1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Let's get more perspective now on the UPS negotiations from 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: the union's perspective. Joining us here at the table. Sean O'Brien, 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Sean, it's 4 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: great to have you here. Thank you for joining us 5 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: at what appears to be a critical moment. You tweeted, 6 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: or the Teamsters tweeted at least at about four thirty 7 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:23,799 Speaker 1: in the morning on Wednesday, after marathon sessions, UPS negotiations collapse. 8 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 2: You're right. Around four am. 9 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: UPS walked away from the bargaining table after presenting an 10 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 1: unacceptable offer to the Teamsters that did not address members' needs. 11 00:00:33,080 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: UPS spoke with Bloomberg about this and says, we have 12 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,159 Speaker 1: not walked away and the union has a responsibility to 13 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 1: remain at the table. 14 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 2: When will you talk next? Whenever they pick up the 15 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 2: phone and call us. 16 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 3: I mean, their story is compelling, but highly inaccurate. We 17 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 3: were talking about economics, and we did make a lot 18 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 3: of progress on a lot of those issues that we 19 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 3: talked about earlier. But when it came down to part timers, 20 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 3: I'll tell you what. If they're saying that part timers 21 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 3: make five dollars less than thirty nine dollars an hour. 22 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 2: I'll sign that deal right now. That's not true. 23 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 3: Our average part timer is making starting wage rates about 24 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 3: sixteen fifty per hour. You've got people living in poverty. 25 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 3: Those are poverty wages. A lot of members in the 26 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 3: big cities that work two or three jobs, especially the 27 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 3: part timers, are on subsidized housing, food stamps. So it's 28 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:21,919 Speaker 3: up to UPS to make this right and they should tell. 29 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 2: The rail story. 30 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 4: Okay, so you said you would sign a deal at 31 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 4: five dollars less per hour. Is that your bare minimum? 32 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 4: What's the line here? 33 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:29,680 Speaker 3: Well, if they were going to pay thirty five dollars 34 00:01:29,720 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 3: an hour for a part timer, I definitely would do that. 35 00:01:31,920 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 2: That's what they're saying. That's not the truth. 36 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 3: I mean, they do provide great benefits, but they provide 37 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 3: them only because we mandate them. We've fought decades upon 38 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 3: decades to negotiate superior conditions in these industries, and now 39 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:42,840 Speaker 3: it's time. 40 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 2: I mean, look, think about the pandemic. 41 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 3: You know, you see a UPS driver, the men and 42 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 3: women that deliver in your neighborhoods, everybody loves them, but 43 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 3: the unsung heroes are the ones that load those trucks 44 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 3: that went to work and UPS had record profits one 45 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 3: hundred billion dollars. 46 00:01:57,200 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: Is that number that you're talking about what they're because 47 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: when UPS spoke with Bloomberg, they've said they've been very 48 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: generous to part time workers, paying them twenty dollars an 49 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: hour plus benefits. Is that a poverty wage? Is that 50 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: not the number that they're paying out. 51 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 3: They're paying what they call a market rate adjustment in 52 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 3: certain areas where they're paying people off the street that 53 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 3: have never worked there just to attract them into employment 54 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,239 Speaker 3: and not rewarding the people that have been there a 55 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 3: long time. There's still people stuck at sixteen sevente. 56 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 2: Well, they're hiring new people to twenty, right exactly? 57 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 4: Is this the primary sticking point than the wages for 58 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 4: part time workers? Are there other issues of contention you've 59 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 4: struggled to. 60 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:37,959 Speaker 3: There's other issues that need to be addressing me. In 61 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 3: the full timers, they make a great wage. YOUPS is 62 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:42,800 Speaker 3: out there telling people while they make ninety three thousand 63 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 3: dollars a year, but they're not telling you they have 64 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 3: to work sixty of sixty. 65 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,679 Speaker 2: Five hours a week to make that wage. So there's 66 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 2: a lot of issues. 67 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 3: But At the end of the day, we've got the 68 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 3: majority of the majority of the negotiations have been completed 69 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 3: strictly down economics. They know we want, they know we need, 70 00:02:57,800 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 3: They know what our members deserve. And everybody keeps asking 71 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 3: are you going to strike ups? We're not going to 72 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 3: strike youps UPS is going to strike themselves. They're going 73 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 3: to self inflict this wound if they don't reward the 74 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 3: people that have made them a tremendous success. 