Transport Topics (July 6, 2023)
Face-to-face negotiations on a new labor deal between UPS Inc. and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters stalled July 5 after showing promise over the weekend, renewing concern that workers represented by the union could strike at the end of the month if a final agreement is not reached. “We have nearly a month left to negotiate. We have not walked away, and the union has a responsibility to remain at the table,” UPS said in a statement. The union said in a tweet that it was the parcel carrier that had left the negotiating table. The latest breakdown in talks is probably over pay. UPS has a tier of drivers who earn a lower hourly wage and receive fewer benefits than full-time drivers. The union has vowed since the tier was implemented in 2018 to remove it in the next contract cycle.