UPS employee's book claims unsafe working conditions

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA - A United Parcel Service employee from Huntsville is taking aim at what he calls the unsafe and oppressive working conditions of the Atlanta-based shipping company. <br> <br> James R. Earls, a 13-year driver for UPS, signed copies of his book Monday in Huntsville. The book titled ``The Big Brown Lie&#39;&#39; was self-published by Earls at a cost of $14,000. <br> <br> Earls said 350,000 UPS drivers and distribution center workers suffer about 60,000 injuries a year and are more susceptible to ulcers, high blood pressure and substance abuse, according to a University of Illinois study commissioned by the Teamsters union. <br> <br> ``They do not want this book out,&#39;&#39; Earls told the Huntsville Times on Monday. ``This is going to blow the lid off of UPS.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The safety record of Atlanta-based UPS speaks for itself, said Dave DeDona, UPS communications director for the Southeast region. DeDona said specifics of working conditions and labor relations are only discussed with the union. <br> <br> DeDona defended Earls right to free speech in criticizing the company. <br> <br> The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is another target of Earls, who claims the old-guard union leadership poorly represents its members and resisted Earls&#39; attempts at reform. <br> <br> Earls was fired from UPS in 1999, and it was the union that helped get his job back, said Mike Kendrick, secretary/treasurer of Teamsters Local 402 in Muscle Shoals. <br> <br> ``Sometimes people get something in their mind that they&#39;ve been done wrong, and there&#39;s nothing you can do to change their mind,&#39;&#39; Kendrick said. <br> <br> Earls said his book tells the real story of corruption at both local and national levels of the union. <br> <br> ``There is corruption out the ying yang,&#39;&#39; he said.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/4/195503