Hoffa’s negotiator Denis Taylor has kept the contents of his tentative contract deal with UPS secret, even from the members of his own National Negotiating Committee. But that hasn’t stopped them from selling a contract that is not even finished.
The Hoffa administration and top UPS management reached a handshake agreement on a proposed national contract last Thursday.
The National Negotiating Committee was not included in the final contract talks. They were not even given a copy of the proposed Tentative Agreement. Contract negotiations continue on some supplements.
But that hasn’t stopped some officials from selling the contract before negotiations are finished.
In Southern California, National Negotiating Committee members Ron Herrera and Abel Garcia issued copy-cat scripted statements attacking members who are oppose givebacks as “anti-union.”
“Please be aware that there will be outside anti-union groups recommending a no vote on the UPS contract without seeing the terms of the final contract. Thank you for giving your Union Negotiation Committee the support that we need to complete all negotiations before you decide how you vote.”
Their advice about waiting before deciding how to vote is a little hard to take seriously when Garcia is already out telling drivers that this contract is “one of the best contracts in the last 15 years.”
Danny Montalvo of New York Local 804 is another member of the National Negotiating Committee who is selling the contract before it’s finished.
The Local 804 Supplement is still being negotiated. But that didn’t stop Montalvo from pitching two-tier Hybrid Drivers and announcing that, “We’re going to take it. We’re going to run with it.”
Montalvo explains why more full-time jobs is a good idea for part-timers and our pension funds. But he never gives a single reason why UPS should be allowed to pay Hybrid Drivers $6 an hour less to deliver ground packages.
The International Union should end the information brownout so Teamster members at UPS can scrutinize the proposed national contract, discuss its pros and cons, and make an informed decision.
In the meantime, members of the National Negotiating Committee should stop selling a contract that isn’t finished.