United mechanics to vote on joining Teamsters (letter of support from Sen. Obama)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/06/BUQSVEAGS.DTL

Tom Abate, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, March 6, 2008

For the third time in five years, the aircraft mechanics who work for United Airlines are voting on which union they want to represent them in an election that revolves around whether the struggling airline plans to outsource 4,500 jobs at San Francisco International Airport.

Teamsters President James Hoffa barnstormed through the region Wednesday as part of a campaign to unseat the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, which now represents about 9,300 United workers - roughly half of whom work at San Francisco International Airport with the rest spread over 30 other United facilities.

Now those workers have until March 31 to indicate whether they want to switch to the Teamsters or stick with the Aircraft Mechanics - which used a similar process to unseat its predecessor, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, in 2003.

Aircraft Mechanics President Joe Prisco fired back at the Teamsters, saying the outsourcing of those jobs "is not gonna happen" because a clause in the current contract requires that the closing or other big change at a repair facility would have to be voted on by union members.

This union infighting has occurred against the backdrop of an airline industry that has been in turbulence since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and is now being hit with soaring fuel costs.

Hoffa - son of America's most famous missing person - led a rally on the steps of San Francisco's City Hall, where he stood alongside Mayor Gavin Newsom and touted letters of support from Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., and presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

FULL story at link.

[DainBramaged]

1. Only Teamsters know how to fix the planes

Unions are responsible for weekends.:hi: