As part of a union in past working life, my hope for future workers is that they look beyond the hourly wage increase as the priority and start thinking bigger to protections that ensure their longevity and importance in the companies, especially in light of robotics and AI a reality. All these wage increases are just playing catch-up to the purchasing power that's been lost over decades and no doubt this wage increase be worth less than they think in the inevitable cost of living rise or devaluation of the dollar.
I think you're spot on. As we can see from the Hollywood strikes, those workers are well aware about the dangers facing their livelihood 5, 10, and 15 years down the road. While I think they're the group most immediately at risk of being replaced by AI (just because the technology isn't there yet to drive a UPS truck), I do hope other sets of workers keep an eye out for the threat of automation and react accordingly.
Thanks, Joe. It's funny how CEOs don't think they're indispensible! To your comment: Driverless vehicles and worse, package dropping drones, are indeed here. They are still working out the kinks (a few choice accidents happening with driverless cars in San Francisco and I wouldn't step foot in one of those death traps) but the tech is here and it doesn't need healthcare.
First, I want to say I don't doubt your sincerity in wanting UPS (and all workers) to get the best conditions possible. But watching the video, I still don't see any evidence that Teamsters leadership acted against the interest of their members.
For example, I don't think we can say, "Membership voted YES because their barns told them to vote YES." I think thats an assumption, and strips members of their agency. For example, the NO voter I quoted in this article was very open about his NO vote with The Washington Post. I don't think he would have been so if there was a heavy-top down pressure, but I could be wrong.
Additionally, I think it's worth acknowledging that many members don't want to strike. While I'd love to see one of the biggest capitalist companies brought to its knees, many (I'd wager most) UPS workers care far less about that then the wellbeing of their family, which would be threatened with a strike. I think a lot of the membership saw the deal, thought its benefits were good enough to avoid striking, and made their decision.
Thanks, Joe. Why did every barn say this was a good deal, when it CLEARLY is not?
The Washington Post dug as hard as they could to find a driver (anonymously) who just LOVED the deal but couldn't find one critic? Also, not one issue mentioned about the A/C not going in 2/3 of the trucks, no A/C in the warehouses, the 2-tier system staying in, Sunday work, just a GREAT deal for the workers. What about the part timers already at $21/hr? The misleading claim about the $7.50 per hour raise (only if you have seniority).
Why accept a deal 5 days short when the demands had not been met?
Did you talk to Luigi Morris at Left Voice, or anyone working in an Air Hub? Anyone besides TDU, which is DSA aligned, therefore compromised because they support Democrats, who in turn are in bed with the Teamsters & organized labor?
The members may not have WANTED to strike, but 97%, of them authorized it because they knew the only way to hold UPS accountable is to cost them billions a day in revenues.
"The Washington Post dug as hard as they could to find a driver (anonymously) who just LOVED the deal but couldn't find one critic?"
Sorry, to clarify: the Teamster quoted by the WP was a critic. He said it was the "best contract they've seen" but stated he voted NO for lack of vacation days. And for what it's worth, he did give his name. He was identified as, "Greg Kerwood, a parcel delivery driver and union steward in Somerville, Mass."
The only UPS workers I spoke to were the ones I met on picket lines. I can't say if they're part of Mobilize (the NO contigent), TDU, or any other faction.
Hi Joe, sorry I missed the thing earlier about the driver actually voting No - thanks. Here is a much more in-depth breakdown (90 mins) of the deal, including Tom Hall from WSWS & Luigi Morris, a UPS Teamster part-time warehouse worker for Left Voice.
That one had more detail of Sean O’Brien meeting with Biden regularly, the back-channel deal with the pilots and more.
UPS-Teamsters: Union Leadership makes a Deal - Will the Rank & File Approve It? | @HowDidWeMissTha
the members trust the leadership in the barns. The leadership was almost certainly strongarmed, to have to go back and say they were accepting less than $25/hr starting. That was the line in the sand.
If their leaders told them they thought this was the best deal they thought they could get, do you think the members would really vote en masse against it?
Members from different Locals don't usually collaborate regularly, especially rank & file. But the leaders are all on the same page and all taking orders from Sean & Fred.
The members would effectively be voting No Confidence to all of the barn leaders nationwide, without knowing their fellow brothers & sisters were doing the same.
As part of a union in past working life, my hope for future workers is that they look beyond the hourly wage increase as the priority and start thinking bigger to protections that ensure their longevity and importance in the companies, especially in light of robotics and AI a reality. All these wage increases are just playing catch-up to the purchasing power that's been lost over decades and no doubt this wage increase be worth less than they think in the inevitable cost of living rise or devaluation of the dollar.
