UPS workers rally over excessive overtime and working conditions

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - UPS workers are taking a week of action, asking for better working conditions for their employees.

Locally, UPS workers in West Springfield are asking for better pay and less overtime hours.

“They can afford to pay us more,” said part-time worker Lillian Zavatsky. “And so now, we’re back to 16 something an hour for some of us.”

One of the things UPS workers are taking to the streets for is better pay. As a part-time worker, Lillian Zavatsky, wants to get paid more per hour for the work she does.

“Our wages are a big issue,” Zavatsky said. “We are standing together for 20 bucks an hour. That’s our minimum wage demand for this next contract. We’re now under that.”

A teamster for UPS in Springfield, Danny Arlin, told us that part-time workers are what helps keep the company going.

“Our part-time people are barely making minimum wage and that’s not fair,” Arlin said. “The company is made up and I don’t know the exact percentage. A large portion of our employment is part-time employment.”

Working conditions during hot temperatures are also a concern, especially when delivering packages on brutally hot days.

“Heat facilities and injuries have become a real problem at UPS, especially where it seems the summers are getting hotter and hotter,” Arlin said.

He told us what UPS could do immediately to assist employees.

“The immediate thing they could obviously do is reduce the overtime,” Arlin said. “Obviously, exposure, the longer you’re out in the weather, if you’re working 10-12 hours a day, 5-6 days a week, is cumulatively going to get to you. Your body can’t deal with that and doesn’t recover in between.”

Western Mass News reached out to UPS for comment. They told us in a statement quote:

“These, and many others, are important topics that we will discuss as part of our negotiation. UPS and the Teamsters have worked cooperatively for almost 100 years to meet the needs of UPS employees, customers, and the communities where we live and work. We have built UPS into the world’s leading package delivery company together, which has also bolstered Teamsters membership over the years. We believe we’ll continue to find common ground with the Teamsters and reach an agreement that’s good for everyone involved.”

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