US delivery workers swelter in record heat – many without AC in their vans
Amid rising temperatures last year, unionized UPS workers made heat an issue – but despite a key contract win, workers say little progress has been made
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The company’s dark aluminum package vans can amplify outdoor heat, with workers having recorded temperatures over 120F (49C) in the vehicles.
The heat is not merely uncomfortable but also dangerous, with drivers suffering heatstroke on the job each summer and incidents turning fatal in some cases. Pacic has seen these dangers in his own region: this month, a UPS driver was hospitalized after getting into an accident while experiencing heat exhaustion, union officials say. And last August, Chris Begley, a 28-year UPS veteran, suffered a medical emergency while driving in 103F heat. He died four days later.
Amid spiking temperatures last summer, 340,000 unionized UPS workers made heat a key issue during labor negotiations with their employer. They secured a major win when, as part of a new union contract, the company agreed that each of the iconic chocolate-brown package vans it purchased after 1 January would include air conditioning – part of a commitment to equip 28,000 package cars with the cooling devices by the contract’s end on 31 July 2028.
Today, however, the union says UPS has made little progress toward that goal. CNN reported last month that it has not purchased any new vans since 1 January, and as such, only a small fraction of its delivery drivers have access to cooling technology.
