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http://www.teamsterairmechanics.org/news/hn_060224_1.htm
US Airways AMTs: Letter from Treichler on How Voting Will Work
February 24, 2006
To All US Airways Mechanics and Related Employees:
On behalf of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Airline Division, let me congratulate you all on your efforts over the last several months that have allowed the IBT to provide a showing of interest to the National Mediation Board (NMB) and force an election that will allow you to select the Teamsters as your representative.
For those of you who are not already aware, on February 13, the IBT submitted an application for an investigation of representation dispute to the NMB seeking to become the representative of the post-merger, consolidated craft or class of Mechanics and Related Employees at US Airways.
This application was filed following the NMB’s determination that US Airways and America West Airlines have merged to form a single carrier. Because the mechanic groups at the two airlines are represented by different unions, an election is necessary to determine who is the representative of the post-merger, consolidated craft or class.
Now, because hundreds of you stood up to demand the chance to choose your bargaining agent, an election should be under way in the near future. At this point, the NMB has demanded that US Airways provide it with a list of potential eligible voters by 10:00 a.m., ET, on February 28.
Once the NMB receives the list from the carrier, it will be checked against the showing of interest (authorization cards and certification for the America West mechanics) that the IBT provided.
The IBT is fully confident that the NMB will then authorize an election and set dates for the voting period, as well as dates to submit challenges or objections to the list of voters supplied by the carrier.
As with all elections conducted by the NMB, the US Airways mechanic election will be conducted using the NMB’s telephone electronic voting (TEV) system. The voting period generally lasts 21 days, although longer periods have been used for larger groups. The voting process is simple. It begins with the NMB mailing a set of TEV instructions to each eligible employee.
These TEV instructions are very important because they contain a secret voter identification number (VIN) and personal identification number (PIN) that must be used to vote in the election. Once you receive your TEV instructions we urge you NOT to wait. Vote immediately. Voting over the telephone can be done 24 hours per day and should only take a few minutes.
At the end of the voting period, the NMB tallies all the votes and certifies the union receiving the majority of votes cast.
Over the last several months, the IAM has engaged in a scare tactic campaign by telling you that if less than majority of eligible employees cast votes in the election, then the entire mechanic group will become unrepresented. While it is true that a majority (50% plus 1) of eligible employees must vote in the election to keep the group from losing all representation, there has never been a contested election among a mechanic group of this size that did not easily exceed the majority-voting requirement.
Thank you for supporting a fair election, and for your belief that U.S. Airways mechanics deserve a union that can do more. I am looking forward to welcoming all of you to the IBT very soon.
Fraternally,
Don Treichler
Director, Teamsters Airline Division
US Airways AMTs: Letter from Treichler on How Voting Will Work
February 24, 2006
To All US Airways Mechanics and Related Employees:
On behalf of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Airline Division, let me congratulate you all on your efforts over the last several months that have allowed the IBT to provide a showing of interest to the National Mediation Board (NMB) and force an election that will allow you to select the Teamsters as your representative.
For those of you who are not already aware, on February 13, the IBT submitted an application for an investigation of representation dispute to the NMB seeking to become the representative of the post-merger, consolidated craft or class of Mechanics and Related Employees at US Airways.
This application was filed following the NMB’s determination that US Airways and America West Airlines have merged to form a single carrier. Because the mechanic groups at the two airlines are represented by different unions, an election is necessary to determine who is the representative of the post-merger, consolidated craft or class.
Now, because hundreds of you stood up to demand the chance to choose your bargaining agent, an election should be under way in the near future. At this point, the NMB has demanded that US Airways provide it with a list of potential eligible voters by 10:00 a.m., ET, on February 28.
Once the NMB receives the list from the carrier, it will be checked against the showing of interest (authorization cards and certification for the America West mechanics) that the IBT provided.
The IBT is fully confident that the NMB will then authorize an election and set dates for the voting period, as well as dates to submit challenges or objections to the list of voters supplied by the carrier.
As with all elections conducted by the NMB, the US Airways mechanic election will be conducted using the NMB’s telephone electronic voting (TEV) system. The voting period generally lasts 21 days, although longer periods have been used for larger groups. The voting process is simple. It begins with the NMB mailing a set of TEV instructions to each eligible employee.
These TEV instructions are very important because they contain a secret voter identification number (VIN) and personal identification number (PIN) that must be used to vote in the election. Once you receive your TEV instructions we urge you NOT to wait. Vote immediately. Voting over the telephone can be done 24 hours per day and should only take a few minutes.
At the end of the voting period, the NMB tallies all the votes and certifies the union receiving the majority of votes cast.
Over the last several months, the IAM has engaged in a scare tactic campaign by telling you that if less than majority of eligible employees cast votes in the election, then the entire mechanic group will become unrepresented. While it is true that a majority (50% plus 1) of eligible employees must vote in the election to keep the group from losing all representation, there has never been a contested election among a mechanic group of this size that did not easily exceed the majority-voting requirement.
Thank you for supporting a fair election, and for your belief that U.S. Airways mechanics deserve a union that can do more. I am looking forward to welcoming all of you to the IBT very soon.
Fraternally,
Don Treichler
Director, Teamsters Airline Division
