August 8, 2007: The Association of Parcel Workers of America (APWA) lost an organizing election at the big Kansas City terminal of UPS Freight by a margin of 3-1. The vote was 66 for the APWA, 202 for No Union.

Despite considerable pro-union sentiment, UPS Freight drivers and dock workers are not ready to vote for an association that has no track record and is staffed by a management law firm.

In the Kansas City vote, which ended on August 7, the Teamsters Union was in the uncomfortable position of sitting on the sidelines during a union vote. The APWA has also filed for an election at the 400-worker UPS Freight breakbulk in Gaffney, South Carolina.

For UPS Freight workers who want power and justice on the job there’s a clear alternative: the Teamsters Union. Our union needs to get off the sidelines with a coordinated campaign to organize UPS Freight nationally.

UPS Freight Senior Vice President Jack Holmes in a June 28 letter to UPS Freight workers, made clear that management will oppose unionization by the Teamsters or any other union.

Our International needs to answer management’s attack and make it clear that the Teamsters will not settle for anything less than NMFA standards and Teamster pension benefits for all UPS Freight employees.