Negotiations Update (April 19, 2013)

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
Source: http://www.teamster.org/sites/teamster.org/files/Negotiations UpdateApril182013.pdf

TO:

All UPS and UPS Freight Local Unions

FROM:

hall, Union Co-Chair

DATE:

April 18, 2013

RE: Negotiations Update

Health care remains the major issue in UPS negotiations. The Company has indicated a willingness to move employees who are currently in Company plans into Central States to provide coverage.

The Committee discussed the possibility of offering proposals for other Teamster plans to provide coverage.

Separately, the Company did lower its proposal for employee premiums to $20 a week for individual coverage, $40 for employee plus one and $60 for family coverage. However, the Union remains adamant that UPS employees will not pay premiums for health care. The Company and Union exchanged economic proposals.

Many issues remain but both sides are committed to reaching an agreement by the end of next week.

The Company did withdraw its proposal to pay employees bonuses in lieu of general wage increases.

........
 

brown metal coffin

Well-Known Member
Just for clarity on my part. Does UPS want to move the whole country into the central states plan or just the people that are in the central states areas in the central states plan? If that is not the case do the states that are not in the central states region have Teamster run healthcare through their locals?
 

stink219

Well-Known Member
40% of employees are currently in UPS plans. It's those that they are looking to divert to the CS plan. I'm in local 251 and we have our own plan run by our local. There are board members from the local and other companies too. We all have the exact same benefit plan as our local executive board members. Works out well that way.
 

PiedmontSteward

RTW-4-Less
Just for clarity on my part. Does UPS want to move the whole country into the central states plan or just the people that are in the central states areas in the central states plan? If that is not the case do the states that are not in the central states region have Teamster run healthcare through their locals?

This is how it was explained to me: The Union proposed moving everyone into Central States Health & Welfare - the way I understand it, the majority of full timers are in union-run health care plans and the entire part-time workforce -- along with a large share of retirees -- are in company plans. CS H&W would be re-branded as MyTeamCare and would be the national plan for all UPS Teamsters. At the end of the day, there would be a NET DECREASE in benefits for PT'ers being shifted into CS H&W as it stands right now. Co-pays would increase (from $10 to $20), benefits would decrease, and there would be deductibles. However, CS H&W is by no means a bad plan - its simply not on par with the company plans. Additionally, while the CS Pension fund is in shambles, the CS H&W fund is in good shape and stands as one of the best funded in the country with over 13 months of reserve cash on hand.

This is what I got from the negotiations update: Moving everyone into CS H&W might be a logistical nightmare and some Teamsters (some FT'ers and all PT'ers) would actually see a net decrease in benefits, even if they're not paying a premium. They may be exploring rolling people into different Teamster-managed funds throughout the country.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
I heard we had a steward selling people that this would be the best contract ever because "we will get bonuses instead of raises"

I am glad to see that's off the table at least.
 

frivolous petty small.

Well-Known Member
If pters are going to be moved off company plans, they should be moved in to Teamster plans within their region. Having my pension and H&W care for by two different groups is kinda stupid in my opinion.
 
A

anonymous6

Guest
whatever they come up .......vote NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we can do better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


too bad if we dead-locked it would go to an outside Arbitrater. we would get a better deal.
 

sortaisle

Livin the cardboard dream
I can't see how we would lose net benefits. The CS/MyTeamCare would have tens of thousands of new people to negotiate a better deal with.
 

pretender

Well-Known Member
This is how it was explained to me: The Union proposed moving everyone into Central States Health & Welfare - the way I understand it, the majority of full timers are in union-run health care plans and the entire part-time workforce -- along with a large share of retirees -- are in company plans. CS H&W would be re-branded as MyTeamCare and would be the national plan for all UPS Teamsters. At the end of the day, there would be a NET DECREASE in benefits for PT'ers being shifted into CS H&W as it stands right now. Co-pays would increase (from $10 to $20), benefits would decrease, and there would be deductibles. However, CS H&W is by no means a bad plan - its simply not on par with the company plans. Additionally, while the CS Pension fund is in shambles, the CS H&W fund is in good shape and stands as one of the best funded in the country with over 13 months of reserve cash on hand.

This is what I got from the negotiations update: Moving everyone into CS H&W might be a logistical nightmare and some Teamsters (some FT'ers and all PT'ers) would actually see a net decrease in benefits, even if they're not paying a premium. They may be exploring rolling people into different Teamster-managed funds throughout the country.

This is the best explanation I have heard so far--even though I still don't like it... I have a few points/questions:

1) From my point of view, if it is true that the proposal is to have all UPSers under the same union plan, that is a good thing. Why should someone from a different part of the country, be able to vote to take me out of my excellent company plan, and into an inferior union plan--while they retain better benefits...We should all be voting on the same thing.

