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Aug. 11, 1997 - Art Bell
42:36
Coast to Coast AM with Art Bell - UPS strike (hour 1)
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From the high desert, and the great American Southwest, I bid you all good evening, or good morning, as the case may be, across all these many, many time zones, from the Hawaiian and Tahitian island chains, out West, to the Caribbean, and the U.S.
Virgin Islands, and Cuba, and soon Puerto Rico East, South into South America, North all the way to Santa Country, it's cold, and of course, worldwide on the Internet, this is Coast to Coast AM with Art Self.
And here it is, a brand new week, and boy do I have a lot to talk about with you.
I want to remind everybody, particularly those of you who do not have a computer or web TV or internet capability yet, the program that ran Sunday is about to repeat in, as a matter of fact, at 10.50, since I'm talking to so many time zones.
Uh, put another way, at 15 minutes past this hour, the program is on WTBS, or TBS, depending on how you list it.
Ted Turner's Super Station from Atlanta.
And the program is called Topics.
And it's all about conspiracies.
As a matter of fact, the number one movie right now, actually, um, Displacing Air Force One is the new Mel Gibson conspiracy movie.
And about two months ago, I guess, CNN came out here and did a bunch of filming.
And as a matter of fact, a lot of you made calls during that program.
It was about America.
And about the distrust of institutions.
And you will see me, and you will see... This is very interesting.
You will see a picture of my radio tower.
A radio tower here at home.
And you will see several pictures of that, and you will see about, oh, I don't know, probably a total of five or six minutes of me and you on this program.
So if you're able to get... Most cable has it.
Almost everybody with cable gets WTBS.
It'll be on at 15 minutes past this hour.
In other words, in less than an hour.
So, go set your VCR and record it.
It's a one-hour program and it's called Topics TOPX.
It's all about conspiracies, new and old, and if you have not had a chance to see me, This will certainly give you that opportunity.
Now, before I launch into what I've got on hand, what I want to do this evening, the first part of the evening, well, let me give you a kind of an outline.
I've got a lot to say about UPS and about the strike.
And that's what we're going to begin with.
Then we are going to talk about the weather.
There was an extended NBC report on our changing weather.
We're going to talk a little bit about tap water in the Middle West and the deteriorating environment.
And politics.
Politics.
That is, how it relates to matters environmental.
So I've got a lot to do, but first, I've got late today, I think shortly, just before 5 o'clock in the afternoon, A telephone call from the program director of KOH in Reno, and I told you I would share these things with you as they came in.
And I have been.
And in the spring survey, KOH Reno of course is a monster affiliate in Reno on 780, 50,000 watt affiliate up there.
The survey is in and I don't know if you understand shares.
The general public doesn't really understand shares.
Average quarter hour shares.
But these are ridiculous shares.
If you look at all persons 12 plus We probably average about a 50 percent, 45 or 50 percent share.
Now that's outrageous.
I mean to tell you that is outrageously high.
That means all persons 12 plus, just about every other person, is listening to this program.
Every other person.
If you look at persons in the 25 to 54 age group, in some hours, as high as better than 60%, actually 62.5% of all the people are listening to this program.
That's unbelievable!
I mean, that's...
That's not just, or if you look at the 35 to 64 age group, same deal, actually starts to go down in the mid 40s, I would say, percent.
I mean, these are unbelievable ratings.
These are not just number one ratings.
These are number one and everybody else sort of doesn't exist ratings.
So needless to say, his call.
was a happy one and I have yet to talk to him.
He laid that on my answering machine and sent me the survey results by fax.
So there you are and that typically is what is occurring around the country and I want to thank all of you once again.
Surveys are going on nearly all the time but there are four major survey points in each broadcast year and 50 and 60 shares are just absolutely Astounding.
Even for me, astounding.
All right, if you're contemplating calling me tonight, hang up.
Because the first thing that I'm going to do... I mean it.
Don't call you.
Waste your money.
