Published on Medium.com by Teamsters Local 396 Secretary-Treasurer and International Vice President Ron Herrera 

Today marks exactly one year before the expiration of our contract with UPS. Once again, it will take the strength and commitment of our membership in Local 396 to win a strong contract that ensures good wages, job security, health insurance, and a solid retirement plan. We also approach the 20th anniversary of the 1997 UPS strike, where members of Local 396 stood shoulder to shoulder to fight off this corporate giant and demonstrated what could be achieved through united action, which resulted in an increase of full time jobs and better benefits for thousands of Teamsters.

Now, as we get closer to the expiration of this contract, Local 396 members must stand united because we know that the fight is on.

Our membership is facing many challenges that impact their livelihoods. Although they work for one of the largest and most profitable corporations in the world, many UPS employees work part time hours earning minimum wage. Due to technological advances and new subcontracting schemes by UPS, many good union jobs are at risk.

Instead of creating more full time jobs for UPS workers, UPS has repeatedly violated our contract by using Coyote Logistics to subcontract our members feeder work to non-union carriers which kills good union jobs. Teamsters Local 396 has been at the forefront of this issue, filing multiple grievances earlier this year against UPS for subcontracting our work, which is an attempt to weaken our union. Our members’ resolve will be tested, but only through unity will we be able to win a fair contract we deserve.

The massive number of part time employees and the constant unsustainable production demands that are imposed on current package drivers makes it obvious that UPS must invest in its workforce and create more full time jobs and end the multi-tiered system that currently exists, which does not allow for many employees to move up and succeed within the company. In order to put an end to these unacceptable acts, we must be active in all of our Local 396 hubs, building power and unity among our fellow brothers and sisters in order to ensure a strong contract not only in 2018, but also beyond, in order to secure a bright future for future generations of Teamsters.

Teamsters Local 396 represents UPS and Sanitation workers in Southern California. The Local Union also serves Members in other miscellaneous industries such as logistics, recycling and feed delivery services.

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