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The Center for American Progress reports
The Teamsters union represents the 280,000 UPS employees who voted overwhelmingly in favor of going on strike[paywall] if a deal is not reached before the current labor contract expires on August 1. More than 90 percent voted for a strike.
Issuing a strike authorization vote does not necessarily mean UPS workers will order a work stoppage, but it does give the union leverage over management to win their negotiations.
[...] Since UPS began offering regular Saturday delivery service just a year ago, [demands on its labor force] have increased. While the company hasn't announced plans for Sunday service, the union claims UPS has made several proposals to expand weekend deliveries.
[...] The shipments [which] UPS transports comprise an estimated 6 percent of the United States GDP. A labor strike among the company's workers would have a sizable effect on the economy and would be the largest U.S. labor strike in decades. Three bargaining sessions ago, in 1997, UPS workers went on strike for 16 days, and there were 180,000 Teamsters at UPS at that time. There hasn't been a bigger strike since.
Coverage by the World Socialist Web Site is skeptical about the union's efforts and what will be the outcome. Not surprisingly, that article closes with:
There is no progressive answer to the continual lowering of living standards outside of the transformation of industry, communications, and transportation monopolies into publicly owned utilities under the democratic control of the working class.
Also covered at Fortune in UPS Has 260,000 Union Workers and They've Just Authorized a Strike:
The labor talks are proceeding amid discussions on pay and work schedules, as UPS looks to increase warehouse automation to keep up with surging demand from e-commerce shipments. The union has proposed increasing the part-time starting wage as well as improving the overall pay structure, according to a statement on its website. It's also pushing the courier to increase contributions to health and welfare and pension funds.
A previous "big" thing (39,000 workers): Largest Labor Action in 5 Years Slated for Wednesday, April 13 Against Verizon
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by khallow on Friday June 08 2018, @12:15PM (5 children)
Which covers a lot of things which most people would not consider luck. Just because something isn't purely deterministic doesn't mean it is "luck".
I know you're trying hard to be sarcastic and cynical here, but yes, that's pretty much true. Like most of the developed world, the US is an amazing place with a lot of opportunity. I grant that there are some people who are sufficiently crippled of mind or body that they can't fully enjoy these benefits. But that doesn't hold for the vast majority of the people who live in the US. Perhaps you have better things to do than make excuses for people who can make their own excuses?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Friday June 08 2018, @04:51PM (3 children)
I disagree with the entire premise. What's more American than good old Freedom of Assembly? The Founding Fathers valued it so much they put it in the very first amendment.
That's all a Union is: a bunch of people peaceably assembling.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday June 08 2018, @07:00PM (1 child)
Butbutbutbut COMMIES!!!1111eleventyone.
Seriously. Not even trolling. It's bloody *amazing* how willing the supposed liberty-and-freedom crowd is to trample all over our Constitutionally-guaranteed rights when you get them scared.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday June 09 2018, @11:52AM
(Score: 1) by khallow on Saturday June 09 2018, @02:59AM
And the definition of freedom of assembly? You don't have to belong to a particular organization or group in order to have the right to public association and assembly. It's by its nature an individual right.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 08 2018, @07:58PM
There is the shithole bootstrapper! Its been a while and too many decent articles, I'm glad you found a topic you could pooptificate on.