UPS Drivers May Finally Be Getting Air Conditioning In Their Trucks

UPS is a massive company that made around $2.5 billion in profits in the first quarter of 2023, and essentially all that money is being made by its employees. That makes sense, right? You hire people because they make you money. Only, as an employer, you have responsibilities to your employees, and for years now, UPS has been failing to meet some of those by refusing to install air conditioning and other heat-abating equipment in its trucks.

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We covered this last year and were left wondering whether that would change with the company’s potentially difficult union contract negotiation with the Teamsters coming up this year. We’re extremely pleased to see that tentatively; it has, according to an announcement made by the Teamsters on Wednesday.

“Air conditioning is coming to UPS, and Teamster members in these vehicles will get the relief and protection they’ve been fighting for,” said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien, in a statement. “The union’s entire national committee and our rank-and-filers should be commended for staying in this fight and making their priorities known to this company. We are here to protect more than 340,000 UPS Teamsters and get the best contract in the history of our union with this company. Today’s progress was a significant step towards a stronger new reality for so many workers and their families.”

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It’s very exciting news, but when the Teamsters say tentatively, what do they mean in this case? Specifically, it means that the union and UPS have agreed to the language for the contract, which has not yet been locked in and voted on. Is it likely that this is how it will work in the final adopted contract? Yes, but hey, sometimes things happen, and you can’t predict the future.

The language in the contract is pretty specific about what UPS’ responsibilities will be, too, and it goes beyond air conditioning. First, it would mandate that UPS fit in-cab air conditioning systems in all larger delivery vehicles, smaller vans and all of UPS’ big brown boxy trucks (aka package cars) that the company is known for that are purchased after January 1st, 2024.

Beyond the in-cab A/C, two fans would also be installed in the cab of all package cars, and all newer non-electric UPS package cars and vans would be installed with exhaust heat shields to mitigate exhaust heat creeping into the cab from below. Additionally, newly purchased package cars going forward would be fitted with vents in their cargo areas to reduce the extreme temperatures in the back of the vehicles.

So, a big win for UPS drivers, but with another potentially very hot summer coming up, hopefully we don’t have any more cases of drivers getting injured or dying like Esteban Chaves, Jr did in Pasadena, CA before these changes go into effect.