1997 The Strike!!!

[RGAman]

I'm glad you all didn't go out on strike again. I was a Roadway Package System driver in 97 when you went out. I had people chasing my van down the street, trying to ship packages.

Still believe that Fed Ex would have never bought Caliber Systems if not for the strike. Was worried that if UPS struck again, Fred would call DHL asking about another merger.

UPS jobs, for all their faults, are still among the highest paid in the country. Things could be worse.

 

[Brown Dog]

Whenever a supe works at our center we ask him if he's offered that work to hourlys, if not we file. we've filed and won DOZENS of times. We've been paid and we've had free breakfests and suppers many times because of supes vioalating the contract It's our work and the only time they can do it is after they've exhausted all possible hourlys.

 

[Cole]

It wouldn't matter if you were on the clock. On any UPS property you would be canned.

Only if UPS had a uniform policy, which they don't. For instance when a driver that was seeking to go into mngmnt called another driver to the parking lot, they wrote him up for another issue but for some reason when the hearing came down they left out the work place violence threat!

As far as the contract, they have said nothing of the Supplements and in many instances the Nat'l refrences the Suppl, so as we all know when/if the Nat'l gives us beneficial conditions, the Supplements can take it away, and vice versa. Remember 1 word can change the meaning of a sentence, such as; (if) (may) etc..(supercedes all language on the article etc...)

Obviousley the Union let the company write this new language by and large, and as we all know because of their poor managing of CS, lost any real bargaining power, not to mention negotiating so early, and an early handshake.

There are some positives, but not many as far as I can tell. They are going to rush this one even more so than the last "best contract ever", but we must get informed and inform others what is going on with this contract.

The language of Art 6 regarding GPS imo does not protect us, but gives the company discretion to say you're trying to be dishonest etc...

The weaker our protections, the less likely we'll see any pension as they'll run us out the door asap if they get the language in their favor.

As far as CS and sending them back to the table, they always say it's the "final offer", or the final, final etc..........

We need to step up and read it word for word and demand to know any and all changes with the Supplements etc...ASAP!

 

[Runner]

I was on the picket line back in 97. We had just received the info on UPS's offer. Our BA was there and people were questioning him about the offer. When the pension offer was brought up he said they could match it. I don't remember what the numbers were exactly but it was quite an improvement from what was in place at the time. Sure enough after the contract was settled our pension improved to $100 per full time credit. I think a big part of the reason CS is in trouble now is that they really couldn't match it. Without UPS's offer we never would have received that big of an improvement. The Teamster leadership had to know they couldn't afford it. The 6 billion is the difference now between what CS could actually afford and what they promised us. Time will tell if this is enough to keep the plan solvent, at least future years in the UPS/IBT plan seem to be a safer bet.