Some United Air mechanics agitating for different union
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
A group of airline mechanics at United Airlines,
displeased with the union that represents them, is asking members to
switch to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
The disgruntled union workers are part of the 3,000 United Airlines
mechanics at the carrier's maintenance shop at San Francisco
International Airport, where unrest stirred not long after the Aircraft
Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) was elected in mid-2003 to
represent them.
The airline industry was in deep economic decline, and the mechanics
walked away from the International Association of Machinists and
Aerospace Workers, their union home for 58 years.
About 12 United Airlines mechanics were disgruntled early on with
their new union, complaining, among other things, about the handling of
grievances and saying that the union did not gain the support of other
key unions representing United Airlines workers, including the flight
attendants and pilots.
In December 2005, the disgruntled United mechanics began collecting
authorization cards from fellow workers, as well as contacting
furloughed workers asking them for their support and promise to vote in
favor of changing union representation when an election takes place,
perhaps by year's end.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association "showed they do not have
the political clout, they do not have the support of the other unions,"
said Richard Petrovsky, a United Airlines mechanic for nearly 38 years -
that includes two periods when he was furloughed - who was an organizer.
"It's really a very inexperienced group and with the lack of support
from the other unions and their go-it-alone attitude, that gets them
into trouble," he said of AMFA.
Petrovsky said he believes a majority of the 3,000 active mechanics
at the maintenance shop are willing to vote to switch union
representation. There are about 5,800 mechanics working for the airline
in the United States. They would be included in a union representation
transfer.
The critics also complain that the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal
Association erred in taking 4,400 members out on strike at Northwest
Airlines, from August 2005 to November 2006. By late 2005 replacement
workers had their jobs.
"All of a sudden they are born-again Teamsters," Joseph Prisco, the
president of AMFA Local 9, which represents the workers, said of the
critics. "They think United is going to be scared when someone wearing a
Teamsters logo comes to bargain. That's not how it works. We give our
members what they need when they need it," said Prisco, based in San
Bruno.
The Railway Labor Act, which governs labor relations in the railway
and airline industries, requires the union to get authorization cards
from mechanics to file for an election. In the vote, there must be a
majority of more than 50 percent in favor of a change of representation
- of both active and furloughed workers.
The result could be the loss of union representation entirely if less
than a majority of members, active and furloughed, vote.
The goal of the proponents for change is authorization cards for 65
percent of eligible voters.
The Teamsters union is supporting the proposed switch.
"AMFA is more of a service organization than a union, and it failed
miserably in taking care of the workforce," said Chuck Mack, Western
regional vice president of the Teamsters.
"Our focus is on aircraft mechanics, not on butchers and bakers and
candlestick makers," said Prisco. "If size matters, the workers would
still be with the IAM. We're focused on what members say is most
important in their working lives."
Among its 1.4 million members, the Teamsters union represents two
large groups of airline mechanics, at Continental Airlines and United
Parcel Service. Its membership includes some pilots and flight
attendants and cargo handlers.
AMFA also represents mechanics at Alaska Airlines, ATA, Horizon Air,
Mesaba Airlines and Southwest Airlines.