2y ago

UPS reaches tentative contract with 340,000 unionized workers potentially dodging calamitous strike

apnews.com

15 comments

Sounds like a great deal:
Under the tentative agreement, existing full- and part-time UPS union workers will get $2.75 more per hour in 2023, and $7.50 more per hour over the length of the five-year contract. The agreement also includes a provision to increase starting pay for part-time workers, which the union had called the most at risk in the company’s workforce of being exploited. Starting pay for part-time workers will be $21 per hour, it said, up from $16.20 today.
More proof that there is power in a union
- It's a good bump for part time, but $7.50 over 5 years is pretty garbage. That's probably about 5% per year.
  
  I agree it's garbage, but isn't it average or better than other industries? As a software dev I've gotten less than 5% most years (in contrast I've gotten >20% every time I've switched jobs).
  
  Inflation is below 5% and should keep going lower over 5 years, especially if we dip into recession. If that works out to 2-3% real wage growth guaranteed regardless of a recession that's pretty decent. Especially because that's above and beyond any pay increases any individual worker would get for having more experience.
This is pretty incredible news.
Far as I can recall this is the first significant Union gain in a while.
Which makes me wonder which way will go from here.
A) Amazon drivers will get similar benefits? B) UPS will never again put themselves in the position where they fall behind Amazon competitively.
- For A) to happen, we need to unionize Amazon. That's gonna be a tall order, but it's one we need to tackle head on.
When unions win, everyone wins.
striking works.
My only concern is the part regarding AC. I fear they're just going to buy multiple years worth of vehicles prior to when the change goes into effect, and hold off on buying new as long as they can.
- The supply chain will not allow that to happen. The facilities that build UPS trucks already have production schedules that are full into 2024.
  It's going to be a big effort just to meet the January 1st deadline that the contract currently sets out.
  
  As far as I can tell, it's vehicles purchased after 1/1/24. They can purchase them for however long in advance as they'd like.
They got shafted. Better than before, but nowhere near enough.

15 comments