Driving - Teamsters Local 25

United for aStrong ContractUPS Negotiations Resume In New YearAs we usher in the new year,UPS national contract negotiationsresume. Meanwhile,Teamster leaders, including Local 25President Sean M. O’Brien, continueto collect and scrutinize informationin the fight to protect members’pensions and protect health care forworkers and retirees.“We will meet with representativesof the benefit funds so we can prepareproposals that address our members’goals,” said Ken Hall, Director of theTeamsters Parcel and Small PackageDivision. “Our members need to knowas soon as possible that they and theirfamilies will remain secure while workingat UPS and after they retire.”The next round of negotiations wasscheduled during the second week ofJanuary 2007.“This information from the fundrepresentatives is very important as weprepare to negotiate again,” Hall said.“We will continue to gather and analyzeinformation, and we will negotiateuntil our members’ concerns are fullyaddressed at the bargaining table.”O’Brien Reviews DataO’Brien, who was appointed toserve on the union’s National UPSNegotiating Committee, said he hasbeen poring over the data in preparationfor negotiations.“The benefit-fund information iscritical because it will help us negotiatea secure future for our members,”O’Brien said. “The company keeps onsaying that it doesn’t have enoughmoney, but UPS is more profitablethan ever. I will make sure the companyshares that wealth with Local 25members and UPS Teamsters acrossthe country.”The UPS contract covers more than215,000 union members nationwide. Itis the largest private-sector labor agreementin the United States.“Our members have told us thatprotecting pensions and health careare their top priorities,” said Jim Hoffa,Teamsters General President. “That’swhy we are collecting data from thebenefit funds and analyzing that data.We will leave no stone unturned inour fight.”Hoffa serves as chairman of theunion’s UPS National NegotiatingCommittee, along with Hall. It isimportant for the union to protectmembers’ pensions and health carenow, they said.Hoffa and Hall said they are confidentthe union will be able to negotiatea contract that protects its memberswhile allowing UPS to grow. However,they made it clear that the union needsto guarantee that its members’ pensionsand health care are protected.“Our members’ interests areparamount—we will only accept anagreement that builds on our pastachievements at the bargaining table,”Hoffa said.Non-Economic ProposalsIn early October, the TeamstersNational UPS Negotiating Committeeexchanged non-economic contractproposals with company negotiatorsin Washington, D.C. during the secondday of contract talks.The non-economic issues addresssafety and health, working conditions,subcontracting, the company’s use oftechnology and other areas. Both sidesare reviewing each other’s proposalsand will discuss the issues during afuture meeting.However, before the non-economicissues are negotiated, the TeamstersUnion wants to first negotiate pensionsand health care.“Pensions and health care are ourmost critical issues,” Hall said. “We willprotect our members’ pensions andhealth care and then move on to theseother important issues. The companyneeds to show us it is serious aboutprotecting our members’ futures. Wewill not accept any proposals that putour members’ security at risk.”22 | The SPOKESMAN | WINTER 2007 | www.teamsterslocal25.com