You Don't Get Me - I'm Part of the Union

Over the past year, the labor movement has experienced something of a rebirth. Major companies, like Starbucks and Amazon , as well as government-related entities such as nursing home staff, have been immersed in negotiations with unions (for instance,  SEIU).

Now, it's being reported that another labor organization - one of America's oldest, and by reputation toughest - is about to go to the mat with the world's biggest package courier.

Contract negotiations between UPS and the Teamsters Union are scheduled to begin in a few months. But even before the talks start, some predict that UPS drivers and package handlers will strike. Todd Vachon, professor of Labor Relations at Rutgers University, feels the only open question is how long the strike might last. Vachon point outs that Teamsters' President Sean O'Brien ran on and won his election by touting a more aggressive approach.

A strike at UPS would affect nearly every household in the country. An estimated 6% of the nation's gross domestic product is moved in UPS trucks every year. The explosive growth of online retail has made the company and its drivers more crucial than ever to the nation's struggling supply chain. Beyond the company's home deliveries, it also delivers many of the goods found in stores, factories and offices.

Bodhi's family has a generations-long history of support for and involvement with labor unions. But GOTV's interest in them goes beyond that. The Teamsters v UPS scenario, as well as anything involving SEIU, have an irrefutable political impact. Each of these First Amendment entities is strongly supportive of Democrats.