Inside the UPS strike
TEAMSTERS
LOCAL 278
TO THE PUBLIC
UNA
We went to press after the UPS strike settlement was announced, but before the final details were published. Based on press reports and speaking with knowledgeable observers, it seems clear that the
Teamsters Union won its demands for 10,000 new full-time jobs and significant wage gainsalthough a huge gap remains between full-time and part-time hourly rates. The union also retains contro of the industry's multi-employer pension fund. The main concession on the union side appears to be signing a five-year contract instead of the normal three years. The extent of this victory can be appreciated by recallina that only appreciated by recalling that only ten years ago, in 1987, the Teamster leadership, then in the hands of the anti-reform Old Guard, imposed a rotten UPS contract on the members even though fiftytwo percent voted "No." The present victory demonstrates the power not only of the strike, but of union democracy Martha Gruelle The Teamster strike at United Parcel Service was the largest strike in the United States in a quarter century. All thanks to the "new militancy" that John Sweeney promised when he took over as president of the AFL-CIO trade union confederation? Not really. The real origins of the Teamsters' strike are in the twenty-year movement, led by the caucus Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU), to eject the corrupt Hoffa leadership, democratise the union, and fight for "decent contracts and an activated membership."'
The leadership of the AFL-CIO is somewhat more active than in previous years. But their strategy does not include strikes like this one. John Sweeney would probably have ten we probably have preferred for the Teamsters to throw their efforts into organising a company like Federal Express, UPS's main competitor, rather than taking on a giant like UPS in a head-on confrontation over part-time work. But the Teamster leadership is more on a somewhat different course from the AFLCIO leadership. Though they are, of course, organising at Federal Express too!. 8 International Viewpoint #292
LOCAL 278 AMSTERS AGAINS. AS
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AGAINST STRIKE STRINE AGAINST
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While the UPS strike was partly about the future of living-wage jobs in the United States, it was also a test. How well had management done on winning the loyalty of its work force, and how well have the new democratised union and TDU counteracted UPS Corporate Culture?
UPS policies predate recent versions of "team concept" (though the company has also launched team concept programs in the last few years. But Big Brown makes its full-time workers part of the team in other less "warm and fuzzy" ways.
The crisp, uniformed image and "tightest ship" slogan influence both the public's and workers' view; the brown shirts carry status (and some say sex appeal), and evoke efficiency. UPS consistently uses internal promotions to capture the aspirations of workplace leaders-the current CEO was once a driver.
The cultural, some say cultist, atmosphere of reward for self-sacrifice is combined with a constant scrutiny of workers" pace. This keeps many of them working through breaks. Meanwhile, decades of comfortable relations with Teamsters International leaders have led less politically sophisticated workers to think that management chose to pay drivers decent pay and
UPS UNFAIR TO TEAMSTERS LOCAL No. 856 benefits.
Until the early nineties, the union did almost no internal organising, while the bargaining unit grew to include more and more part-timers-younger, more exploited, and for obvious reasons less trusting of the union. When the strike started, part-timers comprised about sixty percent of the unit. The company's risky bet
UPS is one of the smartest companies around. So why did they provoke this strike? The company seemed to be betting they'd won the hearts-and-minds of the workforce. That there would be significant scabbing as the weeks wore on. They lost the bet.
Members were shocked to learn that of the 43,000 new jobs created since 1993 35,000 are part-time. The union's flagship issue the demand to turn part-time into fulltime jobs-turned out to be wonderfully unifying, as well as a cause for widespread public sympathy, a rarity in today's industrial disputes. One public opinion poll suggested that 55% of the population supported the strikers, with 27% for the company.
