Sudden, But Brief, Teamsters Strike Against UPS in Chicago

CHICAGO (AP) — A sudden strike by union workers at United Parcel Service facilities in the Chicago area lasted only hours before union officials called it off Wednesday.

Teamsters Local 705 workers struck at 1:30 a.m. and immediately set up picket lines at UPS facilities throughout the Chicago-area, local Secretary Treasurer Gerald Zero said.

Strikers were called off the picket lines at 9 a.m. after talks were scheduled with management for later Wednesday on job assignments and overtime, local spokesman Paul Waterhouse said.

Mr. Zero said the union was upset with what it says is the continuing practice of UPS supervisors performing work that should go to union workers, robbing them of overtime opportunities. He said UPS supervisors average about 20 to 25 minutes of such work per shift, and he expected it to worsen over the busy holiday season.

"We fired a shot over the bow to get serious when we talk about supervisors working," Mr. Zero said of the brief strike.

Norman Black, a spokesman at company headquarters in Atlanta, said UPS pickups and deliveries in the Chicago area were not affected by the walkout.

"This is an unfortunate and unnecessary action by a single Teamsters local. It does not affect our operations anywhere else," Mr. Black said. "Our system is up and running."

Mr. Zero said about 11,000 UPS workers belong to Local 705, and the strike affected everyone including drivers, maintenance personnel, package handlers and sorters.