UPS, Teamsters Suspend Talks
UPS Inc. and the Teamsters union said they have temporarily suspended contract talks, citing differences on pensions and benefits.
The two had entered into early negotiations for renewal of their current contract, which is set to expire next year.
The Teamsters said UPS “has been unable to present a comprehensive response to the union’s economic demands because of differences between the company and several benefit funds over the amount of new company money that is necessary to maintain and improve existing benefits.”
UPS spokesman Norman Black said, "The talks between the two main negotiating committees on the national master contract have been temporarily recessed while UPS works to obtain some additional information from union pension funds.”
“Talks continue at a lower level on local riders and supplements,” he told Transport Topics on Wednesday.
Teamsters echoed that in a statement on its Web site, saying that “both parties’ supplemental negotiating committees will continue to bargain over the working conditions covered in the contract’s supplements.”
The contract is for parcel workers. Separately, the two are working on a contract for the Indianapolis terminal of UPS Freight, the former Overnite Corp. unit acquired by UPS in 2005 and renamed as UPS Freight last year.
UPS is ranked No. 1 on the Transport Topics 100 listing of U.S. and Canadian for-hire carriers.
