UPS strike.
- Thread starter Indecisi0n
- Start date
Indecisi0n
Well-Known Member
Awesome video. Makes me feel proud seeing everyone come together like that.
Dragon
Package Center Manager
Verizon workers thought they had the upper hand too. See where it got them....
Catatonic
Nine Lives
And the lesson from this history:
1) Greater animosity between management and the Union employees
2) Less drivers on the road today than before the strike in '97
3) Article 22.3 jobs never really worked out - Why the Union said they were striking
4) Central States Pension buy out - Why UPS said the Union went on strike
The '97 strike resulted in was non-Union FedEx taking jobs away from Union workers at UPS.
I welcome your thoughts on the lessons from the history of the 97 strike.
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
UPS workers will always side with the Teamsters over the company. The customers will always side with the UPS workers over the company. That is the lesson from 97 in my opinion and it is still true today.
The company thought that with all the self directed work groups and opening the stock up to hourly employees that they could make a run at control of the pension. They were wrong.
Hopefully they will negotiate in good faith and not underestimate our resolve.
The company thought that with all the self directed work groups and opening the stock up to hourly employees that they could make a run at control of the pension. They were wrong.
Hopefully they will negotiate in good faith and not underestimate our resolve.
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
Why? Explain to me from a management perspective why there would be more animosity after the strike. Because the workers proved they shut the whole thing down and management didn't like learning that?
moreluck
golden ticket member
You can't make a blanket statement like that........I'm one customer that would cross a picket line to use UPS shipping and wouldn't think twice about it....... I spent 4 months crossing the grocer's picket line because I won't be forced to drive the freeway just for bread & milk. Don't be so sure that you really know your customers.
No one wins in a strike..........no one wins in a strike........you try saying it.
Catatonic
Nine Lives
This is viewpoint that I have heard quite a lot.
Management feels that the Union employees betrayed the company.
I think UPS management at that time believed (and acted) that all employees were part of the family and that UPS would take care of the family members. I'll go out on a limb and state that I believe that patriarchal feeling is gone.
The strike weakened UPS by diverting volume to FedEx ... some of which we have never gained back. Every large customer of UPS said they would never give all their volume to UPS again and for the most part ... they kept their word.
Catatonic
Nine Lives
That is total bull. The customers do not side with the UPS driver.
The Joe Blow who signs for the shipments on the dock may side with you but that guy doesn't make any decisions .. he is not the customer. He is also very envious of the UPS driver.
The customer is the person in that company that decides which carrier the company will use for their shipments and that customer doesn't have much use for Union employees because it makes their transportation costs higher.
The decision makers in a company tend to choose the non-Union FedEx driver over the Union UPS driver.
I don't like these facts anymore than you but those are facts backed up by the reality that we see everyday.
I personally belong to Sam's Club and to Costco. Costco tends to run a bit more than Sams but I will usually go to Costco because they take better care of their employees and still have a patriarchal culture like UPS use to.
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
I don't cross picket lines. It tells me a lot about you that you do.
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
Sure most people prefer that corporate profits are higher so management and stockholders can reap more of the rewards. Why didn't UPS just replace the striking workers in 97 Hoax?
Dragon
Package Center Manager
everytime we try to get more volume from a shipper....sorry I can't give it all to you, I have to have a back up. Reality
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
I love this argument that companies charge more for services because of their costs. Businesses charge what the market will bear for their products and services.
If we made less as employees the company would still raise prices for shipping each year if customers would pay it. They would just pocket more in profit.
It might only cost $3 to make an i-phone but if people will pay $500 for it that is what they will charge.
If we made less as employees the company would still raise prices for shipping each year if customers would pay it. They would just pocket more in profit.
It might only cost $3 to make an i-phone but if people will pay $500 for it that is what they will charge.
moreluck
golden ticket member
Oh, you can tell I used to be a chief steward?
Catatonic
Nine Lives
UPS was caught by surprise and they were not prepared. UPS rarely makes the same mistake twice.
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
Don 't blame them, the company has a history of presenting a sub-par offer as their last and final offer.
Re-Raise
Well-Known Member
Are you jealous that we might gain in the next contract? Don't you think the people actually moving the packages that provide you with a job, should be compensated fairly while the company continues to make a profit?
Or are you struggling without the increased dividend checks?
