Western Region, Local 177 Health Care Concerns Addressed

Your local supplement or rider was voted down, at least in part because members currently in the UPS Company health plan had concerns about changing health care providers.

When negotiations began, UPS demanded major concessions in health care. UPS Teamsters have fought for years to maintain excellent health insurance benefits and your negotiating team rejected UPS’s proposal. We came out of negotiations with an alternative that allowed UPS Teamsters covered under the Western Supplement and Local 177 Supplement to create a new health care plan. We are proud to announce that new health care plan – Teamsters Western Region and Local 177 Health Care Plan.

The Teamsters Western Region and Local 177 Health Care Plan is an independent health care plan that will cover all UPS Teamsters covered under the Western Supplement and the Local 177 Supplement who are currently in the UPS Company Plan. It is an independent fund created to serve more than 32,000 UPS Teamsters and their dependents in 11 western states as well as Local 177 in New Jersey. The plan will maintain contracts with the very same hospitals, physicians, pharmacies and other providers that participate in the UPS Company Plan.

Members who are in their own Local Union health care plan or in the Kaiser Permanente Network will see no changes to their health care benefits as a result of this contract.

You will be receiving information in the mail regarding your specific health care plan. For more information on the Teamsters Western Region and Local 177 Health Care Plan go to www.WR177HealthCare.com or call 1-855-215-2039.

Below Are Flyers from the WR177Healthcare website:

Click Here to Read the "Plan For UPS Members" Flyer

Click Here to Read the "What to Expect" Flyer

Click Here to Read the "Welcome Brochure"

Health care was contained in the national agreement, which was approved by a majority of Teamsters. The upcoming vote on your supplement or rider does not impact health care.

Ballots Mailed Soon for Second Vote on Your Supplement or Rider

Ballots are hitting homes soon for members to vote on their tentative, five-year supplement, and in some cases rider, with UPS. The UPS National Master Agreement was approved in June by a majority of UPS Teamsters. A “yes” vote on your supplement and rider will clear the way for you to receive the benefits of that agreement, including a 70-cent per-hour wage increase.

“The UPS National Master Agreement is a strong agreement that addresses the priorities that UPS Teamsters made clear they wanted,” said General Secretary-Treasurer and Package Division Director Ken Hall. “To lock in and begin to receive the benefits of this contract, I urge all Teamsters to vote ‘yes’ on their supplements and riders as soon as possible.”

Your Teamster Supplement and Rider Negotiating Teams have been working diligently to renegotiate and strengthen your area agreements. Ballots must be received by 10 a.m. Eastern (EST) on Tuesday, December 10. Ballots will start being counted on December 10.

Wage Increases, Contract Improvements Delayed Pending Passage of Area Agreements

You have probably noticed that the wage increases in the National Master Agreement scheduled for August 1, 2013 have not been reflected in your paychecks yet.

That is because the national agreement does not take effect until all regional supplements and riders have been approved. Seventeen supplements and riders were rejected on the first vote. Since then, seven supplements and riders have passed: TCI Supplement; Local 243 Rider; Local 804 Supplement; Central Region Supplement; Metro Philadelphia Supplement; Michigan Rider; and Upstate New York Supplement. Negotiations are continuing on the remaining supplements and riders.

Once all supplements and riders are approved, wage and pension increases will be paid retroactive to August 1.

The 2013 Master Agreement delivers:

• WAGES – full- and part-time Teamsters will receive $3.90 in raises over the term of the contract. And the start rate for part time will increase by $1.50. Based on a 46-hour work week, a full-time driver will earn $25,000 more under this contract than the last.

• HARASSMENT – new language was added to deal with the underlying issues of harassment due to misuse of technology to discipline people, understaffing, 9.5 rights and grievance filing.

• NEW JOBS – the contract provides for an additional 2,350 full-time jobs during the first three years and protects current 22.3 jobs.

• HEALTH CARE – at a time when the vast majority of Americans are struggling with rising health care bills and the uncertainty of the Affordable Care Act, this contract provides some of the country’s highest quality and lowest cost health benefits.

Click Here to Read about the Part Time Wage Increases and Progressions in National Master Contract

Below are related Flyers Available for Download