UPS has agreed in contract talks to put air conditioning in new trucks for its drivers, a major step in a long-standing battle, as part of ongoing negotiations with the Teamsters union.
The move signals progress in the labor negotiations as an Aug. 1 deadline looms to strike a new contract deal.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ UPS contract is the largest private collective bargaining agreement in North America. The deal on air conditioning terms comes as union members prepare to finish voting this week on whether to authorize union leaders to call for a strike if necessary. That would not mean a strike is planned, but is a common bargaining tactic used by unions in labor talks to gain leverage.
