The Teamsters union said it plans to resume negotiations with Sandy Springs-based UPS next week, with less than two weeks to reach an agreement before the strike deadline.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters said Wednesday that the company has reached out to the union and dates will soon be set for the resumption of bargaining.
The breakthrough marks the end of a stalemate that had been in place since July 5, when talks broke down. The union said one of the key points was the pay of part-time workers.
On Wednesday, UPS said in a written statement, “We look forward to returning to the negotiating table next week to resolve the few outstanding issues.”
“We are ready to increase our industry-leading wages and benefits, but we must work quickly to finalize a fair settlement that provides certainty for our customers, our employees and businesses across the country,” the company said.
The Teamsters have threatened to strike if the two sides do not reach a new labor agreement by Aug. 1, the day after their contract expires on July 31. That leaves less than two weeks to reach a deal.
Meanwhile, the Sandy Springs-based UPS pilots union said it would honor picket lines in the event of a Teamsters strike against the shipping giant.
This would widen the impact of a possible strike at UPS.
The head of the Independent Pilots Association, which has more than 3,400 members at UPS, wrote a letter to Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien this month, saying: “In the 1997 IBT strike, 100% of our pilot group respected your picket lines for not ‘turning the wheel of an aircraft’ on behalf of the company.
“Just as we did in 1997, the IPA is committed to exercising our contractual rights, both domestically and internationally, to honor any potential IBT strike and act in solidarity with our fellow UPS workers by not working,” IPA President Robert’s letter, Travis said. “No one wants a work stoppage, but if a legal IBT strike is launched, you and the IBT can count on the IPA for support.”
Travis noted that the IPA has a long history of supporting the Teamsters in contract negotiations with UPS.
Travis also wrote that he was “grateful” that the Teamsters will also support the pilot union during its upcoming contract negotiations with UPS next year.
The Transportation Workers Union, which represents 111 UPS Airlines flight operators at its Louisville, Ky., hub, also said it will not cross a Teamsters picket line at UPS.
“We stand in 100 percent solidarity with the Teamsters,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “Planes can’t fly without dispatchers any more than they can without pilots.”
