UPS and Teamsters come to terms on heat safety in ongoing negotiations

Some signs of progress are being seen in the ongoing labor negotiations between Atlanta-based global freight transportation and logistics services provider UPS and the Teamsters Union.

In a series of Tweets posted on Tuesday, June 13, the Teamsters said that it had come to terms with UPS on installing air conditioning in UPS delivery trucks driven by UPS Teamsters members.

“Air conditioning is coming to UPS, and Teamster members in these vehicles will get the relief and protection they’ve been fighting for,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien.

Teamsters’ officials said that new contract language would mandate UPS equip in-cab air conditioning systems in all larger delivery vehicles, small sprinter vans, and UPS’s brown package cars purchased after January 1, 2024, with the regular package cars comprising the majority of the company’s 93,000 vehicles within its fleet.

And the Teamsters added that two fans would also be installed in the cab of all package cars following ratification of a new contract.

“All newer non-electric UPS package cars and vans would be installed with exhaust heat shields, further protecting Teamsters from dangerous heat,” it said. “Additionally, newly existing and purchased package cars going forward would be retrofitted or equipped with air induction vents in the cargo compartments to alleviate extreme temperatures in the back of the vehicles.”

UPS issued a statement on the heat safety agreement.

“We have reached an agreement on heat safety with the Teamsters, which includes new measures that build on important actions rolled out to UPS employees in the spring, including new cooling gear and enhanced training,” it said. “We care deeply about our people, and their safety remains our top priority. Heat safety is no exception.”

The company explained that it has always remained open to solutions that keep its employees safe on hot days, noting that the Teamsters raised air conditioning as a top priority for its members, with the new solutions the parties have come to terms on improving airflow, temperature, and comfort for its employees.

UPS also said it will continue to consult with heat safety experts and sports scientists to inform its approach, and are aligned with OSHA guidance.

“We know coming to work rested and staying hydrated are the most effective methods for staying safe in the heat,” said UPS. The agreement includes adjustments to our package cars that improve airflow and create new heat barriers that will help reduce heat in the cargo area. In addition, we’ve agreed to form a joint Teamsters-UPS task force that will explore further solutions for effectively cooling this space.”

UPS cited the technical deals of this agreement below:

• Air Conditioning—It has agreed to equip all newly purchased U.S. small package delivery vehicles with air conditioning starting January 1, 2024. Where possible, new vehicles will be allocated to the hottest parts of the country first;
• Cab Fans—In response to its employees, UPS has worked to install cab fans in its package cars, providing additional airflow for drivers. Package cars will have a cab fan retrofitted within thirty days of contract ratification. UPS will install a second fan in vehicles without air conditioning by June 1, 2024;
• Exhaust Heat Shields in Cargo Floor—Exhaust heat shields minimize heat conduction from the powertrain into the floor of the vehicle. Preliminary tests show that these shields can reduce the floor temperature by up to 17 degrees F. UPS has agreed that these will be included in the production of new package cars moving forward and retrofitted into existing package cars within 18 months of contract ratification; and
• Cargo Area Forced-Air Induction: Scoop Air Intake—The forced-air induction system brings fresh air from the front of the vehicle into the cargo area. Adding an air intake vent on the passenger side feeds fresh air to the cargo bay and creates a forced induction that helps increase the airflow velocity. UPS has agreed that these will be included in the production of new package cars moving forward and retrofitted into existing package cars within 18 months of contract ratification. 

The existing contract between UPS and its more than 340,000 UPS Teamster members is set to expire on July 31.

Last week, local unions representing UPS Teamsters began conducting in-person voting for strike authorization.

Teamsters ‘officials said this week that a YES vote would pave the way for the Teamsters National Negotiating Committee to call for a national strike at UPS, in the event a new deal cannot be reached. And they added that the results of the vote will be released on June 16.

“The time has come to use our strongest leverage and officially remind UPS that hundreds of thousands of Teamsters are ready to withhold our labor to ensure UPS acts accordingly,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien in a statement. “The National Committee strongly urges all UPS Teamsters to vote YES to authorize a strike. This is how we win.”

A UPS official told LM that the company continues to make meaningful progress in its negotiations with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

“As with labor negotiations in other industries, the Teamsters will hold—and its members will overwhelmingly approve—a strike authorization vote in the coming weeks,” he said. “This vote is a routine part of the bargaining process and does not mean that there will be a strike. UPS has worked collaboratively with the Teamsters for nearly 100 years, and this year is no different. We respect this step in the process and remain committed to making progress at the bargaining table.”