UPS workers could go on strike for the first time since 1997 if they can’t reach a new contract deal by the end of the month.
With an Aug. 1 deadline approaching, 340,000 employees nationwide are preparing to picket when the five-year contract between the nation’s largest trucking company and the labor union comes to an end.
A strike could have major impacts on average Americans and businesses nationwide.
Local workers in Jacksonville are getting ready in case negotiations fail. They held a “practice picket” Wednesday outside the UPS center along Pritchard Road on the city’s Westside. They held signs, marched and chanted like workers in other cities have been doing in recent weeks.
The Teamsters Union, representing 340,000 full and part time workers, wants a guarantee of better pay for all workers, more full-time job opportunities, a resolution to health and safety concerns, and stronger protections against any harassment from managers.
“All we want is a fair contract, fair wages, you know, fair, fair protection, and it’s up to the company to see if they can provide that,” said Daniel Sandoval, union representative for Teamsters Local 104.
Teamsters leadership said disagreements over union demands like a pay raise for part-time workers stalled negotiations last week.
On its website, UPS says it was the Teamsters who halted talks, writing “We have encouraged the Teamsters to return to the table to continue building on the significant progress we have made.”
UPS delivered around 21 million packages a day across the country last year — and moves about 6% of the United States’ gross domestic product.
For now, customers can still expect their package deliveries through July. But if a strike happens, the future of deliveries is unclear.
If workers do go on strike next month, consumers can expect:
Slower delivery times because other companies like FedEx and the United States Postal Service would deal with a sudden influx of UPS packagesSupply chain disruptionsHigher shipping costs
Economics Professor Jadrian Wooten said a strike that ends up lasting a while could have a broader expect than what people think.
“Even if you’re not a UPS customer, if you are just purely FedEx, purely Post Office, you likely still will see an impact in your deliveries even though you’re not relying on UPS,” Wooten said.
For small-business owners, a strike could disrupt supply chains and impact their ability to fulfill orders on time. And their revenue and customer satisfaction could take a hit.
There are some things customers can do right now:
Consider shopping and buying fewer online productsShop in person or order for pick-up at stores to avoid any delayed deliveries
Economists say transporting goods is a critical step of the supply chain and any disruption in delivery can create bottlenecks and increase costs for businesses, and all of that could lead to higher prices for consumers.