A potential UPS strike is looming at the end of July. More than 330,000 UPS warehousing, transportation, and delivery workers voted overwhelmingly to strike if a new, satisfactory agreement is not reached when the current contract expires on July 31. This would be the largest single-employer strike in U.S. history.
What does this mean for hospitals?
With 1 out of every 4 shipments in the U.S. handled by UPS (about 24 million packages/day), a strike of any length will be disruptive and challenge an already stressed hospital supply chain. If shipping volume has to be consolidated among the other carriers, it could overwhelm industry capacity, lead to higher rates, and result in longer, less predictable delivery times.
What can you do?
Whether or not UPS is a primary shipper for your hospital, planning ahead for a prolonged strike by establishing contingency plans for alternate shippers or modes of transportation will help mitigate the impact on your operation. Diversifying your hospital’s risk is the best way to minimize potential consequences of a strike.
Miga will continue to monitor progress in the talks between UPS and the Teamsters Union representing the UPS workforce. We will share more information and updates as it becomes available.