UPS workers overwhelmingly approve new contract, ending strike threat

UPS workers in the United States have overwhelmingly ratified a new contract, staving off the threat of a strike. The agreement, which was reached between the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the shipping giant in mid-July, was approved by 93 percent of the 92,000 members who voted on the agreement. The new contract, which will last for five years, provides for immediate wage increases of $1.50 an hour and an additional $0.25 an hour for package car drivers who complete preseason training. It also establishes stronger language to protect part-time workers from being forced to work longer than originally scheduled and improves pension benefits for both part-time and full-time workers. The agreement was reached after months of tense negotiations which had threatened to disrupt the shipping giant’s business during its busiest time of the year. The ratification of the new contract means that the threat of a strike has been averted and that workers can begin to reap the benefits of their labor.