The pilots union at Sandy Springs-based UPS plans to honor picket lines in the event of a Teamsters strike against the shipping giant.
That would expand the impact of a potential strike at UPS, which the International Brotherhood of Teamsters have threatened if the two sides do not reach a new labor deal by Aug. 1.
The head of the Independent Pilots Association, which has more than 3,400 members at UPS, wrote a letter to Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien this month saying: “In the 1997 IBT strike, 100% of our pilot group respected your picket lines by not ’turning an aircraft wheel‘ on behalf of the Company.”
“Just as we did in 1997, the IPA is committed to exercising our contractual rights, both domestically and internationally, to honor any potential IBT strike and act in sympathy with our fellow workers at UPS by not working,“ the letter from IPA president Robert Travis said. ”No one wants a work stoppage, but should a legal IBT strike be initiated, you and the IBT can count on the IPA for support.”
UPS said in a written statement: “We are proud of the progress we have made to date negotiating a new contract that includes increases to our industry-leading wages and benefits for our people. We agree on the vast majority of the issues the union and our people have raised.”
“We want to return to the negotiating table to come to an agreement by August 1 that represents a win for our customers, our employees, the union and the company,” the company said.
Travis noted that the IPA has a long history of supporting the Teamsters in negotiating contracts with UPS.
Travis also wrote that he was “grateful” that the Teamsters would also support the pilots union during its upcoming contract negotiations with UPS next year.
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