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Union leaders of more than 300 Teamsters locals approved tentative contracts last week covering 250,000 UPS Inc. package and freight workers, who stand to receive pay raises, benefits enhancements and new on-the-job protection.

As contract negotiations resume this week, UPS Inc. remains “confident” that a new contract can be reached in advance of the scheduled July 31 expiration of the agreement that covers a total of 250,000 Teamster package and freight workers.

The Teamsters union said it has reached a tentative three-year agreement with retail giant Costco.

ABF Freight and the Teamsters union announced they expect to begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement Dec. 18.

Officials of less-than-truckload carrier ABF Freight System said they have notified the Teamsters union they want to negotiate directly on a new labor contract next year and not as part of an industry group.

The Teamsters union and UPS Inc. agreed this week to begin negotiations in late September on national UPS Inc. and UPS Freight contracts covering about 250,000 union members nationwide.

James Hoffa was re-elected to another five-year term as head of the Teamsters union, winning about 60% of the vote, the union said on its website.

Teamsters union members working in the U.S. car-haul industry approved a new contract that will last more than four years, the union said from its national headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The Teamsters union said it has ratified a national agreement covering about 4,500 U.S. automobile-hauling workers.

Teamsters union members who deliver new vehicles will vote during July on the 51-month tentative agreement reached earlier this month by union leaders and carrier negotiators, the labor group announced.