The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
The undersigned organizations are concerned by the growing possibility of a strike by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in their negotiations for a new labor contract with the United Parcel Service. Given the debilitating impact of a strike on American families and the economy, we urge your Administration to provide the support necessary to help the parties reach a new agreement by the August 1 deadline.
UPS is a vital lifeline for America, moving between 5% and 6% of U.S. GDP, or $3.8 billion in goods, per day. Parcels delivered by UPS include cancer screening tests, semiconductor chips, baby formula, back-to-school kits, critical parts for agricultural, construction, and telecommunications equipment, and the everyday supplies needed to keep thousands of small businesses running. America also relies on critical medical deliveries enabled by the
predictability and reliability of the UPS network, such as vaccines, medical devices, and lifesaving medication. Meanwhile, UPS’s competitors have stated publicly that, in the event of a work stoppage, they do not have the capacity to absorb the 20 million packages the UPS delivers per day.
A Teamsters strike against UPS could be the costliest such strike in at least a century, with significant and lasting harm for small businesses and online retailers. A strike would lead to months-long backlogs in the supply chain and the interruption of deliveries of critical medical supplies and other essential items. One study estimates that a 15-day UPS strike would harm the health and safety of U.S. consumers by $55.5 billion; even a 5-day strike at UPS, by this account, would harm the country by $15.8 billion – or $3.7 billion per day.1
With 95% of the negotiations complete and with the current contract set to expire in less than two weeks, there is no time to waste on rhetoric and posturing. Against this backdrop, the Administration has successfully utilized its formal and informal convening power in the past year to help parties reach agreements in both the railroad and West Coast port terminal contract negotiations. We urge you to lend similar help here and work with the parties to help reach an agreement by August 1.
1 J. Gregory Sidak, “Does a Threatened Teamsters Strike at UPS Imperil the National Health or Safety?” (July 10,
2023).
Sincerely,
National
Accessories Council
AdvaMed
Agriculture Transportation Coalition
America’s SBDC
American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA)
American Association of Exporters and Importers
American Composites Manufacturers Association
American Down and Feather Council
American Herbal Products Association
American Public Transportation Association
American Pyrotechnics Association
American Rental Association
American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA)
American Trucking Associations
Associated Builders and Contractors
Associated Equipment Distributors
Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International
Association of American Railroads
Association of Food Industries
Coalition of New England Companies for Trade
Consumer Technology Association (CTA)
Council for Responsible Nutrition
Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)
Fashion Accessories Shippers Association
Fashion Jewelry & Accessories Trade Association
Game Manufacturers Association
Gemini Shippers Association
Glass Packaging Institute
Global Cold Chain Alliance
Greenabl
Greeting Card Association
Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA)
Heating, Air-conditioning, & Refrigeration Distributors International
Home Fashion Products Association
Independent Electrical Contractors
International Dairy Foods Association
International Franchise Association
International Housewares Association
International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA)
Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA)
Mortgage Bankers Association
National Association of Egg Farmers
National Industrial Transportation League
National Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association
National Retail Federation
National Ski & Snowboard Retailers Association
National Sporting Goods Association
National Wooden Pallet & Container Association
NGVAmerica
North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM)
Personal Care Products Council
Premium Cigar Association
PRINTING United Alliance
Retail Industry Leaders Association
Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association
Sports & Fitness Industry Association
Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute
Tea Association of the U.S.A., Inc.
Tile Roofing Industry Alliance
The Toy Association
Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA)
Travel Goods Association (TGA)
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce
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Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce
Alaska
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Arizona Trucking Association
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Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce
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Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas
Rogers Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
California
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Brea Chamber of Commerce
California Automotive Wholesalers’ Association
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California Chamber of Commerce
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Gateway Chambers Alliance
Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce
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Los Angeles Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association
Modesto Chamber of Commerce
Norwalk Chamber of Commerce
Orange County Business Council
Pacific Coast Council of Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Associations, Inc.
Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce
San Diego Customs Brokers Association
San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership
San Marcos Chamber of Commerce
Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce
Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce
Western States Trucking Association
Colorado
Colorado Chamber of Commerce
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Delaware State Chamber of Commerce Florida
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