UPS pilots vote to strike

UPS pilots voted on Friday to strike against one of the nation’s largest parcel delivery companies on Friday, the union that represents them announced. 

The Louisville, Ky.-based Independent Pilots Association (IPA) said Friday that UPS pilots who are members of its union voted by a margin of 2,252 to 8 to strike against the renowned parcel delivery service. 

Union leaders said the vote, which began on Oct. 1, is an effort to win concessions from UPS after multiple years of protracted labor talks. 

{mosads}”UPS promises its customers on-time delivery, but after four years of labor negotiations, the company has failed to deliver a contract for its own pilots,” said IPA President Robert Travis said in a statement. 

“In a clear voice, UPS pilots have said they are willing to strike if necessary to finish the job,” he continued.  

UPS painted a starkly different picture of the contentious negotiations after Friday’s strike vote, saying it “continues to negotiate in good faith for a contract that is good for our employees, our customers and our company. 

“Negotiations continue to move forward, with sessions currently scheduled for November and December,” UPS spokesman Mike Mangeot said in a statement provided to The Hill. 

“The IPA’s announcement does not impede our ability to provide service to our customers, and is an expected part of the union’s negotiations approach,” Mangeot continued. “A job action at this point in negotiations would be illegal under US labor law. Authorization votes are symbolic, scripted events common to airline negotiations; the results are predictable shows of solidarity.” 

The union and UPS have been at odds since 2011 over wages and retirement benefits for cargo pilots who work for the company. Federal mediators have been involved in the talks since February 2014, but the vote by the union to strike this fall could end the ongoing mediation between the parties. 

The company and the union cast the thus-far unsuccessful federal intervention as a normal part of the labor process when it was first announced in February of last year. 

“This joint request [for mediation] reflects the desire of both parties to continue to progress toward an agreement that is good for UPS, its customers and employees,” UPS and the IPA said in a joint statement in February 2014.  

“Not only is [the National Mediation Board (NMB)] mediation a common part of the negotiations process under the [Railway Labor Act], the NMB has successfully mediated every contract UPS has negotiated with the IPA,” the joint 2014 statement continued. “The parties have utilized their best efforts over the past two and a half years of negotiations, and have not yet reached agreement in the contract areas of scheduling, compensation, pension, scope and benefits.” 

The IPA has said that it will request a release from the federal negotiations after Friday’s successful strike vote.