The first thing I'm going to do is to take calls from people who work for UPS or are in the union.
And I'm going to tell you right now why I'm going to do it.
The UPS strike is now going into its second week.
And I want to talk to you all about this.
The damage is mounting by the day.
Just today, yesterday now in that time zone in Nashville, a UPS truck manager was killed.
Actually, a manager who would not normally be driving a UPS truck was killed.
When his truck overturned on a highway overramp.
Ah, but the real story, tragic as that is, is the rest of the nation, UPS, the company, is being damaged financially.
And eventually it could be damaged fatally.
Small business from coast to coast and beyond is beginning to be damaged severely.
A lot of small business in America operates on a very narrow margin, very narrow profit margin.
And when they cannot get deliveries or ship out their product, frankly, a lot of them are going to soon be going out of business.
And I'm not exaggerating here, folks.
A lot of jobs, a lot of businesses are at risk.
This is serious stuff.
For the employees, prospects are rather bleak.
And I refer now to the employees of UPS.
They're presently drawing, I believe, about $55 a week in strike benefits.
I have heard, I'm not sure, that the union has about one week that they can pay these, and then even those may stop.
I'm not sure if that's true.
Either way, Somebody who's been earning probably 17 bucks an hour has obligations that exceed $55 a week by a whole lot.
Mortgage, car payments, loan payments, food, you know, the basics.
So there's a lot of damage going on.
I find it ironic That the President of the United States, the man who had the government step in to stop the baseball strike, finds it not worthy of a Taft-Hartley trigger to step in and stop this one.
This one is doing real damage.
I'm telling you, a lot of companies.
That means people.
Companies are not disconnected, non-human entities.
Companies are people.
And this is real, and this is now, and these people are being damaged.
The Teamsters gave heavily to the President's campaign.
Is that why he is not stepping in?
I don't know.
I know this.
If something doesn't happen pretty soon, this country's in trouble, financially.
And I don't know what it takes for the President of the United States to step in and say enough.
But, Mr. Clinton, you're already re-elected.
You're a lame duck now.
You have no allegiance that supersedes the national need to the unions.
And don't get me wrong, I'm not on the union's case here, and I'm not on the company's case.
What I do want to know is what the employees feel, and what UPS management feels, and what the union feels.
So here's what I want to do.
If you're in the union, the Teamsters, and you're a member of UPS, I want to talk to you.
If you're a member of UPS Management, I want to talk to you.
If you're somebody who has information that bears directly on this strike, I want to talk to you.
And that's it.
For the first hour, that's all I want to do.
I don't frequently, as you know, tackle this sort of But this is very, very important to a lot of people.
Including my sponsors.
A lot of the companies that are sponsors for this program help for every program.
Small companies across this whole country have become dependent on UPS.
And even companies that have found other ways to ship their product out Soon are going to be crippled financially because they're not going to get products in.
Now it's like a great food chain.
And the food has stopped.
So I want to talk to UPS drivers.
I want to talk to union guys.
And I want to talk to UPS management.
And that's all I want to talk to right now.
Something's gotta give here, folks.
I'm telling you, this is very serious.
And the President... I think, uh, is making a very large mistake by not stepping in.
A lot of the employees want the President to step in and stop the strike and allow the employees to vote on the contract that is being offered.
That, to me, seems reasonable.
I understand the arguments on both sides.
I know the union is very upset about the fact that UPS is creating many, many part-time jobs where benefits are not paid.
But a lot of the UPS drivers will tell you that they're very happy, very glad to have their high-paying job, part or full-time.
UPS pays well.
UPS of all companies is pretty much an employee owned company.
That means, that means really they are UPS.
And so in this specific incidence, I would think it logical that the employees should vote.
I'm sure the Teamsters aren't real wild about that idea.
Anyway, I want to try to remain objective and really not on anybody's case here.
I just want to make the case that we're in real economic difficulty, and if this continues, if it continues, we're in trouble.
