Q&A From the Teamsters Airline Division
Last Updated Saturday, October 13, 2007
The Q&A Below are about the Card Drive at UAL
Q: What is the Committee for Change?
A:
The Committee for Change is a group of United Airlines mechanics who
have become disgusted with the direction in which AMFA has taken our
class and craft. With the AMFA, it has been a tailspin race to the
bottom in terms of job security and respect for the mechanics in our
industry.
In October of 2005, twelve
mechanics formed this committee to begin a grassroots effort to bring
the International Brotherhood of Teamsters into United Airlines as our
representative. Less than two years later, we have the support of the
overwhelming majority of UAL
mechanics.
It is the intention of this
committee to bring back strong
contract language and the
power to uphold that language
to our class and craft through a no nonsense labor institution, the
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Airline Division!
Our mission has taken on
increased urgency with UAL’s announcement of its intention to sell off
the maintenance division and AMFA’s willingness to go along.
Q: Why do we need to change to a different bargaining representative?
A:
AMFA has a proven track record of
failure on the fundamental level at every airline where it represents
technicians. These failures have resulted in massive layoffs, loss of
job security, and an erosion of pay and benefits. This negatively
impacts the craft and class—not just at United—but throughout the entire
industry.
Q: Do the Teamsters operate in the airline industry?
A:
Yes. Of the 1.4 million workers represented by the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters, more than 40,000 are in the airline industry.
This includes aircraft mechanics, pilots, flight attendants and other
air carrier employees. The
Teamsters represent 9,000 mechanics at 11 carriers including: Continental, United Parcel
Service (UPS--with the best aviation mechanics contract in the
industry), AirTran, Champion Air, Continental Air
Q: What role does the Teamster Airline Division have?
A:
The Teamster Airline Division exists
in recognition of significant differences between the airline industry
and other industries. Airline employees are subject to a completely
different set of labor laws than the average worker under the Railway
Labor Act. In addition, many airline employees, specifically aircraft
maintenance technicians and pilots, are subject to strict regulation and
licensing requirements, and even possible criminal prosecution if proper
procedures are not followed. These are only a few of the differences.
The Airline Division’s role is to focus on the specific needs of the
airline industry employee, and ensure that the contracts for these
employees address these needs.
The Airline Division employs staff who are expert at negotiating
and servicing airline employees and in dealing with airline employers.
Q: What can the Teamsters add to our ability to bargain a strong
contract?
Resources, experience and respect. With over 1.4 million members, the
Teamsters have the financial resources to deal with large and small
companies from a position of strength. Additionally, the Teamsters have
experience, brought about by representing workers and negotiating
contracts in the transportation industry for over 100 years. As a result
of the resources and experience that the Teamsters Union brings with it,
employers respect the Teamsters Union, both at the bargaining table, and
on the floor. They know that their contracts will be enforced. No union bargains and than
enforces the contract harder than the Teamsters. It is also important to add that
employees respect the Teamsters at the bargaining table because the
Q: What successes have the Teamsters had in representing airline
mechanics?
A:
In 1995, prior to representation by
the Teamsters, Continental Airlines aircraft maintenance technicians and
related employees’ compensation, job security, and benefits package was
the laughing-stock of the entire airline industry. Today, after 10 years
of Teamster representation, the Continental Airlines aircraft
maintenance technicians have the best pay and benefits package of any
legacy carrier. They also have the best scope language in the industry. The UPS Teamster aviation
mechanics contract is the strongest mechanics collective bargaining
agreement in the industry.
Q: What is the Teamster track record with regards to influencing
regulation and legislation that is important to airline mechanics?
A:
The Teamsters Airline Division is
continually on the look-out for regulatory issues that affect airline
mechanics. One recent example is the Airline Division’s efforts
regarding TSA docket number TSA-2004-17131, and FAA docket number
FAA-2006-2648. Both of these dockets specifically deal with airline
outside vendors, both inside and outside the
are
continuously working at the national and local levels, to work within
the legislative process to protect workers—not just in the airline
industry, but in all industries.
For example the Teamsters recently fought back and won
Administration approval that would have permitted thousands of Mexican
trucks to come across our borders—a move that would have downgraded
highway safety and driven American truck drivers from the middle class.
Check out the Teamsters website (Teamster.org) for more information on
Teamster political and legislative programs and priorities.
Q: What is the process for getting Teamster representation?
The National Mediation Board
(NMB) requires “representational election request cards” be submitted by
50% plus 1 of those eligible to vote. This includes all of those
individuals on furlough who have not refused their recall rights, or
have been eliminated due to other circumstances as ruled on by the NMB.
A cushion of an additional 15%
is usually achieved prior to petitioning the NMB for an election. This
is done in the event that some cards are disqualified for any number of
reasons as determined by the election
process through the National Mediation Board. Once
65% of the membership has
submitted
cards, the Teamsters will apply for an election on the carrier. Then
it is up to all of us to vote. Once again, it will be a majority
vote of 50% plus 1 to determine who our union representative will be.
Q: What is AMFA’s track record at UAL and at other airlines?
A:
AMFA's track record is nothing short of a catastrophic failure of such
proportions that it degrades not only the job security and standard of
living of the members it represents, but that of the mechanics in the
industry as a whole. The debacle at Northwest Airlines clearly
demonstrates that even though they claim to be a union for aircraft
mechanics, they have absolutely no idea how mechanics differ from
everyone in the airline industry when it comes to job actions. As a
result, they called an ill- timed strike while hundreds of mechanics
were waiting in hotels to replace them. Additionally, they have shown a
willingness to negotiate away scope language for short term monetary
gains, and fail to enforce the scope language they have. Even at
Southwest Airlines, where there was language in place to bring a heavy
check in-house, thereby assuring more jobs into the distant future, they
chose to allow SWA to disregard this language in exchange for 6 months
of overtime. At every single carrier AMFA represents, the number of
mechanics on the payroll has plummeted. This is due to the combination
of two factors. One: AMFA does not understand the nature of the airline
industry and the importance of scope language. Two: AMFA does not have
the resources or competence to arbitrate contract violations with any
consistency, allowing companies to walk over its members at will.
Q: What is the Teamster track record in protecting our work from
outsourcing?
A:
Teamster contracts have the best scope
language in the industry. At Continental Airlines, every single contract
negotiation has resulted in more work being brought in-house, including
heavy check lines on the 757 fleet, which were previously 100%
outsourced. Similar results
have occurred at other Teamster carriers.
Q: Can the Teamster Western States Pension Fund cover us at United?
How would it work?
The
Western States Pension Fund is one of the top-performing multi-employer
pension plans in the world. Nearly 1,000 members with Frontier and
Continental (
To get more information about the Western States Pension Fund you can go
to the link on this website.
5/01/07
Q. What are the plans for getting Teamster representation BEFORE our
2009 contract negations begin?
With amfa giving away our retirement who know
what they will give away in the next contract.
3/17/07
Read More
6/16/06
Read More