UPS pilots cranking up media campaign
 

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Independent Pilots Association announced plans to expand its information campaign about pilot contract negotiations with UPS beyond the United States with a focus on Asia and Europe.

"We have developed a strong dialogue with UPS customers in several Asian countries and throughout Europe," said Capt. Tom Nicholson, President of the Independent Pilots Association. He went on to say, "what we have learned from these conversations is that UPS customers overseas share the same concern as UPS shippers in the U.S., that being UPS does a lousy job of informing its clients about the status of labor negotiations."

The best example of this was documented in a survey of Fortune 4000 shippers taken in the wake of the Teamsters Canada strike of UPS last fall. The following three questions are from that survey:


- On November 22nd -- the Monday before Thanksgiving -- Teamsters Canada
announced a strike against UPS. Did your UPS representative notify you
or take any actions to prepare your company for this strike action?
-- No - 65%
-- Yes - 22%

- UPS’s pilots union honored the Teamsters Canada strike and was prepared to shut down the entire UPS system when struck goods were moved out of Canada by management. Did your UPS representative inform you of this, or give you any warning to seek alternate shipping services?
-- No - 73%
-- Yes - 14%

- How much confidence do you have that your UPS representative will
provide you with accurate and timely information concerning the UPS
pilot negotiations along with notice of any possible UPS pilot work
stoppage?
-- No confidence at all - 32%
-- Some confidence - 35%
-- A lot of confidence - 22%

"The IPA international information campaign will feature a mix of paid advertising, earned media and grassroots activism. Over the last few months The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has introduced the IPA to several critical European trade unions and key global labor movements," said Capt. Nicholson. He went on to say, "hopefully we can leverage some of these relationships to augment our grassroots efforts."