Under the new leadership team led by General President Sean M. O'Brien, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are re-introducing themselves to the bosses and to the world as a fighting union, and they are gearing up for their biggest test yet: the impending negotiations of the IBT's contract with United Parcel Service (UPS). With UPS employing over 350,000 Teamster members around the country, theirs is the largest collective bargaining agreement in North America—and the current contract is set to expire on July 31. With national negotiations set to begin this month, Teamsters leaders are traveling to union locals around the country, mobilizing their members, and preparing UPS workers for a strike if a new contract is not reached on time. We attended an April 2 rally at Teamsters Local 25 in Boston (O'Brien's old local) and spoke with folks on the ground about this new era for the Teamsters and what's at stake in the UPS contract fight. 

Episode includes interviews with and speeches from: Thomas Mari (Teamsters), Jane Fallon (Teamsters), Rob Atkinson (Teamsters), JJ Rodriguez (Teamsters), Fred Zuckerman (Teamsters), Julie (Workers United), and Sean M. O'Brien (Teamsters). 

Additional links/info below...

• International Brotherhood of Teamsters website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• Teamsters for a Democratic Union website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• Working People, ""If You Can't Stand the Heat, Keep Working" (w/ Zakk, Gabriela, & Steve)"
• Working People, "(Unlocked) BONUS EPISODE - A Pivotal Moment for the Teamsters (w/ Indigo Olivier)"
• Maximillian Alvarez, Breaking Points, "The Coming UPS WORKER REVOLT Over Heat Exhaustion"
• Alex Press, Jacobin, "Inside the Teamsters’ Preparations for a UPS Strike"
• Elliot Lewis & Matt Leichenger, Labor Notes, "UPS Says No to Air Conditioning, But Here’s a Surveillance Camera"
• Justin Alo, Labor Notes, "‘Strike Force’: Building the UPS Contract Campaign, One Breakfast at a Time"
• The Upsurge: A podcast about UPS, the Teamsters & the future of the American labor movement 
• Thomas Black, Bloomberg, "UPS Faces Rising Labor Costs, Strike Risk in Upcoming Union Fight"

Permanent links below...

• Working People Patreon page
• Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show!
• Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

• Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song