Communications Workers Union To Cover Passenger Service And Fleet Agents

The 3,000 fleet and passenger service agents at Piedmont Airlines have voted by a two-to-one margin for representation by the Communications Workers of America. Ballots were counted Thursday by the National Mediation Board.

In a news release, the CWA said the agents were the only major workgroup at Piedmont without union representation. Now, it says, agents will vote on bargaining goals, elect their bargaining team and negotiate with management over wages, working conditions and other benefits. Key issues in the campaign were job security, unfair and arbitrary treatment and the lack of a grievance process.

Voting took place under new election rules set by the NMB that ensured that airline elections would be conducted following the same democratic rules that govern elections in the United States. Testimony and other action by AFA-CWA, CWA and airline workers convinced the NMB to implement the fair election rule in June.

In announcing the vote, CWA President Larry Cohen accused Peidmont and it's parent company US Airways used anti-union tactics to influence the balloting. "Management held forced captive audience meetings, had supervisors tear up union materials and harass union supporters, and even hired a notorious union-busting company that promised management results ‘or your money back’," he said.

CWA represents more than 60,000 employees in the airline industry.

FMI: www.cwa-union.org