Organizing Overnite/UPS Freight

Teamsters Launch Member Mobilization, Education Drive

UPS has renamed the recently purchased Overnite Transportation "UPS Freight," and the Teamsters Union is launching an effort to bring its nearly 15,000 employees into the Teamster family.

As part of the member mobilization and education drive, freight and UPS Teamsters are being asked to speak with UPS Freight workers about the benefits of working under a Teamster contract. Those benefits include a strong voice on the job and maintaining gold-standard wages and benefits by raising density at UPS—the largest Teamster employer with more than 200,000 union members.

"The nearly 15,000 employees at UPS Freight—the former Overnite—deserve the same strong voice and strong representation that the Teamsters provide to workers at UPS," said Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General President. "With our members' help, we will make that happen."

"Our members' involvement is vital because they know firsthand the benefits of being in the union," said Ken Hall, Director of the Parcel and Small Package Division. "Our members at UPS, our freight members and others, are on the front lines in this effort to educate UPS Freight workers."

"Our members have struggled to achieve justice at Overnite," said Tyson Johnson, Director of the Teamsters Freight Division. "This effort is a new chapter in that struggle and we will succeed."

UPS bought Overnite last year for $1.25 billion. UPS Freight workers' new uniforms and branded trucks will begin appearing May 1. The rebranding of Overnite's facilities and fleet, which includes 22,000 trailers, will occur over the next several years.