Trouble brewing in chicago!

[thelus]

Ok, From my understanding of whats going on is this, and ill put it into simple terms, UPS went and violated 705's contract and its promise to retirees. local 705's response was to send out a letter to the retirees and file a civil lawsuit in federal court. that's what i'm picking up from 3 stewards and a BA. now as for the letter i agree with Steve, they are heartless bastards. they see employees as a number, you are your employee id number to them not a face not a name, just a number like a prisoner. hell i once said hi to a district manager at the addison building once walking down the primary and the guy didnt even look at me i've learn something being the nice guy at ups means nothing to ups, they will never ever be nice to me but ill still try to be nice for my own soul oh btw i added the photo taken of scott davis after he found out 705 doesn't take crap from anyone.

[UpstateNYUPSer]

Originally Posted by redshift1

Jon, this appears to be less than previously stated. For a single person about 1200.00 per year and for family a maximum of about 4800.00 per year over previous years do you see this the same way?.

It actually works out to about $1900/yr for single and $5700/yr for family coverage. Compare this to the $600/yr that single subscribers currently pay and you will see that this is a huge increase and I understand the anger in the local but there have got to be other avenues to explore other than a strike or a poorly written letter.

[Channahon]

The average annual cost per participant in the UPS Health & Weifare Package for Retired Employees has exceeded $6,250. Under the terms of the Plan, each retired employee will be required to share equally in the cost above the $6,250 maximum by making an additional contribution.This additional contribution is effective February 1,2009.

The key issue is what is written into the benefits plan and was agreed upon by UPS and the Teamsters.

Is there anything written into the plan, that states no increases in benefits costs will ever be assessed to retirees?

[Channahon]

Is the payment a monthy or quaterly figure? Not familiar with the plan, but in reading the letter, it looks like a quarterly billing for the amounts stated for elected coverage.

[FAVREFAN]

Hmmmmm.

[FAVREFAN]

Originally Posted by Channahon

The average annual cost per participant in the UPS Health & Weifare Package for Retired Employees has exceeded $6,250. Under the terms of the Plan, each retired employee will be required to share equally in the cost above the $6,250 maximum by making an additional contribution.This additional contribution is effective February 1,2009.

The key issue is what is written into the benefits plan and was agreed upon by UPS and the Teamsters.

Is there anything written into the plan, that states no increases in benefits costs will ever be assessed to retirees?

So, if it's the costs over $6,250 each year.....this will go up every year from here on out. Health care costs NEVER go down. So this is just the beginning of annual rate increases?

[705red]

Originally Posted by UpstateNYUPSer

It actually works out to about $1900/yr for single and $5700/yr for family coverage. Compare this to the $600/yr that single subscribers currently pay and you will see that this is a huge increase and I understand the anger in the local but there have got to be other avenues to explore other than a strike or a poorly written letter.

I agree with you on a better way than a strike, but the letter is written perfect! I have not heard 1 complaint from a retiree that has received it.

Earlier you spoke on doing a leaflet, and passing it out. I brought up this idea and it looks like we will be doing this in the next week or so. Kudos to you, its actually your idea.

We will be handing it out an ups stores and customer counters to start. We are putting together a list of bigger ups accounts that we could hand to their employees as they drive in to the lot. This should put a little more pressure on ups!

Thanks upstate!

[HEFFERNAN]

I agree RED that your retirees got hosed on this. Keep everyone posted on what the local is doing to counteract this disgrace.

Eventually we will all be in the retiree's shoes, we need to set a precedent so no company (UPS included) can rewrite part of the contract on their own

I was thinking about it all day RED. You guys just signed the contract 4-5 months ago. How can they think they can raise any benefit fee by that much percentage? Fight the good fight !

[pemanager]

Originally Posted by 705red

Last week ups sent out letters to all of our retiree's raising their medical coverage from $50 per dependant to $300 per. The problem here is that at no time during negotiations did ups discuss any changes to the retiree medical as in raising the deductible.

As of today ups has been sent a letter to resolve this within the next 24 hours or teamsters local 705 will be filing a federal lawsuit against ups, a unfair labor practice charge and after the ulp if filed a 72 hour notice to strike will be sent to ups. Its quite possible that a work stoppage would happen in chicago as early as the middle of next week.

I just do not understand how atlanta allows these issues here in chicago to get to this point. Labor here just shows a total disregard for the contract and more importantly the retirees who have served this company for enough years to be able to retire.

Now they expect a retiree whos pension is lets say $3,000 a month and who has himself and wife with one child covered to fork out $900. Thats a third of his pension on an already fixed income!

Way to take care of your people ups! Please show some respect for the past employees, or its quite possible us current employees will have to earn that respect for them!

From the actual letter as posted by Jon Frum:

You Plus Family -$472.75

You were off by almost 100% and the monthly costs do not appear to be by dependant in Jon's letter. Do you have something to substantiate $50/dependant or could that be off by 100% also?

