UPS Teamster Magazine, Summer 2011 - International Brotherhood ...

As he recounted at the Convention,Hall told the company at the time, “Youhave a couple of choices. You can continuedown that crazy path, because the lasttime I checked, the National LaborRelations Act does provide for strikes ofrecognition. So you can continue downthat path or you can decide you’re goingto reach an agreement with us.”Ultimately, the display of strength helpedthe clerical workers to win. An agreementwas made between the Teamsters and thecompany to hold an expedited electionthrough an arbitrator. The workers thenwent through the expedited election andvoted 12-0 to join the union.Meanwhile, three other local unionsorganized clerical workers at their UPSFreight terminals the old-fashioned wayand went through NLRB elections. Locals385, 745 and 41 all held successful NLRBelections when their clerical employeesalso wanted a contract like their co-workerson the dock and driving the trucks. Itbecame apparent that these employeeswill do whatever it takes to join theTeamsters, so Hall had another meetingwith UPS Freight. This time, he toldthem, “We can do this one by one andyou have the potential to be on strike ona weekly basis all over the country, oryou could agree to a card-check agreementwith the Teamsters so that we canorganize all the UPS clerks in every locationacross the country.”On Monday, June 27, Hall announcedthat UPS Freight signed a card-checkagreement for the clerks.“I am happy that other clerks will havethe opportunity to organize withoutgoing through what we did,” said EricaTeamsters Talk UPS Freight at ConventionThe Teamsters Union’s victory at UPSFreight is a prime example of howthe union is organizing in coreindustries, and that was one of the manyUPS-related topics discussed at the 28thInternational Convention.Rank-and-file members and Teamsterleaders spoke about many topics relatedto UPS Freight, but the biggest announcementrelating to that company camewhen International Vice President andPackage Division Director Ken Hallannounced a card-check agreement withUPS Freight for their clerks.UPS Freight ClerksDemand ImprovementsAfter witnessing first hand the gains thathad been made by UPS Freight driversand dockworkers at their terminalthrough Teamster representation, thedozen clerical workers at UPS Freight inPico Rivera, Calif. approached Local 63.The clerks were hoping to achieve betterpay and respect on the job through aTeamster contract, and they signed cards.Unfortunately, UPS Freight fought hardagainst their effort to organize. Eventually,a decision was made by the local and theworkers to strike for recognition. Theentire terminal walked out in solidarity.Chavez, a Local 63 UPS Freight clerk, atthe Convention.Overnite“The struggle to organize these workershas spanned half a century of when theywere employed by a notoriously antiunioncompany called Overnite. ButTeamsters never gave up on these workers,”said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters GeneralPresident, at the Tuesday session of theConvention.One of the more than 12,600 UPSFreight workers organized since the lastConvention addressed delegates andtalked about what a difference a Teamstercontract has made.“Five years ago, you all invited me tospeak at this Convention as a nonunionline driver for UPS Freight. I sat on thisstage and asked for your support toorganize UPS Freight so that me and myco-workers could share what you all had;8 | upsTEAMSTER | SUMMER 2011 | www.teamster.org