Election Overseen By National Mediation Board

In a contest overseen by the National Mediation Board (NMB), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) soundly defeated the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) in an election to represent nearly 4,600 Mechanic and Related employees at US Airways. The IAM received 1,903 votes, or 58 percent of all votes cast in the five-week election, while the IBT received 1,418 votes, less than 42 percent.

“This victory marks an important milestone for the Mechanic and Related group at US Airways,” said IAM Transportation Vice President Sito Pantoja. “By voting for the Machinists Union our members safeguarded their pensions and seniority heading into the merger with American Airlines while rejecting the empty promises of an organization with a history of corruption.”

In addition to creating uncertainty regarding future representation, the year-long raid by IBT effectively suspended contract negotiations between US Airways and IAM, which has represented Mechanic and Related employees at US Airways since 1949.

“The election results will allow contract negotiations between the IAM and US Airways to resume without any further delay,” said IAM District 142 President Tom Higginbotham. “We remain convinced that the IBT never had support among mechanics at US Airways to get this election in the first place. We fully expect the NMB to thoroughly investigate the matter.”

In a separate IBT effort focused on more than 11,000 Mechanic and Related workers at American Airlines, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) presented testimony from former Teamster organizers who claimed that IBT organizing staff forged hundreds of election authorization cards. The NMB is currently investigating to determine if the IBT submitted enough valid cards to warrant an election at American Airlines.

The IAM is the world’s largest airline union and is the largest union at US Airways, representing over 14,000 Mechanic and Related, Fleet Service, Stockroom and Maintenance Training Specialists.

FMI: www.usaamerger.com