In a Blow to Labor, Teamsters Ratify UPS Contract Despite "No" Vote

[turbinetree]

BY Candice Bernd Truthout
PUBLISHED
October 11, 2018

While nonunion Amazon workers were celebrating the company’s pledge to hike their minimum wage pay to $15 an hour last week, unionized UPS workers were busy voting against a collectively bargained five-year contract with a starting pay of only $13 an hour.

By Friday, 54 percent of the 92,604 UPS workers had voted against the contract. Many were not only unsatisfied with a lower starting pay than nonunion Amazon, but also with the proposal’s creation of a new underclass of lesser-paid drivers who work weekends.

Despite this, their union, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), ratified the largest private-sector contract in the US – covering 243,000 UPS workers – over members’ wishes that they return to the bargaining table and hammer out a better deal.

A spokesperson for the Teamsters, the nation’s largest industrial union, said the union’s own constitution triggered the proposal’s ratification because less than half of eligible union members actually cast ballots. When turnout is under that threshold, at least two-thirds of members must vote against an agreement to reject a final offer. This is known as the “two-thirds rule.”

“Only 44.3 percent of members voted and 54.2 percent opposed the agreement – triggering the constitutional provision,” the union said. “Thus, the National Master Agreement has been ratified.”

https://truthout.org/articles/in-a-blow-to-labor-teamsters-ratify-ups-contract-despite-no-vote/

[riversedge]

1. As I read this--it is the NON voters who may have caused this!!

Not voting has consequences for all of the workers. damn.


“Only 44.3 percent of members voted and 54.2 percent opposed the agreement – triggering the constitutional provision,” the union said. “Thus, the National Master Agreement has been ratified.”

[turbinetree]

2. Correct....................they did not vote, so that lands squarely on there shoulders

just like national or midterm or local elections, if you don't vote you cannot whine, and I see a lawsuit coming down the pike on this just like Janus vs Public Employees, some non voting person is going to blame the rules

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. This contract has a lot of shit in it, but it's not hard to get your ballot in for these votes.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. I just knew the day would come when

the Teamster Execs would use this rule.


Your Union is only as strong as you make it. And if you do not participate,you can not bitch.

[marylandblue]

5. It's a ridiculous rule, that favor bad representation.

What if in 2020, there is a law that says "if turnout is less than 50%, Trump wins."

[msongs]

6. post office cheaper and faster. ignore ups. nt