[PEN-L:11426] text of July 22 Teamster UPS bulletin

[Michael Eisenscher <meisenscher@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This came today from the IBT Communications Dept. with requests to circulate
widely.  A strike at UPS could become the next major national battleground
for organized labor, with implications far beyond the membership of the
Teamsters and the package delivery industry.  Let's not let this one go a
year or more before we recognize the need for massive, militant, national
solidarity actions.
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     Teamsters UPS Update                              July 22, 1997
     Please post and distribute


     UPS TEAMSTERS PREPARE FOR JOB ACTION
     With less than 10 days to go before our national contract expires, UPS
     negotiators are still not addressing our key proposals.

     On Thursday, July 17, Teamsters Parcel Division Director Ken Hall told
     company representatives that our union's national negotiating
     committee would be available to meet "day and night, seven days a
     week, until July 31."

     That same afternoon, management's lead negotiator dropped another
     demand for give-backs on the table and said his team wouldn't be back
     for five days.

     When company negotiators finally returned to the table on Tuesday,
     July 22, they still refused to seriously address our main issues.

     As a result of management's continued foot-dragging, General President
     Ron Carey instructed all UPS locals to begin making preparations for a
     possible strike if needed to win a good agreement.

     Carey asked all UPS locals to appoint strike coordinators and picket
     line captains for each UPS building.

     "Time is running out -- and we're going to be ready for every possible
     course of action as the clock winds down," said General President
     Carey.


     Tell UPS: "Best Way To Reassure Customers is to Settle Now"
     There is still time to reach an agreement before our national contract
     expires on July 31 -- but UPS doesn't seem to think so.

     When management came back to the negotiating table on Tuesday, July 22
     -- after taking a five day break -- they brought a request for a
     contract extension in order to "reassure" customers that there won't
     be a strike.

     "This strategy is nothing more than a management scare tactic," said
     Teamsters Parcel Division Director Ken Hall.

     "The best way for UPS to 'reassure' its customers is to start
     bargaining seriously.  If they did that, we could have and agreement
     by the end of the week."


     Stay Focused on Our Goals
     UPS negotiators are trying to distract us from our priorities by
     making more demands for give-backs.

     For example, at the end of last week the company handed out a proposal
     that would force all Teamster UPSers to turn over their health and
     welfare benefits and pensions to company-controlled plans.

     Apparently this is what the company means when it claims to be
     negotiating "seriously."

     There's only one response to this tactic -- staying focused on the
     goals we've been fighting for since day one:

     * An end to subcontracting.

     * More full-time jobs.

     * Better wages and benefits.

     * Accurate paychecks.

     * Improvements in safety and health.