2.2.0.25falsefalse1015 - Disclosure - LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIEStruefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $eol_PE10216---1010-K0013_STD_365_20101231_0http://www.sec.gov/CIK0001090727duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00pureStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepure0iso4217_USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170iso4217_USD_per_sharesDividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0sharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instanceshares0YearStandardhttp://www.ups.com/20101231Yearups0USDUSD$5false0us-gaap_ScheduleOfLossContingenciesByContingencyTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00<div> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 18px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"><b>NOTE 8. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES</b></font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">We are a defendant in a number of lawsuits filed in state and federal courts containing various class action allegations under state wage-and-hour laws. In one of these cases, Marlo v. UPS, which was certified as a class action in a California federal court in September 2004, plaintiffs allege that they improperly were denied overtime, and seek penalties for missed meal and rest periods, and interest and attorneys&#x2019; fees. Plaintiffs purport to represent a class of 1,300 full-time supervisors. In August 2005, the court granted summary judgment in favor of UPS on all claims, and plaintiffs appealed the ruling. In October 2007, the appeals court reversed the lower court&#x2019;s ruling. In April 2008, the Court decertified the class and vacated the trial scheduled for that month. After decertification, some plaintiffs filed individual lawsuits raising the same allegations as in the underlying class action. These individual lawsuits are in various stages. We have denied any liability with respect to these claims and intend to vigorously defend ourselves in these cases. At this time, we have not determined the amount of any liability that may result from these matters or whether such liability, if any, would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 1px"> &#xA0;</p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">UPS and our subsidiary Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. are defendants in various lawsuits brought by franchisees who operate Mail Boxes Etc. centers and The UPS Store locations. These lawsuits relate to the rebranding of Mail Boxes Etc. centers to The UPS Store, The UPS Store business model, the representations made in connection with the rebranding and the sale of The UPS Store franchises, and UPS&#x2019;s sale of services in the franchisees&#x2019; territories. In one of the actions, which is pending in California state court, the court certified a class consisting of all Mail Boxes Etc. branded stores that rebranded to The UPS Store in March 2003. We have denied any liability with respect to these claims and intend to defend ourselves vigorously. At this time, we have not determined the amount of any liability that may result from these matters or whether such liability, if any, would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">In Barber Auto Sales v. UPS, which a federal court in Alabama certified as a class action in September 2009, the plaintiff asserts a breach of contract claim arising from UPS&#x2019;s assessment of shipping charge corrections when UPS determines that the &#x201C;dimensional weight&#x201D; of packages is greater than reported by the shipper. We have denied any liability with respect to these claims and intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this case. At this time, we have not determined the amount of any liability that may result from this matter or whether such liability, if any, would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">In AFMS LLC v. UPS and FedEx Corporation, a lawsuit filed in federal court in the Central District of California in August 2010, the plaintiff asserts that UPS and FedEx violated U.S. antitrust law by conspiring to refuse to negotiate with third party negotiators retained by shippers and/or to monopolize a so-called market for the time sensitive delivery of letters and packages. The Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (&#x201C;DOJ&#x201D;) has informed us that it has opened a civil investigation of our policies and practices for dealing with third party negotiators. We are cooperating with this investigation. We deny any liability with respect to these matters and intend to vigorously defend ourselves. At this time, we have not determined the amount of any liability that may result from these matters or whether such liability, if any, would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">We are a defendant in various other lawsuits that arose in the normal course of business. We believe that the eventual resolution of these cases will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">As of December&#xA0;31, 2010, we had approximately 250,000 employees employed under a national master agreement and various supplemental agreements with local unions affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (&#x201C;Teamsters&#x201D;). These agreements run through July&#xA0;31, 2013. We have approximately 2,800 pilots who are employed under a collective bargaining agreement with the Independent Pilots Association (&#x201C;IPA&#x201D;), which becomes amendable at the end of 2011. Our airline mechanics are covered by a collective bargaining agreement with Teamsters Local 2727, which became amendable in November 2006. We began formal negotiations with Teamsters Local 2727 in October 2006, and have been under the guidance of the National Mediation Board since January 2008. In January 2011, we reached a tentative agreement with Teamsters Local 2727 which will run through November&#xA0;1, 2013 when ratified. In addition, the majority (approximately 3,300) of our ground mechanics who are not employed under agreements with the Teamsters are employed under collective bargaining agreements with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (&#x201C;IAM&#x201D;). Our agreement with the IAM runs through July&#xA0;31, 2014.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px; FONT-SIZE: 1px"> &#xA0;</p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 0px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">We participate in a number of trustee-managed multi-employer pension and health and welfare plans for employees covered under collective bargaining agreements. Several factors could cause us to make significantly higher future contributions to these plans, including unfavorable investment performance, changes in demographics, and increased benefits to participants. At this time, we are unable to determine the amount of additional future contributions, if any, or whether any material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or liquidity would result from our participation in these plans.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">In January 2008, a class action complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleging price-fixing activities relating to the provision of freight forwarding services. UPS was not named in this case. On July&#xA0;21, 2009, the plaintiffs filed a first amended complaint naming numerous global freight forwarders as defendants. UPS and UPS Supply Chain Solutions are among the 60 defendants named in the amended complaint. We intend to vigorously defend ourselves in this case. At this time, we have not determined the amount of any liability that may result from these matters or whether such liability, if any, would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 18px; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"><font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2"><i>Other Matters</i></font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">We received a grand jury subpoena from the Antitrust Division of the DOJ regarding the DOJ&#x2019;s investigation into certain pricing practices in the freight forwarding industry in December 2007.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">In October 2007,&#xA0;June 2008, and February 2009, we received information requests from the European Commission (&#x201C;Commission&#x201D;) relating to its investigation of certain pricing practices in the freight forwarding industry, and subsequently responded to each request. On February&#xA0;9, 2010, UPS received a Statement of Objections by the Commission. This document contains the Commission&#x2019;s preliminary view with respect to alleged anticompetitive behavior in the freight forwarding industry by 18 freight forwarders, including UPS. Although it alleges anticompetitive behavior, it does not prejudge the Commission&#x2019;s final decision, as to facts or law (which is subject to appeal to the European courts). The options available to the Commission include taking no action or imposing a monetary fine; the range of any potential action by the Commission is not reasonably estimable. Any decision imposing a fine would be subject to appeal. UPS has responded to the Statement of Objections, including at a July 2010 Commission hearing, and we intend to continue to vigorously defend ourselves in this proceeding. We received an additional information request from the Commission in January 2011, and will respond in due course.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">In August 2010, competition authorities in Brazil opened an administrative proceeding to investigate alleged anticompetitive behavior in the freight forwarding industry. Approximately 45 freight forwarding companies and individuals are named in the proceeding, including UPS, UPS SCS Transportes (Brasil) S.A., and a former employee in Brazil. UPS will have an opportunity to respond to these allegations.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">We also received and responded to related information requests from competition authorities in other jurisdictions.</font></p> <p style="MARGIN-TOP: 12px; TEXT-INDENT: 4%; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0px"> <font style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" size="2">We are cooperating with each of these investigations, and intend to continue to vigorously defend ourselves. At this time, we are unable to determine the amount of any liability that may result from these matters or whether any such liability would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.</font></p> </div>NOTE 8. 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