About 340,000 American workers are threatening to strike

A union representing hundreds of thousands American employees Courier giant UPS this Friday authorized a strike that will begin in August if a new agreement is not reached with the company.

The decision – backed by 97% support – does not necessarily mean there will be a strike, but it does union leaders a powerful tool when exerting pressure on negotiations.

“The most powerful leverage our members have is their jobs, and they are willing not to use them to ensure that UPS acts accordingly,” the Teamsters union, which represents more than 340,000 drivers and employees at UPS plants, said in a statement. NOW

If it happens, strike it would be the largest by a single company in the country’s history and could paralyze much of the transportation of goods, presaging a severe downturn for the US economy.

According to some estimates, up to 6% of gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States it moves with UPS trucks, the largest courier company in the world.

The current contract between the company and the workers expires on July 31, so it is strike He could start on August 1 if no deal is reached before then.

The two sides have been negotiating in recent months and have already reached some partial agreements, for example on equipment UPS fleet deliverybut there are still many issues to be resolved, including salary increases.