Jul 19, 2013

Teamsters Local 89 has submitted a request for confirmation that the IBT submitted important legal documents prior to the expiration of the UPS Freight Agreement. UPS Freight members have great concerns regarding the next step in the negotiation process and if their legal right to strike will be preserved if talks extend past the contract’s July 31^st expiration date. 

Along with documents related to the UPS National Master Agreement and supplement, President Zuckerman requested copies of the crucial “contract reopener notice” and the “FMCS Form 7.  The “reopener” must be submitted 60 days prior the expiration date along with the  “Form 7” which must be submitted to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service within 30 days of expiration.  If this process is not followed, members may have no legal right to strike.

President Zuckerman has demanded the IBT provide these documents by July 23^rd.   In a July 11^th letter from IBT Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall, it was confirmed that the FCMS Form-7 was not filed for the UPS National Master Agreement.  However, this agreement and the supplements were extended by mutual agreement between the IBT and UPS.  The UPS Freight Agreement, on the other hand, has received no such extension with less than two weeks until expiration. 

Ken Hall stated in his letter that this failure to file these important documents was done for “strategic reason” without any explanation as to what that strategy might be.  Now, with the expiration date quickly approaching and with very little to no information regarding where negotiations stand, UPS Freight Members and their families are left with only economic uncertainty.  We have to ask, “where is the strategy in this?”

Freight Request