Really, in trouble.
So, if you're in any of the categories that I just mentioned, call me, please, and let us have a bit of a discussion about this.
How many of you UPS employees sitting out there, probably a lot of you, because you're sure not working.
Very few crossing picket lines.
How many of you would like to vote on whether or not to accept the package offered by management?
Hmm?
How long do you think it's going to be that UPS can take this without itself beginning to get in danger?
And a more operative question is, all of these small companies that are out there right now, how long do you think they can survive before a lot of them begin going under?
So that's what I want to talk about here in the first hour or so.
I'm going to repeat a report by Linda Moulton Howe probably around midnight or so.
I don't know.
We'll see how it goes.
And we've got to talk about the weather.
The weather, I have been arguing now for years, is changing.
NBC did a big report on just that last night.
Hallelujah.
Finally.
Dan Rather talked about hysteria and how serious that is.
Finally.
So we'll talk about those things.
But right now, this hour, what we're going to talk about is UPS.
So, in a moment, that's what's coming up.
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All right.
Once again, I want to say this.
I am only allowing the following calls.
UPS drivers.
UPS workers.
UPS union representatives.
You get the idea.
I want to get some of the issues out on the table.
I understand people are hesitant to talk.
You can do it anonymously here.
Relatively anonymously.
We really need to get this one on the table, folks.
If this doesn't get settled, small business across America shortly is going to begin giving up the ghost.
So let me give you the numbers and those are the rules until I say otherwise.
So everybody else, please just hold off.
I want current UBS employees On strike, I want union folks and I want UPS management.
That's it.
First time callers at area code 702.
727-1222.
Wildcard line, area code 702.
727-1295.
727-1222. Wildcard line, area code 702, 727-1295. West of the Rockies, it's 1-800-727-1292.
1-800-618-8255.
East of the Rockies, it's 1-800-825-5033.
And I guess I'm being clear here.
I hope I am.
I want only those categories of people.
And we may have some sort of a little group discussion here.
I don't know what's going to get going.
I just know that's what I want to talk about.
Because I do know when a situation is really serious.
And folks, this one is really serious.
For UPS, the people who work for UPS, for small companies, for all of us, actually.
This is serious.
and this is CBC.
Thank you.
And take pity on me.
Take pity on me.
And take pity on me.
And take pity on me.
taking calls on the wildcard line.
That's 702-727-1295.
702-727-1295. That's 702-727-1295. First-time callers can reach Art Bell at 702-727-1222.
702-727.
Now, here again, Art Bell.
Good morning, everybody.
In about 15 minutes, TBS-WTBS will run a program called Topics.
Don't miss it.
Set your VCR.
It's a one-hour program, and you'll see me in it at least three or four times during the course of that program.
So, if you've never had a chance to see me or the studio, And by the way, that little tower they show?
That's my tower?
Not so little, actually.
Alright, I'm going to say this one more time.
UPS management personnel, UPS employees, and union reps.
And by the way, it's going to be hard to get a union rep, so if somebody from the Teamsters involved in this particular action, Would like to fax me at area code 702-727-8499.
702-727-8499.
I will see to it that I get you on the air.
In the meantime, let us go east of the Rockies first and say good morning.
You're on the air.
Good morning.
Good morning, sir.
I take it you work for UPS?
That's correct.
What kind of work do you do?
I'm a management personnel.
Management.
What is it that you feel?
Where are we right now with this strike?
Well, basically, I think the two sticking points are the pension plan and the part-time.
I believe the press has unfairly brought UPS and the part-time issue in this area right here where we offer great benefits for our part-time employees.
For example, when someone is hired as a part-time employee, they are never told that they will go full-time.
Also, once they reach their seniority, they receive full benefits and a raise according
to the contract.
Basically anywhere from 50 to 20% of the part-timers that work at UPS are mainly college students
or people who are just looking for a little extra cash.
That's incorrect.
