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August 11, 1997: UPS strike
Published 2 years, 4 months ago
Description
Art Bell dedicates the opening hours of his program to the UPS strike entering its second week, calling it a growing national emergency. He restricts phone lines to UPS employees, management personnel, and union representatives, arguing that the walkout by 200,000 Teamsters is crippling small businesses across America that depend on the delivery of nearly 12 million packages daily. He questions why President Clinton, who intervened in the baseball strike, refuses to invoke the Taft-Hartley Act despite $2.4 million in Teamster campaign contributions.
A UPS management caller contradicts union claims that part-time workers receive no benefits, stating that all part-timers who reach seniority get full medical, dental, and vision coverage. An 18-year part-time feeder driver confirms he earns $17.89 per hour with excellent benefits and says he chose part-time work for the lifestyle flexibility. Both callers express frustration at being kept in the dark by negotiators in Washington and support giving rank-and-file members an opportunity to vote on the company's offer.
A third caller, a preloader and air driver, identifies the pension plan as the central sticking point, explaining that UPS wants to take over pension management from the Teamsters. He supports the strike on the pension issue but agrees the membership should be allowed to vote on the proposal rather than having the decision made entirely by union leadership.
A UPS management caller contradicts union claims that part-time workers receive no benefits, stating that all part-timers who reach seniority get full medical, dental, and vision coverage. An 18-year part-time feeder driver confirms he earns $17.89 per hour with excellent benefits and says he chose part-time work for the lifestyle flexibility. Both callers express frustration at being kept in the dark by negotiators in Washington and support giving rank-and-file members an opportunity to vote on the company's offer.
A third caller, a preloader and air driver, identifies the pension plan as the central sticking point, explaining that UPS wants to take over pension management from the Teamsters. He supports the strike on the pension issue but agrees the membership should be allowed to vote on the proposal rather than having the decision made entirely by union leadership.