Continental Fleet Service Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Teamsters
13 February 2010 - 6:57AM
PR Newswire (US)
Workers At Airports Across the Country Take Crucial Step For A
Brighter Future WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- By
an overwhelming margin, nearly 8,000 fleet service workers at
Continental Airlines at airports across the country have voted to
join the Teamsters, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa announced
Friday. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO) "This is a
great day for the Teamsters and for the fleet service workers at
Continental," Hoffa said. "For far too long, Continental's fleet
service workers have gone without union representation, and that is
now over. We will work with the fleet service workers to help them
build a strong union and we will negotiate a solid contract, just
like we have done for the Teamster-represented mechanics at
Continental." The National Mediation Board announced the election
results Friday. The workers won despite the anti-worker, anti-union
campaign waged by Houston-based Continental Airlines (NYSE:CAL).
"The excitement among my co-workers is very high because we know
that we will have a strong contract that will give us job security
and bring fairness to our jobs," said Jose Ramirez, a worker in
Houston. "It feels great to be a Teamster." "This is historic news
for Continental workers in Newark and at stations across the
country," said Christian Cepeda, a fleet service worker in Newark.
"We have tried five times to form a union in the past, but with the
help of the Teamsters we have succeeded. We intend to work hard to
make our jobs better for ourselves and for our families." The fleet
service workers handle baggage and cargo, and they perform other
essential jobs, including directing jets to the terminal gates. The
fleet service workers sought Teamster representation because they
saw how the 3,600 Teamster-represented mechanics' lives have
improved greatly over the past 12 years with strong contracts. The
Railway Labor Act election was administered by the National
Mediation Board. For the victory to occur, 50 percent plus one of
all the workers in the unit needed to vote for the Teamsters. The
threshold was exceeded with 4,129 votes for union representation.
These numbers are truly overwhelming given traditionally 10-15
percent of eligible voters do not vote in elections that fall under
the Railway Labor Act. Founded in 1903, the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and
women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO DATASOURCE:
International Brotherhood of Teamsters CONTACT: Leigh Strope of
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, +1-202-497-7766, Web Site:
http://www.teamster.org/
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