A UPS strike is still looming, and the multi-billion dollar corporation now has less than two weeks to provide its "last, best, and final offer," as the Teamsters have requested.

Across the country, unionized workers have begun gathering for practice-picketing sessions, signaling to UPS that they are ready to mobilize hundreds of thousands of employees represented by the union.

"UPS doesn’t understand that it’s the members – 340,000 Teamsters – who run this company, and Teamsters will not tolerate any more disrespect and corporate greed," said Teamsters Gen. Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman.

At a gathering in Maspeth, Queens, Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez demanded that part-time workers receive a significant pay increase. Despite doing the same labor, part time workers are paid significantly less.

"We cannot accept a dual standard," she said.

The Teamsters and UPS have already come to agreements on 55 "non-economic issues", including an agreement to add air conditioning to UPS trucks. Current negotiations concern health, welfare, and pension benefits for members.

The Teamsters described the latest economic offer from UPS as "appalling", citing miniscule raises, and cuts to necessary cost-of-living adjustments. Union workers are still demanding fair compensation for their labor, and denouncing the greed of corporate executives.

"The time has come for them to get serious or shut down." Zuckerman said during a visit to union workers in Cincinnati, Ohio. "Because our members will not work after July 31 without the pay increases, stronger benefits, and better working conditions that they have earned."

After negotiations came to a stand-still on Wednesday last week, UPS planned "business continuity training" for non-union employees in preparation of the strike, which is authorized to begin on August 1st. But the Teamsters know that new non-union workers crossing the picket line are no match for them.

"For too long, this multibillion-dollar corporation has padded its bottom line with the unpaid wages of our members who sacrificed themselves and their families during the pandemic," O'Brien said at a Brooklyn rally. "UPS is not ready for the fury of 340,000 Teamsters."