[kingOFchester]

Originally Posted by 705red

We will be handing it out an ups stores and customer counters to start. We are putting together a list of bigger ups accounts that we could hand to their employees as they drive in to the lot. This should put a little more pressure on ups!

Thanks upstate!

Just what our customers want to hear.........they will love to know that their delivery company and employees are at odds that could leave them stranded when it comes to their packages. Not sure this is the best avenue to go down.

I'm just saying.......

One other comment, not sure there is a better option, just that all options kind of have a bad taste.

[trplnkl]

Just what FedEx wants to hear also.

[Channahon]

Why go throught the expense of printing leaflets, why not just hand out the letter written by Local 705?

We have seen the letter by the Local and UPS, does anyone have access to the plan itself? Based on the letter by UPS:

The average annual cost per participant in the UPS Health & Weifare Package for Retired Employees has exceeded $6,250. Under the terms of the Plan, each retired employee will be required to share equally in the cost above the $6,250 maximum by making an additional contribution.This additional contribution is effective February 1,2009.

The key issue is what is written into the benefits plan and was agreed upon by UPS and the Teamsters.

I'm not sure the public and our customers will be very sympathetic to this issue, based on the economy and massive layoffs, so what exactly is the point of passing out leaflets?

To have customers divert their packages to other carriers, as a sign of support?

[over9five]

It does sound like 705 missed that, and is now trying to blame UPS.

Red should find out who was responsible for agreeing to those terms that Channahon posted in bold.

[ups79]

Originally Posted by over9five

It does sound like 705 missed that, and is now trying to blame UPS.

Red should find out who was responsible for agreeing to those terms that Channahon posted in bold.

The insurance in retirement is not even close to that if you are an employee. No vision, dental, and to top that off the maximum paid benefit per year is $100,000.00.

[705red]

Originally Posted by Channahon

The average annual cost per participant in the UPS Health & Weifare Package for Retired Employees has exceeded $6,250. Under the terms of the Plan, each retired employee will be required to share equally in the cost above the $6,250 maximum by making an additional contribution.This additional contribution is effective February 1,2009

From my understanding the diagreement is what you have highlighted in bold. The word each, puts respnsiblilty on all retirees, not just a select few.

The local has filed a lawsuit against ups, click here to view.

http://www.teamsterslocal705.org/UPScomplaint.htm
http://www.teamsterslocal705.org/wha..._do_to_you.htm

[HEFFERNAN]

I applaud Local 705 for taking action legally instead of threatening to strike. I can probably say without hesitation, that every UPS union employee is behind this legal recourse 110 %.

[Channahon]

Red,

Thanks for the info. In reading the complaint, I understand the following:

A class action lawsuit
A $50 contribution till 2013 per retiree
Any increase in monthly contribution should be levied on all retirees in Central States, which would surely bring down the monthly increase to all retirees
And a verbal agreement between UPS and Local #705

So the question now is:

Why in the world of attorneys who negotiate the contract with representatives from both the union and UPS, not put in writing the verbal agreement?

But then again, who knows what goes on behind closed doors?

[705red]

Originally Posted by Channahon

Red,

Thanks for the info. In reading the complaint, I understand the following:

A class action lawsuit
A $50 contribution till 2013 per retiree
Any increase in monthly contribution should be levied on all retirees in Central States, which would surely bring down the monthly increase to all retirees
And a verbal agreement between UPS and Local #705

So the question now is:

Why in the world of attorneys who negotiate the contract with representatives from both the union and UPS, not put in writing the verbal agreement?

But then again, who knows what goes on behind closed doors?

Chan as a member of the negotiating team for local 705's contract this past year, there were no changes to the spd (summary plan description).

This language has been in there since at least least 2002, and possibly before. I do know in 2002 our medical plan was changed.

Now in the last contract 2008 ups had not presented any changes to any of our current medical, which from what i have been told would have been the time to do so.

Now its in the courts hands, with attorneys charging $500 plus an hour, looks like the losing side (teamsters or ups) will be out some serious coin when all is said and done!

[caspers1]

Support is growing in Congress to make it easier for workers to join unions. When President Obama says that unions are part of the solution and not the problem, that must send shivers up the spine of all the companies .

[Red Dawn]

read today that members of 705 have file a class action law suit against ups!

[705red]

http://www.teamsterslocal705.org/wha..._do_to_you.htm

[UPSNewbie]

Originally Posted by 705red

http://www.teamsterslocal705.org/wha..._do_to_you.htm

Red, how have things progressed since?

[705red]

I will find out more tomorrow and catch everyone up on the events.

[kingOFchester]

Originally Posted by 705red

I will find out more tomorrow and catch everyone up on the events.

Well??

[705red]

Originally Posted by kingOFchester

Well??

Ups showed up at court on tuesday and admitted that the benefit raise was not negotiated during the contract talks. Back in court on thursday, possibly a ruling from what i have heard.