February 21, 2014: Teamsters who are ready to retire are being held hostage by UPS and the Hoffa-Hall administration.

One of the selling points of the UPS contract was that 50,000 full-time UPSers who get a substandard pension from the IBT-UPS Pension Plan would get a $200 increase, retroactive to August 1.

But UPS Teamsters who call the IBT- UPS Pension Plan about retiring are being told a different story. Plan reps are still telling members that they have to wait until after the contract is ratified to get the pension increase.

Stevie Thomas is a 34-year Teamster in Louisville who planned on retiring in January so he could take care of his wife who needs medical assistance at home. Instead, he is still trapped working at UPS.

“It has been hard to go to work daily knowing that had the IBT leadership guaranteed all new language retroactive (in writing) I would have been retired and enjoying life as of January 11, 2014,” Thomas said. 

Stevie’s stewards sent a letter to Ken Hall more than a month ago, asking for the IBT to clarify the issue so Teamsters like Stevie can retire. They got no response.

It’s time for Hoffa, Hall and UPS to put an end to the runaround and give Teamsters who are ready to retire the pension increase they deserve.

"I've not only given 34 years of loyalty to UPS but 34 years of being a proud Teamster. However, I'm not very proud of Teamster leadership.

“After 34 years on a job as physical as a package car driver, the natural progression is declining health. Not just mine but my wife has medical issues which require medical assistance at home, That was to be my new job. 

“It has been hard to go to work daily knowing that had the IBT leadership guaranteed all new language retroactive ( in writing) I would have been retired and enjoying life as of January 11, 2014."

Stevie Thomas, Package Driver

Local 89, Louisville