Teamsters Announce They Have Met Card Signature Threshold Needed to Schedule Union Representation Vote
February 13, 2006
Contact: Galen Munroe
(202) 439-7427
(Washington, DC) – US Airways mechanics from the airline’s Phoenix, Las Vegas and Charlotte sites rallied at the company’s headquarters in Tempe and in front of the US Airways terminal at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport to kick off a union election campaign to make the Teamsters their bargaining representative for the approximately 6,300 mechanics and related employees at the newly merged airline. Pro-Teamster workers have gathered enough employee signatures to easily meet the threshold required by law to file for an election.
“Cards have poured in,†said Don Treichler, Director of the Teamsters Airline Division. “US Airways mechanics know that the Teamsters bring great contracts and strong representation for airline mechanics. Teamster contracts at Continental, UPS, AirTran and Frontier have set an industry standard for airline mechanics. These mechanics deserve the same strong representation, especially in this case where crucial workplace rights are at stake. In particular, under a Teamster contract they will retain 100 percent of their seniority.â€
America West Airlines and US Airways merged to form the fifth-largest air carrier in the country in late September. The Teamsters represent about 900 mechanics at former America West sites, while the International Association of Machinists (IAM) represents about 5,400 at the original US Airways sites, according to company records.
The mechanics’ key issues are outsourcing of heavy maintenance work, job security, seniority, and their right to a voice in their union and workplace – as well as major giveaways in the IAM contract, bargained with US Airways under bankruptcy conditions.
“This election is about two major goals,†said Andy Marshall, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 104 in Phoenix, Arizona. “First, the Teamsters have a deep commitment to protecting the former America West mechanics we already represent. Second, we believe we can do a lot better for those mechanics currently under the IAM contract. Under the IAM contract, their pensions have been wiped out, their sick leave has been cut, and now they can’t take vacation. My heart really goes out to them. What we can win for them will be a night-and-day contrast. The choice for mechanics is clear, and we believe that in a free election they will vote for the Teamsters.â€
Today’s deadline for card filing was set following a National Mediation Board decision on January 30, 2006, that declared that America West and US Airways were now operating as a single airline and a union election could proceed.
Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States and Canada