Teamsters to vote on strike authorization should UPS talks fail

WASHINGTON - The Teamsters are voting this weekend about whether to strike if contract negotiations fail with United Parcel Service Incorporated. <br> <br> A two-week strike by 185,000 Teamsters in 1997 cost the company millions of dollars, crippling the Atlanta-based package delivery giant. The five-year contract that was reached expires July 31. <br> <br> Union members will vote by secret ballot Saturday and Sunday at every Teamsters UPS local in the country. Results will be announced Monday. <br> <br> Teamsters President James P- Hoffa said, ``For a company that says it wants an early agreement, negotiations sure are moving slowly. It is time to jump-start negotiations. It is time to get down to business.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> But UPS spokesman Norman Black cautioned that the vote ``is a normal part of the negotiating process and should not be taken out of context as a barometer of the progress of negotiations. UPS is committed to reaching an agreement as soon as practical to protect UPS volume, preserve Teamster jobs and allow UPS to provide the reliable service its customers expect.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Negotiations resume next week in Chicago.

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