UPS lays off nearly 10% of drivers. 6 months ago they signed a new contract for $170,000 a year.

Photo above - The teamsters and Biden have deep ties. The teamsters have a new $170,000 contract. And massive layoffs at UPS.

First let's have level set: yes, I KNOW the UPS employs 444,000 people worldwide. But they only have 118,000 drivers in the USA. So the news that UPS is axing 12,000 teamsters should be front page stuff. (See link below).

Last summer, after threatening a strike against UPS, the Teamsters won a new contract worth $170,000 annually per driver. (That figure includes health insurance, retirement contributions, etc.). Team Biden immediately took a victory lap, claiming it had prevented a strike, “secured the future of the middle class”, and solved the nation's supply chain bottlenecks, all with a couple of white house phone calls. Now 10% of those Teamsters are without jobs.

In a rational world, nobody would have believed that a truck driver should be paid $170,000. That's double what most teachers get. Or police. It's about what a US Senator makes. Probably some teachers googled “how do I get a CDL license?” after reading about the new contract. Too bad some of the senators didn't try that.

At least Biden wasn't served up as a Teamster-striker prop by his campaign staff. The way the president was, when the UAW walked off the job. That UAW picket line appearance, by a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” was a first in American history. No other president has used union strikes to help engineer his re-election. Detroit immediately caved and gave auto workers a 25% pay hike.

Biden got endorsements of both the Teamsters and UAW in 2020. Undoubtedly, he will get them again this year too. Despite however many UPS layoffs take place. At least Detroit isn't laying off autoworkers, though. Wait . . . they ARE being laid off? Ford has mothballed 2 unfinished battery factories, cut production of the F150 lightning in half, and laid off thousands of assembly line workers. Geesus! And those trucks get huge tax subsidies too. Does Bidenomics deserve any credit for the Teamsters and UAW results? Victory laps were taken, after all.

I'm just sayin' . ..

UPS To Lay Off 12,000 Employees Just Six Months After Teamsters Won Lucrative Deal (msn.com)

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LordShadowfire · 46-50, M

In a rational world, nobody would have believed that a truck driver should be paid $170,000.

Yeah, because it's not like delivery drivers are the backbone of our society or anything. It's not like everything would grind to a halt if they all went on strike.

OH WAIT...

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@LordShadowfire yes - everyone who threatens to go on strike should be paid as much as a senator. or the world will end.

LordShadowfire · 46-50, M

@SusanInFlorida Did you ever think maybe senators are paid too much?

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@LordShadowfire that's an interesting question.

their pay is generally lagging inflation, over the past 20 years. that leads to bizarre actions like . ..

1. lucrative speaking tours
2. corporate board positions
3. book deals where unions or other organizations buy most of the books.
4. "charitable foundations" that you can put your kids to work for, at inflated salaries.

LordShadowfire · 46-50, M

@SusanInFlorida Lagging inflation? Are you fucking with me right now? $174,000 a year isn't enough to get by? I'm just spitballing here, but maybe if they sold their luxury yachts and private helicopters, they might be able to live within their means.

justanothername · 51-55, M

@SusanInFlorida nurses regularly strike. It’s the only way they get a pay raise.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@LordShadowfire when your pay is falling behind inflation, that's called "lagging". you can look it up. it doesn't matter if you're paid minimum wage, $50,000 as a teacher, or $182,000 as a senator.

LordShadowfire · 46-50, M

@SusanInFlorida Yeah, well, since our household income, not counting rent from tenants, averages around $50,000 a year, and we're able to scrape by, I'd love to know what these senators are spending their money on.