Organizing Against OZ's Shift Closures and Layoffs

[Tony R Cochran]

We are in a battle here at Local 162 against union leadership that thanks UPS labor management for their compassion and conscientiousness at obliterating an entire shift! This is the height of labor-management collusion and the workers won't stand for it.

As was revealed on Saturday, March 16th, UPS retains the right to automate everything, including deliveries by drone; UPS retains the right to cut the MRAs - and this is as I argued in July-August 2023 because the contract does not explicitly, and UPS is arguing it does not even implicitly protect these rates as transferable between different shifts, buildings or areas with different rates. Meaning part-timers moving around can be taken right back down to rates listed in the contract. We won't know the decision until it goes through arbitration, and while I hope the MRAs are protected in transfers and forced moves due to shift closures, they are not as of now. A part-timer transferring from Portland to Tacoma would see an immediate and minimum $4.75 an hour decrease in their hourly rate.

The union leaders, if you can call them that, don't want us thinking too hard about this, and they especially don't want anyone thinking too hard about AI/automation. During the meeting, the question about AI/automation was asked multiple times, and Ben Vedus couldn't answer the questions. He became so frustrated that he asked me if I wanted drivers to stop using the diad and go back to pen-and-paper. This ridiculous comment simply revealed either his impotence, ignorance and stupidity or his active attempt to silence all discussion on AI/automation. Of course volume is being sent to automated facilities, this is the cause of the shift closures and layoffs. He all but admitted that and said the shift closures back East at the Baltimore hub were because of too many 22.2s (inside workers that have the same top-scale as RCPDs).

Ben Vedus noted that volume is stabilizing. This is from one of the top IBT negotiators. UPS made 2.5 billion in profit during the last four months of 2023. Work is being shifted around and fewer and fewer of us are pushing more and more volume for less and less money (if you take or are forced to take a transfer to a shift/hub/area or facility without an MRA rate that matches your own).

Finally, with all these shift closures and mass layoffs there can be no "net" creation of full-time inside jobs. These positions are already being eliminated as people are shuffled around at UPS's whim.

Whether you agree or disagree with a mass mobilization against this madness, sign this damn petition to show solidarity with us who are working under this shitty contract.

[Tony R Cochran]

Fellow UPS Teamsters,

In these challenging times, it's crucial that we come together as a unified force to protect our jobs, our rights, and our future. Recent meetings with union officials and UPS management have made one thing abundantly clear: they want us to accept shift closures and layoffs as inevitable, as if it's just a part of life. But we refuse to accept that narrative.

They want us to remain silent about the real issues at hand: the encroachment of AI/automation on our jobs and the looming threat to our pension funds as our workforce diminishes. But silence isn't an option when our livelihoods are on the line.

We're not against progress or technological advancement. What we're against is the exploitation and greed of corporations like UPS, who seek to pocket all the benefits of automation while leaving us behind. We refuse to let them profit at our expense.

We must stand firm in our resolve to fight back against UPS and Teamster leadership who would have us believe that we have no choice but to accept these changes. Unions must be about solidarity and fighting back not division and sitting back.

Together, we will demand fair treatment, job security, and a future where our hard work is respected and rewarded. Let's show UPS and Teamster leadership that we won't back down in the face of adversity.

In solidarity,

Independent Teamsters Organizing Committee (ITOC)

[TheMilitantTeamster]

“Unions must be about solidarity and fighting back not division and sitting back.” ??

[TheMilitantTeamster]

As usual, WSWS labor reporting was spot on

[TheMilitantTeamster]

Hell even Fortune is saying this is out of control

[JT67]

So around June of 2023 UPS had 340,000 employees. The volume was still there but fading with the strike threat looming. Fast forward to now. The volume is down by about 2,000,000 packages a day Amazon is delivering more of their own volume.

Now they are closing Day sorts all over as well as other sorts and buildings because the volume isn’t the same.

When there are less packages that means less employees. It’s simple math. So your Day sort is closed and that is business. Use your seniority and bump to another shift or quit.

