Wednesday, July 26: One Strike Averted (for now)
Just in the nick of time, some UPS workers get what they earned
UPS has reached a contract agreement with its 340,000-person strong union yesterday, averting a strike that had the disruptive potential to force everyone to pay attention to how unfairly the workers are being treated. UPS is obviously a massive contributor to the daily operations of businesses and households across the nation, so a well-organized strike could really bring this nation to its knees in short order.
The bargaining Teamsters called the tentative agreement “historic” and “overwhelmingly lucrative.” The agreement is worth $30 billion, according to Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien. It includes, among other benefits, higher wages and air conditioning in delivery trucks. The only major shortcoming is the compensation of part-time workers, one of the major points of negotiation.
Existing part-time workers will get a raise to at least $21 an hour, if workers approve the new contract. Full-time workers will average $49 an hour. Current workers will get $2.75 more an hour this year and $7.50 an hour more during the five-year contract.
Workers still need to ratify the tentative deal, and Teamsters-represented UPS employees voted to authorize a strike after July 31 if the two sides hadn’t reached an agreement, so it’s possible, but less likely that a strike is coming down the pipes. When workers stick together, they’re much more likely to succeed together. Collective action works folks.
Side Items
Bronny James Health Scare: Bronny, aka LeBron James Jr., the son of LeBron James (if the name didn’t give it away) suffered a cardiac arrest this week at the young age of 18. James was rushed to the hospital after going into cardiac arrest while participating in a practice at USC on Monday. Medical staff treated Bronny on-site and he was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was in stable condition after leaving the intensive care unit. Conspiracy nerds will automatically assume this cardiac arrest was a direct result of the vaccine, but the reality is it’s a relatively common problem for young athletes. Thankfully it appears the young James will make a full recovery, unquestionably a terrifying situation for such a promising and famous young athlete
Medinah Temple Casino: In downtown Chicago, there exists a beautiful building, covered in Arabic calligraphy, ornate and architecturally unique. The Medinah Temple was originally constructed in 1912 for the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also known as the Shriners, and has had a variety of uses over its 100+ year existence. Soon it will reach a new low, as it houses a temporary casino while Bally’s constructs a $1.7BILLION monstrosity nearby. Wild to think that a magnificent ballroom that has seen world-famous acts and celebrities will now be the home of slot machines and drunk tourists looking to lose their money
Italian Storms & Wildfires: Fires in Sicily caused the temporary shutdown of Palermo airport after temperatures in the city climbed to 116°F earlier this week. Authorities closed parts of a major motorway as more than 55 wildfires were reported on the Italian island. Hundreds of firefighters from other regions in Italy were due to arrive to help battle the flames. The main streets of the Sicilian capital, normally crowded with tourists, were almost deserted this week. This is what a climate apocalypse looks like; it might be a sudden unexpected tidal wave, but it’s more likely to be a thousand smaller climate catastrophes taking place at once