Dissident labor group courts UPS workers

Says pension is poorly managed under Teamsters

Spokesman Review

Becky Kramer
Staff writer
March 31, 2007

A UPS truck driver from Charlotte, N.C., is trying to change the labor representation for 238,000 United Parcel Service Workers. For more than 40 years, the Teamsters union has represented UPS workers. But discontent with the Teamsters' pension plan management has led to a rival group: The Association of Parcel Workers of America.

Van Skillman, the UPS driver from North Carolina, co-founded the APWA in 2004. He's now president of the dissident labor group. "It all started over the pension issue," Skillman said.

Hourly UPS workers draw their retirement from multi-employer pension funds managed by the Teamsters. Three years ago, after heavy losses in the stock market, Teamsters pension plans in some parts of the country changed the eligibility requirements for retiring workers to qualify for health insurance and pension payments. In some regions, retirees must be at least age 57 to get their full health insurance benefits......

....About three weeks ago, the new union kicked off its effort to represent UPS workers. The group needs 30 percent of UPS employees represented by the Teamsters to sign cards, asking the National Labor Relations Board to hold an election on union representation. Skillman said APWA anticipates completing the signature effort this summer.
The Teamsters' current contract with UPS expires in August 2008.

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