Teamsters General President Addresses Employees at 'Workers Summit'

The Teamsters Union has committed its full resources to make sure United ramp workers and Continental fleet service workers are victorious in forming their union and winning a strong contract, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa told the workers Tuesday.

"It is great to be in Chicago today at United's hub, where United workers are joining together with Continental workers to build more momentum in this campaign," Hoffa said during a workers summit. "The momentum keeps building, the unity keeps building, the power keeps building-you are on your way to becoming Teamsters. The Teamsters are committed to helping you win this campaign and win a strong contract."

The Teamsters represent about 7,500 fleet service workers at the former Continental, which recently merged with United. The workers joined the Teamsters in February 2010. The Teamsters are organizing about 7,000 ramp workers at United, who are currently represented by the Machinist's Union. Many workers are unhappy with the Machinist's Union and are turning to the Teamsters for strong representation.

The election of the combined group of workers will likely take place this spring or summer. The Teamsters also represent the mechanics at Continental and at United. "We want a strong and growing aviation union like the Teamsters, not a weak union that is losing tens of thousands of workers in the aviation industry," said Dennis Turner, a United ramp worker in Chicago. "The Machinists have no ability to deliver a contract. Teamsters General President Hoffa is committed to winning this and giving us the resources to reach out to our co-workers here in Chicago and across the country. We will win this campaign."

FMI: www.teamsters.org