Pisciottano, Rozzi rally with Pittsburgh UPS workers
Supporting Teamsters members ahead of July 31 deadline
Rep. Mark Rozzi July 21, 2023
PITTSBURGH, July 21 – Amid stalled contract negotiations that could lead 340,000 United Parcel Service workers to strike, State Reps. Mark Rozzi, Nick Pisciottano, and members of the Allegheny County Democratic Delegation in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives rallied with Teamsters Local 249 union members outside a UPS Customer Center this morning.
“Workers in southwestern Pennsylvania know firsthand how vital a union is to secure adequate working conditions,” said Pisciottano. “Key events in the American labor movement happened here in Pennsylvania, and even right here in Allegheny County. All workers deserve to be treated with dignity and paid a livable wage. I will always stand on the side of working people and am hopeful that UPS will come to the table and negotiate a fair contract with their workers.”
“UPS’ collective bargaining agreement ends in under two weeks, yet negotiations remain at a stalemate. A strike of 340,000 workers can be avoided with the promise of fair wages, good benefits and improved working conditions. UPS is a company that’s worth 12-figures; they can easily accommodate the Teamsters’ requests,” Rozzi said. “However, in the event of a strike, it’s crucial that Congress stays out of it and allows the union to do its work. If by August 1, UPS employees are on strike, I’ll continue to stand by them and support their right to a fair employment deal.”
If a contract is not agreed upon between union representatives and UPS management by July 31, a strike of 340,000 workers may ensue. If that happens, Rozzi and Pisciottano both said they support allowing the two entities to sort out the terms to reach a new collective bargaining agreement without interference from the federal government. The legislators emphasized that this is the power of labor unions, and federal involvement could negatively influence Teamsters’ progress on other important issues in the future.
Photos from the rally are available here.