75 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: We understand the Biden administration has been in touch with 76 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,280 Speaker 1: both sides, at least to some extent. When I spoke 77 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,600 Speaker 1: earlier with the acting Labor Secretary of Today, I asked 78 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: her if. 79 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 2: She was going to be mediating the talks. 80 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: She said, no, will you make that request if it 81 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 1: comes down to. 82 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,519 Speaker 3: It, I certainly will not make that request. I believe 83 00:03:26,560 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 3: that the company is aware of what we need. Look 84 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 3: our neighborhoods that we grew up in Boston. If two 85 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 3: people had an altercation, you had nothing to do with it, 86 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 3: You keep on walking by. 87 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 2: And that's the approach we're taking right now. 88 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 4: Well, I guess it becomes a question of how close 89 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 4: to the line ultimately this gets. Obviously there is a 90 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 4: deadline looming if come August first there is a strike. 91 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 4: It seems to is not fearful of the potential economic 92 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 4: repercussions of that. Couldn't that come back to hurt the 93 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 4: very same workers that you were trying to get a 94 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 4: better deal for. 95 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 3: Loook in nineteen ninety seven, UPS took the same position 96 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 3: with the part timers and the team's just struck them 97 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 3: nationwide fifteen days in look like anything else. 98 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 2: Every time there's a. 99 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 3: Situation like a strike, there's short term pain. For long 100 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 3: term game, UPS is the best in the business. The 101 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 3: customers pay for a service, our teams to members provide 102 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 3: the best service. We know there's going to be a 103 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 3: little bit of pain in the beginning, but UPS is 104 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 3: good at recovering and recouping that volume, and we're confident 105 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 3: we have to take a stand now. 106 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 2: We have to do. 107 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: You have this mapped out in your head, the path 108 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: to a deal here, and I ask you that remembering 109 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:35,239 Speaker 1: the railroad strike that Creedy referenced your former mayor in Boston, 110 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: my former mayor, Marty Walsh, loomed large in those discussions, 111 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: and there have been questions about whether, as I mentioned this, 112 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: Acting Secretary should get involved. But when you talk to 113 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,160 Speaker 1: Marty Walsh and others who've had experience as labor leaders, 114 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: what do they tell you will unlock a deal. 115 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 2: Well, we know what's going to unlock the deal. 116 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 3: I mean, we're not banking on the government's opinion or 117 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 3: anything else. We know and the company knows what needs 118 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 3: to happen. They need to raise a stop ready to 119 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 3: pay for part timers. They need to reward the long 120 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 3: term part timers. They need to reward all their employees. 121 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 3: Think about this. When this country came to a halt 122 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 3: through the pandemic, there was one workforce that was providing 123 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 3: goods and services and not reaping the benefits. I mean, 124 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 3: UPS made record profits one hundred billion. They have to 125 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 3: reward the people that made them a success. And we 126 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 3: can't focus on projections or lack of volume. Let's focus 127 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:26,239 Speaker 3: on what this workforce has delivered for UPS and look. 128 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:30,279 Speaker 3: Ups has been given out record dividends, stock buybacks. Give 129 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 3: that to the people that truly deserve it. Give it 130 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 3: to Main Street, not Wall Street. 131 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 4: So on the subject of UPS management, who do you 132 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 4: have a direct line to Have you spoken directly with 133 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 4: missus Tumey about. 134 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 3: This Early on when we started talking, probably about a 135 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 3: year ago. I had a one on one meeting with 136 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 3: a with her just to discuss nothing in general, just 137 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,320 Speaker 3: an introduction. I deal with the high labor managers there 138 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 3: who are direct. 139 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 2: Reports to missus Tom. Are they credible actors? I thought 140 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 2: they were, don't today? 141 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:02,600 Speaker 3: Well you know what they're saying, what they do with 142 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 3: two different things, and I guess that's part of negotiation. 143 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 3: But one thing the team says have been we've been transparent, 144 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:10,239 Speaker 3: we've stated our intentions all along and we've. 145 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 2: Stayed the course. 146 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 4: All right, Well, thank you so much for being here today. 147 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 4: That is Sean O'Brien, the general president of Team Stories. 148 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 4: And we should not. We have invited UPS to come 149 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 4: on this program.