230720 Coalition UPS Teamsters POTUS

Published

July 20, 2023

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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 life-saving 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.

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 Association of Manufacturers (NAM)

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)

Pacific Coast Council of Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Associations, Inc.

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

Alabama

Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce

Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce

Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce

Alaska

Alaska Chamber of Commerce

Arizona

Apache Junction Area Chamber of Commerce

Arizona Trucking Association

Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce

Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce

Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce

Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce

Arkansas

Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas

Rogers Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce

California

Antelope Valley Chambers of Commerce

Brea Chamber of Commerce

California Automotive Wholesalers' Association

California Business Roundtable

California Chamber of Commerce

California Retailers Association

California Trucking Association

Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of Northern California

Gateway Chambers Alliance

Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce

Hueneme Chamber of Commerce

Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce

Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

Los Angeles Customs Brokers and Freight Forwarders Association

Modesto Chamber of Commerce

Norwalk Chamber of Commerce

Orange County Business Council

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

Colorado Motor Carriers Association

Vail Valley Partnership

Connecticut

Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA)

Delaware

Delaware State Chamber of Commerce

Florida

Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce

Ormond Beach Chamber of Commerce

Space Coast Black Chamber of Commerce

Georgia

Barrow County Chamber of Commerce

Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce, Inc.

Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce

Georgia Chamber of Commerce

Habersham County Chamber of Commerce

Heard County Chamber of Commerce

Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce

Moultrie - Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce

Murray County Chamber of Commerce

Hawaii

Hawaii Transportation Association

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Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce

Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry

Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce

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Carmi Chamber of Commerce

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Barren Inc., The Barren County Chamber of Commerce

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Greater Louisville Inc. -The Metro Chamber of Commerce

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Hopkins County Regional Chamber of Commerce

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Louisiana

Central Louisiana Regional Chamber of Commerce

Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce

Maryland

Maryland Chamber of Commerce

Maryland Retailers Association

Massachusetts

Associated Industries of Massachusetts

Metro South Chamber of Commerce

Michigan

Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce

Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce

Greater Niles Chamber of Commerce

Michigan Chamber of Commerce

Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce

Minnesota

Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce

Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce

Greater Mankato Growth

Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce

Shakopee Chamber and Visitors Bureau

Mississippi

Mississippi Economic Council - The State Chamber

Missouri

Greater West Plains Area Chamber of Commerce

Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Missouri Retailers Association

Webster Groves/Shrewsbury/Rock Hill Area Chamber of Commerce

Montana

Kalispell Chamber of Commerce

Montana Chamber of Commerce

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Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce

Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.

Nevada

Carson City Chamber of Commerce

Henderson Chamber of Commerce

Nevada Trucking Association

Retail Association of Nevada

Vegas Chamber of Commerce

New Hampshire

Business & Industry Association of New Hampshire

New Jersey

Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce

New Jersey Chamber of Commerce

New Mexico

Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce

New Mexico Business Coalition

New Mexico Trucking Association, Inc.

New York

Business Council of New York State Inc.

Capital Region Chamber of Commerce

Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce

North Carolina

Moore County Chamber of Commerce

North Carolina Chamber of Commerce

North Carolina Trucking Association

Perquimans County Chamber of Commerce

North Dakota

Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce

Ohio

The Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe, Trenton

Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce

Marion Area Chamber of Commerce

Ohio Chamber of Commerce

Ohio Trucking Association

Zanesville-Muskingum County Chamber of Commerce

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Canby Area Chamber of Commerce

Columbia River Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association

Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce

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Washington County Chamber of Commerce

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Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce

Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce

Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry

Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association

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Tri-County Regional Chamber of Commerce

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Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce

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Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce

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Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce

Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce

Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce

Longview Chamber of Commerce

Texas Association of Business

Washington County Chamber of Commerce

Utah

South Valley Chamber of Commerce

Utah Trucking Association

Vermont

Vermont Chamber of Commerce

Virginia

Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Virginia Trucking Association

Washington

Association of Washington Business

Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce

Burlington Chamber of Commerce

Customs Brokers & International Freight Forwarders Association of Washington State

Greater Kirkland Chamber of Commerce

Greater Spokane Incorporated

Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce

Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce

Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce

Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce

Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce

SnoValley Regional Chamber of Commerce

Washington Retail Association

Washington Trucking Associations

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Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce

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[1] J. Gregory Sidak, “Does a Threatened Teamsters Strike at UPS Imperil the National Health or Safety?” (July 10, 2023). 

230720 Coalition UPS Teamsters POTUS