Statistics from the job searching website Indeed showed that in the week after an announcement of the new wage agreement, online searches for jobs with “UPS” or “United Parcel Service” in the title increased by 50%.
UPS CEO Carol Tomé announced on an earnings call that UPS drivers would receive an average of $170,000 annually in wages and benefits at the end of a five-year contract deal.
The executive’s remarks capped after weeks of negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters Union, which began last month to avoid a strike and obtain a new contract for 340,000 union members. According to the UPS website, the Teamsters’ Union represents over 70% of the company’s 443,000 workers.
According to UPS’s estimates, full-time employees’ compensation would rise from around $145,000 to $170,000 over five years due to the agreement made on July 25. On Tuesday, Tomé informed investors that the plan includes increasing the minimum wage for part-time employees to $25.75 an hour and eliminating obligatory overtime.
Under the terms of the new agreement, UPS delivery drivers would earn an average of $49 per hour, or approximately $102,000 annually (based on a 40-hour workweek and 52-week work year). A UPS representative told CBS MoneyWatch that its workers are guaranteed an eight-hour shift.
The spokesman said drivers can also earn $50,000 in benefits, which includes a health benefits package and pension contributions.
According to Indeed, the typical salary for a UPS driver is between $108,000 and $115,000. This puts them in the same ballpark as software engineers, finance directors, and physician assistants.
The first step is to visit the UPS website, where open positions are listed and may be searched for on a state, county, and even municipal level.
For consideration as a UPS driver, you’ll need to pass a Department of Transportation physical, have a valid driver’s license (regular or CDL), and be able to lift up to 70 pounds. UPS additionally specifies that you need “excellent customer service and driving skills” and legal permission to work in the U.S.
Insider reports that candidates might anticipate a corporate interview and background check after this step. If they get the job, they must undergo training and a trial period.