Every part-timer that works gets full benefits.
They get 80-20 benefits.
Really?
And when the part-timers work, like I said, they're never guaranteed that they'll get a full-time slot, but a full-timer will never go into a part-time slot.
A part-timer, if there's slots available, will go into a full-time slot.
That all depends on volume throughout the... if there's volume available and if we have work available.
How do you feel about the president not stepping in on this one?
Well, basically, he's a teamster.
He's a labor president, also, too.
The teamsters donated $2.4 million to the campaign.
I found it rather incredible that the president stepped in and stopped the baseball strike.
That's correct.
But not something that threatens to economically cripple the nation.
What about UPS itself?
Since you're in management, the other reports that we're beginning to get are that as this goes on, UPS itself may be getting in trouble.
Well, definitely we're losing money.
I don't know how much today, but it's hurting both the Teamsters and also it's also hurting UPS.
And the Teamsters, like you said, are only going to get, what, $55 a week, and that's just for the full-time drivers.
The part-timers get no money.
No money?
No money.
Do you find that most people like yourself, management, what do they want?
What do they want to have happen here?
Do you feel, as the employees, you want the strike to end?
Do you think there ought to be a vote?
What should happen?
Well, basically, we feel there should be a vote.
Like I said, I'm not talking UPS.
I'm not the spokesman for UPS.
All we want is just for our members, our teamsters that work for UPS, to have a chance to vote on the contract.
And some of the Teamsters that have spoken with me, that I still maintain contact with, they would like the opportunity to vote.
But for example, in the state that we're from, the Teamsters have threatened their members that if they cross the picket line, they will be fined $5,000, and also the Union card will be taken away.
And UPS is what we call a closed-unit shop.
Boy.
Are you on the road yourself, some management personnel?
Yes, I am.
You are?
Of course, it was a tragedy.
I'm sure you know about it already back in Nashville.
Hopefully, there will not be more of that, but in the meantime, how much business percentage-wise are you managers able to take care of?
10 to 15%.
You're very well aware, I'm sure, that small business across America is really, seriously beginning to suffer.
Well, the businesses that we do deliver to, they do want this to stop.
But also, too, a big thing, too, is when the strike is over and the contract is signed, we're not going to get a fair percentage, I don't know what the estimation is, back.
And the big problem with that is a lot of teamsters are going to be laid off, especially the part-timers, because we have obligations to the contract that we must That's correct.
I think, I believe, two or three years ago, or two years ago, I'm not sure, we made the option that they had the option to buy stock into the company, so that we are owner-operators.
I think I believe two or three years ago we made, or two years ago I'm not sure, we made
the option that they had the option to buy stock into the company.
So in effect, we are owner operators, management owner operators now, the teamsters, if they
choose to buy stock in the company, also owner operators in the company.
So in effect you're striking against yourself.
That's correct.
Teamsters are.
For those who have contributed to the stock plan.
I sincerely appreciate your call and you're in favor then of a vote?
Yes, we're all in favor.
All men are in favor just to get this over and done with.
All we want is just to have the opportunity to let Teamsters, let Ron Carey, which he won't, give the Teamsters the opportunity to vote.
I don't know what he's afraid of.
Um, maybe he's afraid of a vote?
I think you're correct.
I think he's also afraid of that if they do vote that this plan would be, um, would be accepted by the teachers.
All right, sir.
I absolutely appreciate your call.
Thank you.
Uh, and I'm not even going to be asking these people where they are from, uh, for obvious reasons.
I just, I want to try to get a picture of where everybody is in this.
Because if we can, maybe we can begin moving in a direction toward a resolution.
Not that radio programs resolve labor disputes, but maybe a public airing of it.
What's really going on will move somebody toward resolving this.
Maybe political pressure is needed?
I really don't know.
2.4 million or not, this president has an obligation to the country.
And if the baseball strike meets the Taft-Hartley trigger requirements, then something that's out there killing small businesses across America sure as hell does.
