PHOENIX — Phoenix keeps hitting new heat records as we approach the longest stretch of 110-degree days.
The extreme conditions can be especially tough on delivery drivers and the heat is hitting UPS drivers as they brace for a possible strike.
“They pay me $21 an hour,” said UPS driver Mackenzie Salgado. “So, I definitely think I'm working harder than I'm getting paid.”
Salgado has been working for UPS for three years, but he said his route in the triple digits is not fun.
Ring doorbell video of Colin Morgan, another Valley UPS driver, went viral last summer and drew attention to working conditions for UPS drivers. A year later, drivers told ABC15 they're still afraid of retaliation if they speak up.
“With the heat, they aren't really helping us out with the heat,” said Salgado. “They like to say they are, but they aren't.”
He said he feels overworked at times. Salgado told ABC15 he had 160 deliveries Thursday — more than the 130 UPS said is average for its drivers.
ABC15 caught up with another driver out on his route. Around 5 p.m., it was 130 degrees in the driver's cargo area.
“They pound down cool solutions a lot,” said Salgado. “So they want us to pull over, get in the shade... But they get on us again because we are taking too long in the shade or A/C.”
Last month, UPS announced a tentative agreement with the workers' union to address heat safety.
It will take time, but part of the agreement would include equipping all newly purchased small package delivery vehicles with air conditioning in 2024.
On Thursday, a UPS representative sent a statement describing the other plans they have to keep drivers safe, including a forced-air induction system.
"Adding an air intake vent on the passenger side feeds fresh air to the cargo bay and creates a forced induction that helps increase the airflow velocity,” said a UPS spokesperson. “We have agreed that these will be included in the production of new package cars moving forward and retrofitted into existing package cars within 18 months of contract ratification."
The company also said they try to make water and electrolytes more available for workers, have partnered with an activewear company that specializes in cooling fabrics, and provide heat awareness education.
But a new contract between the Teamsters and UPS has not been signed and it’s set to expire on midnight July 31.
"I would prefer not to strike just like every other driver, but it's on UPS if there is a strike," said Salgado.
Multiple practice strikes have already been held here in the Valley, and with a little over two weeks until the contract expires, pay is a major sticking point.
"They can absolutely be that company of America that can pay their employees," said Salgado.
UPS did not go on camera, but their spokesperson provided a statement on the negotiations:
"We have made steady progress in our negotiations with the Teamsters on a wide array of issues. We plan and expect to reach [an] agreement on a new contract before the end of July that is a win for our employees, our company and customers, and the union."
