ZF, Teamsters Local 705, Chicago, IL
I work at a UPS distribution warehouse. We found out the other day that a nearby “secondary” location was shutting down, and there would be more work for us as a result.
Before this, I didn’t have much success talking to my coworkers about our working conditions, and there was an atmosphere of passivity at union meetings. Many of my union brothers and sisters were used to our leadership collaborating with management and didn’t seem anxious to do anything about it.
Now, there’s been a shift. The increased workload is changing consciousness. All the coworkers I see regularly are talking about the union protections we do—or don’t—have. People are preparing for this month’s union meeting with a brand-new seriousness.
This change isn’t loud, but it’s real. People used to think of the union as a list of benefits or a group of bureaucrats in faraway offices. Now, my coworkers are realizing that the union is us—and that we need to be part of a fighting organization. I’m looking forward to our next meeting, where I hope to find new comrades for the RCA.