LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Louisville Teamsters and UPS reached an agreement Friday that prevented a strike after the union claimed there were "unfair labor practices" and threatened to strike.
According to a post on social media, Teamsters President Sean M. O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman reached out to rank-and-file Teamsters fired on Thursday by UPS in Louisville to let them know the company has agreed to reinstate the workers.
O'Brien said 35 specialist and administrative workers at UPS’ Centennial hub were let go after UPS claimed their labor should be performed by management.
The workers voted to join Teamsters 89 in October.
"After demanding an immediate reversal of the termination late on Thursday, O’Brien and Zuckerman intervened directly with UPS labor management to reach an amicable resolution that brings all members back to work," O'Brien said.
He continued saying that the workers and Teamsters leadership spoke on the phone Friday.
"The resolution to recognize specialist and administrative workers as Teamsters extends to members of Local 89 and members of Teamsters Local 705 in Chicago as well," O'Brien said.
He said the swift reinstatement avoids any potential labor action, and all affected workers will receive full back pay and return to their positions on their next scheduled workdays.
“The union achieved a great result for our UPS members in Louisville, and we couldn’t be happier to see them clock back in as Teamsters,” O’Brien said. “Both sides immediately came together and were able to resolve the situation on the ground. This is the outcome we were looking for. Now it’s time to do what the Teamsters do best, and that’s get back to work.”
A UPS spokesperson provided this statement:
"We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with the Teamsters regarding our Louisville Centennial and Chicago Jefferson Street hubs. We remain focused on providing reliable service to our customers during peak season."
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