Teamsters Local 355

Local and National News

Attention Members
Updated July 28, 2020 - Our August general membership meetings in Baltimore and Salisbury are canceled. The COVID-19 pandemic requires us to take steps that protect the health of our members and our staff as we continue to provide service and support. To that end, essential procedures instituted March 25 remain in effect. Click here to read these important notices regarding office and credit union hours of operation. If you need to see your business agent or have questions or concerns, give us a call at 410-566-5700.

Safety Success: Every morning, Local 355 UPS Teamsters new on the job receive mentoring from a Safety Committee member to help them succeed as a driver. They learn essential safety skills and tips that will help them perform their job safely. The latest new driver group at the UPS hub in Aberdeen, Md. received instruction from Shop Steward Tim Seto. Left to right, Melvin Godwin, Ken Shaw, Caleb Macie, Terrell Varnado, Jacob Blackburn, Yasir Alkhatib, Dylan Powers, Jason Lee, Christian Posko, Christian Trabert, Sean Ussery, and Greg Toban. (Click image to enlarge.)

Teamsters rally against racism
Aug. 7, 2020 | Listen to the latest edition of the Teamsters Podcast and how learn how the union joined with labor allies in the Strike for Black Lives. Plus, we hear from a NIOSH official about how truckers can remain safe on the job. Featuring interviews and audio from Teamsters Human Rights and Diversity Commission Director Marcus King; UPS driver and Local 804 member Antoine Andrews; Local 322 member Kim Campbell; Local 777 President Jim Glimco; and Dawn Castillo, the director of the Division of Safety Research for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

UPS wage increases update
Aug. 4, 2020 | As of August 1, 2020, UPS wages increase by 80 cents per hour for employees who had seniority on August 1, 2018. This brings the increases to a total of $2.25 per hour in the first three years of this contract. Two general wage increases remain. More info here. This flyer explains how the new contract structure works for part-time employees.

UPS shipping volume soars 65%
July 31, 2020 | The pandemic-fueled boom in online shopping shows no signs of slowing down, providing more business for delivery companies like UPS Inc. UPS said Thursday that its shipments from businesses to U.S. consumers soared 65% in the second quarter, helping lift the delivery giant to a $1.77 billion profit… Continue reading here Related: Why UPS skyrocketed on Thursday

What you need to know about Maryland's mask mandate
July 31, 2020 | Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order Wednesday expanding mask-wearing restrictions, mandating that everyone older than 5 must wear masks inside all public buildings, including restaurants, houses of worship, gyms, casinos, stores and office buildings starting Friday at 5 p.m. Masks also will now be required outdoors whenever it is not possible to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from others. Learn more here.

Package Division update from Denis Taylor, Director
July 30, 2020 | As all of you are aware, we are living through an unprecedented time at UPS. As the Covid-19 pandemic reached the United States, the shopping and buying habits of the general population changed dramatically. From online grocery orders to purchasing everyday items like paper goods and clothing, consumers are staying home and having these things delivered. The residential volume that our members are processing daily exceeds peak season levels by a large margin. No one feels the effects of this surge more than you. As a frontline essential worker you have kept this company afloat. You have worked through equipment shortages, manpower shortages, and personal protective gear shortages. The only thing we haven’t seen shortages of is cardboard… Continue reading here.

Older news items are available at 355 News.

Elsewhere in the News

In Case You Missed It

• Labor takes a hit from the Covid-19 pandemic
• US has lost 12,881,000 jobs since February
• Senate refuses to help stave off eviction crisis
• Laid-off workers endure loss of $600 aid
• Here’s how to request a Maryland mail-in ballot
• UPS, FedEx gear up to ship Covid-19 vaccine when ready
• US Foods workers in AZ threaten to strike over Covid-19 issues
• UPS readies freezer farms to store virus vaccine when approved
• Labor leader helps create ‘Strike’ The Game of Worker Rebellion
• Snapshots in Teamster history

Major Unions Push for Paid Leave In Covid-19 Aid Bill

Aug. 7, 2020 | COVID-19 | The country's top five labor union groups are calling on Congress to include expanded paid leave benefits in a new COVID-19 relief bill. "Never before have paid leave protections been more necessary," the coalition of unions wrote in a letter to congressional leaders obtained by The Hill. The coalition, which includes the AFL-CIO, American Federation of Teachers, Communications Workers of America, National Education Association and the SEIU, represents more than 20 million workers. Specifically, the unions and labor groups are pushing for provisions in the HEROES Act, which House Democrats passed in May, to broaden earlier paid leave provisions they say excluded 106 million workers… MS News

Workers Organize During Covid-19 Pandemic for Protection

Aug. 6, 2020 | OPINION | Workers are facing unprecedented challenges in the age of the coronavirus. Many have lost their jobs, been temporarily laid off with no idea when they are going to return or been forced to work despite the ongoing health crisis. It has been a stressful time for millions in Michigan and across the country. But instead of letting anxiety over an uncertain future get the best of them, many workers are choosing to get organized. Hardworking Americans, even those toiling in sectors that have traditionally not been union-friendly, are recognizing the value that comes from membership. As many struggle to get proper personal protective equipment and sanitized workspaces, they understand that coming together with co-workers can have benefits… Detroit News

USPS Workers Say New Policies Threaten Core Mission

Aug. 4, 2020 | PRIVATIZATION | July has a flurry of confusion and stress for postal workers, as a barrage of new measures are threatening to fundamentally overhaul and undermine the culture and operations of the U.S. Postal Service. Earlier this month, the Washington Post reported on a memo from the new USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urging postal staff to leave behind mail at distribution centers if they thought it would cause a delay for letter carriers. Another memo stated that the USPS would be looking to cut transportation and overtime costs, bringing about “immediate, lasting, and impactful changes” to the federal agency… Intercept

Can Labor Fix Our Broken Economy?

Aug. 3, 2020 | ECONOMY | Decades of soaring income inequality rendered tens of millions of Americans just one or two missed paychecks away from financial calamity. While CEO and shareholder income skyrocketed over the past four decades, ordinary Americans’ wages stagnated. Even those juggling multiple jobs struggle to feed their families, leaving them unable to save for retirement or squirrel away money for emergencies. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Labor unions force corporations to provide workers with family-sustaining wages, affordable health insurance, viable retirement plans, safe working conditions and other benefits that help workers survive crises like the pandemic. And only the growth of unions—along with a much-needed strengthening of U.S. labor rights—can restore fairness to the cruel economic system laid bare by COVID-19… LA Progressive