The 2023 contract negotiations between United Parcel Service (UPS) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represented the largest private-sector collective bargaining effort in United States history. Representing approximately 340,000 workers, the negotiations served as a flashpoint for the American labor movement, highlighting systemic issues ranging from workplace safety in extreme weather to the widening gap between executive compensation and worker wages. This pivotal moment in industrial relations is the central focus of the documentary Who Moves America, directed by Yael Bridge. The film provides an intimate look at the mobilization efforts that brought the global logistics giant to the brink of a nationwide strike, ultimately securing a contract that many labor analysts consider a landmark victory for the working class.
The Landscape of the 2023 UPS Teamsters Negotiations
The road to the 2023 agreement was paved with years of mounting frustration among the rank-and-file membership. Following a 2018 contract that many workers felt made significant concessions—including the implementation of a controversial "two-tier" wage system—the election of Sean O’Brien as General President of the Teamsters signaled a shift toward a more militant bargaining stance. O’Brien campaigned on a promise to eliminate the tiered system and to utilize the threat of a strike as a primary lever of power.
The grievances were multifaceted. Primary among them was the issue of workplace safety, specifically the lack of air conditioning in delivery vehicles. As global temperatures reached record highs, reports of drivers suffering from heatstroke and, in some tragic cases, death, became a rallying cry for the union. Furthermore, the reliance on part-time labor remained a point of contention. Part-time employees constitute the majority of the UPS workforce, yet they often face high turnover rates and wages that have failed to keep pace with the rising cost of living in major metropolitan hubs.
A Chronology of Labor Tension: From 1997 to 2023
To understand the stakes of the 2023 negotiations, one must look back to the summer of 1997. The 15-day UPS strike of that year remains one of the most successful work stoppages in modern American history. It cost the company an estimated $600 million and successfully broadcast the message that "Part-Time America Won’t Work." Many of the veteran workers featured in Bridge’s documentary were on the picket lines in 1997, and their institutional memory served as a bridge to a younger generation of workers, including Gen-Z employees who were entering their first major labor dispute.
Between 1997 and 2023, the logistics industry underwent a radical transformation, fueled by the rise of e-commerce and the dominance of Amazon. This shift increased the physical demands on UPS workers while simultaneously placing the company under intense competitive pressure. The 2018 contract, ratified despite a majority "no" vote due to a now-abolished constitutional loophole known as the "two-thirds rule," left many workers feeling disenfranchised. The 2023 negotiations were seen not just as a contract renewal, but as a rectification of past grievances.
The Filmmaking Process: Documenting a Movement in Motion
Director Yael Bridge, known for her previous work The Big Scary ‘S’ Word, collaborated with a collective of labor-focused filmmakers to capture the scale of the Teamsters’ mobilization. The production team utilized a strategic geographic approach to illustrate the diversity of the union’s membership, focusing on three key hubs: New York City, San Diego, and Louisville.
Louisville, Kentucky, serves as the home of UPS Worldport, the company’s largest automated package-sorting facility and the centerpiece of its global air network. By filming in these distinct regions, the documentary highlights the internal politics of the union, including the "bipartisan straddling" required to organize workers across different political and cultural spectrums. The filmmakers gained rare access to private strategy meetings, providing a window into the "radicalizing" effect of labor organizing. Bridge notes that the process of demanding economic democracy often transforms workers from passive employees into active participants in their own governance.
Supporting Data: The Economics of the UPS Contract
The financial implications of the 2023 contract are significant. According to the terms of the five-year agreement ratified in August 2023, current full- and part-time UPS Teamsters will receive a $2.75 hourly raise in 2023, totaling $7.50 in raises over the length of the contract. Other key data points from the settlement include:
- Elimination of the Two-Tier System: The "22.4" classification, which paid some drivers less for the same work, was abolished, moving all drivers into a single, higher-paying tier.
- Starting Wages: Starting hourly pay for part-time employees was raised to $21, up from the previous average of roughly $15 to $16.
- Safety Requirements: UPS committed to equipping all new large delivery vehicles with air conditioning starting in 2024 and retrofitting existing vans with heat shields and fans.
- Job Creation: The agreement mandated the creation of 7,500 new full-time Teamster jobs and the fulfillment of 22,500 open positions, providing a clearer path from part-time to full-time employment.
At the time of the agreement, UPS reported annual revenues exceeding $100 billion. The union argued that the company’s record profits during the pandemic were built on the backs of workers who took significant personal risks, justifying a contract that redistributed a larger share of that wealth.
Leadership and Rank-and-File Dynamics
A central theme of Who Moves America is the relationship between union leadership and the rank-and-file membership. While Sean O’Brien acted as the public face of the negotiations, Bridge’s film emphasizes that the true power resided in the 340,000 members who were prepared to walk off the job. The documentary avoids treating O’Brien as a traditional protagonist, instead framing him as a leader who is "led by the members."
This dynamic is crucial in understanding modern labor movements. In many contemporary unions, there is a push for more "bottom-up" organizing, where the priorities are set by the workers on the warehouse floor rather than by executive boards in Washington, D.C. The documentary captures the emotional journey of these workers as they realize that their collective labor is the engine of the American economy—a sentiment reflected in the film’s title, which lacks a question mark to assert a definitive fact.
Broader Impact and the Future of American Labor
The success of the UPS Teamsters has sent shockwaves through other sectors of the economy. Labor experts suggest that the "credible threat of a strike" utilized by the Teamsters provided a blueprint for the United Auto Workers (UAW) during their "Stand Up Strike" against the Big Three automakers later in 2023.
There is also a burgeoning movement toward "contract alignment." Several major unions, including those representing nurses, flight attendants, and automotive workers, are eyeing 2028 as a year of potential unified action. By aligning contract expiration dates, unions could theoretically exercise unprecedented leverage over the national economy.
Bridge observes that while union density—the percentage of workers in a union—remains at historical lows in the United States (hovering around 10% overall and 6% in the private sector), union popularity is at its highest point in decades. This is particularly evident among younger generations who face a gig economy characterized by instability and a lack of benefits. For these workers, the UPS contract serves as a tangible example of what collective bargaining can achieve.
Analysis of Implications
The resolution of the UPS dispute without a strike was a relief to the broader U.S. economy, as a stoppage would have disrupted an estimated 6% of the national GDP. However, the "yes" vote was not unanimous, and some members argued that the union should have pushed even further, particularly regarding the long-term protection of part-time wages against inflation.
The implications for the logistics industry are profound. As UPS absorbs the increased labor costs, the industry is watching to see if competitors like FedEx or Amazon will face similar organizing pressures. The documentary Who Moves America functions as both a historical record of this specific struggle and a primer for future organizing. It suggests that the "dignity of work" is not a gift granted by employers but a standard that must be constantly defended through organized action.
As the Spring 2026 edition of DOC NYC Selects showcases the film, the conversation it provokes remains highly relevant. The labor movement in the United States appears to be at a pivot point, moving away from decades of decline and toward a new era of visibility and assertiveness. Whether this momentum can be sustained into the 2028 cycle remains the defining question for the future of the American workforce.
