This “trinity of austerity“ is very well described in Clara Mattei’s The Capital Order.

Finally another The Capital Order enjoyer! I haven't finished it yet (it's been an embarassingly long time tbh) but it's dramatically reshaped my thinking on economic matters already

I'm not sure I share your pessimism entirely but yeah, that is a great summary of the environment this strike would likely be happening in. I would just say, it isn't deterministic. Just because rates are going up doesn't mean the strike can't succeed. They will need some luck to succeed, but I think it is possible, and seizing the moment now could be the last chance for some time to win some gains. Better now than in 6 months after the rate hikes, or just accepting an incredibly raw deal from UPS for the next however many years just because the outlook doesn't look amazing. The question is can UPS really ride out a strike long enough for recession to bring people crawling back? My feeling is not really, but the stakes are pretty high if the teamsters lose. I'd love to see them fight and win, but a last minute concession package from UPS would also suffice assuming favorable terms.