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For the first time, UPS drivers will have vehicles with air conditioning.

The brown vans are famous throughout the US, frequently seen moving through the streets on their way to bring something fresh and exciting to customers who can’t resist pressing ‘add to basket’.

While consumers have been focused on the items on their way, many of the workers in charge of delivering them have been battling with their working conditions as the weather rises.

More than 100 UPS drivers have been hospitalized for heat ailments in recent years, with temperatures reaching more than 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius) in the backs of UPS trucks in some locations.

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The Teamsters union, which represents 340,000 UPS workers, stated last week that this is about to change.

After a week of “intense lobbying,” the union negotiated an agreement with UPS requiring the business to install in-cab air conditioning systems in all bigger delivery vehicles, smaller sprinter vans, and most iconic brown package cars acquired after January 1, 2024.

The agreement also says that all package vehicles will have two fans placed in the cab and that all newer non-electric UPS package cars and vans will have exhaust heat shields.

Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien called the preliminary deal an important step toward a stronger new reality.

He said that air conditioning is coming to UPS, and Teamster members in these vehicles will finally get the comfort and protection they’ve been fighting for.

The entire national committee of the union, as well as their rank-and-file members, should be commended for remaining in this fight and making their goals known to this company. They are here to safeguard over 340,000 UPS Teamsters and to negotiate the finest deal in their union’s history with this firm.

UPS acknowledged the deal in its own statement, saying it drew on current efforts sent out to staff earlier this year, such as new cooling gear and enhanced training.

The corporation said that it has always ‘remained open’ to ideas that keep workers safe, adding that the new solutions they’ve agreed on will enhance airflow, temperature, and comfort for their employees.

They are continuing to consult with heat safety experts and sports scientists to inform their approach, and they are in accordance with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) guidelines. They know that arriving at work rested and hydrated is the best way to be safe in the heat.

The preliminary deal comes as the existing contract between unionized employees and UPS is slated to expire on August 1, triggering contract discussions.

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