I think you're spot on. As we can see from the Hollywood strikes, those workers are well aware about the dangers facing their livelihood 5, 10, and 15 years down the road. While I think they're the group most immediately at risk of being replaced by AI (just because the technology isn't there yet to drive a UPS truck), I do hope other sets of workers keep an eye out for the threat of automation and react accordingly.
Thanks, Joe. It's funny how CEOs don't think they're indispensible! To your comment: Driverless vehicles and worse, package dropping drones, are indeed here. They are still working out the kinks (a few choice accidents happening with driverless cars in San Francisco and I wouldn't step foot in one of those death traps) but the tech is here and it doesn't need healthcare.
"The tech is here and it doesn't need healthcare" is a TERRIFYING phrase that perfectly sums up the threat AI poses to the working class.
I give you permission to use that as a headline for your next article. Keep up the fabulous writing!
lol, thank you!!!
Sigh. Can’t possibly disagree more. UPS-Teamsters Propagandized EVERYONE with the Spin on the New Master Agreement | @GetIndieNews
https://youtube.com/live/B9zOp5jO1oA?feature=share
First, I want to say I don't doubt your sincerity in wanting UPS (and all workers) to get the best conditions possible. But watching the video, I still don't see any evidence that Teamsters leadership acted against the interest of their members.
For example, I don't think we can say, "Membership voted YES because their barns told them to vote YES." I think thats an assumption, and strips members of their agency. For example, the NO voter I quoted in this article was very open about his NO vote with The Washington Post. I don't think he would have been so if there was a heavy-top down pressure, but I could be wrong.
Additionally, I think it's worth acknowledging that many members don't want to strike. While I'd love to see one of the biggest capitalist companies brought to its knees, many (I'd wager most) UPS workers care far less about that then the wellbeing of their family, which would be threatened with a strike. I think a lot of the membership saw the deal, thought its benefits were good enough to avoid striking, and made their decision.
Just my .¢2!
Thanks, Joe. Why did every barn say this was a good deal, when it CLEARLY is not?
The Washington Post dug as hard as they could to find a driver (anonymously) who just LOVED the deal but couldn't find one critic? Also, not one issue mentioned about the A/C not going in 2/3 of the trucks, no A/C in the warehouses, the 2-tier system staying in, Sunday work, just a GREAT deal for the workers. What about the part timers already at $21/hr? The misleading claim about the $7.50 per hour raise (only if you have seniority).
Why accept a deal 5 days short when the demands had not been met?
Did you talk to Luigi Morris at Left Voice, or anyone working in an Air Hub? Anyone besides TDU, which is DSA aligned, therefore compromised because they support Democrats, who in turn are in bed with the Teamsters & organized labor?
The members may not have WANTED to strike, but 97%, of them authorized it because they knew the only way to hold UPS accountable is to cost them billions a day in revenues.
Here is an article laying out a similar case:
https://open.substack.com/pub/indienewsnetwork/p/ups-teamsters-the-strike-that-wasnt
Tons of respect for your opinion. We need to be open about whether our leadership is actually fighting tooth & nail for the members.
"The Washington Post dug as hard as they could to find a driver (anonymously) who just LOVED the deal but couldn't find one critic?"
Sorry, to clarify: the Teamster quoted by the WP was a critic. He said it was the "best contract they've seen" but stated he voted NO for lack of vacation days. And for what it's worth, he did give his name. He was identified as, "Greg Kerwood, a parcel delivery driver and union steward in Somerville, Mass."
The only UPS workers I spoke to were the ones I met on picket lines. I can't say if they're part of Mobilize (the NO contigent), TDU, or any other faction.
Hi Joe, sorry I missed the thing earlier about the driver actually voting No - thanks. Here is a much more in-depth breakdown (90 mins) of the deal, including Tom Hall from WSWS & Luigi Morris, a UPS Teamster part-time warehouse worker for Left Voice.
That one had more detail of Sean O’Brien meeting with Biden regularly, the back-channel deal with the pilots and more.
UPS-Teamsters: Union Leadership makes a Deal - Will the Rank & File Approve It? | @HowDidWeMissTha
https://youtu.be/BZNOWKXDq-k
Thanks, I'll give it a watch!
the members trust the leadership in the barns. The leadership was almost certainly strongarmed, to have to go back and say they were accepting less than $25/hr starting. That was the line in the sand.
If their leaders told them they thought this was the best deal they thought they could get, do you think the members would really vote en masse against it?
Members from different Locals don't usually collaborate regularly, especially rank & file. But the leaders are all on the same page and all taking orders from Sean & Fred.
The members would effectively be voting No Confidence to all of the barn leaders nationwide, without knowing their fellow brothers & sisters were doing the same.