UAL Mechanics Spread the Word  

 House Visits Successful, Mechanics Onboard to Become Teamsters

 By: The Committee for Change

 At the Committee for Change Headquarters the phones are still ringing off the hook.

Recently, United Airlines aviation mechanics, Teamster aviation mechanics and volunteer organizers from Teamster locals across the country came to California in support of the drive to organize UAL mechanics with the Teamsters.

Over the course of a three-day weekend, more than 1,100 homes were visited by nearly 100 mechanics and volunteers. The visits were to the homes of active and furloughed mechanics in the Western peninsula, the Oakland area, as well as the Vacaville/Sacramento areas. More than 300 mechanics were reached, and those who were not at home were left with contact information for the Committee for Change. The mechanics took the time in the following days to call in and express their interest in the Teamsters. By Monday, hundreds of mechanics had already called the Committee for Change headquarters to find out more about the organizing campaign.

 Nationwide Reach

The purpose of the weekend activities was to reach as many active and furloughed mechanics as possible to build support for the already strong national campaign to gain Teamster representation for United mechanics.

The fight to keep jobs and maintain pay and benefit standards is so critical that it was worth giving up a weekend in order to contact as many mechanics as possible—especially furloughed mechanics and mechanics who haven’t been reachable at work.

Dan Johnston, a 19-year UAL mechanic in San Francisco, participated in the house calls.

“I fully support the action of the door knocking because it’s showing the resolve of the Teamsters, and of us as fellow mechanics, to come out and engage with people about our issues,” Johnston said. “People were happy we took the time to find them, and the furloughed mechanics realized that they’re not forgotten. They’re still a part of us and important to this cause.”

“I had a very positive experience,” said Ruben Gonzalez, a 12-year UAL mechanic from Chicago who had been a Teamster in the 1960s. “I met with several current and furloughed UAL mechanics who expressed the same concerns of outsourcing and job security as we have in Chicago.”

Ray Wehrenberg, who also has 19 years under his belt as a UAL mechanic at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, came to California to help educate his fellow mechanics on how they can gain strong union representation.

“I know that all UAL mechanics will be better off with the power of the Teamsters, especially going into the 2009 contract negotiations,” Wehrenberg said. “I think a lot of people were impressed we took the time to come from Chicago to do this. And we were glad to help.”

Laverne Payton is an aviation mechanic at the San Francisco base, where she has worked for the past 17 years. Payton was at home when the mechanic and volunteer organizers knocked on her door.

“I was surprised—pleasantly surprised. I was really impressed they came out to see me,” Payton said. “We talked for about 30 minutes about a lot of different issues. We talked about health care, which is my concern in my decision on when to retire. I’m also worried about wage and job security for the people younger than me. I was glad to see the Teamsters at my door.”

  Coming Together

Mechanics from across the country came to California to help spread the word on this important, nationwide effort to join the Teamsters. They did, however, have some help in this huge undertaking. California Teamsters from Local 70 in Oakland, Local 665 in Daly City, Local 683 in San Diego, Local 848 in Covina, Local 853 in San Leandro, Local 856 in San Bruno and Local 986 in Los Angeles all provided manpower for the organizing activities.

“I think it gave them hope to see that mechanics from Texas and Tennessee, who don’t even work for United, had come all the way out to their house to talk to them. It gave them hope and motivation that they can make improvements,” said Robert, a FedEx mechanic in Memphis who came to California to help organize his fellow mechanics. Aviation mechanics at FedEx are also currently working to gain Teamster representation.

Working alongside him was Audrey Scates, a Teamster mechanic with Continental Airlines. Scates is the chief union steward at Los Angeles International Airport.

“I got a lot of positive feedback from the active and furloughed employees because they know what the industry needs—stronger representation for mechanics and related,” Scates said. “I am involved because our Teamster contract gives us excellent representation and I feel everyone in this industry deserves that.”

The house calls resulted in the signing of many election request cards, as well as affidavits, but on a larger scale, it impressed upon the mechanics the enormity of the organizing drive. The combination of house calls with the company’s reiteration of its resolve to sell the maintenance base has brought the organizing drive to the forefront of everyone’s mind. The drive is undoubtedly in high gear.

“What we did was get cards and affidavits from people, but what it ultimately showed everyone is how big this is,” Johnston said. “The Teamsters, United mechanics—they’re coming together all over the country. The strength of us all being together is exciting to see.”