Category Archives: Union

Political, Union

Go Teamsters


Mon Apr 22, 2013 at 07:09 AM PDT


Teamsters form human wall against planned Westboro Baptist picket at bombing victim’s funeral


byLaura ClawsonFollow forDaily Kos




To block planned picketing by Westboro Baptist Church, Teamsters line the route to the funeral of Boston Marathon bombing victim Krystle Campbell.
attribution: Teamster Nation

Good luck being seen through this wall of Teamsters, Westboro Baptist assholes.
The attention-seeking scum of Westboro Baptist Church, true to form, threatened that they’d be picketing at the funeral of Boston Marathon bombing victim Krystle Campbell this morning. In response, Teamsters from Boston’s Local 25 laid plans to form a human shield. By 8 AM, the Boston Globe reports, 200 Teamsters had gathered at the funeral site.

“It’s the right thing to do,” [local president Sean] O’Brien said of the decision to protect the funeral. “The family deserves a peaceful grieving process that’s free from any coward-led group.”

O’Brien said the Teamsters mobilized their members and other unions through Twitter and Facebook yesterday. He added that about 350 Teamsters are expected this morning, “and we can get 1,000 if we need them.”

The Teamsters lined the road leading to the church. According to O’Brien, residents of Medford, where the funeral is being held, reached out to the Teamsters; Local 25 is a long-time, major force in the Boston area. Krystle Campbell’s mother and brother are members of UNITE HERE Local 26, intensifying the local union community’s sense of solidarity and support for all the victims of the bombing. Not that they’d welcome Westboro Baptist to any of the funerals.

Union, UPS

Potential Healthcare Changes


UPSers Press for Vote On Change to Their Health Plan



April 22, 2013: More than 100,000 Teamsters will be moved out of their current health plan if UPS management gets its way in contract negotiations. Now some locals are demanding a separate vote on the issue.
     UPS wants to move more UPS Teamsters out of company health plans. The company and Ken Hall were all but set on moving these Teamsters into the Central States Health & Welfare Fund. But members and some local unions are saying, “Not so fast.”
     A debate has broken out on the National Negotiating Committee with some officers calling for alternatives to the Central States option and a separate vote by affected members only.
     Officers from every local in the West held a conference call last week and spoke out against any transfer to Central States Health & Welfare Fund. Teamsters Local 177 which represents some 6,000 UPSers in New Jersey also joined the call.
     “My local’s members deserve a separate vote on this issue,” an officer from a large affected local told TDU. “Members whose health benefits are going to stay the same should not be deciding whether our members get moved into a different plan with different coverage.”
     The International Union organizes the ratification vote and has the power to give affected members a separate vote.
     UPSers’ co-pays, drug costs, deductibles, and retiree healthcare costs would all go up under the top coverage that is currently offered by the Central States Health Fund, the C-6 plan.
     The proposal to move UPS Teamsters out of company health plans would affect members in some of the largest UPS locals in the country, including locals in California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, St. Louis, Ohio, Iowa, New Jersey, and Philadelphia.
     Part-timers nationwide are covered by company plans that provide coverage that’s superior to the C-6 plan.
     Negotiations continue in Washington, D.C. this week. It’s too soon to know if the proposed contract will move Teamsters in company health plans in C-6 in the Central States, an improved Central States plan or alternative plans.
     Stand Up Against Healthcare Cuts
     Before contract negotiations began, Ken Hall vowed, “We’re not going to be talking about concessions, we’re going to be talking about improvements.”
     Will this apply to Teamsters who will be moved out of their current health plan?
     These members deserve a separate vote by affected members only and complete information on changes to their benefits and retiree coverage under any proposed new health plan.
     That’s where we stand. How about you? Click here to send us a message and team up with other UPS Teamsters who are working together to oppose health benefit cuts and a separate vote by Teamsters who would be moved into a different health plan.

Retirement, Union, UPS

Proposal on Healthcare


Are UPS Teamsters Headed to Central States Health Fund?



UPDATED April 12, 2013: Are UPS Teamsters presently in company plans heading for the Central States Health and Welfare Fund? That’s one proposal that UPS management has put on the table.
     The International Union called a two-week break in negotiations to study this issue. So far, UPS Teamsters have only been told that management has proposed moving all UPS Teamsters into a union health and welfare plan.
     Meanwhile, the Central States Health and Welfare Fund seems to be preparing to go national. The fund is even planning to drop the Central States name and perhaps rebrand itself as MyTEAMCare.
     UPS wants to get retiree healthcare costs off of its balance sheets because of legal accounting changes. But how would switching to the Central States Health Fund affect Teamster members?
     There’s no word yet on that from the IBT. Bargaining resumes on April 15.
      Unlike the Central States Pension Fund, the Health and Welfare Fund is in good financial shape. It has 19 months of reserves, which is considered very healthy.
     UPS Teamsters who are currently in this plan pay no monthly premiums. UPS retirees in this fund pay $200 per month for retiree coverage and $400 for retiree-plus-spouse coverage.
     Switching UPS Teamsters into Teamster health plans may benefit members and our union. But UPSers have lots of questions, and they deserve answers.
     Healthcare affects members and our families directly and personally. If major changes are in store for our health coverage, UPS Teamsters deserve full disclosure—all the facts and all the options—before any contract vote.
     Click here to see a summary of Central States healthcare coverage with co-pay and deductible information. The C-6 plan is the top coverage currently available to Teamsters in the Central States.

