UPS WORLDPORT: LOUISVILLE AIR RIDER NEGOTIATIONS

Despite days filled with long hours and intense negotiations, Local 89 and UPS remain far apart on several high-profile items such as shuttle compensation and full-time jobs.  The Company has repeatedly and stubbornly shown themselves unwilling to make any meaningful movement on these issues. When challenged on this, UPS has often referenced the unknown overall impact of the Teamsters national economic demands as one reason for their inaction.

It seems clear UPS intends to hide behind the unknowns of national negotiations and use it as cover to make little or no significant progress on our remaining open items. Local 89 will not tolerate this insulting behavior, and we will not allow UPS, through their own inaction and subterfuge, to cause our rider negotiations to delay progress on pressing national issues that must be dealt with. As such, Local 89 and our rank-and-file bargaining committee fully support any efforts made by our International union to begin national discussions with UPS while we continue our fight here for the Louisville Air Rider.

The support we have received from our International leadership has given us the opportunity to take on UPS like never before, and we know that will remain the case until the battle is won. As we march forward together, Local 89 President Avral Thompson will continue to work closely with General President Sean O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. United in cause, we will continue fighting hard in Louisville until we win the air rider our members deserve at UPS Worldport, and a national contract that UPS Teamsters everywhere can be proud of.

In Solidarity,

The Teamsters Local 89 Louisville Air Rider Negotiating Committee