You have a part time job. That is what it is right now. I get that you want it to be more but this is a trucking company. The majority of the jobs are truck driving jobs. Time to woman, man, they, them up and go full time driving. When you do this i will have some respect for you. Until then you are a part time know it all with a 2021 seniority date. You sound like a B***h.

[TheMilitantTeamster]

Also no one is going into driving. They are being sent inside as feeder runs are cut, I guess you won’t be concerned until they kick you out to be a door greeter at McDonalds.

[TheMilitantTeamster]

It’s a multi nation logistics company with its own fleet of aircraft, deals with USPS and multiple state, municipal and Federal agencies, and contracts with the rails, it’s a logistics company not trucking

Do you even work at UPS?

Been here for 2 decades you moron and volume is down yes but we are understaffed

[TheMilitantTeamster]

Actually the majority is pt insiders you know that right????

I was pt for 12 years before I could go full time inside. Drivers are important but ain’t nothing going anywhere without inside workers

[TheMilitantTeamster]

So around June of 2023 UPS had 340,000 employees. The volume was still there but fading with the strike threat looming. Fast forward to now. The volume is down by about 2,000,000 packages a day Amazon is delivering more of their own volume.

Now they are closing Day sorts all over as well as other sorts and buildings because the volume isn’t the same.

When there are less packages that means less employees. It’s simple math. So your Day sort is closed and that is business. Use your seniority and bump to another shift or quit.

You have a part time job. That is what it is right now. I get that you want it to be more but this is a trucking company. The majority of the jobs are truck driving jobs. Time to woman, man, they, them up and go full time driving. When you do this i will have some respect for you. Until then you are a part time know it all with a 2021 seniority date. You sound like a B***h.

Funny thing is Tony is on Twilight and isn’t an affected employee. If he was you call him a bitch. Now that you know he’s not you will probably say it’s not his problem. That’s real solidarity!

you’re a bootlicking hypocrite probably with hemorrhoids. So I’ll just leave it at that. Go into management and I’ll have some respect for you because as least you won’t be having identity problems

act like a boss, get treated like one

[TheMilitantTeamster]

Oh volume is going to Amazon… why????

• UPS’ “top five decliners” included its top customer, Amazon, which has continued to decrease its delivery activity with UPS as part of a mutually agreed reduction in volume. While Amazon has expanded its own logistics capabilities since the COVID-19 pandemic, UPS has prioritized growth in more profitable segments outside of e-commerce.

also more SMB volume now and healthcare with the new cold chain but you probably don’t care about facts

Our union bosses even say volume is returning but going to automated hubs like Alderwood and Tacoma.

again. You work at UPS? Where? When???

[CalTeamster]

Its not just loss of volume due to slow or seasonal downturns they're closing Sorts permanently. If the volume increases the work has been diverted to Automated facilities with new versions opening all the time.

[Opus Dei]

Fellow UPS Teamsters,

In these challenging times, it's crucial that we come together as a unified force to protect our jobs, our rights, and our future. Recent meetings with union officials and UPS management have made one thing abundantly clear: they want us to accept shift closures and layoffs as inevitable, as if it's just a part of life. But we refuse to accept that narrative.

They want us to remain silent about the real issues at hand: the encroachment of AI/automation on our jobs and the looming threat to our pension funds as our workforce diminishes. But silence isn't an option when our livelihoods are on the line.

We're not against progress or technological advancement. What we're against is the exploitation and greed of corporations like UPS, who seek to pocket all the benefits of automation while leaving us behind. We refuse to let them profit at our expense.

We must stand firm in our resolve to fight back against UPS and Teamster leadership who would have us believe that we have no choice but to accept these changes. Unions must be about solidarity and fighting back not division and sitting back.

Together, we will demand fair treatment, job security, and a future where our hard work is respected and rewarded. Let's show UPS and Teamster leadership that we won't back down in the face of adversity.

In solidarity,

Independent Teamsters Organizing Committee (ITOC)

So what is you solution to all the closures and layoff's? What is your plan? And what do you think the union can do to reverse all these changes at UPS? Changes that have been around at every industry covered by a union contract since1903.

