CEO Carol Tomé’s surprise visit to UPS in Plainfield, Indiana did not go as planned. Local 135 members crashed the party with a parking lot rally and show of force that sent Tomé running for cover.

When word leaked less than a day in advance that Tomé’s would be touring the Plainfield hub, Local 135 leaders and activists organized a Teamster rapid response. They put out a call to action and members answered the call – and not just from Plainfield.  

“Our preload got off the clock and we rounded up some members and headed over to Plainfield,” said Elisa Sosa, a shop steward at a nearby UPS hub. 

By the time Tomé arrived, Teamsters were there waiting, holding signs, chanting, and ready to confront the CEO.

The local’s tractor-trailer, “Black Betty,” circled the facility.  

Tomé rolled up in a black luxury SUV, drove around the entire building, and froze. Members held all three entrances, plus an inflatable at the main gate. Off went the SUV and Tomé disappeared for an hour.

When Tomé came out of hiding, the crowd had grown. She tried to sneak in through the truck entrance, never once leaving the SUV. After a short visit inside, she drove out through a side exit that hasn’t been used in years.

“She didn’t have the guts to face us,” said Rob Shugars, a package car driver. “She’s scared of the workers who pay her salary.”

“We’ve had enough of the heat, the endless overtime, and the disrespect,” said package car driver Dane Rohl, a TDU activist. “UPS makes billions off our backs. They need to hear from us, not hide from us.”

“Our message to Carol Tomé was simple: we’re done with UPS’s games and violations,” said Local 135 Principal Officer Dustin Roach. “UPS needs to start respecting the contract and respecting the people who built this company into what it is today.”