike Schaffer, Roadway, Local 769
SEATTLE
Management eliminated almost 40 full-time combo jobs last fall. The company agreed to return Teamsters to these positions but only after Local 174 rewrote the contract mid-term and gave up a multi-million arbitration award.
SPOKANE
Six full-time combo jobs eliminated. Members forced back to part-time.
SACRAMENTO
Fifty full-time jobs eliminated in West Sac building through unfilled vacancies. Other combo Teamsters have had their jobs reconfigured so they now perform 8 hours of loading and/or unloading. Seven more full-time jobs eliminated in the Rocklin building in January. Combo Teamsters forced to go driving or work 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. and then 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at part-time wages.
“The union seems to be putting no effort into 22.3 grievances. We’re tired of the company using the grievance procedure to stall while full-time jobs are destroyed. The International is the one that can get something done on this and it’s time to focus the pressure on them. The petition sends a clear message: it’s time to enforce the contract.”
Lee Michalek, Shop Steward, Local 150
LOS ANGELES
Sixty-one unfilled Article 22.3 full-time jobs at Ontario Airport alone. Members have been waiting for these jobs for six months.
“Our local claims they’re fighting for full-time jobs and puffs out their chest, but all that comes out is hot air—no results. The bottom line is that our officials are more interested in going along with Hoffa than demanding that the International Union take action. So instead of full-time creation, we get grievances dying on the vine at the panel.”
Dan Kane, Local 63
PHOENIX
More than twenty full-time combo positions eliminated through layoffs in Phoenix and Tempe, Ariz.
DALLAS / FT. WORTH
Management “dissolved” more than 100 full-time combo positions at DFW airport in February. Full-time combo jobs were broken into two part-time positions. Members forced to work sunrise and twilight shifts at part-time pay—a pay cut of $6 or more for many Teamsters.
“UPS is using the bad economy as an excuse to destroy full-time jobs. Management saw an opportunity and they’re taking it. Today, it’s huge pay cuts. Tomorrow, we could be losing our homes. There’s no excuse or reason for it other than corporate greed.”
Karen Berry, Local 767