Thursday, July 27, 2006

UPS Freight Campaign Kicks Off in Indianapolis

The Teamsters’ campaign to organize workers at UPS Freight, formerly Overnite, will kick off in Indianapolis under the jurisdiction of Local 135, union leaders announced Tuesday during a conference call with local union officials.

“We’ll be submitting a majority of cards for Indianapolis soon and we hope to begin bargaining with UPS by the end of September,” said Ken Hall, Director of the Parcel and Small Package Division.

Hall was joined on the conference call by General President Jim Hoffa and Freight Division Director Tyson Johnson. The campaign will be a joint effort between the Parcel and Small Package Division and the Freight Division.

“This campaign is one of the most exciting developments for our union and we will need everyone’s help to make it successful,” Hoffa said.

“Indianapolis is the perfect location to begin,” said Johnson, who noted that Assistant Freight Division Director Gordon Sweeton will assist Hall in the upcoming contract negotiations in Indianapolis.

“The plan is to negotiate a strong contract in Indianapolis, and with that contract we can answer many of the potential questions that UPS Freight drivers would have about joining the union,” Hall said. “The contract will be the tool we use to successfully organize other terminals.”

Organizing one location and negotiating a strong contract is a better method than trying to organize multiple locations at once, the leaders said. There are currently more than 300 UPS Freight terminals around the country. The Teamsters had organized numerous locations at Overnite in the past but were unable to negotiate any contracts.

Local union leaders were unanimous in their support of the union’s plan to organize one location and then organize a strong contract.

“The old way didn’t work,” said Danny Barton, President of Local 135. “This is a real chance for all of us to work together.”

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