November 2, 2012: The International Union is maintaining an information Brownout as contract negotiations continue.
The Teamster National Negotiating Committees held two series of bargaining sessions from Oct. 15-18 and Oct. 22-25 in St. Petersburg, Florida. But the International has not issued any bargaining update to the members since the first negotiating session in September.
The IBT is also keeping Local Unions in the dark. The International has not even given Local Unions a copy of the company's bargaining proposals.
The International submitted its opening bargaining proposals on Sept. 27. Reportedly, the IBT submitted new proposals in October bargaining that deal with harassment and excessive overtime, including new language on 9.5 and 8-hour requests.
On 9.5, the union has proposed making the 9.5 list "opt-out" instead of "opt-in." All drivers would automatically be eligible for triple-time penalties for 9.5 violations unless they signed an opt-out list which would cover a five month period.
The union is also proposing protections to stop management from retaliating against members who exercise their 9.5 rights.
Another important union proposal would change Article 6, Section 8 so that members cannot be disciplined based solely on information from GPS, telematics or other technology. The IBT dropped this bargaining proposal in the last contract round, and ever since the company has abused the language unfairly discipline and terminate drivers for "dishonesty."
Much of the bargaining has been about the union's proposals, but the company has its own agenda of concessions.
UPS has proposed having an integrated over-the-road network where feeder and road work would be done by UPS, UPS Freight or UPS CSI drivers. Not only do these drivers make different wage rates, but the company is constantly looking for ways to subcontract out work from all its operations.
The Company made a presentation on SurePost. SurePost ReDirect will return a bit of work to Teamster drivers, but leaves other subcontracting to the Post Office in place.
The Union has not yet put forward specific proposals to reduce subcontracting and require full-time job creation as a condition of continued Union cooperation with SurePost.
Winning new full-time jobs in feeder and package is a must. We need to draw the line against subcontracting and win new full-time jobs in feeder and package.
Bargaining over economic issues including wages, pensions, full-time jobs and benefits won't begin until after peak.
President Hoffa has promised that pension increases, full-time combo job creation, and benefits will be key contract issues.
Bargaining resumes on November 12-15, and then will recess until January.
This is our contract and members have the right to know what's happening in negotiations.
TDU stands for ending the information Brownout and bringing UPS Teamsters together to fight for the contract improvements we deserve. Click here to sign up for email updates from Make UPS Deliver.