First time caller line, you're on the air.
Hello.
Hi.
Is this Art?
Yes, it is.
Hi.
Yeah, this is Jeff, and I've worked for UPS for 18 years, and I like being a part-timer.
I like it.
You're a part-timer?
Yes.
Yes, I've been a part-timer for 18 years.
How many hours a week do you put in, generally?
25.
25?
Yeah.
What kind of pay scale?
I got in on the old contract back in 1979.
Presently, I'm making $17.89 an hour.
$17.89 an hour.
Right.
I agree with the previous gentleman in management that we do get good benefits.
Dental, vision.
You get dental and vision as a part timer?
Oh yeah.
Then what in the world is the union talking about when they say the fight is over this
part time business and what percentage of people have part time jobs if they are getting
these kinds of benefits?
What is the union talking about?
I don't know because I am kept in the dark.
It's very frustrating.
It's all being done, it seems, behind closed doors in Washington.
We're left out in the dark.
We have a hotline that we can call periodically for an update approximately every 12 hours.
General information that's just given out.
We don't really know what's going on.
If you had your choice, you wouldn't be on strike.
That's correct.
It's not about wages, per se.
Although, from what I understand, the part-time wages, the base rate has not gone up since 1982.
Believe me, I have no authority on this.
I'm just saying, I like being a part-timer.
There have been quite a few openings.
If I wanted to, if I so chose, I could go full-time.
I could do that.
But you've actually chosen not to.
No, because like I say, I enjoy the lifestyle that a part-time job affords.
I do other businesses on the side.
What kind of work do you actually do?
Are you a driver?
Well, I'm a rare breed.
I mean, you know, I'm in the feeder department, okay?
Feeder?
The feeders, yeah.
Over the road type thing.
Okay, that feeder means taking packages over a long haul route.
Exactly.
Not delivering on the daily basis to businesses and picking up that kind of thing.
Right.
All right.
Well, there's quite a few on feeder routes.
I get an awful lot of messages and email and faxes from people doing feeder work because I think they're the guys who get to hear my show.
Right.
Yes.
You know, at the graveyard shift, oh, you're very popular, very popular with the drivers.
I hear them discussing your shows all the time.
There is a concern is that independent outside contractors have been taking runs, feeder runs, and also this is more of a concern is
that the part timers would actually be taking full time feeder runs from drivers thereby
eliminating number one, the higher wage scale, it's very minimal, but the overtime, overtime,
overtime, overtime, overtime, overtime, Overtime, too, is totally being eliminated, which I guess, you know, looking at it independent, I mean, from an outside thing, is a good business decision.
You know, I mean, time and a half is certainly more expensive.
If you had an opportunity to vote today to stay out and wait for all this to come true, how would you vote?
How would I vote?
How would you vote if you were given that opportunity?
I just received today, as a matter of fact, a big package from UPS.
A priority mail from the Postal Service.
A really thick package and it outlines UPS's final best offer.
I would have to see the other offer from the Teamsters.
It's like a one-sided thing.
Oh, dancing with a gorilla, almost.
Oh, I don't know, but UPS's offer looks good.
It looks good, but like I say, I haven't seen the Teamsters offer, so I think they should try to work out something that the whole rank and file Well, if this goes on a whole lot longer, we all lose.
Absolutely.
I hear you.
I really feel for the small business owners that are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
What can they do?
We're in the same position, you know?
I mean, we're just pawns.
We are just pawns in the big top few players' game.
The fat cats are controlling this whole thing.
I think it's political, too.
with uh... you know with clinton and uh...
i don't know i've heard any rumors about carry and you know the political
contributions but i think we just kept in the dark
well at this point i almost refused to believe that two point four million or
not that's really uh... not of in the larger scheme of things a whole
lot of money uh... was given to the president uh... from the union's
fine the president's lame duck the president doesn't know
anybody anything it seems to me
this is becoming enough of a national emergency that if this is a does not trigger tap partly i i can't
imagine what would you know it's very very serious situation and i think that
like i said just a few people it's almost like a personal
and that it seems like you know there's It's a shame that everybody in the whole United States is having to watch what's going on between a few people.
