Margarita Madness At The Purple People Bridge : May 17th

Worker Strike Looms at DHL-CVG, Management Walks on Bargaining Talks

Employees voted to join the Teamsters union in April, citing low pay and dangerous working conditions.

Nov 29, 2023 at 12:49 pm

Teamsters, the union representing organizing workers at DHL-CVG, said workers are "fed up" and "ready to walk" after management walked away from the bargaining table. Photo: DHL Media Release

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In the midst of high-volume holiday package deliveries, the workers at DHL-CVG in Hebron, Kentucky are threatening to strike.

"This latest show of disrespect comes after months of uncooperative posturing by the global shipping giant," Teamsters, the union representing DHL-CVG employees, wrote on Facebook on Nov. 28.

Employees at DHL-CVG voted to join the Teamsters in April, with organizing leaders telling CityBeat that ramp associates are paid as low as $20 per hour to have life-threatening jobs at the delivery airport. Workers load and unload nearly 400,000 pounds of cargo per day using equipment they described as dangerous and outdated.

DHL Workers at CVG Vote 'Yes' to Joining Teamsters Union: Workers told CityBeat that ramp associates are paid as low as $20 per hour to have life-threatening jobs loading and unloading nearly 400,000 pounds of cargo per day.

“DHL has wasted enough time and needs to deliver on the fair contract Teamsters deserve—or this company will leave our members with no choice but to strike,” said Bill Hamilton, director of the Teamsters express division. “This company understands what is at stake. The clock is ticking for DHL to act and remedy its unfair labor practices.”

In 2022, there were at least 22 workplace injuries at DHL-CVG that required transport to a hospital or emergency room, according to Kenton County Airport Board records. Injuries included broken, crushed and dislocated limbs. Records show one worker suffered a “degloving” of his arm, an injury where the skin and tissue get ripped away from the bone. Teamsters said DHL has been union busting since the majority "Yes" vote in April, saying the National Labor Relations Board has issued a complaint for charges related to worker retaliation off-site surveillance of union activities.

DHL did not respond to CityBeat's requests for comment by press time, but the company announced a $192 million investment in the CVG facility in July, just not for the workers.

Instead, the investment supports the company’s aircraft fleet with a 305,000-square-foot maintenance facility, complete with aircraft components storage, offices, three maintenance parking gates and eight new aircraft gates, according to the company's website.

“We are committed to serving our customers and their growing demands, which require an investment to expand our footprint at CVG,” said Mike Parra, CEO for DHL Express Americas. “Our Americas hub is one of three DHL global superhubs and completes the backbone of our intercontinental network. We are excited for this new project to meet the needs of our partners and employees with a new carbon neutral, state-of-the-art facility for maintenance operations of our growing fleet.”

The union said DHL told the Teamsters they will not be returning to the bargaining table after Dec. 7.

Similar union activity in the same air space

Employees are pushing for a union at Amazon's largest air hub, located at KCVG in Hebron, Kentucky. Organizing employees have been asking for a standard $30 per-hour wage, among other changes like improved health benefits, on-site translation for non-native English speakers, and more.

Much like the workers at DHL-CVG, Amazon air hub employees at KCVG move massive loads of packages during the peak holiday shopping season. While KCVG employees were given peak pay when the air hub first opened in 2021, this is the second year employees will go without the added holiday incentive.

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About The Author

Madeline Fening

Madeline Fening is CityBeat’s investigative news reporter. Proudly born and raised in Middletown, she attended Bowling Green State University before moving to Austin, Texas where she dabbled in documentary filmmaking, digital news and bartending. Madeline then moved to Cincinnati to work for WCPO 9 News as an...