Fleet service is the name of the craft and class that the NMB has determined our work group is part of. Because the NMB has made this determination, a precedent has been set and it is unlikely that our craft or class will change. The job classifications that make up our craft and class for our union election include:

• Aircraft Appearance Coordinator
• Cargo Agent
• Cargo Agent—IAH (Mail Room)
• Cargo Agent Doc Runner
• Cargo Sales Agent
• Cargo Sales Agent—GF
• Customer Service Agent
• Hub CSA Team Leader
• Hub Operations Coordinator
• Hub Team Leader
• Interpreter
• Lead Cargo Agent
• Lead Cargo Sales Agent
• Lead Customer Service Agent
• Ops Coordinator
• Support Desk Agent
• System Baggage Agent
• Trainee—Customer Service Agent

The NMB considers several factors in determining a proper craft or class including the composition and relative permanency of the employee grouping along craft or class lines; the functions, duties and responsibilities of the employees; the general nature of the work performed and the community of interest between job classifications. Essentially, the NMB looks at how jobs within in an industry relate to each other, then makes a determination about craft or class.

Under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), the craft or class to which an employee belongs for purposes of selecting a union is determined by the NMB. In other words, it is the NMB that has the final word on which jobs are included within a craft or class and which are not.

Craft or class is a term used for the group of employees that seek to be represented by a union under the NMB.

Dues provide the resources to stand up for good jobs and benefits, decent working conditions and a better future for our families. That’s why union members earn 28 percent more on average than nonunion workers. They also receive 54 percent more in benefits.

The Teamsters Union's constitution has set dues at 2.5 times our base rate of pay once a month, or 2 times our base rate if you make $11 an hour or less (there is no difference in union dues if you are part-time or full-time; the rate only changes from 2 times to 2.5 times if you make more than $11 an hour). If a member’s rate of pay is $17.03, his monthly dues rate will be $42.58 per month. However, members can vote on their local dues structure and dues may vary. Check with us to get the exact dues amount for the local you will be part of once we win. We do not pay any dues until we ratify and sign our first contract, and the dues will not be retroactive to the date of the union vote. Also, a lump sum will not be owed at the signing of the contract. We will not be charged any initiation fees. The Teamsters is 100-percent funded by members—the union accepts no money from outside sources in order to protect its integrity and independence. Union dues go directly to paying for the costs of running the union and representing members.

Most of our dues stay with the local. Dues fund activities that give workers more power at the bargaining table, in the statehouse and in the community.

The membership pays union dues to provide for organizing expenses, office equipment, telephones, training and regular administration expenses. Union dues help pay attorneys to assist in negotiations, grievances and arbitration.

Members receive information about the expenditure of dues money at regular monthly membership meetings. The International Union publishes its annual audited financial statement in the union magazine, which is sent to every member. Local unions file annual reports with the U.S. Department of Labor.
 

No! The Fly to Win Handbook is just that—a handbook of guidelines that can be changed by management at any time and for any reason. In fact, at the beginning of the first pages is a paragraph that states management can change these guidelines at anytime. This is NOTHING like a real Teamster contract that contains written guarantees and protections protected by law.

It is also notable that under the “policy amendments” section it states that “Changes to the procedures and guidelines contained in this handbook may occur. Continental will
consult with the Employee Involvement Team concerning the impending changes as soon as possible. The Senior Vice-President Field Services and the Senior Vice-President of Human Resources must approve these changes.” In other words, management can change the handbook at any time and if it doesn’t like the EIT input, it can change those too.

Don’t be fooled when you hear someone say that the Fly to Win Handbook is like a union contract. It is nothing of the sort.

After we win our election, we will elect a team of our co-workers to a negotiating team and with the expert help of the Teamsters will sit across the bargaining table as equals to management and will negotiate our fleet service contract. Before it takes effect, this contract must be voted on (ratified) by us.

Through our Teamster contract we will establish our wages, hours and working conditions. For the first time we will have a say in these critical items. The contract is the law of the workplace. The rights and benefits in the contract are guaranteed. Management cannot legally change them without negotiating with the union.

It is important to know that employers do not give workers the rights and benefits in the union contract. They are won over years of tough negotiations because of membership unity. An example of this is the CAL mechanics. Prior to winning a strong Teamster contract, the CAL mechanics’ situation was bleak. However, the mechanics have negotiated three strong Teamster contracts and have turned their situation around. For example, the mechanics now have strong scope language that gives them strong job security. We deserve that same security as well.

After we form our union, we will vote to accept or reject whatever has been negotiated. The proposed contract does not go into effect until a majority of the members vote to accept it.

Contracts can cover workers on a national, regional, or local union level.

Our Teamster contract will cover such rights and benefits as:

• Wages and Pay Increases
• Health coverage
• Job security
• Promotions
• Vacations
• Holidays
• Retirement benefits
• Work rules
• Seniority rights
• Leave
• Grievance procedures
• Hours of work
• Overtime pay
• Equipment, uniforms and allowances
• And whatever else CAL fleet service workers feel need to be addressed by a Teamster contract.

