The union has already achieved 55 tentative agreements on essential issues, including outfitting of new vehicles with air conditioning and retrofitting others with fans; new protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation; increased penalties to the company for wage theft, harassment and management doing union members’ work; and a host of other items.

On June 21, the union submitted a 23-page economic proposal on critical remaining issues, including base pay and catch-up raises; elimination of the two-tiered driver classification (22.4s); cutting out subcontracting to truck companies and personal vehicle drivers; and more full-time job opportunities for part-time workers who make up 65% of the workforce. UPS responded with “an appalling economic counterproposal,” according to the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee.