Posted on 07/07/2023 7:35:42 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
UPS isn’t just another large shipping company. It carries 6% of America’s gross domestic product in its trucks. It also plays a central role in the smooth movement of goods the economy depends upon, feeding supply chains that are only recently recovering from disruptions that drove that drove up prices in the past couple years.
That’s why there is so much at stake in contract negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters union. Without a deal, 340,000 Teamsters are preparing to go on strike at the nation’s largest trucking company starting August 1.
“This strike is a serious threat to the US economy,” said Patrick Anderson, president of Anderson Economic Group, a Michigan think tank with expertise in the economic costs of strikes. “The sheer scale of the number of people and the breath of impact across the country is very serious. And the degree to which us economy has become dependent on fast delivery of small items that can be carried by UPS hasn’t really been tested.”
The years since the start of the pandemic have been very good financially for UPS (UPS), as the surge in online shopping lifted it to a record adjusted operating profit of $13.9 billion, last year, up from $7.4 billion in 2018, the year the last contract was negotiated.
It’s expanded to six-day-a-week delivery. It had 443,000 US employees as of the end of last year, up 69,000 from five years earlier heading into the last contract talks.
But these years since the pandemic have also been a stark lesson as to what happens to the US economy when the supply chains don’t work as smoothly as hoped, when problems at US ports and a shortage of truck divers and shipping containers caused delays and higher prices for many goods.
(Excerpt) Read more at channel3000.com ...
CNN: strikes are wrong when a Dim is president. Wait until a Republican is president and strikes are noble and uplifting and standing up against evil corporations or whatever.
Q: Why doesn’t the Post Office ever go on strike?
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A: Nobody would notice...........................
If they are asking for reasonable raises then perhaps they should give it to them. Kinda hard living on wages pre pandemic I would imagine.
It’s all good.
The dependable, reliable USPS will fill-in, nicely.
NOT!
So brown trucks sidelined and not delivering imported goods will wreck who’s economy?
Or the customer could wait until Monday.
FedEx still available? Amazon? Post Office? Uber?
I’m a UPS driver. I think there was alot of posturing on both sides with the new union reps. After the Hoffa gang sold us out in the last contract and not even objecting to driver facing cameras 2 years ago they were voted out. The company tried to open with a cost neutral stance. I’ve seen what’s been agreed upon so far and it looks ok. They haven’t talked pensions or raises yet nor have they talked about the issue that the old crew sold us out on. I hope both sides will be reasonable. I am not really big on the Union company dynamic and I oppose strikes on principle. But the company owes us us some money. I don’t care about some of the “wins” so far I work for money I don’t care about AC in the car it’s pointless if I have to open and close the door every stop.
My “retired” 70 year old husband has been working part time for FedEx for 4 years. This is good news for him.
My “retired” 70 year old husband has been working part time for FedEx for 4 years. This is good news for him.
A UPS strike would make my day quieter.
Local drivers go like hell on gravel road & often DO NOT STOP for the corner stop sign.
I can hear them from a quarter mile away-—
Getting the same hourly rate for MY services since 1-1-1989.
I checked out the UPS website and it says the remaining issues are economic.
I think AC could be made to work if say magnetic curtains kept most of the cool air in the truck.
Drivers often run while delivering packages. This might mean 30 seconds outside of AC per delivery on average. I think Amazon drivers tend to have to do about 200 deliveries per shift.
With respect to commercial scale UPS work, it might be partially possible to work western loading docks in the morning and eastern loading docks in the afternoon.
I understand but your company doesn’t affect our economy in the same way. I’d imagine that some in your company got raises during that time at least.
I hope you get what you deserve. I have no doubt the workers work hard. It’s crazy that they would stop production due to a strike over money. They have the funds. Time to pay up. Good luck!
1987 or so. Same problem.The issue got solved. FedEx was out there and businesses were preparing for it.
This one will get solved. If not what price do I pay for being wrong? I buy very little but I can sure sound like a pundit on someone’s payroll.
Understand that. It’s like the debt ceiling…it will get solved last second.
—”My “retired” 70 year old husband has been working part time for FedEx for 4 years. This is good news for him.”
Thank you for posting.
As I take our dog for an after-dinner spin I occasionally see a delivery guy about my age (young septuagenarian).
Thinking he may be a second shift, I ask when he started his shift; eight AM!
I see them all, USPS, UPS, FedEx, and Amazon.
They all hustle.
Thank you for the useful info... interesting.
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