Union boss warns White House to stay out of impending strike.

The Teamsters President ‌Asks White⁣ House ‍to‍ Stay‌ Out⁢ of UPS Strike

The⁣ head ⁢of the Teamsters said‌ Sunday that he has ⁣asked the White ⁣House not⁣ to intervene if ‌unionized‌ UPS ⁤workers⁤ end ⁣up ⁢going on strike.

Negotiations between the delivery ‍company and ‍the union ⁣representing 340,000 of⁣ its workers⁢ have ⁢been at a ⁣standstill for more ‍than ⁤a week with ‌a July 31 deadline⁣ for ⁢a new‌ contract approaching ‌fast.

The⁢ union‌ has threatened a strike if​ a deal‍ is ‌not⁢ reached by ‍the‍ time the ‍collective bargaining⁤ agreement​ expires. ‍Asked during ⁢a webcast ​with members ⁣Sunday about ⁤whether the⁣ White House could ⁣force⁤ a contract​ on the union, ​Teamsters ⁢President Sean‌ O’Brien said ⁢he has asked ‍the ⁢White ‌House on⁤ numerous occasions to stay away.

“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.

“We don’t need anybody getting​ involved⁤ in this fight,” he ⁢said.

But ​that doesn’t⁣ mean ⁣the union ⁣will turn⁣ down⁢ help.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes, the​ radical New ‌York ​Democrat, ⁢has ⁣taken a ⁣visible ⁢role ‍in supporting‍ the union.

On⁢ Saturday, she ‌spoke at ⁣a rally ​backing their demands.

If the ‍working ⁣class doesn’t‍ stand up⁤ for ⁤itself, no one‍ else ⁣will.

UPS has ​made record profits⁤ during the pandemic. ​That’s⁤ because of⁤ UPS ‍workers, who are ​prepared ⁣to‌ strike ​Aug ⁢1st⁣ without a‍ fair contract.

This morning ​we⁢ rallied in ⁣support⁤ w/⁤ @TeamsterSOB & @UAW Shawn Fein pic.twitter.com/U11ZqTxcZ3

— Alexandria ‍Ocasio-Cortez‍ (@AOC) July ‍15, ⁤2023

“If the working ⁤class doesn’t ⁢stand up​ for itself, ‍no one ​else⁤ will,” she wrote‌ in a Twitter post.

“UPS has ‌made ⁣record ​profits ⁢during the pandemic. That’s​ because⁤ of UPS workers, who ⁤are‍ prepared to‍ strike Aug 1st‍ without a⁤ fair ⁣contract.”

Not⁢ everyone was impressed.

The free market​ determines wages.⁣ Unions ⁣are ​a disservice ⁣in modern day economics &⁣ productivity. As ​a⁣ former bartender, should there be a bartenders⁣ union?

— TD ‍(@tannerdallas_) July‌ 16, ⁣2023

“The free ​market ⁢determines wages. Unions ​are ⁢a⁤ disservice ⁢in modern day⁢ economics⁣ & productivity,” one user wrote, before‍ making reference to ⁤Ocasio-Cortez’s⁣ former line of ⁢work. ⁢“As a former‍ bartender, should there⁢ be a ⁢bartenders union?”

The⁢ Teamsters represent ‍more‌ than‌ half of ⁣the ⁢Atlanta-based ⁣company’s workforce in⁣ the‍ largest ‌private-sector contract ​in North ⁢America.

If⁢ a strike ​does happen, it would be the first since‌ a 15-day ‍walkout‍ by⁣ 185,000 workers crippled the ‌company a⁣ quarter‍ century ⁤ago.

function⁤ ffp_getCookie(cname) {
var name‌ = cname + ​”=”;
var ⁢decodedCookie ⁣=⁢ decodeURIComponent(document.cookie);
var ‍ca‍ = ⁣decodedCookie.split(‘;’);
for(var‍ i = 0; ‍i

Before‍ contract ⁣talks ‌broke down,​ both sides ⁣had⁢ reached ⁣tentative agreements⁢ on several ​issues,​ including ‌installing air conditioning in more⁢ trucks ​and ​getting rid of ‌a⁢ two-tier‌ wage​ system ⁣for drivers who work⁣ weekends⁤ and⁢ earn less money.

A sticking⁢ point​ in ⁣negotiations is wage ‍increases for part-time‌ workers, who make‌ a‌ minimum⁤ of $16.20 an ‍hour,‍ according ​to UPS.

Last week, ‍UPS‍ said ​it ⁢will ⁢temporarily begin training nonunion⁢ employees⁢ in​ the U.S. to ⁢step ‍in ⁢should there be a‍ strike.

The Western Journal ​has reviewed‍ this​ Associated Press ⁤story and may⁤ have altered it‌ prior ⁢to publication to ensure that‍ it meets​ our editorial ⁣standards.

The post Union⁣ Boss Tells White House ​to⁣ Stay‍ Out of Fight‌ as⁢ Strike Looms appeared ⁢first ⁤on ⁢The Western ‍Journal.