It's Going Down In New York

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**Ahtman**

Sauce

UPS is firing 250 Queens, N.Y., drivers for walking off the job during a 90-minute protest in February.

The company dismissed 20 of the workers after their shifts Monday and issued notices of termination to another 230 employees, notifying them that they will be fired once the company has trained their replacements, UPS spokesman Steve Gaut told Business Insider.

The workers were protesting the dismissal of longtime employee and union activist Jairo Reyes, who was fired over an hours dispute, according to Gaut. The New York Daily News first reported on the firings.

Local politicians are threatening to cancel city contracts that give UPS millions of dollars in breaks on parking fines.

"They took a grievance with one employee and turned it into notices of termination with 250 workers," New York City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer told The Queens Courier. "That’s outrageous. These are good, hardworking employees who have a contract for UPS. To try and break this contract, break this union, is something that is unacceptable and we can’t tolerate."

UPS fired back that it might need to terminate additional employees if the city alters its contract.

"UPS appreciates its business with the New York public offices," Gaut said. "Ultimately if that business is reduced or eliminated, the result will be reduced need for UPS employees to serve the pick-up and delivery requirements of City offices, potentially impacting the livelihoods of the many local UPS employees that did not join in the illegal work stoppage."

UPS employs 1,400 workers at the Maspeth distribution center where the strike took place on Feb. 26.

"When a group of 250 employees walk out for 90 minutes it is a significant disruption in the delivery of parcels or packages to customers on that day," Gaut said. "We get penalties if we don't deliver on time."

For that reason, strikes are not an approved method of conflict resolution in UPS' contract with the union, he said.

The local branch of the Teamsters union that represents the dismissed workers has described the firings as "a heartless attack on drivers and their families."

"The company fired a group of drivers to try to divide us, create panic, or try to get Local 804 to cave in and sell out. That is not going to happen," the union wrote on its website.

One of the workers facing dismissal had just returned to his job after a serious accident, according to the Daily News.

"Domenick DeDomenico, 40, was in a coma for 10 days after getting hit by a car last year while delivering packages for UPS," the Daily News' Ginger Adams Otis reported. "He fought back from serious brain injuries and needed a year of speech and physical therapy."

A large company versus union and local politicians. This should be fun, get your popcorn.

**curran12**

Not a fan of unions and even less of a fan of UPS.

Hope they all lose.

**streamdragon**

While I would normally be with the union folks, you have it in your contract that strikes are not an acceptable form of protest with UPS... and then go on strike.

I'm sorry, but that is pretty much textbook breach of contract.

**Frazzled**

No matter who loses, we win!

**Soladrin**

I'm suprised by how many complaints I hear about UPS from Americans.

We use them every day at our job and I have never had a complaint in 5 years.

**mega_bassist**

I can't comment about the UPS unions in New York, but I've only heard terrible things about the ones in my area. Unions play favorites, people abuse certain rules/regs...I know a friend of mine had a issue with an other employee, but if happened to be his union steward, so filing a grievance was practically useless. Doesn't surprise me that they walked when they weren't supposed to.

**Co'tor Shas**

It depends on the union. The teachers' union is quite good here.

**SilverMK2**

The entire point of a strike is to cause disruption...

**hotsauceman1**

Yeah, a "No Strike" Clause is just a way of saying "We are removing your ability to actually do anything" I am personally a fan of unions. Just because you dis agree with the rep, he should not be fire. I hope they win. Good on New york for backing them

**Frazzled**

Why?

**Jihadin**

Are they forming Gangs?

**hotsauceman1**

Frazzled wrote:
Why?

Why what?

**Frazzled**

Why do you support their illegal strike? Do you have no respect for the law and their mutually agreed upon agreements?

**hotsauceman1**

I support it because A no Strike Clause is wrong. Strikes are a powerful tool the masses hold.

**Frazzled**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
I support it because A no Strike Clause is wrong. Strikes are a powerful tool the masses hold.

You mean its wrong even though both parties mutually agree to it and it supports federal law? THE MAN says you can't just have wildcat strikes willy nilly you know that right?

They should fire them all and restart as a warning to NY city to never ever

with them. NY is attempting to exert pressure to support them for no reason. Thats pretty bad.

**hotsauceman1**

I disagree Frazz, they fired a union rep over a disagreement. Im sorry but how are they supposed to show their anger about it? A bake sale?

**Frazzled**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
I disagree Frazz, they fired a union rep over a disagreement. Im sorry but how are they supposed to show their anger about it? A bake sale?

Go to a bar and drink a beer. You are not allowed to strike any time you want. Please research labor law. Thanks.

By terminating these losers, UPS was heading off, or finally dealing with, sure fire problems in the future.

After all they have grievance procedures put in place under their contract. The fact he and the union couldn't appropriately file a grievance is telling.

**Formosa**

So if the US laws say you can't strike at certain times and there is a no strike clause in a contract... How do these yanks show a grievance if they are being ignored, help limey brit understand this?

**SilverMK2**

Formosa wrote:
So if the US laws say you can't strike at certain times and there is a no strike clause in a contract... How do these yanks show a grievance if they are being ignored, help limey brit understand this?

The right to work laws mean you can just quit instead of being fired

**Frazzled**

Formosa wrote:
So if the US laws say you can't strike at certain times and there is a no strike clause in a contract... How do these yanks show a grievance if they are being ignored, help limey brit understand this?

They can file a grievance under the agreed upon grievance procedures.

**Jihadin**

If there's a procedure to handle a "grievance" then the strike was uncalled for. Anyone know why the Union Rep was fired? I'm siding with UPS on this If there is a cause in the contract that cover strikes and the Union violated it then the Union is at fault. Sorry I was contract oversight on my last Rodeo so I cannot abide double standards

**Gentleman_Jellyfish**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Yeah, a "No Strike" Clause is just a way of saying "We are removing your ability to actually do anything" I am personally a fan of unions. Just because you dis agree with the rep, he should not be fire. I hope they win. Good on New york for backing them

What other contracts should people just be able to ignore?

**marv335**

If the union wanted to strike, they shouldn't have agreed to a no-strike contract.
If they won't keep to their side of a contract, why should ups.

**LordofHats**

Package delivery varies from place to place. I think New York is one of the worst, for UPS and FedEx. All the traffic turns long days even longer, lots of accidents, riding about safety standards. Its one of the highest stress districts in the county for the delivery business.

**Ensis Ferrae**

Jihadin wrote:
Are they forming Gangs?

Reviving the Dead Rabbits are we? Problem is, who can really claim "The Natives" ??