UPS re-hires 250 drivers who were axed for work stoppage after daylong negotiations with union

Source: NY Daily News

After refusing to back down from its decision to terminate 250 drivers, UPS on Wednesday agreed to give them back their jobs. The Atlanta-based company faced criticism for its stance, but then reached an agreement with the union to re-hire the drivers who work from a depot in Maspeth, Queens.

BY GINGER ADAMS OTI

UPS wrapped up its bitter labor dispute with the Teamsters union Wednesday night, putting 250 fired workers back in their drivers’ seats.

The accord was struck after Teamsters Local 804 and top UPS executives spent the day negotiating at a Manhattan law firm, sources told the Daily News.

The deal rescinds the termination notices given to 250 Queens drivers after they walked out for 90 minutes on Feb. 26 to protest the firing of longtime driver Jairo Reyes, a union activist.

Reyes also gets his job back, according to the sources.

FULL story at link.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/ups-re-hires-250-queens-drivers-talk-union-article-1.1751467

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DU had this story before EVERYBODY else

Once a story is online I will replace this post with it.

Original post: Breaking.... 250 fired UPS drivers RETURNING to work!!! (background added)

Source: Labor News email

Just to close the loop -- three weeks later -- the workers WON! All 250 workers, including Jairo, the worker whose firing sparked the protest from the rest of the workers -- are getting their jobs back.

It took:
- Steadfast focus from the workers and union leaders staring one of the nation's biggest corporations in the eye and not blinking
- Strong community support. (100k petitions signed by Working Families members. More than 3000 phone calls to UPS HQ in a day.)
- Allied elected officials. Special shoutout to NYC public advocate Tish James for this kind of stuff.
- Customers standing with the workers and telling the company to reverse the decision. Like this.

But they won. And it's proof that when workers stand together, and the community has their back, they can still win, even against the most powerful corporations.

Public advocate threatens UPS over firings: http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/04/8543201/public-advocate-threatens-ups-over-firings

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/ups-union-discuss-fate-250-fired-drivers-article-1.1750103
Background: UPS and union to discuss fate of 250 Queens drivers fired for illegal walkouts

The two sides have been at odds since UPS issued pink slips to 250 drivers in February. Now they will meet Wednesday to discuss the fate of the drivers. Some customers, including Lois Toscano of Little Neck, have defended the drivers.
BY GINGER ADAMS OTIS NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Tuesday, April 8, 2014, 9:02 PM

UPS and members of International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 804 will meet Wednesday to talk about the fate of 250 fired drivers, the Daily News has learned.

The two sides have been at loggerheads since Feb. 26. when a 90-minute walkout prompted the Atlanta-based shipping company to issue termination notices to 250 Queens drivers.

The company and union haven’t spoken since late March. As of this month, 36 drivers have been removed from payroll. The rest will follow as new drivers are trained, a UPS spokesman said.

The company said it has the right to fire employees who engage in illegal walkouts.

FULL story at link.