Teamsters to force vote on replacing UAL mechanics union
(Crain’s) — The International Brotherhood of Teamsters says it will force an election to replace the current union representing United Airlines mechanics, including more than 1,000 in Chicago.
The vote could come within six weeks, Teamsters officials said today.
That’s about the same time United expects to decide whether to spin off the company’s maintenance business. Potential suitors are reviewing the books on the operation, and United said it’s expected to begin weighing any offers after the first of the year.
The Teamsters says it is ready to file a petition with the National Mediation Board to call a vote among United’s mechanics. During a conference call with reporters Monday, the Teamsters vowed to “do everything in our power to prevent the sale of the maintenance operations.”
The company took no position on the possible union vote. “The choice of representation is up to employees,” a spokeswoman said.
The Teamsters have gathered enough signatures among United mechanics over the past two years to force a vote.
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, which now represents the mechanics, said it is keeping options open on the possible sale until it sees a proposal. “As we have seen with other union struggles, burying our heads in the sand is not a viable option,” said Joe Priso, president of AMFA Local 9 in San Francisco.
If the Teamsters win, it would be the second change in unions for the mechanics in just a few years. AMFA unseated the International Association of Machinists as the union representing mechanics in 2003.
A union vote could potentially backfire.
If a majority of workers and those on furlough do not select any union, mechanics would become non-union. That could help United, which analysts say is likely to need agreement from the mechanics to do a deal.
About 6,400 active workers, and 4,000 furloughed workers, are eligible to vote, the Teamsters estimate. The largest concentration, about 4,500, are in San Francisco. Chicago is second-largest at about 1,300.
“In a four-year reign, they’ve done nothing to secure better wages and benefits,” Kevin Giegoldt, 21-year mechanic at O’Hare, said during the Teamsters conference call with reporters.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=27313&seenIt=1
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Teamsters File for Petition to Represent United Airlines
Mechanics
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CHICAGO, Dec 03, 2007 /PRNewswire-USNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Confident of Victory, Teamsters Pledge To Protect Workers,
Aviation Safety and Security |
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The Teamsters on Monday filed for a petition with the
National Mediation Board seeking a vote to represent United
Airline mechanics. |
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The filing culminates a 2-year campaign by hundreds of
rank-and-file mechanics to gain strong union representation
by United (UAUA)
airline mechanics. |
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The Teamsters expect a vote in the next 6 weeks. |
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"This campaign is part of a larger struggle to ensure the
safety and security of the flying public and to keep airline
workers in the middle class," Clacy Griswold, Teamsters
Airline Division international representative said at a news
conference in Chicago. |
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"Aviation mechanics throughout the industry are highly
concerned about the safety and security of our aviation
system as more maintenance work is outsourced overseas,"
Griswold said. "At the Beijing contractor that United uses
for some of its jet maintenance there are only five Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) certified mechanics overseeing
2,179 noncertified mechanics. In contrast, at the United San
Francisco maintenance base there are 4,248 FAA-certified
mechanics out of a total of 4,542." |
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"The airline's management now says it wants to sell its
heavy maintenance facility in San Francisco," Griswold said. |
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"United management is betraying both its workers and its
passengers who trust that the airline is using the most
skilled ground and flight crew employees and the safest
equipment," Griswold said. "It is also betraying its workers
and customers by trying to sell off its Mileage Plus
program. |
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"Airline mechanics throughout the aviation industry want
good skilled jobs to stay in the United States. So do the
Teamsters." |
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"The Teamsters also believe that any revenues gained from
the sale of assets should be used to restore workers' wages
and benefits, not to enrich United's management." |
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Rich Petrovsky, a mechanic at United's San Francisco
maintenance facility for 38 years, led the campaign from the
beginning. Teamster airline mechanics at Continental
Airlines have worked side by side with United airline
mechanics. Together they have staffed information booths,
knocked on doors, made telephone calls and handed out
leaflets throughout the country. |
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The campaign has also been helped by Teamster airline
mechanics at UPS, US Airways (Allegheny), Aloha Island Air,
AirTran, Frontier, NetJets, ExpressJet, Executive Jet,
Piedmont, Champion Air, Ross Aviation and GE Engine
Services. |
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"Airline workers have made huge sacrifices since the Sept.
11 attacks," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "At
the same time, outsourcing of maintenance work has
undermined airline safety and security. |
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"United's airline mechanics deserve a strong voice that will
stand up to management's attack on their economic security
and on the flying public's safety," Hoffa said. "The
Teamsters are ready to be that voice." |
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Today's announcement was made at a news conference at the
Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport. Also speaking were airline
mechanics Kevin Giegoldt from Chicago O'Hare International
Airport, Tom Reid from Dulles International Airport and
Kevin Zunker from Denver International Airport. |
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The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 40,000
airline employees, including more than 9,000 mechanics and
related at 11 airlines. |
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