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Local and National Union News
UPS Teamsters receive raises and COLA wage increases
Aug. 6, 2026 | UPS Teamsters should be looking out for their new raises on all paychecks, which went into effect Saturday, August 1. Under the UPS Teamsters National Master Agreement, rank-and-file members who had attained seniority by the time the contract was ratified on August 1, 2023, are eligible. The increases add up to thousands of dollars more per year going into our members’ pockets. These are strong gains secured in the UPS Teamsters national contract, growing even greater in the year ahead. Local 355 represents more than 1,500 UPS employees working in the Baltimore and Salisbury areas.
Blue Chip Casino workers in Indiana join Teamsters
Aug. 6, 2026 | A group of 22 slot attendants and dual rates at Blue Chip Casino Hotel and Spa in Michigan City, Ind., have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 135. The slot attendants, who keep the casino floor running by maintaining over 1,600 slot machines and providing guest services, joined the Teamsters to secure higher pay, improved benefits, and better working conditions. On June 23, the casino workers marched on the boss and demanded Teamsters representation. Why does this matter? This marks the first organizing win at one of the largest casino entertainment companies in the U.S. Learn more.NYC Teamsters demand NYC pass Delivery Protection Act
July 29, 2026 | The upcoming NYC Teamsters rally led by President Sean O’Brien is scheduled for Monday, August 10, 2026. Despite achieving bipartisan supermajority support and gaining the backing of New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, the Delivery Protection Act has been blocked from receiving an official hearing or floor vote by the NYC Council. Teamsters are demanding that lawmakers bring the legislation to a vote. The Delivery Protection Act is the only way for New York City to hold Amazon accountable for years of union-busting and endangering workers. Learn moreOlder posts can be found at 355 News
Elsewhere in the News
Where Have All the Working-Class Heroes Gone?
Aug. 10, 2026 | FILM INDUSTRY | The action movie: it’s a staple of Hollywood’s success. Some of the most enduring and well-known movies in history fall within the action and adventure genre — franchises like “The Terminator,” “Die Hard,” and “Mad Max.” The film industry knows the action movie is a proven way to see a good return at the box office. There was a time when the biggest action heroes in America looked a lot like the people sitting in the audience. They weren’t billionaires with limitless resources. They weren’t genetically enhanced super soldiers or heirs to immense fortunes. They were cops, truck drivers, waitresses, and mechanics — ordinary people who found themselves in extraordinary situations. Continued at Just Cause Teamsters PHOTO, L-R: TERMINATOR; NOBODY; MAD MAX; DIE HARD
Week Ending 08/08/2026
• ‘A reminder of why we have unions’
• How we made UPS create Teamster FT jobs
• Why the U.S. labor market is hemorrhaging workers
• Canadian warehouse workers OK contract with Walmart
• NJ sues Amazon, says it suppresses pay for delivery drivers
• Tensions up as WV Teamsters near 3 months on strike
• America’s Workforce Union Podcast:
How We Made UPS Create FT Jobs in Our Teamster Local
Aug. 5, 2026 | JUSTICE | Often, winning something in your contract is only half the battle—the other half is enforcing it. It was a huge win in 2023 when our national contract campaign made UPS end its two-tier driver program. After the lower-tier drivers moved up to regular, our center in Charleston, South Carolina, had 91 full-time delivery drivers. But over time, drivers left, and eventually our center dropped down to 75. When we asked management to fill vacant jobs, they said we had adequate staffing. We filed grievances. They were denied because we had not proved we needed more staffing. We filed grievances… Nation of Change
The Labor Movement Is Divided Over How to Deal With AI
Aug. 4, 2026 | ECONOMY | Artificial intelligence (AI) has permeated our workplaces, where many employers have sought to boost productivity, cut labor costs, and eliminate jobs via the technology. A 2025 Pew Research Center poll found that 1 in 5 workers now use AI in their jobs. Organized labor’s response to AI has been fraught. Where some see an inevitable shift that simply needs to be regulated and could potentially even create jobs, others see a dangerous trend that will result in further job losses along with a variety of other problems. … The ongoing debate over data centers encapsulates this tension. Continued at Truthout
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