March 18, 2020
Agreements will greatly help in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic
Teamsters Joint Council 28 received word today that after high-level negotiations between the Teamsters and UPS management, several agreements have been reached that will be helpful to our members as we all navigate the COVID-19 pandemic together.
The first addresses a major concern many of our members shared with us: how are they going to cover a potential two-week quarantine period if they are sick or are exposed to the disease? To help solve this problem, UPS has agreed to the following:
- All employees will receive paid leave for up to ten working days, which they can use if they are quarantined, living with someone who is infected with COVID-19 or quarantined, or if they are directed by any agency to be quarantined.
- Those ten days will be paid at your contractual rate of pay for your contractually guaranteed hours.
- During those ten working days, your Health & Welfare and Pension payments will be made by UPS.
- This COVID-19 leave is in addition to any entitlements you have already accrued/will accrue in the future. You will still be allowed to use any and all entitlements you have earned.
A second major problem we have identified is UPS continuing to prioritize productivity by performing OJS rides with drivers during this time when we are all to put “social distancing” into practice. We are also pleased to inform you that as of now, UPS management has been made to see reason, and they have agreed to stop doing OJS rides until after the pandemic passes.
There are still other issues we are working hard to address with UPS management, including a lack of company-provided cleaning supplies and sanitizer, potential attendance policy issues, and potential continuation of compliance rides. Please know that your Union has your back on all of these issues, and we will continue to push UPS to do the right things wherever possible. Our biggest priority is the safety and health of our members and families! We have been working tirelessly on your behalf, just as you have been working tirelessly on behalf of everyone in America. Please stay safe, and if you have any additional questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to us.
In Solidarity,
Ted Bunstine
Teamsters Joint Council 28 UPS Division Chair
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