UPS started part-timing work in 1968. That was before they negotiated a national contract. In 1968, the company got Teamster President Jimmy Hoffa (Senior) to agree to
"This victory is in part a culmination of two decades of Teamster reform. Teamster members worked hard to get our union ready to fight and win on big issues like good, full-time jobs. A decade ago our International officers were orchestrating secret deals with UPS management, and were forcing UPS Teamsters to accept contracts that were rejected in a vote by the majority. They were making deals to allow unlimited part-time labour. That's now in the past. Now we have a union leadership and membership that can win a major victory for all of lab aun
Ken Doff Notional Mermain Ken Paff, National Organiser for Teamsters for a Democratic Union.
* USA/Canada TDU comment Who won this war?
The agreement appears to fall about 90 percent on the union side. We won because we built a reform movement over two decades that got our union in a place to lead this fight.
We won because we elected a Teamster International leadership willing to fight, not sell out. We won because a contract campaign was waged for six months. We targeted the right issues, we took them to the members and the American people, we unified the members- in short, our union did what a union should be all about.
We won because we reached out and made this the best supported strike in decades. We won because UPS Teamsters stuck together and surprised Court orders new lead
A federal official has overturned Teamsters President Ron Carey's re-election, following an eight-month investigation into alleged fund-raising abuses by his campaign. The effect of the decision is to force a new election between Carey and his opponent, James P. Hoffa, son of long-time corrupt union boss Jimmy Hoffa.
The ruling came just four days after the Teamsters declared victory in their strike against United Parcel Service.
Ron Carey narrowly defeated Hoffa junior in December. As a result of a 1988 deal to end corruption in the 1.4-millionmember union, the election was underwritten with $22 million in public funds and held under the auspices of a court-appointed officer.
Barbara Zack Quindel, a court-appointed federal election overseer, has exposed a complex network of schemes to funnel illegal donations to Carey's campaign, including a plan to swap Teamsters contributions to political candidates and organisations in exchange for donations to Carey.
Martin Davis, a consultant to Carey's campaign, even told William Hamilton, then the unions political director, that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) had made unspecified commitments in exchange for more than $1 million in contributions to state and local party affiliates. DNC officials deny there was any such arrangement.
Hamilton resigned suddenly in July. saying he would no longer co-operate with the federal grand jury in New York The FBI has charged Davis with exploiting the Teamsters' general treasury and hiding illegal donations to Carey's election fund. 10 International Viewpoint #292 the company-which underestimated the unity, determination and will-to-win of Teamster members!
Now we move forward to spread this spirit, this victory. We can start with the upcoming national freight contract and move on to every part of the Teamsters and the labour movement. Now we move forward to build that reform movement - to bring out the best in unionism, and to make possible innovative struggles, fresh leadership and Teamster victories. If we do that, this will be only the first of a string of new Teamster victories that help make labour into a growing, dynamic force. * Teamsters for a Democratic Union, PO Box 10128, Detroit, Mich. 48210-0128. Tel. (+1. 313) 842-2600 ership election
According to activists on the left of the union, Carey's big mistake was in hiring consultants who usually work for the Democratic Party and are used to sleaze.
Carey has said he will fire any Teamster who had any connection with the dirty money. The campaign paid the money back in March 1997.
Labour reformers pinned their hopes on Carey when he was first elected in 1991. He has thrown out the heads of 72 locals he said were corrupt, sold the unions corporate jets and ended the free lunches and other perks at headquarters.
But he failed to unite rank-and-file members, beating Hoffa by less than 4 percentage points in a mail-in ballot last December, in which only about one-third of Teamsters voted.
The Hoffa forces claimed that the illegal campaign contributions tipped the close election in Carey's favour and demanded a re-run.
Hoffa supporters have close ties to the Democratic Party (even its most "liberal" wing, such as Congressman John Conyers from this area as well as the right-wing politicians. The Wall Street Journal has also been campaigning for a re-run.
Regulations for the re-run are even stricter than last December. Neither candidate can take money from anyone other than a Teamster.
This means that Hoffa will have far more access to big money than Carey But the incumbent will have Teamsters for a Democratic Union behind him. And, of course, his reputation for successful leadership of the UPS strike. [JD/AP] *