Iowa UPS workers say they’re ready to strike
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) -The standoff between UPS and its employees continues as a potential strike looms, KCCI’s Nicole Tam reported.
Despite the rain and thunderstorms, union members with Teamsters Local 90 say they are ready to negotiate a fair contract or strike. The union members are loud and say they’re proud to be in this fight together.
“Corporate America just wants to keep making more and more money. It’s just we’re all here. We’re all here to get a little piece of the pie,” Dillon Strait, a UPS employee, said.
Strait is a delivery driver for UPS. He says every employee deserves more benefits.
“I’m more disappointed more than anything at this point, just because of how long we’ve all been doing this and how long and how much we do and what we deal with, including the weather. And I’m just ready to get paid what we’re worth,” said Strait.
The Teamsters Union represents 340,000 people from UPS across the country, including Iowa. Employees say they want better work hours, higher wages and better job security.
“What we’re being offered are concessions and pay cuts. We’re not willing to take pay cuts. This company has been very profitable over my entire working timeline out here for 26 years. So we expect a share in those profits because we produce those profits,” said Alano De La Rosa, Teamsters Local 90 principal officer and secretary-treasurer.
UPS administrators said they’ve modified the proposal this week to address demands from union members.
The latest statement from the company:
“Last week, we provided our initial economic proposal. This week we followed with a significantly amended proposal to address key demands from the Teamsters. Reaching consensus requires time and serious, detailed discussion, but it also requires give-and-take from both sides. We’re working around the clock to reach an agreement that strengthens our industry-leading pay and benefits ahead of the current contract’s expiration on August 1. We remain at the table ready to negotiate.”
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Source: KCRG
