Another article that I don't remember seeing posted.
http://www.teamsterairmechanics.org/news/hn_060214_2.htm
Beaver County Times: Teamsters Want Vote for US Airways Representation
February 14, 2006
The Teamsters, vying with the International Association of Machinists to represent US Airways mechanics, are asking for a vote of members to decide between them.
On Monday, the filing deadline, the Teamsters asked the National Mediation Board to stage an election. More than 35 percent of the new US Airways' workers have shown interest in having the Teamsters as their union, said Andy Marshall, principal agent for Teamsters Local 104, which represents 833 mechanics at America West Airlines operations. The IAM represents 5,400 mechanics at the old US Airways.
The unions jabbed at each other's ability to provide the best to more than 6,200 workers.
The Teamsters questioned whether airplane cleaners are correctly included in the total number of workers, Marshall said. Only 50 of these 2,000 utility workers remain employed, he said; US Airways has outsourced most of the work.
Frank Schifano, president of the mechanics' local in Pittsburgh, contended the utility workers, as well as hundreds of mechanics, have "a good possibility of recall" with US Airways' orders for mainline jets.
Even including utility workers, the Teamsters have raised enough interest to call for an election, Marshall said.
Schifano said he hadn't seen the Teamsters' filing, but questioned why the Teamsters were "out raiding other unions" instead of organizing nonunion workers.
"I think people want a change," said Bernadette McCulloch, a Teamsters spokeswoman.
The IAM, which has said its contract would provide more jobs, said it would have been the prevailing mechanics' union if the Teamsters didn't call for an election.
Regardless of which union wins, seniority would hold, Marshall said. "It will be extremely weighted toward US Airways, obviously. Our No. 1 person at America West is slotting in (at) 400 something; the first 490 people will be US Airways. Our number 100, out of 833, is going to slot in at about 2,000," when the seniority lists are merged.
Within 14 days, US Airways must file a list of eligible workers with the National Mediation Board. The board will verify the names submitted by the Teamsters, and then both unions can review the accuracy. A telephone vote would be conducted over a period of days.
Fifty percent plus one of the entire group of workers must vote for a union to earn the right of representation; otherwise, the workers are in danger of losing union representation for at least two years.
The article originally appeared in the Beaver County Times (Pennsylvania) on February 14, 2006, and was written by Karen Ferrick-Roman.