[TheMilitantTeamster]

So what is you solution to all the closures and layoff's? What is your plan? And what do you think the union can do to reverse all these changes at UPS? Changes that have been around at every industry covered by a union contract since1903.

How many times does he have to point to the ILWU???

[TheMilitantTeamster]

[TheMilitantTeamster]

And up north at least they are challenging

[Tony R Cochran]

JT67,

Your perspective, simplifying the intricate dynamics of job closures and shift changes to mere "simple math," inadvertently echoes the bosses' view. This viewpoint fails to grasp the underlying class warfare at play, where workers' rights and livelihoods are constantly challenged by the bosses' relentless pursuit of profit.

Advocating for workers to merely "bump to another shift or quit" ignores the reality that even full-time driving positions, once seen as a potential alternative, are being systematically eliminated. This isn't about individual adaptability within an exploitative system; it's about recognizing and resisting the ongoing class warfare between workers fighting for fair treatment and a corporation viewing them as expendable.

The real issue isn't about individual survival within the bosses' terms; it's about fundamentally restructuring those terms in favor of labor. Our fight isn't for mere survival within their rules; it's for rewriting the rules themselves.

We must stand united in our class struggle, refusing to parrot the bosses' points and instead, making a robust case for labor's rights, dignity, and power. This fight is for a system that prioritizes people over profits, recognizing the inherent value of every worker's contribution.

Call me whatever you want, but you will never be able to call me a friend of the boss.

CalTeamster,

Your insight into the core of the class struggle within UPS is spot on. The move to automate and permanently close sorts isn't simply a reaction to changing logistics; it's a calculated maneuver in the ongoing warfare between capital and labor. This strategy isn't about efficiency; it's about reinforcing power dynamics that favor the bosses by undermining the workforce's stability and bargaining power.

Acknowledging this reality is crucial. We're not just facing a technological shift; we're up against a deliberate effort to weaken the labor force, even in areas like full-time driving where many had sought refuge. This isn't about mere efficiency; it's about control.

The diversion of work to automated facilities underscores a significant aspect of this class struggle. It's a testament to the bosses' priorities: investing in machines that can't organize, can't demand fair wages, and can't strike. This isn't about improving efficiency; it's about consolidating power and reducing workers' ability to resist exploitation.

Our response should be rooted in a clear understanding of this as a manifestation of class warfare. It's not enough to adapt to the bosses' vision of the future; our task is to challenge it head-on. We must fight for a future where technological advancements are used to enhance workers' lives, not to marginalize or replace them. Our struggle is for a fair distribution of power and profits, ensuring that all workers share in the benefits of the wealth we help generate.

Opus Dei,

1. Negotiate Stronger Contract Provisions: Admit the failure of the current contract. This requires honesty. Despite the limitations imposed by the existing contract and the no-strike clause, advocate fiercely for enhanced language in future negotiations that fortifies job security and directly addresses the challenges presented by AI/automation-related layoffs.

2. Community and Political Engagement: Mobilize community support and leverage political channels to amplify the voices of UPS workers and advocate for our interests in the every sector of society. Utilize public forums, media outreach, and community organizing to raise awareness of the challenges posed by AI/automation-related layoffs and build momentum for meaningful change.

6. National Mobilization and International Assembly: Call for a candid acknowledgment of labor's collective failures in dealing with AI/automation and other technological transitions and propose the convening of an international assembly to address these challenges collectively. Such an assembly would provide a platform for workers from across the globe to share experiences, strategize, and demand changes from UPS and other corporations.

[Tony R Cochran]

I've been listening to a lot to Farrell Dobbs lately. I recommend listening to his lectures online. Great Teamster organizer. Here are few things a union leader could do with the 1.3 million member apparatus behind them. Could O'Brien and Zuckerman rise to the occasion? They would only do so under the complete and total compulsion by events themselves, meaning absolute worker power. In that instance, they would become irrelevant because they would have to be led themselves, for they are nothing more than a mere extension of UPS corporate at the present time.

