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Members of the Writers Guild of America join UPS Teamsters during a rally ahead of possible UPS strike, in Los Angeles, California, on July 19, 2023.
(Photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
The Teamsters Show There’s (Still) Power in a Union
Never forget this: Working people outnumber the billionaires and CEOs. If workers stand together, they will win.
Jul 28, 2023
Good and important news on the labor front (from your former labor secretary).
What would have been one of the biggest labor strikes in U.S. history has likely been averted, as Teamsters reps agreed to a tentative contract with UPS. The contract must now be voted on by the 340,000 unionized UPS workers.
The tentative deal reportedly includes $30 billion in wage increases for all UPS employees (including part-timers), elimination of the two-tier wage system, the establishment of MLK Day as a paid holiday for all workers, and a ban on driver-facing cameras in truck cabs as well as forced overtime on drivers’ scheduled days off.
Oh, and the installation of air conditioning and fans in delivery trucks.
As a result of the tentative agreement, air conditioning will be equipped in new delivery trucks, while existing trucks will receive additional fans and air induction vents to protect drivers.
Temperatures in the back of delivery trucks have reportedly reached 120 degrees, which has resulted in over 140 UPS employees suffering severe heat and dehydration-related injuries since 2015. One California driver died while delivering packages last June.
As a result of the tentative agreement, air conditioning will be equipped in new delivery trucks, while existing trucks will receive additional fans and air induction vents to protect drivers.
Folks, never underestimate the power and importance of labor unions.
UPS is one of the most profitable delivery companies in the world. In the past two years, its profits grew close to THREE TIMES what they were before the pandemic.
The company also spent $8.6 billion on stock buybacks and dividends in 2022, while paying its CEO $19 million — a figure 364 times higher than the earnings of the company’s median employee.
UPS workers rightfully wanted a bigger piece of the pie they helped create, and better safety protections while on the job.
As we’ve seen across so many industries, major corporations are making big bucks off the backs of their workers—many of whom were quick to be labeled “essential” as they risked their lives throughout the pandemic.
But working people everywhere have seen their hard work result in stagnant wages while CEOs, other top executives, and major investors do gangbusters.
Forty years of union-busting and trickle-down economics has made the rich richer, while eviscerating the American working class.
That’s why UPS workers fought back. And why over 320,000 other unionized workers across various industries have gone on strike so far this year. They are organizing to rebuild worker power and demand the pay and dignity they deserve.
Never forget this: Working people outnumber the billionaires and CEOs.
If workers stand together, they will win.
It’s an old-fashioned idea that’s as true today as ever. It’s called Solidarity.
Unfortunately, after decades of union-busting and so-called “right-to-work” states, only 6% of private-sector workers are unionized today. When I was a kid in the 1950s, a third of all private-sector workers were unionized.
Which goes a long way to explaining why in the three decades after World War II, America created the largest middle class the world had ever seen. And why, starting in the 1980s, that middle class has hollowed out—creating anger and anxiety that’s been channeled by cynical, power-hungry politicians into racism, xenophobia, and rage.
Does this summer of labor discontent signal that the pendulum is about to swing back?
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
© 2021 robertreich.substack.com
Robert Reich
Robert Reich is professor emeritus of public policy at Berkeley and former US secretary of labor. His latest book is the No. 1 New York Times best-seller, "Coming Up Short."
Good and important news on the labor front (from your former labor secretary).
What would have been one of the biggest labor strikes in U.S. history has likely been averted, as Teamsters reps agreed to a tentative contract with UPS. The contract must now be voted on by the 340,000 unionized UPS workers.
The tentative deal reportedly includes $30 billion in wage increases for all UPS employees (including part-timers), elimination of the two-tier wage system, the establishment of MLK Day as a paid holiday for all workers, and a ban on driver-facing cameras in truck cabs as well as forced overtime on drivers’ scheduled days off.
Oh, and the installation of air conditioning and fans in delivery trucks.
As a result of the tentative agreement, air conditioning will be equipped in new delivery trucks, while existing trucks will receive additional fans and air induction vents to protect drivers.
Temperatures in the back of delivery trucks have reportedly reached 120 degrees, which has resulted in over 140 UPS employees suffering severe heat and dehydration-related injuries since 2015. One California driver died while delivering packages last June.
As a result of the tentative agreement, air conditioning will be equipped in new delivery trucks, while existing trucks will receive additional fans and air induction vents to protect drivers.
Folks, never underestimate the power and importance of labor unions.
UPS is one of the most profitable delivery companies in the world. In the past two years, its profits grew close to THREE TIMES what they were before the pandemic.
