My Local Strike Vote Count

[robonono]

Spidey, thanks for your input. If this is typical, it may be the beginning of a very frightening picture!

The IBT is thumping its chest, threatening a strike, giving the media the bogus 93% strike approval number, putting out petitions in the workplace, and the union die-hards are bragging that they will do "Whatever It Takes".

No wonder the shipping public is frightened, and starting to divert their packages. Loyalty to UPS will not keep their packages moving - it will not keep their business afloat. They have to look out for themselves, and their business.

If I owned a company, I would not risk its future by shipping exclusively with any one shipper. I would maintain multiple accounts as an insurance policy. I'm certain that most companies will see the logic of this, and divert whatever volume is necessary to get the committment from FDX that they will move ALL of their packages in the event of a UPS strike.

I only hope that our employees are recognizing this volume reduction that is currently happening (supervisors should be instructed to point out to their employees whenever a layoff occurs, and to explain why it was necessary - not a scare tactic), and realize that it is up to the rank and file members to talk to their stewards and to demand that the stewards inform the locals that the rank and file WANT A CONTRACT, NOT A STRIKE!

 

[lizz54]

Spidey and Robonono,

Excellent posts!!

I do have a question, though. Even if members of IBT did/do go to their stewards and demand that the stewards inform the locals that the rank and file WANT A CONTRACT, NOT A STRIKE!, would Hoffa listen? He already has their strike vote in hand. They may want to show support to the Union, but at what cost? Im always surprised when member of the Teamsters point the finger at the Company and say everything is their fault and the Teamsters are blameless.

Business is business, whatever the service. No matter what size the cog, it takes everyone to make a company work and prosper, management and union together, not against each other. From the top brass to the porters, sorter, drivers, office workers, etc. all together or things dont work.

The Teamsters have to lose the Us against the world attitude. As I said in another post, there is a lot riding on this contract and plenty for a good number of people to lose. Volume is already being diverted and there are plenty of customers who will not be coming back.

 

[robonono]

lizz54,

I don't know whether or not Hoffa et al will listen, but it should at least make them think before calling a strike.

We'll never know though, unless the rank and file demand a contract instead of a strike.

(Message edited by robonono on June 05, 2002)

 

[upsvet]

I'm sorry to disappoint all you gloom and doom folks. I'm a 26 year package car driver in the northeast. We've seen no drop in volume or have had any layoffs. In fact our feeder dept just hired 2 people off the street. Plus we have a feeder school planned for July. In packages we're all working our normal 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 hour days. I've had no customer complaints or diverting of packages. Both union and mangement people are confident there will be an agreement without a strike. There's just too much money being made by both sides to strike and Hoffa has to make himself look like he's standing up for all of labor. And UPS knows that. I'm sorry if things aren't going as well in your district but I've got to tell you we're not the least bit concerned.

 

[richard]

I'm relatively new at UPS. What was that "Rally Day" and petition all about?? Most of the people I work with avoided the signature seekers like you would avoid an annoying used can salesman. That was really weak.....

 

[spidey]

I don't mean to be pessimistic. I don't think we will strike, but in our center we *are* losing volume and there are drivers begging to cover Local Sort shifts to maintain their benefits. The customers that I talk to are scared, and the AE's spend more time picking up closed accounts shipping systems than they do getting contracts signed. I'm glad volume is not down in some areas, but I'll bet it's up at Fedex either way.

 

[proups]

upsvet: I was told that volume dropped about 7% nationwide after the Fedex June 3rd deadline for shippers to switch to them in case of a UPS strike. I have definitely seen a decrease, and layoffs, and packages that I used to pick up going to competition.

 

[tieguy]

Anyway who believe volume is not being diverted is insane. Amazon.Com starts diverting june 13, with most DC's diverting June 17th. One of our biggest and most loyal customers will now divert.