Unfortunately, this year has provided ample opportunity to watch how unions respond to layoffs, which have been plentiful in many industries. Big Labor, of course, cannot shield workers from these job losses but will always attempt to shift the blame for responsibility.
That stance grows more damning when a union’s maneuverings help cause layoffs, and in response, union leaders tend to shrug their shoulders. Then there would be Teamsters President Sean O’Brien: he recently power walked away from a young union member who is already witnessing broken promises after a year of membership.
To briefly summarize how this situation began: The Teamsters boasted of a “historic” UPS contract that led to substantially higher labor costs, followed by the company tipping 12,000 job cuts. These cuts extended to entire warehouse shifts and included layoffs for drivers who took to social media to disprove assumptions that only corporate jobs were cut.
Additionally, multiple UPS contract points disappointed workers, including the Teamsters member who confronted O’Brien at this month’s Labor Notes conference. In a stunning social media clip, O’Brien showed that he was in no mood to talk to this member and insisted, “I’ve gotta catch a plane” while striding away from the following questions:
“Why did you agree to agree to a new tier for the part-time workers?”
“Why is it that all the UPS workers hired after August 1, 2023, are paid less?”
“If there was an effort to abolish tiers, why would you create a new tier?”
“Why are there no protections against technology changes in our contract?”
“Why is it that you said that anyone who opposes aspects of the UPS contract is lying and spreading misinformation?”
“Why did you say that the government had no role in the UPS contract when the Biden administration said they were closely coordinating with you and UPS the whole time?”
O’Brien did not offer a substantial explanation or rebuttal to these accusations.
The union chief’s decision to flee only added to existing tension after a Teamsters national bargaining team said that UPS “has a right” to make job cuts. While that answer is technically correct – unions cannot prevent layoffs – Big Labor shouldn’t be too surprised when workers want answers after a contract substantially increases labor costs. A company must then cut corners to stay in business.
Returning to the aforementioned social media video, the World Socialist Web Site called the clip evidence that O’Brien was “[d]emonstrating both contempt and real fear of the rank-and-file.” The outlet also published an open letter from the UPS Workers Rank-and-File Committee, which demanded that O’Brien explain why these layoffs are occurring while adding, “You’ve already given your answer with your stony silence.”
The heat on O’Brien likely won’t let up anytime soon. UPS reportedly plans to close around 200 facilities throughout the U.S. while leaning into automation. Perhaps those plans were already in the works, but arguably, a union contract that forces UPS to pay full-time drivers around $170,000 in pay and benefits has only sped up the timeline. O’Brien had to know that this clash would come, yet he is pretending that nothing is amiss – not a terribly brave stance from such a “militant” leader.
