Teamsters Vote Paves Way for UPS Strike

The 185,000 Teamsters who work at United Parcel Service have authorized a strike if a new contract isn’t reached by July 31. During a weeklong vote, the Teamsters voted “95% in favor of a strike authorization,” union spokeswoman Nancy Stella said. The vote “doesn’t mean a strike will be called,” Stella said, but it empowers union negotiators to call for a work stoppage if there is no agreement when the contract with Atlanta-based UPS expires at the end of the month. The company’s growing use of part-time workers is the primary issue in the negotiations. According to the Teamsters, 83% of the workers hired by UPS since the last labor contract was signed in 1993 have been part-timers who earn less and get fewer benefits. Closely held UPS, which moves about 12 million packages a day, in March reported 1996 earnings of $1.1 billion on revenue of $22.4 billion.