DISSIDENTS WITHIN UNION WANT UPS CONTRACT VOTE.

Byline: Ben Sullivan / Daily News Staff Writer

In the first formal break in ranks among striking employees, 20 Teamsters union members Thursday demanded the right to vote on United Parcel Service's latest contract offer.

Claiming to represent hundreds of disgruntled union employees throughout Southern California, the drivers, sorters and loaders - half in their traditional brown uniforms - said at a downtown press conference that by refusing to let members vote on the UPS offer, Teamsters President Ron Carey was betraying his constituency.

Now in its 12th day, the strike by 185,000 Teamsters employees has brought the country's largest ground carrier to a virtual standstill. But many striking employees have reported financial hardship from being out of work.

``I've lost confidence in those who represent me,'' said UPS driver and Teamsters member Franklin Ontiveros. ``We do not want to sit by and watch . . . our business fall by the wayside.''

Sounding at times like a testimonial on the virtues of UPS, Ontiveros and the other employees praised UPS for its wages and benefits while berating the Teamsters and its leadership.

``I'm proud to be a UPSer. I'm not proud to be a Teamster at this point,'' said driver Ellen Lawler.

The dissident union employees said they had asked UPS management to organize Thursday's press conference so their message could get to the public. The union employees said they were not paid by UPS to participate in the event.

Teamsters officials said that rank-and-file members cannot vote on the national contract until UPS offers regional and local contract proposals, as well. Roaul Lopez, principal officer of Teamsters Local 396, said efforts by UPS management to foster dissent and push for an employee vote now hurts the negotiation process.

``The only thing I can say is that if we'd negotiated this exact same contract they're proposing and brought it back to the membership and said, guys, this is the best we can do, . . . they would hang us from the highest tree and say, what the hell did you do to us?'' Lopez said.

Kevin Reed, a UPS driver in Van Nuys, said he would rather wait for a new proposal than jeopardize existing benefits. He said most UPS employees still support the strike. ``Once the company takes off the pension proposal and leaves our medical alone, then we'll be ready to go back to work,'' Reed said.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., contract discussions continued between officials from the Teamsters and UPS. UPS Chairman James Kelly said the company may revise what he had previously characterized as the company's last, best offer.

Kelly said UPS may be willing to revamp its proposal to privatize the UPS pension plan, which is part of a larger pension system managed by the Teamsters, to make it more tolerable to the union.

``We think the pension issue is very important,'' Kelly said. But, ``anything could change. We're not immersed with one or two issues. . . . We all recognize that some of them would change.''

Kelly's comments were the first indication that management might be softening its negotiating position. The strike is costing the privately held UPS an estimated $200 million to $300 million every week.

Talks had previously broken off between the two sides, but Labor Secretary Alexis Herman earlier this week persuaded the parties to return to the table.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1--color) UPS employee and Teamsters member Frank Ontiveros says he wants to end the strike at a news conference Thursday.

(2) A group of UPS employees holds a news conference Thursday in Los Angeles, calling for a contract vote.

Evan Yee/Daily News