Unionized UPS workers vote to authorize a strike in high-stakes negotiations for a new contract

NEW YORK (AP) — Unionized UPS workers voted overwhelmingly on Friday to authorize a strike, setting the stage for a potential work stoppage if the package delivery company and Teamsters can’t come to an agreement before their contract expires next month.

The Teamsters have urged workers to authorize a strike to give them more leverage in negotiations with the company, but a yes vote does not mean a strike is imminent.

The Teamsters represent about 340,000 UPS employees, more than half of the company’s workforce. A quarter of a century ago, 185,000 UPS employees walked off the job for 15 days after a contract dispute and it crippled the company.

UPS has grown vastly since then and become even more engrained in the U.S. economy. UPS says they deliver the equivalent of about 6% of nation’s gross domestic product.

If a strike occurs, its expected to be one of the biggest – if not the biggest – company walkout in U.S. history, carrying with it far-reaching implications for the economy.