2) If CS Health and Welfare is one of the best funded plans in the country, why are the benefits inferior to other Teamster or UPS plans???? This is a BIG red flag. It rings a little hollow when the union says the the company is screwing us.

3) No matter what you may think about Obamacare, nobody knows how it is going to play out. I would much rather stick with the UPS plan, with predictable costs for the life of the contract.
 

upsman2940

Well-Known Member
I for one am sick and tired of hearing how everyone has a different/better healthcare plans or retirements!! What makes all of you feel like you are more deserving than your fellow union members!! Do we not all put our pants on the same way? Do you all not shoulder the work load together? When it is all over, you may get to keep your Cadillac plan, but will be a part of this union crumbling. Yes this is the first time everyone has had a smart phone in their hands during a contract negotiation. I am willing to strike. But if the only reason to vote no is you keeping your company plan..... You can wish in one hand.
 

Catatonic

Nine Lives
I for one am sick and tired of hearing how everyone has a different/better healthcare plans or retirements!! What makes all of you feel like you are more deserving than your fellow union members!! Do we not all put our pants on the same way? Do you all not shoulder the work load together? When it is all over, you may get to keep your Cadillac plan, but will be a part of this union crumbling. Yes this is the first time everyone has had a smart phone in their hands during a contract negotiation. I am willing to strike. But if the only reason to vote no is you keeping your company plan..... You can wish in one hand.

I guess you can relate to the P/Ts.
 
I for one am sick and tired of hearing how everyone has a different/better healthcare plans or retirements!! What makes all of you feel like you are more deserving than your fellow union members!! Do we not all put our pants on the same way? Do you all not shoulder the work load together? When it is all over, you may get to keep your Cadillac plan, but will be a part of this union crumbling. Yes this is the first time everyone has had a smart phone in their hands during a contract negotiation. I am willing to strike. But if the only reason to vote no is you keeping your company plan..... You can wish in one hand.

if you use this example, why do some retirees draw almost double what other retirees draw? do we not all work for the same company doing the same work?
 

rudy5150

Well-Known Member
Hoaxster nailed it. The goal of UPS is to divide the full timers and part timers....and its working! The full timers want more and more...$33 an hour $75k a yr they could care less about their fellow part time teamster brother yet want to complain about their load quality everyday. It is time for full timers and the union to look at the big picture...part timers scraping for hours and a decent hourly wage. No wonder most of them dont want to join the union or dont like the union, they feel they are not get represented like full timers. We are all in this together.....if union brothers dont understand this their will sooon be NO such thing as teamsters! Wake up brothers and sisters!
 
This is the best explanation I have heard so far--even though I still don't like it... I have a few points/questions:

1) From my point of view, if it is true that the proposal is to have all UPSers under the same union plan, that is a good thing. Why should someone from a different part of the country, be able to vote to take me out of my excellent company plan, and into an inferior union plan--while they retain better benefits...We should all be voting on the same thing.

2) If CS Health and Welfare is one of the best funded plans in the country, why are the benefits inferior to other Teamster or UPS plans???? This is a BIG red flag. It rings a little hollow when the union says the the company is screwing us.

3) No matter what you may think about Obamacare, nobody knows how it is going to play out. I would much rather stick with the UPS plan, with predictable costs for the life of the contract.
I think it's because ups is a dement that the company plan is killing their credit rating with its liability. They need it off their books for accounting reasons. I want my company to remain very profitable forever so that my livelyhood remains good. This is indeed a concession but I'm banking that UPS will let us strike over this. If we can see a raise in the pension and 65cent raises and we all go into one healthcare fund with good harassment language and a limit on surepost wouldn't this be a fair deal. If we do strike and I do think big brown would let us over this shouldn't we compromise a little. Lets both save some face. We strike and fedex gets a foothold that we never come out of. Lets all get fat together just not obese.
 

Justaname

Well-Known Member
I think it's because ups is a dement that the company plan is killing their credit rating with its liability. They need it off their books for accounting reasons. I want my company to remain very profitable forever so that my livelyhood remains good. This is indeed a concession but I'm banking that UPS will let us strike over this. If we can see a raise in the pension and 65cent raises and we all go into one healthcare fund with good harassment language and a limit on surepost wouldn't this be a fair deal. If we do strike and I do think big brown would let us over this shouldn't we compromise a little. Lets both save some face. We strike and fedex gets a foothold that we never come out of. Lets all get fat together just not obese.
Bingo, nice post. If the company goes under so do we. I have faith in hall to bring us a a fair contract.
 
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