Nationwide UPS Strike Averted In Last Minute Talks

Members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters walked away from the bargaining table earlier this week and demanded that UPS deliver its "last, best, and final offer" no later than Friday. By late afternoon, the Teamsters called off the strike as they returned to the negotiating table after UPS delivered a new counteroffer. 

Teamsters said UPS offered "a revised counterproposal with significant movement on wages and other economic language." It was enough to call off the strike on Friday, but the union said more negotiations were needed. 

UPS pledged to complete a deal with Teamsters by July 5 for 340,000 unionized package delivery drivers and warehouse logistics workers nationwide. 

"UPS came back with real movement, but it isn't enough. After they left the room, our national committee had a long dialogue and the universal consensus was to continue our leverage campaign," Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman wrote in a statement. 

Zuckerman said, "One of two things is going to happen next — UPS will come to terms on a deal we can confidently recommend to our members or UPS will fail and the company will put itself on the street."

"Thousands of UPS Teamsters are practice picketing right now across the country, showing UPS how serious we are about getting the best contract in our history," he said. 

The Teamsters voted to authorize a strike early last month as negotiations on a new contract that expires July 31 came to a halt. 

"We are encouraged the Teamsters are ready to continue negotiations and discuss our most recent proposal," UPS said in a statement.

As for now, a nationwide UPS strike has been avoided in what could've been a severe blow to supply chains. 

Meanwhile, UPS drivers are practicing their picketing skills.  

The Teamsters are expected to hold a press conference later today.