DHL workers on strike.
Over 1,100 unionized DHL Express workers took a walkout during the busiest time of the year. Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), a vital hub for package delivery services.
The DHL-CVG members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represents more than 6,000 DHL employees nationwide, went on strike on Thursday in protest of unjust labor practices and to further demand a fair contract.
DHL Express, the American branch of Deutsche Post, the largest logistics business globally, only holds 2.3 percent of the package volume market in the United States. according to the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index Due to its German origin, the firm is unable to transport within the United States; thus, it must outsource such services and concentrate on managing exports to other countries.
Gina Kemp, a DHL-CVG ramp and tug worker, stated in a statement included in the Teamsters release that “DHL has walked all over our rights to collective action for far too long.” “My coworkers and I are forced to withhold our labor due to this company’s persistent disrespect, which extends from the tarmac where we work to the bargaining table.”
After ramp and tug workers, who load and unload airline cargo, chose to unite with the Teamsters in April, negotiations for the first union contract at CVG started in July. The Teamsters have also filed other unfair labor practice complaints against DHL with the National Labor Relations Board in the months that have passed, according to the union.
The union’s attempt to “influence these negotiations and pressure the company to agree to unreasonable contract terms by taking a job action in CVG Thursday morning” was met with dismay by DHL, which stated in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Friday that it was committed to engaging in good faith negotiations.
About 4,000 workers were still employed at the site, according to the corporation. “We do not anticipate any significant disruptions to our service performance,” the statement stated.
A corporate spokeswoman issued a statement, saying, “Unfortunately, the Teamsters decided to try and influence these negotiations and pressure the company to agree to unreasonable contract terms by taking a job action.”
According to DHL, most of its workers showed up for work on Thursday, and business as usual proceeded as usual.
The business said that on Friday, the Teamsters’ picket lines were extended to more U.S. facilities. DHL said that it had prepared for this and has put emergency measures in place, including as relocating flights and cargo to different sites and hiring more employees.
Teamsters Local 100 has expanded its picket lines to unionized DHL workers in Chicago, the Miami airport gateway, and a Covington pickup and delivery facility in Kentucky, a Teamsters representative confirmed to The Associated Press by email on Friday. The representative clarified that these employees are standing their ground and showing unity by not going on strike.
Deutsche Post AG is the parent company of DHL Express in Germany. Deutshe Post AG reported record earnings of 8.4 billion euros ($9 billion) in operational profit and over 94 billion euros (more than $101 billion) in sales in 2022.
Together with its facilities in Germany and Hong Kong, DHL’s CVG hub is praised as one of the company’s three “global superhubs.” With a fleet of 60 aircraft, its CVG hub handles roughly 130 flights per day.
The Teamsters stated earlier this year that DHL’s CVG employees load and unload about 360,000 pounds of goods per day.
The unprecedented work stoppages and contract disputes that have occurred throughout 2023 in a variety of industries, including Hollywood, hospitality, and the Big Three car manufacturing lines, are being followed by the strike at DHL’s CVG hub. This year, hundreds of thousands of workers have taken part in labor actions across the United States.
Here is the top 10 athletes in the world.