UPS has until midnight on July 31 to reach a tentative agreement on a new contract or strike themselves. Get answers to frequently asked questions about the contract deadline and voting in the event of a tentative agreement.
When would a strike begin?
The Teamster strike deadline is August 1. A strike will only officially begin when it is called by the union.
Will there still be a strike if a Tentative Agreement is reached on or before July 31?
A tentative agreement will only be reached if UPS makes a contract offer that the National Negotiating Committee can recommend to the members.
If the company reaches a tentative agreement that the National Negotiating Committee recommends, then the contract offer will be put to a vote of the members. The voting process that takes several weeks.
There will be no strike until the contract vote is completed. If members vote to approve the contract, it will be ratified.
What happens if UPS makes another unacceptable contract offer?
A contract offer will only be put to the membership for a vote if it has the recommendation of the Teamster National Negotiating Committee. If the company does not make an offer that can be recommend to the membership, then UPS will put themselves on strike on August 1.
What happens if members vote to reject a tentative agreement?
If members vote to reject the proposed contract, then a strike will be called at UPS.
How does voting on supplements work?
Every Teamster will get at least two votes: one on the national master agreement and one on their area supplement. Some Teamsters will get a third vote if they are also covered by a local rider. The national contract cannot go into effect until all supplements and riders are ratified.
Will the contract vote be conducted in-person or from home?
The contract vote will be conducted from home. In 2018, the contract vote was conducted electronically by an independent, third party with Teamster observers.
Webinar: Update & Q&A with Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien
For more information, watch the International Union webinar, including Q&A from Sean O'Brien on the Teamsters YouTube channel.
