Yesterday, our union won major victories on three strike issues. UPS will convert all two-tier 22.4s into RPCDs with full pay and rights, establish Martin Luther King Day as a paid holiday, and end forced sixth and seventh punches. Big issues remain as the clock ticks toward the July 5 deadline, but this is huge!
What the new tentative agreements mean:
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The two-tier 22.4 classification is eliminated. All drivers currently classified as 22.4 will be reclassified upon contract ratification as Regular Package Car Drivers. placed in seniority, and have their pay adjusted to the appropriate RPCD rate.
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As Regular Package Car Drivers, former two-tier 22.4 drivers, will be covered by protections against excessive overtime, including 9.5 rights and 8-hour request language as spelled out in Article 37.
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All package drivers will work Monday-Friday or Tuesday to Saturday work schedules to be chosen by seniority.
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UPS cannot force any package driver to to work on their scheduled days off—eliminating forced overtime on a sixth or seventh punch.
- Martin Luther King day will be added as a holiday in each supplement and rider.
Negotiations between the Teamsters and UPS will continue in Washington.
Major issues remain on the table including wage increases for every Teamster, part-time wages, new full-time 22.3 jobs, PVDs, health, and pension improvements.
By July 5, UPS must put a contract offer on the table for Teamsters members to complete voting on prior to the strike deadline of August 1.