After working more than 16 months under an expired agreement, Teamsters Local 710 successfully reached a new tentative agreement with UPS on December 5.

Local 710 Trustee John T. Coli, lead attorney Stuart Davidson and the UPS negotiating committee met at the bargaining table for nearly 10 hours with UPS representatives. The marathon negotiating session followed a 30-day termination notice Local 710 issued to UPS ending the extension agreement that had been in effect since July 31, 2013.  The notice gave the committee the ability to call a strike at midnight, December 19 had an agreement not been reached.

“We set a deadline and our team was determined not to leave the table without a contract,” Coli said. “Our UPS membership has waited long enough. The tentative agreement has been reached, and a vote is coming.”

The proposal, currently being drafted by union and UPS representatives, defines wages and benefits for more than 6,000 UPS workers in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. A previous contract proposal negotiated in April was overwhelmingly rejected by the membership. The new tentative agreement features significantly improved changes to the proposal, including:

• More full-time job opportunities for part-time workers
• Improved vacation pay for all 6,000 full-time and part-time Teamsters
• Increased flexibility for use of holiday and vacation days
• Retroactive wages for all workers, upon ratification
• Increased credit in wage progression for part-time workers moving to full-time
• Subcontracting protections

As soon as the final contract language is drafted, Local 710 representatives will begin scheduling visits at all area UPS hubs and centers to explain the improvements to the membership. All UPS members will be notified as soon as dates are determined to vote the tentative agreement.

Members will receive more details about the contract proposal in coming weeks.

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