UPS targets workers who walked out to protest firing
2014David Bernt 2014-03Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 4 →
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On March 6, some 250 UPS workers were given notice of termination after engaging in a workplace protest of the firing of one of their union brothers. The UPS workers at the Maspeth hub in Queens had walked off the job in an impromptu work action on Feb. 26 to protest the firing of a fellow worker and ac tive union member.
The workers, members of Teamsters Local 804, a lo cal headed by a militant reform leadership, took the action when UPS failed to abide by the grievance pro cedure and fired the worker without cause.
The walkout was the product of pent-up anger at UPS management’s tactics of intimidation and use of discipline to silence union activists. Workers who stand up are routinely harassed, disciplined, and fired on ridiculously trumped-up charges. The workers are then starved into submission as they wait months, without pay, for their case to be heard before an ar bitrator.
Maspeth workers had enough of this on Feb. 26 and took matters into their own hands by stopping pro duction at their hub for the day. The ability to disrupt production is a union’s main source of leverage in any dispute with the boss. These Teamsters bravely ex brothers and sisters; both are available at http:// teamsterslocal804.org/. Local 804 released the fol lowing statement:“On Feb. 26, UPS fired a Maspeth driver and long-time union activist and denied him his “Innocent Until Proven Guilty” rights. What should have been a routine disciplinary matter exploded into a full-blown crisis, because UPS once again vio lated our basic rights under the contract. 250 drivers walked off the job in protest.
“Local 804 has been in talks with UPS management to try to resolve the dispute and address the underly ing problems that led to it. We held several meetings and we were making progress toward an agreement. Instead of completing these talks, UPS unilaterally an nounced it was firing 250 drivers. Continuing down this road does not serve UPS, its brand, or our custom ers. Local 804 remains committed to resolving this dispute through negotiations. UPS expects its rights under the contract to be respected. So do Local 804 members.” n