Teamsters move to oust United union

CHICAGO -- The Teamsters sought the right Monday to represent United Airlines mechanics, filing a petition and predicting it will win an election to displace the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association in early 2008.

The union, which already represents more than 40,000 airline employees, has been pushing for two years to represent the mechanics at UAL Corp.'s United.

"We expect an election in the next six weeks and we are confident we will prevail," Clacy Griswold, international representative of the Teamsters' airline division, said at a news conference after the petition was filed with the National Mediation Board.

Many mechanics are disgruntled by United's move to outsource maintenance work overseas as well as by the possibility the Chicago-based airline may sell its Mileage Plus program and its heavy maintenance facility in San Francisco, where about 3,000 of its nearly 6,000 mechanics work.

"United management is betraying both its workers and its passengers who trust that the airline is using the most skilled ground and flight crew employees and the safest equipment," Griswold said. "Airline mechanics throughout the aviation industry want good skilled jobs to stay in the United States. So do the Teamsters."

Like numerous other United employees, the mechanics also are upset by what they see as excessive executive pay at the airline.

The Teamsters are required to have 50 percent of employee support for the union change in order for the election to be held.

Asked about the effort, AMFA official Joseph Prisco said the rival union has been making false promises to the mechanics.

"The difference between us and the Teamsters is that we put out all the information that people need, not just the option that they're trying to push," he said. "We expect to win if people vote with their heads and not their emotions."