6/12/23 Monday Parcel News Update

1. Teamsters Begin Votes for UPS Strike Authorization

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters began voting to authorize a potential strike of UPS last week. If passed, the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee will then have the authority to call for a strike should a new National Master Agreement with UPS not be reached by July 31.

According to Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, “The time has come to use our strongest leverage and officially remind UPS that hundreds of thousands of Teamsters are ready to withhold our labor to ensure UPS acts accordingly.”

Votes are being held locally at in-person union meeting halls and outside of UPS facilities for two weeks. Results of the vote will be announced Friday, June 16.

Release from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters

2. UPS Must Work With Teamsters Before Implementing New Tech, Per Negotiations

Another tentative agreement emerging from the UPS and Teamsters negotiations involves a requirement for UPS to negotiate with the union at least 45 days before implementing new technologies, such as drones, driverless vehicles, etc.

“Prior to this, there was very loose language which didn’t give us the ability to sit down and negotiate and the company could just implement,” said O’Brien.

This agreement is tentative and subject to eventual ratification of the National Master Agreement by Teamsters’ UPS members.

Article from Mark Solomon, FreightWaves

3. FedEx Closing Mississippi Facility

As FedEx works to streamline their network and cut costs, they’ve announced plans to close a facility. On Sept. 4, they will close a FedEx ShipCenter facility in Richland, Mississippi. The closure will result in layoffs of roughly 75 employees, mostly couriers, while some will be transferred to a nearby location in Pearl, Mississippi.

In a statement, the carrier said ““FedEx regularly evaluates its networks and makes adjustments based on changing customer demand, market conditions, package characteristics and other factors to enhance service, improve operational efficiencies and lower the cost to serve.”

Article from Max Garland, Supply Chain Dive