Union Claimed Maintenance Was Mishandled

Did UPS mishandle aircraft inspections and repair work? Did later inspections find potentially serious problems with UPS aircraft? The FAA says no.

Aircraft mechanics in Miami and Philadelphia and their union, Louisville-based Teamsters Local 2727 said the company had violated FAA inspection regulations, a sore spot with the agency as it continues to take fire for the way it inspects contract repair stations nationwide.

A UPS mechanic in Miami told the FAA a UPS supervisor ordered him not to log repairs to the brakes of a company aircraft. Mechanics in Philadelphia said they were reassigned to other inspections after they refused to clear a plane that showed evidence of landing gear problems.

But the FAA says there were no violations found after what it termed a "routine investigation" into the complaints. The Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal quotes UPS spokesman Mark Giuffre, who says the company was confident it would be cleared.

He says the FAA finding shows "the procedures that we followed and everything that was done was proper by FAA standards."

Giuffre blamed "union discontent" for the allegations.

Another company spokesperson said the union complaints were inappropriate. "There are other ways, more appropriate ways," to voice such disagreements "without ever exploiting any kind of safety concerns," UPS public relations manager Patti Hobbs said.

The union is non-plussed by the FAA findings -- and by UPS comments.

"That's just an attempt by UPS to use that as subterfuge of the real issue," says the union's secretary-treasurer, "That's just an attempt by UPS to use that as subterfuge of the real issue." Jack Chatburn.

FMI: www.ups.com