'They have a large network,” he said of UPS, which delivers nearly 25 million packages daily and about a quarter of all U.S. history.Įven a short-lived strike could have “huge” consequences for consumers, according to Terry Esper, a logistics professor at The Ohio State University. If a strike does take place, it would be the largest single-employer strike in U.S. The Teamsters Union has also grown since its last work stoppage, from about 185,000 members to 340,000.

At the beginning of this year, it was 15%. economy is even more reliant on e-commerce.Ĭensus data shows that less than 1% of total retail trade sales came from e-commerce in 1999, the first year the data was reported. While the 1997 strike threw a wrench in the supply chain, a 2023 stoppage could have an even greater effect on consumers now that the U.S. UPS strike update: Strike not off the table What will happen if UPS workers go on strike? 'The consumer is going to be much more affected getting just everyday products that we buy online.'

If a strike does occur, “it will be very disruptive,” said Jason Miller, interim chairperson for the Department of Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University. Small businesses struggled to restock their shelves and hospitals had a hard time securing supplies, according to New York Times reporting at the time.Ĭonsumers could face that and more if the Teamsters union and management cannot reach a new contract deal by the end of the month. The last time UPS workers went on strike in 1997, FedEx and the postal service scrambled to pick up the slack as the nation's largest package delivery company slowed to a near standstill.

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