UPS Plans to Cut Up to 30,000 Operational Jobs in 2026

United Parcel Service will eliminate up to 30,000 operational positions this year as part of a broad cost‑cutting drive, Chief Financial Officer Brian Dykes told investors on the company’s earnings call Tuesday. Dykes said the reductions, focused on 'semi‑variable' operational roles, will be achieved primarily through attrition and a second voluntary separation program for full‑time drivers, rather than immediate mass layoffs. He also disclosed that UPS plans to close roughly two dozen buildings in the first half of 2026 and step up deployment of automation across its network to reduce expenses. The announcement comes as parcel volumes and margins are under pressure industry‑wide and as unions and labor advocates are watching closely for how automation and consolidation will reshape frontline delivery work. While UPS did not immediately comment beyond the call, the scale of the planned cuts underscores how even entrenched logistics giants are restructuring to protect profits in a slower‑growth, high‑cost environment.