Union, UPS

Contract Negotiations





















UPS Talks Get Hazy on Healthcare


Ken Hall says the Union is working on “creative solutions” on healthcare as contract negotiations resume in Florida.


The International Union held rallies nationwide to draw a firm line against Teamsters paying toward our healthcare.


Ken Hall even threatened to walk away from the bargaining table if UPS didn’t withdraw its proposals that Teamsters pay for our healthcare.


The Company’s proposals are still on the table, however, as bargaining continues. And Hall has reported that the Teamster National Negotiating committee is “working hard to come up with creative solutions.”


Hall didn’t elaborate on what kind of “creative solutions” in his report to local unions.


Teamsters members are not expected to pay a cent toward their health insurance premiums in the new contract. But Hall could be negotiating coverage changes for active and retired UPSers in company Health Plans.


Increases in the cost for retiree healthcare in these plans are also expected.


Harassment


Hall reports that the Committee told UPS that they will not be able to move forward on negotiations without movement from the company on harassment issues.


But the Union did move forward and put economic proposals on the table for the first time. The International Union still has not told the members what harassment proposals are on the table or what the Union is fighting for to:
     protect drivers from harassment and discipline from UPS technology
             strengthen 9.5 rights so drivers’ loads are adjusted
                    require UPS to hire additional drivers in centers where more drivers are needed to reduce excessive loads and unwanted, excessive overtime
                             other harassment issues

Economic Proposals


The International Union has put its initial economic proposals on the table, including substantial increases in benefit contributions.


Also on the table is an increase in starting pay for part-time workers. There is still no word on wage increases for current part-timers.


The last time the starting wage went up for part-timers in 1997, existing part-timers got an extra $1 wage increase to narrow the gap between part-time and full-time wages. That gap is bigger today than ever.


Bargaining Timeline


Negotiations will be held in St. Petersburg Florida through Thursday and are scheduled to continue through the end of the month.


Tentative agreements have been reached on many supplements, including some of the larger ones, but many remain unsettled.


The information Brownout on what’s in these deals continues—even where supplemental negotiations are completed.


Click here to read the negotiations update Ken Hall sent to UPS and UPS Freight locals.


 






Union

Another Stir of the Pot






Teamsters


Teamsters UPS and UPS Freight National Negotiating Committees put UPS on notice today that members demand fair contracts! They delivered boxes of petitions with more than 55,000 signatures to company negotiators at the bargaining table, sending a strong message that Teamsters are united.


Teamsters UPS and UPS Freight National Negotiating Committees put UPS on notice today that members demand fair contracts! They delivered boxes of petitions with more than 55,000 signatures to company negotiators at the bargaining table, sending a strong message that Teamsters are united.

Union

Teamster Discount


Home



TurboTax Discount for Teamsters





Teamster households now have access to a leading brand of tax preparation software, TurboTax, at a discount of up to $20 off the price for federal products. A portion of the purchase price will be donated to the James R. Hoffa Scholarship Fund in honor of the 100th birthday of James R. Hoffa.


TurboTax products feature:




  • A step-by-step interview with easy-to-understand questions;



  • Forms automatically filled out using your answers; and



  • 100 percent accurate calculations guarantee


Keep more of your hard-earned money this tax season. Access the Teamster TurboTax website at www.turbotax.intuit.com/affiliate/teamster



  • International Brotherhood of Teamsters 25 Louisiana Avenue NW, Washington, DC

  • 202.624.6800

Political, Union

Free Trade Creates More Competition?

     Here is another example of why the free trade types are clearly blowing it out their asses. When I was younger there were many airlines to chose from. Now there will be 4. That’s right 4. Along with all of these mergers go attacks on labor, working conditions, and the general elimination of jobs. It goes on and on. Eventually we’ll have one corporation running every industry in the world. OK maybe two. I wouldn’t want to exagerate.
American Airlines Merges With US AIr

Union, UPS

Record Earnings


















UPS Posts Record Earnings


UPS announced record Fourth Quarter and Annual adjusted earnings in a company statement today.

UPS made profits of $2.05 billion excluding a big one-time pension accounting charge.

The company’s fourth quarter profits looked like a loss thanks to an accounting gimmick. UPS took a massive one-time $3 billion “non-cash charge“ on company pension and benefit plans. This charge did not affect the company’s cash flow or benefits paid to participants.


