NMB Continues To Mediate Contract Talks Between Teamsters, UPS

Representatives from UPS and Teamsters Local 2727, which represents approximately 1,200 UPS airline mechanics, met this week in Minneapolis with federal mediators from the National Mediation Board, in an effort to complete the parties’ collective bargaining negotiations.

NMB officials indicated that progress was made in the form of tentative agreements on a number of open issues.

Several matters remain outstanding, however, and the NMB scheduled another week of mediation starting on January 5, 2010. If the parties are unable to reach an agreement that week, the NMB will schedule additional mediation sessions, depending on the parties’ schedules for the 2010 calendar year.

In the meantime, the parties are operating under the terms of their existing collective bargaining agreement and are each prohibited by law from engaging in any economic activities such as strikes, slowdowns and lockouts.

IBT Airline Division Director David Bourne expressed confidence that the parties will be able to complete their contract negotiations through the NMB’s mediation services.

“The parties will be able to work their way through the mediation process and at the end of the day I am sure we will reach a fair, amicable agreement,” Bourne said. “We will make every effort to reach an agreement at the next NMB session in early 2010, and I am hopeful that we will be successful.”

The Teamsters Union was founded in 1903 and represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.