Teamsters, UPS Contract Agreement Averts Strike

UPS and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union have reached a labor agreement affecting approximately 340,000 workers nationwide, averting a strike that could have severely affected deliveries both to companies and directly to consumers. The five-year deal, which still needs to be ratified by the Teamsters rank-and-file, has been unanimously endorsed by the UPS Teamsters National Negotiating Committee. Member voting begins Aug. 3 and concludes Aug. 22, 2023.

The proposed contract includes:

• Current full- and part-time UPS Teamsters will get $2.75 more per hour in 2023, with wage increases totaling $7.50 per hour over the length of the contract;
• Existing part-time workers will earn a minimum of $21 per hour, and new part-time hires would start at $21 and advance to $23 per hour;
• Improved safety and health protections, including vehicle air conditioning and cargo ventilation;
• Teamsters will get Martin Luther King Day as a full holiday for the first time; and
• The creation of 7,500 new full-time Teamster jobs at UPS and the fulfillment of 22,500 open positions, establishing more opportunities for part-time workers to transition to full-time work.

“The union went into this fight committed to winning for our members,” said Sean O’Brien, General President of the Teamsters in a statement. “UPS has put $30 billion in new money on the table as a direct result of these negotiations. This contract sets a new standard in the labor movement and raises the bar for all workers.”

“Together we reached a win-win-win agreement on the issues that are important to Teamsters leadership, our employees and to UPS and our customers,” said Carol Tomé, CEO of UPS in a statement. “This agreement continues to reward UPS’s full- and part-time employees with industry-leading pay and benefits while retaining the flexibility we need to stay competitive, serve our customers and keep our business strong.”