For more information and for campaign updates, visit www.calfleetserviceteamsters.com. If you want to speak to a Teamster representative you can call or email:

Houston: Pete Chrisos, petechrisos79@verizon.net, (202) 528-5796
Newark: James Curbeam, jcurbeam@teamster.org, (202) 359-4553
Cleveland: Richard Ford, rifo745@sbcglobal.net, (240) 398-0248
Southwest Region: John Palmer, jpalmer@teamster.org, (202) 439-7370
Southeast Region: Joel Wood, ibtwoodwood@aol.com, (240) 286-6185
Northeast Region: Anne Theurer, lady63@earthlink.net, (202) 439-7358
Northwest Region: Stephanie Patiga, mosaicart2@aol.com, (202) 528-3694
Midwest Region: Greg Chockley, gchockley@teamster.org, (202) 359-9634

The Teamsters are different from the other unions who we have tried to vote in. The Teamsters have the ability to win this election. The 1.4 million member Teamsters have the resources, clout and expertise to win. The Teamsters have already established an effective program to reach our co-workers at the smaller stations (something that was not done well in previous elections). An Organizing Committee has been started, made up of our peers, and is hard at work reaching out to every fleet service worker. The Teamsters have a well developed organizing program with a track record of success. Last year, the Teamsters successfully organized a group of workers as large and widespread as our own, the 8,000 United Airlines mechanics. If they can win there, they can win at CAL.

The Teamsters are a strong and growing power in the aviation industry. They represent more than 40,000 airline employees and have negotiated some of the best contracts in the industry.

The Teamsters represent the 3,600 mechanics at CAL. Through the Teamsters, the mechanics have negotiated a strong contract that protects jobs. The CAL mechanics have endorsed our campaign, and mechanics are helping us form our union. The mechanics have visited our co-workers’ homes during door-knocking blitzes, and more blitzes are planned.

Also, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) tried to represent us, but failed to win the last two campaigns. TWU President James C. Little has also endorsed the Teamsters’ campaign and says the Teamsters are in a strong position to provide the same strength that it provides to CAL mechanics.

Actually, the CAL fleet service has not been represented by a union. There have been organizing attempts each year for the past several years, but the campaigns have been unsuccessful. Many of us are very frustrated about losing these elections in the past. But we believe the Teamsters are different and that we can be successful.

• Respect on the job;
• Fair wages and better benefits;
• Job security;
• A strong voice on the job; and
• A method to challenge unfair management decisions, and
• Anything else that is important to us as CAL fleet service employees.
 

The Teamsters Are Different. We believe the Teamsters are the ONLY union with the ability to win a National Mediation Board election. The 1.4-million member Teamsters Union is different than other unions you may have had contact with in the past. The Teamsters are the most powerful and respected union in North America with the resources and capacity to win the campaign to organize us.

The Teamsters will reach fleet service workers at all the outstations and have committed to do so. The Teamsters have the most disciplined and successful organizing model of any union and have a proven track record of organizing large units. In 2008, the union organized more than 43,000 workers, including 8,600 mechanics at United Airlines.

Also, because of its strong record representing workers, the Teamsters have the respect and support of other labor unions and their members. In fact, the Transport Workers Union (TWU), which failed to organize CAL fleet service workers the past two years in two separate elections, endorses the Teamsters’ current campaign to organize us. TWU President James C. Little has written a letter to us urging us to support the Teamsters’ campaign so that we will win a more secure future. (click here to see letter).

The Teamsters have unprecedented power in the airline industry, and the knowledge and expertise to represent us. The Teamsters represent more than 40,000 workers in the airline industry, in every craft and class, and that number is growing each year under Capt. David Bourne, director of the Teamsters Airline Division. Most importantly, the Teamsters represent 3,700 mechanics at CAL. Prior to the mechanics’ first Teamster contract in 1999, the mechanics’ situation was very bleak. Thousands were on furlough, they didn’t have a union and their benefits, pay and work rules were the worst in the industry. The mechanics have negotiated three Teamster contracts and they have turned their entire situation around. The mechanics support our campaign to join the Teamsters, and they believe we deserve this same strength that they have. The mechanics believe that both groups working together will make both mechanics and fleet service workers stronger at CAL.

No union represents more part-time workers better than the Teamsters, who have a proven track record of strength for part-time workers. The Teamsters Union represents the interests of full-time workers and part-time workers. For example, more than half of the 250,000 Teamsters at UPS are part-time employees. The part-time workers at UPS receive the same excellent health, welfare and pension benefits and the same protections that full-time employees enjoy. Both full-time workers and part-time workers are covered by the National Master UPS Contract, the strongest contract in the package-delivery industry. Part-time UPS employees enjoy full-time benefits. Many of the other 1.4 million Teamsters are part-time, including workers at the newly organized UPS Freight, who also have strong protections through strong Teamster contracts.

Having a union contract is the ONLY way we can protect our pay, raises, benefits and work rules. Right now we don’t have a union contract to protect things like future pay raises and our day-trade policies. The CAL mechanics do. When the company sought concessions back in 2004, the mechanics had a say in what they gave up. We did not. That’s because we did not have a strong Teamster contract to protect us. We need that protection so that our future pay raises, day-trade policies and on-the-job protections are kept intact. Also, we need a contract to gain more job security.

The International Union's Constitution has set dues at 2.5 times our base rate of pay once a month, or 2 times our base rate if you make $11 an hour or less (there is no difference in union dues if you are part-time or full-time; the rate only changes from 2 times to 2.5 times if you make more than $11 an hour). If a member’s rate of pay is $17.03, his monthly dues rate will be $42.58 per month. However, members can vote on their local dues structure and dues may vary. Check with us to get the exact dues amount for the local you will be part of once we win. We do not pay any dues until we ratify and sign our first contract. There are no initiation fees until we sign and vote to ratify our Teamster contract. The Teamsters is 100 percent funded by members—the union accepts no money from outside sources in order to protect its integrity and independence. Union dues go directly to paying for the costs of running the union and representing members.