September 8, 2011: UPS management has told the press they want to negotiate the next contract with Hoffa. Is the company planning an October surprise to boost Hoffa’s chances?
The next UPS National Grievance Panel will be held next week, Sept. 12 to 15 in San Diego at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina.
The hotel features an “Eco-friendly Blue Marble Spa,” a water playground, as well as kayaks, jet skis, sports fishing sailboats and whale tours in their private marina.
It’s safe to say that more than production harassment, excessive overtime, and full-time job elimination will be on the agenda of Hoffa administration officials who have come under fire for habitually golfing with UPS management officials at the grievance panels.
The last grievance panel was held in March, but no grievance decisions were reached.
The June grievance panel was canceled. So the September docket, including Air Committee cases, includes more than 50 pages of unresolved grievances that date back to last year! The docket includes another 29 pages of new cases. Click here to download the dockets.
While members’ grievances have been stonewalled, the company has been running roughshod over the contract.
UPS Election Surprise?
UPS management has made no secret of their support for Hoffa’s re-election bid.
CEO Scott Davis told a gathering of financial analysts on June 1 that, “The relationship with the Teamsters is better than it’s ever been before.” (Stanford C. Bernstein 27th Strategic Decisions Conference, 06/01/2011).
The industry journal DC Velocity reported that Davis is “happy with the way things are” -- it is clear that he would like to negotiate the next contract with Hoffa.
With production harassment and contract violations at an all-time high, UPS Teamsters are NOT “happy with the way things are. That’s why a majority of UPS Teamsters are supporting Sandy Pope in the upcoming Teamster election.
Is UPS management planning a last-minute election surprise to boost their candidate’s chances? The company hasn’t had to settle a single national grievance in more than a year.
With 79 pages of backlogged grievances, management can afford to throw Hoffa a bone and give him something to brag about in his election literature before the ballots are mailed out on October 5.
Click here to download the UPS grievance panel dockets.
Click here to download the Sandy Pope leaflet “UPS: In Love With Hoffa”