Jul. 14—Local UPS Teamsters gathered outside the McAlester hub Friday for strike practice ahead of what analysts say could be the costliest and largest single-employer strike in U.S. history.
Negotiations between UPS and the Union reportedly stagnated over a master agreement set to expire July 31 — with an economic impact think tank predicting a strike that lasts 10 days could top $7 billion.
McAlester workers could join more than 340,000 nationwide members on the threatened strike beginning Aug. 1 if an agreement is not made.
"This multibillion-dollar corporation has plenty to give American workers — they just don't want to," Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien said in a press release. "UPS had a choice to make, and they have clearly chosen to go down the wrong road."
Analysis from the Anderson Economic Group, a Michigan-based national consulting firm, said the threatened strike "could become one of the costliest in at least a century."
AEG states the combined wage loss of employees and losses by UPS could exceed more than $4 billion along with "significant and lasting harm for small businesses, household workers, sole practitioners, and online retailers across the country."
No timeline for the potential of resumed negotiations was given by UPS or the Teamsters as of Friday. Rueters reported a 15-day UPS strike in 1997 disrupted the supply of goods and cost the world's biggest parcel delivery firm $850 million.
Negotiations between UPS and the Union reportedly began in April with consensus made on 55 non-economic issues including air conditioning in trucks and vehicles purchased after Jan. 1, 2024, and adding fans and vents to alleviate extreme heat in current fleets.
Other tentative agreements were made on subcontracting, excessive overtime, forced punches, payroll errors, and technology, according to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Agreements on wage increases, raises for part-timers, and pensions have stalled, according to the Teamsters with both sides claiming the other walked away from the bargaining table last week.
A strike authorization was passed in June with 97% of members voting for a strike if a deal was not made.
"One of two things is going to happen next — UPS will come to terms on a deal we can confidently recommend to our members or UPS will fail and the company will put itself on the street," Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman said in a press release. "Thousands of UPS Teamsters are practice picketing right now across the country, showing UPS how serious we are about getting the best contract in our history."