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243,000 United Parcel Service (UPS) workers voted ‘No’ to a 5-year deal that the Teamsters trade union had negotiated in their stead with UPS management (c.f. article No. 10740). 54% voted ‘No’ and 62% of the 11,000 freight workers also voted ‘No’ to their specific agreement. However this does not necessarily mean the agreement is derailed. Denis Taylor, co-chair of the Teamsters negotiating committee explained that the number of votes cast had not reached the minimum threshold. Only 44% of represented workers actually voted and when so few cast a vote than a two-thirds majority is required for the result to carry. So, the Teamsters team will sign the agreement and at the same time it will re-open discussions with UPS management to talk about some additional changes. Internal union dissent appears to be in play. A significant portion of grassroots members opposes the implementation of a two-tier salary system for new drivers. The UPS goal is to deploy younger less well-paid workers in a bid to compete with other transporters as well as Amazon. However it is a bitter pill to swallow and Sean O’Brien, leader at the Boston Teamsters for a Democratic Union advised UPS management thus, “Our members spoke loud and clear… This contract is clearly concessionary and the leadership should listen to the membership and go back and get what our members deserve.” It is worth noting too that Amazon has just announced the US wide implementation of a $15 per hour minimum pay rate. UPS new hires just get $13 and can only reach $15 by 2021.
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