UPS-Teamsters talks to resume two weeks after blaming each other for walking out
Zachary Halaschak
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Contract negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters Union will resume again after the two sides blamed each other for walking out of talks two weeks ago.
UPS announced Wednesday that negotiations will start back up next week following the hiatus, which began on July 5. The news is a positive development as the country faces the prospect of a crippling strike if an agreement isn’t reached by the end of the month.
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“We are pleased to be back at the negotiating table next week to resolve the few remaining open issues,” the company said in a statement provided to the Washington Examiner. “We are prepared to increase our industry-leading pay and benefits, but need to work quickly to finalize a fair deal that provides certainty for our customers, our employees and businesses across the country.”
The union, which represents more than 340,000 workers, confirmed the news in a statement and said that UPS was the party that agreed to walk back to the negotiating table.
“As thousands of UPS Teamsters practice picket, rally, and mobilize around the country, UPS bowed today to the overwhelming show of Teamster unity and reached out to the union to resume negotiations,” the statement said.
The two-week stoppage was significant because it came mere days before a strike would begin absent a contract agreement. A strike would be the biggest worker strike for a single employer in U.S. history and would send shock waves through the economy, especially if it drags out. Some 6% of the country’s GDP moves through UPS.
The prospect of a strike has increased pressure on the Biden administration to become more involved in the situation. Biden does have the power to do so if he deems it a national emergency and intercedes under the National Labor Relations Act, although doing so would be a politically unappetizing choice as it could jeopardize union support heading into 2024.
Additionally, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien told members recently that he asked Biden not to intervene and has received assurances that the White House would not force a contract.
“We told the White House, and I used this analogy throughout our negotiations, throughout our rallies and practice pickets, that we have taken a strong position with the White House that, you know, my neighborhood where I grew up in Boston — if two people had a disagreement and you had nothing to do with it, you just kept walking,” O’Brien said.
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“And we echoed that to the White House on numerous occasions, and we don’t need anybody getting involved in this fight,” he added.
The existing contract expires on July 31.