ONLINE VERSION	VOLUME 106 - NUMBER 9 - OCTOBER 1997

Teamsters, American Workers Win

"It's a fantastic victory for people who work for a living. We hope to turn the ride on the part-timing of America," said John Dobbin, Sr., a 17-year United Parcel Service driver, after the Teamsters' two-week strike ended in a resounding win and tentative agreement Aug. 18. The strike by 185,000 workers won improvements in the rejected UPS "best and final offer," including more new full-time jobs, wage increases for both full- and part-time workers and limits on subcontracting. The agreement also improves pension benefits and keeps UPS in the Teamsters' multi-employer pension plan, improves workplace safety and maintains health benefits. "The workers won this contract. They stood up and stood together with courage and resolve," AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said. "For too long corporate greed has been undermining the American dream," Teamsters President Ron Carey said. "By sticking together, we have shown the world that working families can fight back and win." Throughout the strike, polls showed the American public backed the Teamsters by as much as 2-1. The tentative contract was approved by the IBT negotiating committee and local union representatives. The rank and file will vote on the contract by mail, a process that is expected to take a month. From Work in Progress, August 24, 1997.