A UPS driver has died in Texas after collapsing on a sweltering day with a 108° heat index. Chris Begley had been with UPS for 28 years and was getting ready to retire soon, his family said. UPS Teamsters just won AC in trucks after years of refusals by management.

Union president and principal officer Dave Reeves said Begley collapsed during the delivery. “He did notify UPS of some symptoms that were heat-related injuries,” Reeves said. UPS said Begley was offered to be taken to the hospital but declined and was taken home. His truck was left behind at the delivery location, but if Begley wasn’t well enough to drive, Reeves wants to know why a supervisor didn’t take him to the hospital immediately.

OSHA is developing a national heat standard to protect workers but the process will take years, "bogged down by a lack of resources, strong industry opposition and bureaucratic procedures that can span decades."

That said, there has been some recent progress — OSHA released possible options for the heat standard on Thursday.

All those people mocking the new pay agreements and a/c and things, this is why they won them. Those kinds of jobs are life threatening. People have no idea.

@R_JonAnderson When are people going to realize when they vote Republican they’re voting for people who destroy unions. When the middle class was at its peak economically so was union membership. Without a union u hav to take what’s dished out. A union gives YOU a seat at the table.

This is so insane, how do stories like this not make national headlines? Thank you for actually caring about the average citizen.

@MorePerfectUS I could be wrong about this, but the new deal that was lauded by many doesn’t add AC to existing trucks. Only to new ones that are added to the fleet.

Not in ALL trucks. We NEED unions and we NEED them stop settling for less. More pay…? Hours are cut. No A/C in warehouses. Occasional water in warehouses. Ppl won’t eat before their shift because the heat will make them vomit. Stop settling for fractions of what is deserved.

@s_phia_ Won AC on trucks from a certain point forward, not retroactive, so @UPS was more than happy to allow conditions for this man’s death

Correct me if I'm wrong but was the AC for new trucks only? Teamsters need to pressure UPS to upgrade all trucks