Can I refuse unsafe work at UPS?

Yes. Article 18 protects your right to refuse genuinely unsafe work without discipline, with a defined notice procedure.

Article 18 of the UPS National Master Agreement gives every employee the right to refuse work that is genuinely unsafe — an unsafe vehicle, an unsafe load, weather conditions that violate DOT rules, an injury that prevents safe performance. The refusal must be raised with the supervisor first so they have a chance to correct the condition or reassign the work.

The contract bars discipline for a good-faith safety refusal. If you're disciplined anyway, file a grievance immediately and contact your steward. OSHA's Section 11(c) and DOT regulations also protect safety refusals as a matter of federal law.

Ask TeamstersGPT with your supplement selected for the exact Article 18 language, the notice procedure, and the steward-pay rules when you stop work for a safety issue.

Ask TeamstersGPT with your supplement selected to get the cited article and section for your local.