UPS Rank-and-File Focus: Eugene Braswell
Eugene, a UPS worker and member of Teamsters Local 804 in New York City, is making sure the company recognizes that Teamsters are essential workers who kept the country running during the pandemic. He and his fellow rank-and-file committee members are going head-to-head with UPS executives at the bargaining table, pushing back against their arguments and making sure everyday UPSers are put front-and-center throughout negotiations.
“Whether recession, depression, pandemic — UPS always makes money. We do the hard work, so it's our time to be rewarded,” Euguene said. “They had 25 years or more of getting exactly what they wanted. Everything was cost-neutral; it benefited the company. Now we're just saying, ‘Listen: you said we’re essential workers, treat us as essential workers, give us what we deserve.’”