National Mediation Board Notifies Teamsters

January 31, 2008

(Washington, D.C.) – The National Mediation Board notified the Teamsters Union and 9300 active and furloughed United Airlines mechanics that a representation vote will take place between February 26 and March 31.  

The Teamsters filed for a petition with the NMB on December 3, culminating a two-year campaign by hundreds of rank-and-file mechanics to gain strong representation by United (Nasdaq: UAUA) airline mechanics.

Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa welcomed the news.

“It’s a disgrace that United mechanics are losing their jobs to repair stations in China and South Korea, which have lower safety and security standards than U.S. repair stations,” Hoffa said. “United mechanics can count on the Teamsters to fight for them and for airline passengers against dangerous outsourcing. We will also stand with the mechanics in the fight for their rights when their retirement security is threatened.

“We expect to win this election,” Hoffa said. “Teamster organizers left no stone unturned in contacting employed and furloughed mechanics throughout the country.”

The NMB authorized voting by Internet and telephone. It has directed the company to send the list of eligible voter names to the NMB in the form of labels.

“The question everyone has been asking is, ‘When are we going to have an election date’?” said Rich Rich Petrovsky, a 38-year UAL mechanic and chair of the Committee for Change. “We are so gratified to see this finally happening. We’re finally going to have our Teamsters election,” Petrovsky said.

“The Teamsters have been a union of actions, and not just empty promises,” said Kevin Zunker, a United mechanic based in Denver. “The Teamsters stand up and fight for the rights of their members with all their knowledge and resources. The Teamsters also bring the best contract language to protect jobs.”  

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 40,000 airline employees, including more than 9,000 mechanics and related at 11 airlines such as Continental and UPS.

The organizing campaign has 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.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.