Airline Teamsters Mobilize Outreach Effort To Tulsa American Airlines Mechanics

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International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Sep 22, 2012, 11:30 ET

Teamsters from Across the Country Canvass AA Mechanics in Organizing Drive

TULSA, Okla., Sept. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Airlines (UA) mechanics represented by the Teamsters Union are joining Teamster organizers and American Airlines (AA) mechanics in Tulsa today for an outreach program in support of a campaign by AA mechanics to change their current union representation.

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Dozens of mechanics and related employees from both airlines gathered at a local hotel this morning near Tulsa International Airport where American Airlines has its largest maintenance facility. The workers are meeting with Teamster representatives in preparation for an afternoon of door-to-door outreach to AA mechanics throughout the Tulsa area.

"This is part of a major push by AA mechanics and related workers who are unhappy with their current union representation and want to reach out to their coworkers to build support for a new union," said Chris Moore, a representative of the Teamsters Airline Division. "With all the difficulties that American is going through right now, we believe these workers want the strong representative that the Teamsters provide to thousands of other aviation mechanics throughout the industry."

Teamster organizers conducting house visits with AA workers will be accompanied by UA mechanics who organized with the Teamsters back in 2008 and ratified a strong contract last year.

"Becoming Teamsters was the best choice we made at United and I think we have a lot to share with AA mechanics," said Rich Petrovsky, a UA mechanic in San Francisco, Calif. and a business agent with Teamsters Local 986. "American Airlines is threatening mass layoffs and outsourcing maintenance work so it can get out of bankruptcy and, as we saw first hand at United, the Teamsters are the only union with a proven record when it comes to fighting outsourcing."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 80,000 workers throughout the airline industry in every craft and class, including 18,000 airline mechanics and related at 10 carriers.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters