UPS freight driver strike averted

UPS has avoided what could have been the second-biggest employee strike to hit the delivery company since 1997.

The Georgia-based parcel service said it's Teamster's Freight division has ratified a new contract.

Up to 11,000 drivers, who are represented by the Teamsters union, could have been on strike as early as Monday morning.

All week, Teamster members across the country have been voting on UPS’s “last, best, and final offer” contract with final votes allied on Sunday.

The two parties had been going back and forth on wage increases, better pay for drivers who perform dock work, benefits and restrictions on subcontractors.

In a statement to FOX Business, a UPS spokesperson said

“We are pleased that the UPS Freight agreement has been ratified. It is an agreement that rewards our employees for their contributions to the success of the company, while enabling UPS to remain competitive.  We will resume normal operations and will immediately begin accepting new volume from UPS Freight customers. Our teams began contacting customers after ratification.  We thank our customers for their patience and loyalty.

The UPS Small Package National Master Agreement (NMA) and UPS Freight Master Agreement have been ratified. Customers can remain confident UPS is ready to continue to serve its small package and UPS Freight customers throughout the holiday season and beyond.”

UPS said it would immediately resume pickups for its freight customers, which primarily ship heavier goods and bulk shipments that move on pallets. The company last week stopped picking up orders to empty its freight network of any cargo that could have been stranded during a strike.