Our desire to form a union with the Teamsters stems from our concern over several key issues: protection against pay cuts, respect, job security, merger protection, overtime fairness, negotiations of senior employee top-out wages, consistent work rules.

We need a strong union to negotiate a contract that will give us an opportunity to protect our jobs and provide us and our families with a more secure future. Right now, we have nothing in writing. Our concerns over these issues will continue to be ignored if we don’t have a strong contract in place. 

• Protection against pay cuts: When we gave the company concessions back in 2004, the company cut where it wanted and, because we didn’t have a union contract, we had no say. The Teamster CAL mechanics had a say in where the cuts would occur. Plus, the mechanics have gotten back the wage cuts they gave up while we have only recouped a portion of our wage cuts.

• Respect: We are the best fleet service workers in the industry and deserve the respect that only a strong contract and a strong union can bring.

• Job security: With a strong Teamster contract, we can negotiate scope language that protects our jobs in these uncertain times. We have real concerns with the Star Alliance and industry consolidation. Let’s get protections and security in writing! For example, the CAL Teamster mechanics negotiated a no-layoff clause during the last round of concessions.

• Merger protection: We need a contract to provide us with protections in case a merger ever occurs.

• Overtime fairness: It’s time to end the arbitrary system that is caused by favoritism. We need to make the overtime system fair, a system that does not play favorites.

• Top-out wages: Right now it takes 10 years to top out. We should work on trying to reduce that time like other airline workers.

• Consistent work rules: Right now work rules fluctuate. There are too many gray area in the “Fly to Win” handbook. We need consistent work rules so that we are not surprised by management again and again in our jobs.

Teamster Difference

The Teamster difference is simple: With the Teamsters, We Can Win.

In the past, we have made other attempts to form a union, but they fell short. But this time, as we try to form a union with the Teamsters, it is a very different situation because the Teamsters have the ability to WIN an election. In fact, we believe that the only way we can win an election is by working with the Teamsters.

The 1.4-million member Teamsters Union is the most powerful and respected union in North America with the resources and capacity to win the campaign to give us a strong voice in the workplace. Because of the huge resources, the Teamsters will be able to reach out to our coworkers at all the outstations and have committed to do so.

The Teamsters have an organizing model that works. Last year the Teamsters organized the 8,000 UAL mechanics—the same size as our CAL fleet service unit. The Teamsters organized more than 43,000 workers last year and have a proven track record of success.

The Teamsters have the experience and expertise to give workers a brighter future for themselves and for their families. We want to be part of this winning tradition, and we will succeed as Teamsters.

Mechanics’ Support

Teamster-represented CAL mechanics, who have one of the strongest contracts in the industry, support the fleet service workers’ campaign to become Teamsters. Mechanics from around the country are working in support of the fleet service workers’ campaign.

The mechanics know first-hand the strength of being Teamsters. Prior to their first Teamster contract in 1999, their situation was very bleak. Thousands of the CAL mechanics were on furlough, had no union and their benefits, pay, and work rules were the worst in the industry. Their retirement was a joke. They were entirely at the mercy of management. Even their JOBS were in peril because of management’s intention to outsource as much of their work as possible.

The mechanics had an Employee Council that tried its best to hold its own, but in the end were dictated to by management. The mechanics needed the strongest union in the country—one with vast resources and the willingness to help them fight for their rights at the bargaining table. They needed a union that would require the company to treat them with dignity and respect. That union is the Teamsters.

The mechanics have negotiated three contracts and have turned their entire situation around. It hasn’t been easy, but the Teamsters have given the mechanics strong backing and have worked with the mechanics every step of the way.

Even in times of concessionary bargaining the mechanics were able to negotiate a fair agreement that included having their pay restored prior to the end of the agreement, they kept their 401(k) match and were able to negotiate a no-layoff clause for the duration of the agreement. It’s fair to say that we now have one of the best mechanics’ contracts in the aviation industry. Our pay is solid and has kept up with the rest of the industry, they enjoy a pension plan, and they fixed their overtime procedure, eliminated favoritism, worked out a strong trade-day policy, and capped their contribution to health insurance costs. But by far the most important achievement has been in job protection. The mechanics’ contract has some of the strongest scope language in the industry and protects mechanics from outsourcing of their work and provides protection in the event of an acquisition or merger.