For concrete examples: here are somel militant actions a union leader could take to address shift closures and layoffs resulting from AI and automation, including leveraging workers from other logistics companies:

1. Organize Mass Demonstrations and Picket Lines: Mobilize UPS workers and their allies for large-scale demonstrations and picket lines outside UPS facilities affected by shift closures and layoffs. These actions can disrupt operations and draw attention to workers' demands.

2. Implement Work Stoppages and Slowdowns: Coordinate work stoppages or slowdowns among UPS workers to directly impact operations and put pressure on management to address their concerns regarding AI and automation-related layoffs.

3. Launch a Mass "Salting" Campaign: Organize a mass "salting" campaign, recruiting workers from other logistics companies, such as FedEx and Amazon, to infiltrate UPS's competitors' facilities and gather information, organize workers, and agitate for change from within.

4. Conduct Guerrilla Tactics: Employ guerrilla tactics, such as sit-ins, occupations, or blockades, at key UPS facilities to disrupt operations and escalate pressure on management to halt shift closures and layoffs.

5. Coordinate Solidarity Actions: Reach out to other unions and worker advocacy groups to coordinate solidarity actions in support of UPS workers affected by AI and automation-related layoffs. This could include joint demonstrations, fundraisers, or boycotts targeting UPS or its corporate partners.

6. Utilize Direct Action Tactics: Organize direct action campaigns, such as occupation of UPS corporate offices or targeted protests at the residences of UPS executives, to escalate pressure and hold decision-makers accountable for their actions.

7. Launch a Media Blitz: Launch a media blitz to raise awareness of UPS workers' struggles and the impact of AI and automation-related layoffs on their livelihoods and communities. This could include press conferences, interviews, and social media campaigns to amplify their voices.

8. Call for International Solidarity: Appeal for international solidarity from workers and unions around the world to stand with UPS workers in their fight against AI and automation-related layoffs. This could involve coordinated actions, such as global strikes or boycotts targeting UPS and its affiliates.

By taking bold and militant actions like these, a union leader can effectively challenge shift closures and layoffs resulting from AI and automation while rallying support from workers across the logistics industry and beyond. These actions demonstrate a commitment to militant unionism and a willingness to confront corporate power head-on in defense of workers' rights and livelihoods.

[TheMilitantTeamster]

Of course SOB won’t do any of this - too much actual work. He prefers giving an easy speech and moving along. Those two weeks he was actually forced by events to something more radical before he sold out in July made him look exhausted. Can you imagine a sustained campaign like that for years in every logistics industry? He’d winther away!

[Tony R Cochran]

I actually think we came very close to a strike last year and that O'Brien was horrified by it. He was horrified because of several reasons. A strike is highly disruptive for the union membership; it forges close solidarity and creates deep bonds between people and families unlike almost anything else, and this unity is a great threat to the union leaders. They see our unity as problem, unless they can leverage it to get "just enough" to live a quiet and well-compensated life. Also, leaders are born in struggle; the UPS strike of 2023 that didn't happen would have been certainly one of the largest walk-outs in 50 years and the largest this century. It would have led to a whole new generation of leaders that don't come from the traditional "I-am-a-tenth-generation-Teamster" incestuous clans we have running locals, JCs and the IBT right now. This terrifies the status quo. In other words, despite the incredible pressure building towards a strike, OZ took the "UPS Labor Management Off Ramp" and detoured us down layoff lane and division avenue.

[Tony R Cochran]

Reposting for all:


I actually think we came very close to a strike last year and that O'Brien was horrified by it. He was horrified because of several reasons. A strike is highly disruptive for the union membership; it forges close solidarity and creates deep bonds between people and families unlike almost anything else, and this unity is a great threat to the union leaders. They see our unity as problem, unless they can leverage it to get "just enough" to live a quiet and well-compensated life. Also, leaders are born in struggle; the UPS strike of 2023 that didn't happen would have been certainly one of the largest walk-outs in 50 years and the largest this century. It would have led to a whole new generation of leaders that don't come from the traditional "I-am-a-tenth-generation-Teamster" incestuous clans we have running locals, JCs and the IBT right now. This terrifies the status quo. In other words, despite the incredible pressure building towards a strike, OZ took the "UPS Labor Management Off Ramp" and detoured us down layoff lane and division avenue.