The company also spent $8.6 billion on stock buybacks and dividends in 2022, while paying its CEO $19 million — a figure 364 times higher than the earnings of the company’s median employee.
UPS workers rightfully wanted a bigger piece of the pie they helped create, and better safety protections while on the job.
As we’ve seen across so many industries, major corporations are making big bucks off the backs of their workers—many of whom were quick to be labeled “essential” as they risked their lives throughout the pandemic.
But working people everywhere have seen their hard work result in stagnant wages while CEOs, other top executives, and major investors do gangbusters.
Forty years of union-busting and trickle-down economics has made the rich richer, while eviscerating the American working class.
That’s why UPS workers fought back. And why over 320,000 other unionized workers across various industries have gone on strike so far this year. They are organizing to rebuild worker power and demand the pay and dignity they deserve.
Never forget this: Working people outnumber the billionaires and CEOs.
If workers stand together, they will win.
It’s an old-fashioned idea that’s as true today as ever. It’s called Solidarity.
Unfortunately, after decades of union-busting and so-called “right-to-work” states, only 6% of private-sector workers are unionized today. When I was a kid in the 1950s, a third of all private-sector workers were unionized.
Which goes a long way to explaining why in the three decades after World War II, America created the largest middle class the world had ever seen. And why, starting in the 1980s, that middle class has hollowed out—creating anger and anxiety that’s been channeled by cynical, power-hungry politicians into racism, xenophobia, and rage.
Does this summer of labor discontent signal that the pendulum is about to swing back?
From Your Site Articles
Robert Reich
Robert Reich is professor emeritus of public policy at Berkeley and former US secretary of labor. His latest book is the No. 1 New York Times best-seller, "Coming Up Short."
Good and important news on the labor front (from your former labor secretary).
What would have been one of the biggest labor strikes in U.S. history has likely been averted, as Teamsters reps agreed to a tentative contract with UPS. The contract must now be voted on by the 340,000 unionized UPS workers.
The tentative deal reportedly includes $30 billion in wage increases for all UPS employees (including part-timers), elimination of the two-tier wage system, the establishment of MLK Day as a paid holiday for all workers, and a ban on driver-facing cameras in truck cabs as well as forced overtime on drivers’ scheduled days off.
Oh, and the installation of air conditioning and fans in delivery trucks.
As a result of the tentative agreement, air conditioning will be equipped in new delivery trucks, while existing trucks will receive additional fans and air induction vents to protect drivers.
Temperatures in the back of delivery trucks have reportedly reached 120 degrees, which has resulted in over 140 UPS employees suffering severe heat and dehydration-related injuries since 2015. One California driver died while delivering packages last June.
As a result of the tentative agreement, air conditioning will be equipped in new delivery trucks, while existing trucks will receive additional fans and air induction vents to protect drivers.
Folks, never underestimate the power and importance of labor unions.
UPS is one of the most profitable delivery companies in the world. In the past two years, its profits grew close to THREE TIMES what they were before the pandemic.
The company also spent $8.6 billion on stock buybacks and dividends in 2022, while paying its CEO $19 million — a figure 364 times higher than the earnings of the company’s median employee.
UPS workers rightfully wanted a bigger piece of the pie they helped create, and better safety protections while on the job.
As we’ve seen across so many industries, major corporations are making big bucks off the backs of their workers—many of whom were quick to be labeled “essential” as they risked their lives throughout the pandemic.
But working people everywhere have seen their hard work result in stagnant wages while CEOs, other top executives, and major investors do gangbusters.
Forty years of union-busting and trickle-down economics has made the rich richer, while eviscerating the American working class.
That’s why UPS workers fought back. And why over 320,000 other unionized workers across various industries have gone on strike so far this year. They are organizing to rebuild worker power and demand the pay and dignity they deserve.
Never forget this: Working people outnumber the billionaires and CEOs.
If workers stand together, they will win.
It’s an old-fashioned idea that’s as true today as ever. It’s called Solidarity.
Unfortunately, after decades of union-busting and so-called “right-to-work” states, only 6% of private-sector workers are unionized today. When I was a kid in the 1950s, a third of all private-sector workers were unionized.
Which goes a long way to explaining why in the three decades after World War II, America created the largest middle class the world had ever seen. And why, starting in the 1980s, that middle class has hollowed out—creating anger and anxiety that’s been channeled by cynical, power-hungry politicians into racism, xenophobia, and rage.
Does this summer of labor discontent signal that the pendulum is about to swing back?
From Your Site Articles
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.