Thread by @Teamsters

TEAMSTERS KEEP EYE ON PROTECTING JOBS AS UPS REVIEWS TECH

Protecting Teamster work from third parties and safeguarding good-paying jobs from invasive technologies were the themes of the day as national negotiations resumed between UPS #Teamsters and Big Brown.

The union’s National Negotiating Committee and company heads convened multiple times throughout the day in Washington.

@UPS discussed technology and external relationships, particularly with the United States Postal Service.

#Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien reminded management that attempted implementation of any advanced technology that may harm workers or eliminates jobs will be combatted aggressively by the union.

"When faced with new technology, we want to protect as many jobs as possible. We take very seriously any technology, including drones, inward-facing cameras, and autonomous vehicles, that threatens union work," O'Brien said.

"We will forever fight to make sure dangerous technology is never implemented, and especially not at the expense of a Teamster’s good-paying job."

Committee members also challenged @UPS to come up with alternatives to reduce its reliance on third party outfits & subcontracting.

Several #Teamsters in the room, including rank-and-file members, shared personal stories from their own UPS shops about the damaging effects of outsourcing Teamster work to other companies or shifting labor to automated facilities.

#Teamsters expect counter-proposals about UPS’s Surepost program with USPS & additional language on tech in the coming days. "Technology does not provide the best service. Teamsters do. These are real human beings doing the hard work – they deserve protections," O'Brien said.

Also addressed Monday were two outstanding supplemental agreements — the Local 89 Louisville Air Rider and the NorCal Supplement and Sort being negotiated in Oakland. A range of issues, including new language around the grievance procedure, remain to be worked out in California.

In Kentucky, @UPS negotiators continue to trip over themselves for being unable to come to terms on whether workers should be compensated while stuck waiting around for company shuttles to transport them to and from employee parking lots.

"The purpose of finalizing supplements 1st was to ensure we'd have no distractions at the main table. Sadly @UPS is letting these distractions fester. It’s unfortunate for UPS that we only have 70 days left to negotiate this contract," said Gen. Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman

"When it comes to such petty issues in just two supplements, it’d be a shame to have to shut down national negotiations to make sure @UPS reassigns the right people to get the job done in these regions," said Zuckerman.

National UPS talks will resume at 9 a.m. on May 23