Teamster 804 kicks off contract negotiation initiatives regarding UPS working conditions

Workers gathered outside the UPS facility in Canarsie to demand change and call for better working conditions for drivers today.

News 12 Staff

Aug 3, 2022, 11:46 AM

Updated 874 days ago

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Workers gathered outside the UPS facility in Canarsie to demand change and call for better working conditions for drivers today.
Chris Cappadona has been a driver for UPS for three years. Two weeks ago, he says the lack of air conditioning or fans in the delivery truck landed him in the hospital. He says two sanitation workers saw him and rushed over to help until his brother came to get him and took him to the hospital.
Angelique Dawkins has worked for UPS for 27 years.
"We work for a multibillion-dollar corporation. This should be embarrassing that we're standing out here letting the world know that we don't have air conditioning," she says.
UPS sent News 12 a statement that reads in part, “We regularly communicate with the union about employee health and safety issues.”
UPS told News 12 last week that drivers are trained to work outdoors and manage the effects of hot weather, and that the company invests $270 million a year in safety programs that include how to work in hot weather.
Cappadona he says he was taking all the proper measures.
"I'd been drinking water all day. I ate breakfast that day. I was doing everything right," he says.
Recent rallies have focused around safety while today was about preparing for their contract that expires next year and ensuring safety is at the forefront.