Another one-time event, Hurricane Sandy, also cut into the company’s bottom line, diluting earnings by $.05 a share according to the company.

After the pension charge, the company posted an official fourth-quarter net loss of $1.75 billion.

It’s contract time. And UPS Teamsters can expect management to use the Fourth Quarter figures to talk up the bad economy.

Management and Teamsters know the truth: UPS continues to gain ground and make profits even in a tough economy. Just look at the numbers the company can’t manipulate through accounting gimmicks.

UPS’s fourth quarter revenue rose to $14.57 billion—up $400 million compared to last year.


  • Daily package volume was up 3% to 16.2 million domestic packages a day.
  • Operating profit in the company’s domestic package operation increased by 4.4%.
  • UPS Teamsters continue to deliver huge revenue for the company. It’s time for UPS to deliver for us by negotiating a fair contract.





Union

UPS Contract Scorecard


January 23, 2013: UPS is making billions. But our working conditions have never been worse.

Last time UPS and the International Union negotiated early, we got concessions. We need to do better. You only have so many shots at a contract in your career.


If UPS wants an early agreement, they need to address the growing problems under the current agreement.


UPS Teamsters are being kept in the dark by our Union about what’s happening at the bargaining table. We need to make our voices heard on the issues that effect us every day.


No new contract deal can go into effect until it is approved by UPS Teamsters. Our Right to Vote gives us the power to win a better contract.


We need to be ready to Vote No unless UPS delivers the contract improvements we need.


Click here to download the UPS Contract Scorecard.
















































What We Got in 2008 What We Need in 2013
Pensions & Benefits UPS achieved its number one pension goal: saving billions by pulling out of Central States and establishing a new plan that pays 48,000 full-time Teamsters in the Central, South and Carolinas the lowest benefits in the country. New part-time hires are forced to wait one year for healthcare, 18 months for family coverage. Protect and improve our pensions with increases in substandard plans, including the IBT-UPS plan. Protect affordable retiree healthcare. Restore health benefits for part-timers after 90 days.
Wages Longer wage progression: three years for new full-timers to reach top pay, including combo jobs. Part-time starting pay frozen at $8.50. Protect good full-time wages. No lengthening progression to full scale. Substantially raise part-time pay so all UPS Teamsters are making a living wage, not starting near the minimum wage.
Excessive Overtime Established Opt-in/Opt-out system which makes drivers jump through hoops before they have the right to file a 9.5 grievance. Penalties for 9.5 violations were increased when the contract is enforced. Raise penalties for 9.5 violations, including for harassing members who exercise 9.5 rights. Make UPS create new driving jobs when there are repeated 9.5 violations in the same center. Too much OT means not enough drivers.
Production Harassment No new protections against production harassment. Specific penalties for over-supervision and harassment. Prohibit use of “methods violations” as catch-all for discipline.
Protection from Technology & Bogus ‘Dishonesty’ Charges International agreed to contract loophole that allows management to terminate drivers based solely on information from technology in cases of broadly-defined “dishonesty.” No discipline based on GPS, DIAD, IVIS or any other technology. Close loopholes so UPS can’t use “dishonesty” as a catch-all to terminate members for lesser offenses. Human error is not dishonesty.
More Full-Time Jobs Article 22.3 language that requires UPS to create 10,000 new full-time 22.3 jobs every contract was deleted. Since then, UPS has eliminated thousands of 22.3 jobs across the country in violation of the contract with no effective or coordinated response by the IBT. Create new full-time driving and 22.3 jobs. Make UPS restore all 22.3 jobs vacated during the last contract. Require UPS to maintain 22.3 jobs in the locals where they are created and pay monetary penalties when the company does not maintain jobs or fill vacancies.
Supervisors Working Penalties for supervisors working were increased from time-and-a-half to double time when the language is enforced. Increase penalties for supervisors working, including a minimum penalty of two hours at double-time pay. Establish higher penalties for repeat offenders. Make UPS create a full-time inside job when there are 40 hours of sups working violations in a week.
Subcontracing/Surepost No new subcontracting protections. The Surepost program is not permitted under the current contract but the International Union has cooperated with the program without negotiating anything for members in return. Make UPS create and maintain more package jobs as a condition of continued union cooperation with Surepost. Tighten restrictions on subcontracting, including subcontracting by UPS Logistics or to UPS Freight.
Improve 22.3 Jobs No new national language for 22.3 workers. Stronger language that strengthens the rights of 22.3 workers to bid on overtime and job assignments. Close loopholes in Article 40 to improve combo jobs.
Fix the Grievance Procedure No improvements in the grievance procedure. Grievance procedure reform, including mandatory time limits that force UPS to answer grievances or pay stiff penalties. Right to strike over deadlocked grievances.

TDU

UPS driver information