Brothers and Sisters, last week UPS driver and Teamster Esteban Chavez died of heatstroke while delivering packages in California. His death could have been prevented. UPS has refused to install air conditioning in its trucks for years for one simple reason: to save money. UPS makes the conscious decision every summer to allow workers to suffer and die from heat exhaustion rather than spend money on worker safety. This is an outrage, and it is time we demand an end to it!

Meanwhile, UPS has begun to install driver-facing cameras with audio and video recording capabilities in Local 804. The company claims that it is about safety, but we know these cameras will be used to micromanage and discipline drivers. If the cameras were purely about safety, why couldn't the cameras face outward without an audio function? Why would the company violate labor law by implementing the cameras before negotiating with the union? We know why: UPS wants to tighten their grip on workers, pressure us into working faster, listen toour conversations, make us scared to talk union while on the truck, and reduce the autonomy we still have on the job. They want to make us work like machines, and otherwise threaten our job security. We won't accept it.

On Thursday July 28' at 8:00am, every building in Local 804 is going to rally to demand that the company remove all cameras that have already been installed, negotiate with the union in good faith before any future technological changes (as is legally required), and commit to installing air conditioning in every truck. If they do not listen now, we will make them listen when we come to the table for contract negotiations in 2023. No more putting profit over people!

See you there. 
                         Solidarity,

                          Vincent Perrone