Airline mechanics union switches to Teamsters

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Apr 2, 2008 | by Tim Simmers

SFO -- Fearing the sale of their maintenance division and possible layoffs, United Airlines mechanics have voted to change unions and bring in the Teamsters.

More than 3,000 mechanics at United's biggest maintenance base at San Francisco International Airport joined the airline's mechanics across the country and voted overwhelmingly Monday to leave the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.

The mechanics believe the move to the Teamsters gives them a better chance of fighting for their jobs on the Peninsula.

UAL Corp.'s United, one of San Mateo County's largest employers, announced last summer that it may sell all or a stake of its maintenance operations in San Bruno to outside investors.

The mechanics, having watched United outsource aircraft maintenance jobs for years, hope the Teamsters can help stop the flow.

"We're fighting the battle to keep jobs in the Bay Area and prevent United from selling off our jobs to the lowest bidder," said Rich Petrovsky, an SFO mechanic and the man who led the effort to change unions. "The Teamsters are a no-nonsense organization that will hold United Airlines' feet to the fire."

Petrovsky stressed that more outsourcing of local mechanics jobs "would be devastating to workers and have a ripple effect throughout counties in the Bay Area."

The mechanics said the Teamsters have more resources -- political and financial -- than the mechanics association to fight for their jobs.

Many of the mechanics believe the association did not "police the union contract enough," allowing United to exceed its outsourcing limits in maintenance work. "United has cut more maintenance positions than any other U.S. airline," said Jim Hoffa, the Teamsters general president, in a statement. Hoffa said United outsourced

45 percent of its aircraft maintenance expenses in 2006, three times the amount it outsourced in 1998.

United said in a statement that "we look forward to working with the Teamsters to ensure United's position as a strong, profitable and competitive airline."

There were about 9,300 United Airlines mechanics eligible to vote. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which also represents mechanics with Continental Airlines, said workers at United voted 4,113 to 2,631 to authorize the switch. The National Mediation Board certified the vote Tuesday. The final vote came in Monday.

The mechanics also wanted a stronger union because their contract expires in December 2009, Petrovsky said.

Teamsters officials said they are surveying the new members on what they want. The mechanics' major concern is job security because of the threat of outsourcing, but they are also worried about retirement security and their pensions.

Business writer Tim Simmers can be reached at 650-348-4361 or tsimmers@bayareanewsgroup.com.