UPS prepares for strike by training non-union employees to deliver packages

United Parcel Service plans to train non-union employees to help deliver packages in the event of a labor disruption in the U.S., underscoring the potential for a strike as a crucial negotiating deadline nears.

The continuity-training sessions in the coming weeks won’t affect ongoing talks with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters or have an impact on current operations, UPS said Friday in a statement. A UPS spokesman declined to say how many workers it plans to train.

“While we have made great progress and are close to reaching an agreement, we have a responsibility as an essential service provider to take steps to help ensure we can deliver our customers’ packages if the Teamsters choose to strike,” the company said in the statement.

UPS is negotiating with the union, which represents about 340,000 UPS workers, to renew a five-year contract that expires at the end of this month and could lead to a potential strike on Aug. 1 if a deal can’t be reached. The wage increase for part-time workers has become a sticking point in the talks.

A Teamsters representative didn’t immediately comment on the plan to train non-union workers.

UPS delivers about 19 million packages a day in the U.S. and it’s unlikely that competitors would be able to absorb all of that volume. Rival courier FedEx has been encouraging shipping customers to switch to its service in recent weeks.