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
Idaho
Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce
Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry
Rexburg Area Chamber of Commerce
Illinois
Carmi Chamber of Commerce
Chamber 630
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
GLMV Chamber of Commerce
Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Chamber of Commerce
Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce
Indiana
Aspire Economic Development + Chamber Alliance
Avon Chamber of Commerce
Greater Lafayette Commerce
Greater Lawrence Chamber of Commerce
Indiana Chamber of Commerce
Indiana Motor Truck Association
Kendallville Area Chamber of Commerce
South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce
Iowa
Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce
Iowa Association of Business and Industry
Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce
Urbandale Chamber of Commerce
Kansas
Overland Park Chamber of Commerce
Kentucky
Barren Inc., The Barren County Chamber of Commerce
Commerce Lexington
Greater Louisville Inc. -The Metro Chamber of Commerce
Greater Muhlenberg Chamber of Commerce
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
Nebraska
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
Oklahoma
Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce
Oregon
Canby Area Chamber of Commerce
Columbia River Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association
Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce
Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce
Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce
North Clackamas County Chamber of Commerce
Oregon Business & Industry
Oregon State Chamber of Commerce
The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce
Washington County Chamber of Commerce
Pennsylvania
Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce
Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce
Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association
Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce
Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce
South Carolina
Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
South Carolina Chamber of Commerce
South Carolina Retail Association
Tri-County Regional Chamber of Commerce
South Dakota
Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce
South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Tennessee
Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce
Texas
Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce
Greater Taylor Chamber of Commerce
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
Wisconsin
Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce
Wyoming
Campbell County Chamber of Commerce
Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce
Wyoming State Chamber of Commerce
[1] J. Gregory Sidak, “Does a Threatened Teamsters Strike at UPS Imperil the National Health or Safety?” (July 10, 2023).
