On Christmas Eve in 2016, Local 162 members and UPS package car drivers working out of the Tualatin, Oregon facility were dispatched to work. But many showed up only to find that they were not needed.

At least 50 of the UPS drivers were sent home after commuting to the facility on a holiday they could have spent with their families. This was a violation of Article 1 of the Joint Council 37 Rider and Article 19 of the Western Region Supplement. Teamsters Local 162 filed a class action grievance.

“The union and the company had reached an agreement during our review of the peak season plans on how the work was to be dispatched at all of the UPS centers in our area on Christmas Eve,” said Local 162 President Mark Davison. “The company did not comply with our agreement at the Tualatin facility. UPS dispatched every driver to work even though they weren’t needed and many of the drivers who did work were grossly under dispatched. There were drivers dispatched with as few as 20 stops.”

Last month the Northwest Grievance Panel, chaired by Local 174 President Ted Bunstine, issued a decision in favor of Local 162’s grievance, ordering four hours of show-up pay at the overtime rate for every driver who reported to work and was sent home, amounting to $12,000. Drivers who were put to work also received additional overtime pay as a result of UPS under dispatching the routes, amounting to another $25,000 for a total settlement of over $37,000.

Local 162 said that at UPS’s Portland facility, management dispatched drivers per the peak season agreements, resulting in far fewer drivers working on Christmas Eve. 

“Just like the rest of the community, our members want to be able to spend time with their families during the holiday. They should not be pulled away from family time unless there is work for them to perform during peak season. Enforcing the contract and agreements is of the utmost importance for Teamsters at UPS. I think our members will be very pleased with the outcome of this grievance,” Davison said.  

“I commend Brother Davison and Local 162 for working hard on behalf of UPS members to settle this grievance and make sure our drivers get what they are owed,” said Teamsters Package Division Director Sean O’Brien.

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