Over 1,100 DHL Express employees at the company’s principal US air hub initiated a strike on Thursday, November 7, citing concerns over unfair labor practices and a halt in contract negotiations. This labor action takes place during the peak holiday shipping season, a critical period for package delivery companies like DHL, FedEx, and United Parcel Service (UPS), where package volumes significantly increase.
The strike follows a period of increased organizing efforts by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, especially after a notable contract agreement at UPS earlier this year. The employees involved in the strike are responsible for loading and unloading DHL Express airplanes at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). These workers voted to join the Teamsters in April and have been in contract discussions with DHL since July.
In response to the strike, DHL Express has implemented contingency plans to maintain uninterrupted service. According to a company statement, these measures include employing alternative staff at the hub and rerouting flights and shipments to other DHL locations across the Americas. DHL Express, a subsidiary of Germany’s Deutsche Post AG, also anticipates that the strike may inspire similar actions at various pickup and delivery points throughout the US, for which it is prepared to introduce replacement personnel.
The Teamsters union has reported filing numerous complaints regarding unfair labor practices with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging retaliatory actions against workers supportive of the union. The union also stated that the NLRB is taking civil action against the company.
A striking employee, Gina Kemp, voiced frustration with the company’s attitude towards its workers, both on the job and in negotiation settings, prompting the decision to strike.
DHL Express has countered that the Teamsters are leveraging the strike to compel the company into agreeing to what it considers “unreasonable” contract demands. The company has expressed its commitment to negotiating in good faith, noting that while no specific deadline for negotiations has been set, it is ready to engage in discussions scheduled for December and has proposed additional negotiation dates in January.
This labor dispute emerges at a time when the logistics and delivery sectors are under significant pressure to meet the high demand of the holiday season, underscoring the tensions between labor forces and management in the industry.
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