In recent days, the Teamsters union gave several deadlines for United Parcel Service negotiators to make their final best offer to their union employees. Union representatives said Wednesday that UPS “withdrew from the negotiating table after submitting an unacceptable offer” specifically related to the economic package.
UPS told another story. The company said the Teamsters walked out of negotiations despite UPS’s “historic offer that is based on our industry-leading pay.”
“We did not walk away, and the union has a responsibility to remain at the table,” the Atlanta company said in a statement.
Whatever the case, negotiations are deadlocked and the contract expires at midnight on July 31. Teamsters representing UPS workers voted last month to go on strike and union leader Sean O’Brien said last week a walkout was imminent.
The Teamsters say any tentative deal must be endorsed by their national committee before their members vote. The union has said it will not negotiate once the current contract expires.
The Teamsters represent more than half of the company’s workforce on the largest private sector contract in North America. If they go on strike, it would be the first since a 15-day strike by 185,000 workers paralyzed the company a quarter of a century ago.
FUENTE: Associated Press
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