Healthcare takeover by the Teamsters

[Asskicker]

Here is what I am thinking. Hoffa allowed UPS to pull it's money out of the Central States pension even though the pension was already underfunded. They just lost Overnight who went on strike and failed. Hostess just went on strike and failed. Yet they let UPS take over 6 million dollars OUT of this fund. In return they were given the opportunity to organize UPS Freight employees. Of course the Union looking to get new membership after screwing up two strikes and losing these members. This might help UPS employees because if CS pension goes belly up at least UPSers should get some kind of pension from the company.

Fast forward to this contract. Out of left field we are told that we will be pushed into this Central States healthcare plan and moved out of UPS's plan. Central States? Really? We will now pay deductibles, and retirees will pay a much higher monthly premium. So I did some research. UPS employs over 400,000 people. There are about 70,000 current retirees. So do the math. I checked how much a premium would be if I went to an insurance company and got the coverage we now have. It would be over $600 a month. So if the Teamsters are buying for such a huge number of employees lets say they pay half of that per employee. Let's go with 300,000 since some of these are going to be insured by their own locals, and some are Management. Okay...so that would be 90,000,000 a year. There are currently 70,000 retirees. They will be paying $300 a month now. That comes to 250,000,000. HHHmmmmmmm. HHHHHHmmmmmmm.

My train of thought is that Hoffa had this in mind the whole time because he allowed UPS to take out all of that money because he had something he wanted...UPS Freight. Now he has to find a way to fund that pension shortfall. What better way then take over our healthcare, make us pay deductibles which I will guarantee you will definitely be going up once this is passed...and sock the retirees who can't vote on this to pay such a high premium to get money to refund Hoffa's mess. Oh and by the way, the higher our deductible is, the lower the premium is that the Union will pay the insurance company. It's all starting to make sense to me now. What do you guys think? Hoffa and Hall are real pieces of work. Why should we bail out the Teamsters who mismanaged the money in this pension? Hoffa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[kazranch]

Very well put!!, what really sucks is us retirees don't get a raise!! which is going to force a lot of us out of the healthcare and into obamacare, which is exactly what UPS wants. My hard earned years with ups and this is what we get, and we don't even get to vote, thanks for looking out for us.

 

[upsmanami]

you are right. UPS and IBT wants to screw us .Dont accept the contract and vote NO for us because we cant vote so we need your vote no so they can re-negotiate this contract

 

[upsmanami]

I wonder if all the retirees can get together somehow and try a class action suit against the IBT and UPS on the grounds they are descriminating against the retirees by raising our healthcare with these astounding rates ?

 

[Brontegirl]

My husband is management and us precluded from telling union workers this but I can. We went through that strike when he was off for three weeks with no strike pay at all. He was a driver then. You know how Teamsters will tell you that if you break the strike line, you will have to pay back any money you earn as a scab plus 10% to the Teamsters when the deal is finally struck? That is complete bull so just remember that. The union lies to its members and the contract precludes ups management from discussing the union contract with the workers, even when it is to correct misinformation. I was so angry and disappointed when I learned that the Teamsters lied to us when my husband was a driver.

 

[Asskicker]

Well...I don't trust either side. Look what that just did too ur husband's healthcare. We are fighting the UNION to keep it from happening to us. What does that tell you? I would have liked to see proof that anything happened to the scabs and never did. I would never cross because it's a loyalty to my fellow UPS ers. That's what union means. I wish your husband luck in management. UPS cares about no one. And if it makes you feel any better...I did get paid from the UNION and it barely covered the gas I used to picket every day.

 

[Brontegirl]

I'm glad you got paid. We had a child in daycare at the time and I told him this was silly to pay for daycare so he could hold a picket sign when he could take care of our child instead and we could save money because he wasn't getting paid. He was there a week and got kind of disgusted by both sides too. He was only out there a week. Luckily, we get healthcare coverage from my company and started that a few years ago. It is about 1/3 the cost of UPS with way lower deductibles and out of pockets and it's a PPO. I remember the days of the union healthcare that wouldn't cover well baby care. What a joke!

I also don't get why Fed Ex can get out of unionizing drivers by calling themselves an airline. Ridiculous, but the case held up in court.

 

[Asskicker]

Hey Brontegirl, I know there was a lawsuit going on against FedEx for not having to play by the same rules. Their drivers are actually contractors who have to buy their truck. They work like a franchise. That's why they can get out of the healthcare thing too. Now they might have to do something with the new Obama healthcare laws. And back to the strike. My spouse and I both work here. We had an 18 month old and a new house. No pay for three weeks. And I mean NO pay. We didn't get the picket money until we were back to work and that was $50 a week each. Wow!!!! Big bad Union huh? I know a lot of people who said they never got paid. The Union was completely unorganized and some of the Stewards and BAs were conveniently on vacation during the whole thing. It's something I will never forget and it's a story to tell the Grandkids. I still have a picket sign hanging in my house. I think we get played by both sides and each of us have to stand up for our rights or just accept the BS. Management has really taken a hit with the healthcare and this company will have a hard time hiring in the future unless maybe they are planning to pay a higher salary to suck people in. No one would touch those jobs right now.
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[oldngray]

Hey Brontegirl, I know there was a lawsuit going on against FedEx for not having to play by the same rules. Their drivers are actually contractors who have to buy their truck. They work like a franchise. That's why they can get out of the healthcare thing too. Now they might have to do something with the new Obama healthcare laws. And back to the strike. My spouse and I both work here. We had an 18 month old and a new house. No pay for three weeks. And I mean NO pay. We didn't get the picket money until we were back to work and that was $50 a week each. Wow!!!! Big bad Union huh? I know a lot of people who said they never got paid. The Union was completely unorganized and some of the Stewards and BAs were conveniently on vacation during the whole thing. It's something I will never forget and it's a story to tell the Grandkids. I still have a picket sign hanging in my house. I think we get played by both sides and each of us have to stand up for our rights or just accept the BS. Management has really taken a hit with the healthcare and this company will have a hard time hiring in the future unless maybe they are planning to pay a higher salary to suck people in. No one would touch those jobs right now.
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I also got $50 a week but I was scheduled to be on vacation for one of those weeks so still got my regular vacation pay. And they still took out taxes from the $50 and if I remember correctly also union dues so I got almost nothing from the union for being on the picket line for 3 weeks.