Biden faces prospect of UPS strike while consolidating union support

President Joe Biden loves to talk about unions, yet that relationship will be tested as he's tasked with averting a union-led strike that could cripple the U.S. economy by the end of the summer.

On the same day Biden was endorsed historically early by a group of 17 unions, UPS workers voted by a 97% margin to authorize a strike.

"If this multibillion-dollar corporation fails to deliver on the contract that our hardworking members deserve, UPS will be striking itself," Teamsters President Sean O'Brien said in a statement. "The strongest leverage our members have is their labor, and they are prepared to withhold it to ensure UPS acts accordingly."

The vote triggered a seven-week countdown until current contracts expire on July 31, meaning a strike could begin Aug. 1. Atlanta-based UPS is a massive shipping firm, and the strike would be the largest for a single employer in U.S. history. Roughly 6% of the country's gross domestic product moves through the company, which is also the largest private unionized employer in the United States.

“This vote shows that hundreds of thousands of Teamsters are united and determined to get the best contract in our history at UPS,” O'Brien, whose union represents more than 340,000 workers, said.