I guess that's the way it's always been.
How much longer before this begins to really harm you personally, financially?
Well, like I say, I've been doing other things on the side, so I'm sort of insulated.
I can imagine it's been, what, the second week now?
Most people, most of the drivers, the rink, the teamsters, and even management, to be honest, we're maybe one or two paychecks away from being in big trouble.
People like their toys, they like their boats, new automobiles and stuff.
Face it, you're looking at a younger set that You know, it's really starting to really hurt a lot of people, and I'd like to see it brought to a conclusion.
So would I. And shortly, thank you very, very much for the call.
We will continue with this.
Only calls, please, from UPS employees, management, and union.
I want to hear from the union.
And the union, you know, all the lines are full, obviously.
If you're a union out there, a union rep, and you want to have a word about this, why this strike is important.
So far I've heard from a management person and a feeder driver, and they don't sound so convinced.
So if you're a union type person, you can fax me and I'll get you on the air.
If you want your point of view heard.
My fax number is area code 702.
727-8499.
702-727-8499.
Would like to have all sides heard from.
9.
On the wild card line, you're on the air.
Hello.
Hi.
Hi.
What do you do, sir?
I'm a preloader slash air driver.
And I've worked for UPS for approximately 18 years.
Preloader slash?
Air driver.
Air driver.
What does that mean?
I deliver our like next day air packages.
Oh, I see.
I see.
All right.
What's your feeling about this horrid strike?
My feeling is I think what the killer issue is is the pension and I'm a little upset with the company for even asking the union to like give that up because I think that that's a no-win situation and the union We'll never give up the pension.
They're asking the company to give up the entire pension?
Yes.
I guess they are.
They're asking the union to give up the pension.
The union to give up the pension entirely?
Yes.
Well, they say that the union will still be involved, but I don't know the fine details.
What is the company pension program like, say, for you?
What does it mean to you?
Well, actually, as a part-timer, I can retire.
There is a formula that does have to be met underneath the Teamsters, and I can retire at age 52 with about a $1,200 benefit.
Per month?
Yes.
That's a big benefit.
Yes.
And listening to your program, your previous caller did state that the part-timers do have benefits and good wages.
And that is true.
I have excellent medical and dental benefits, and I have an excellent wage.
How long do you think that UPS effectively can hold out?
I could ask you about your own personal situation, how long you can hold out, but how long do you think UPS can hold out?
I'm beginning to get word that millions and millions of dollars per day are going down the drain, and eventually UPS itself is going to be in trouble, and then there's not going to be much left for anybody.
Well, I think the company can hold out a long time.
I think the company has a lot of money.
We grossed, if this is correct, and I'm not quite sure, but we grossed approximately $24 billion last year, and our net profit after everything is paid was approximately $1.2 billion.
I think that's right.
I think you're about right.
And I think the company has a lot of money.
But like I said, the two issues about the part-timers and the pension, well, I think the part-time issue can be resolved.
I think the company can make a few more full-time jobs.
I think they can raise the pay, and that wouldn't be the problem.
But I think the main issue is the pension, and I just think the teamsters will never give that up.
And from your own personal point of view, you would be willing to stay out and fight Yes, I believe so.
Well, I'm glad you brought that up because I would do, this is one point where I do disagree with the union.
I believe so.
I think...
Or, given an opportunity to vote on the offer that's on the table now, would you vote?
Well, I'm glad you brought that up because I would do...
This is one point where I do disagree with the union.
I believe we ought to have a vote on the proposal because if you understand about...
Listen, sir, I'm at the top of the hour and I've got a break.
Do you want to hold?
Sure.
Alright, then holding you are.
I'm Art Bell.
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