Teamsters at DHL secure tentative agreement

If ratified by the membership, workers would see significant pay increases over the lifetime of the contract

WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 7, 2026) — Teamsters working at DHL reached a national tentative agreement with the company at the end of March, averting a national strike that would have seen thousands of workers across 26 locals in 16 states hit the picket line. If ratified, the contract would lock in 20% raises over the four-year contract and improve health benefits, per the union.

The tentative agreement also includes worker protections for the use of artificial intelligence and emerging tech, establishing safeguards for AI-driven routing systems that the union believes undermine seniority and also prohibits the use of autonomous vehicles.

“I’ve worked at DHL for 26 years, and this is by far the best contract we’ve ever negotiated,” said Eric Camarena, a DHL dockworker and Teamsters Local 986 shop steward. “I’m proud to have been part of this negotiating committee and of what we achieved together. We stood united and demanded what we’re worth.”

Local DHL workers at the Teamsters Hall in Tukwila. Photo: Teamsters Local 174

“Our members at DHL held management’s feet to the fire and demanded a contract that recognizes the hard work they perform every day,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “This agreement sets a new benchmark at the company and proves once again that no one fights harder for workers in the delivery and logistics industry than the Teamsters Union. With our members ready to take action, we secure real gains and force corporations to respect the people who make their profits possible.”

Workers voted by 96% in early March to authorize a strike if an agreement on a contract was not reached by March 31. It was no idle threat; Teamsters have struck DHL before. In 2023, more than 1,100 Teamsters at DHL’s global hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport went out on strike over the company’s unfair labor practices. Thousands of their fellow DHL workers honored their picket line, including workers represented by Teamsters Local 174 in Washington. Workers exercised their contractual right to refuse to cross the picket line, effectively shutting down the company’s operations in the Seattle area two weeks before Christmas.

“This contract is the result of rank-and-file power and a clear reminder to DHL that we are always ready to strike, if necessary,” said Bill Hamilton, Director of the Teamsters Express Division. “Our members were united and forced DHL to deliver real gains. The agreement protects jobs, raises standards, and puts DHL Teamsters in a stronger position for the future.”

Members will vote on the tentative agreement in the coming weeks, according to the union’s news release.