(NewsNation) — It has been a summer of strikes by various unions across the country. Whether it’s actors, writers, airlines or now part-time UPS employees, union workers are asking for better wages and benefits.
The latest strike looming with UPS could impact every American. The deadline to reach a deal is next Monday.
The delivery giant handles more than a quarter of America’s shipping. If an agreement isn’t reached, this could rattle the U.S. economy and impact every American in the process.
The world’s largest parcel delivery company is on the brink of the biggest strike in 60 years.
UPS part-time employees, who make up about 60% of the company’s workforce, are pushing for higher pay among other things, according to the Teamsters Union.
“My wife is a part-timer and she’s making peanuts right now,” UPS worker Mike Bashor said.
UPS says the company is “looking forward to meeting the Teamsters at the negotiating table on Tuesday, July 25, to resolve the few remaining open issues.”
If more than 300,000 union workers walk off the job, logistics experts say Americans should expect supply chain disruptions across the board.
Health care — with the delivery of critical medical supplies, construction and even the automotive industry could be interrupted.
“The consumer that needs parts replaced at the auto dealership, most of those parts get shipped from wholesalers to the auto dealership by a parcel carrier like UPS,” transportation logistics expert Jason Miller said.
Rural areas and small businesses could be impacted the most.
New data from the Anderson Economic Group says a 10-day UPS strike would cause $4 billion in losses for consumers and small businesses.
“If this happens, you’re not only talking about one of the most expensive strikes in history, you’re also talking about the potential impact that it’s going to have on consumers’ businesses, it could be crippling,” Jason Greer, the founder and president of Greer Consulting Inc., said.
Logistics experts say now is the time to order necessities you purchase online before it’s too late.
Also, buying in bulk might be a good idea.
“Set up accounts with FedEx that have accounts with the U.S Postal Service, set up accounts with DHL and actually do it through them. Don’t do it through UPS right now because, in the event that they go on strike, those items are going to be delayed,” Greer said.
The Teamsters have been holding practice pickets for months. If a deal isn’t reached by next week, it could be the real thing. FedEx and USPS say their companies are preparing for whatever happens.
So is the company at the center of it all.
“I will say that UPS probably has maybe about a good two or three months in which they can withstand it,” Greer said.
A company that tracks the shipping industry says most businesses believe a strike will be averted.
