UPS executives sat silently on Monday, presumably counting their cash as the Teamsters await an acceptable response to the union’s economic contract proposal shared last week. General President Sean M. O’Brien told the company on June 22 the Teamsters would not meet again until UPS returned to the table with a real offer that respects the sacrifices of the membership.

“Every hour that UPS wastes getting us the raises and benefits that our members deserve is another hour the Teamsters get strike-ready,” O’Brien said. “This billion-dollar corporation has to make some tough decisions in a short amount of time. Are they going to pony up and pay workers what they’ve earned, or are they putting themselves on strike?”

The entire Teamsters National Negotiating Committee-including union representatives and rank-and-file members from Louisville, Northern California, and Local 705 and Local 710 in Chicago gathered in Washington to review battle plans for the weeks ahead. The committee discussed top priorities around wage increases, pension benefits, and health and welfare protections as members anticipate an economic response from UPS. Local union leaders and members from across the country shared strategies for practice picketing around UPS facilities this week and next. Contract action team training among rank-and-file Teamsters is continuing, with concerted strike captain training on the horizon.

Negotiating committees for Local 705 and Local 710 met Monday as well to continue local-specific bargaining from Teamsters headquarters. The NorCal Supplement and Sort, helping to protect UPS Teamsters in and around Northern California, also continued negotiations as the last unresolved supplement anywhere in the nation.

The Teamsters’ Committee is expecting UPS negotiators to come back to the national negotiating table at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Whether the company will have a proper economic package in hand remains to be seen.

“The Teamsters have a lot of important things to focus on these days, but we got one big priority- keeping UPS’s back against the wall,” said General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. “If they haven’t already heard us loud and clear, they’re going to get it again this week. Teamsters across this country have huddled up and we are ready to fight. It’s time to get this deal done or we’ll see you in the streets.”