Violations Prompt Protest in Flight Attendant Election

Tue. July 12, 2011

The IAM officially notified the National Mediation Board (NMB), United Airlines and the Communication Workers of America - Association of Flight Attendants (CWA-AFA) that it is protesting the conduct of the recent representation election for Flight Attendants at United Airlines, Continental Airlines and Continental Micronesia.

According to evidence provided by Flight Attendants at United, Continental and Continental Micronesia, the CWA-AFA engaged in at least five major breaches of the NMB’s voting rules. Additionally, United Airlines violated election rules to favor CWA.

“The repeated disregard for NMB election rules and the overt violations by the CWA and United/Continental management have placed the entire election process on trial,” said IAM Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr. “The NMB must act to rectify this injustice and restore confidence in its election procedures.”

The IAM’s complete submission to the NMB is posted below. All Flight Attendants are urged to download and review the documents to understand the breadth of the CWA’s violations. There is no set timeframe for the NMB to address the IAM’s protest.

IAM Protest: Document 1, Document 2, Document 3

Voting Underway for United & Continental Fleet Workers

Tue. July 12, 2011

IAM-represented Ramp workers at United Airlines and Fleet Service workers at Continental and Continental Micronesia - who are represented by another union - began voting this week by phone and internet in a representation election conducted by the National Mediation Board (NMB).

The NMB began mailing voting instructions to more than 13,000 eligible voters on July 7 and the voting period will continue until 2 PM ET on August 11.

After July 12, any eligible voter who has not received or lost their voting instructions and unique VIN and PIN identification numbers can request a new set by mailing a signed request to the NMB.

Simply print and complete this duplicate Telephone and Internet Voting Instructions request form, place it in an envelope, affix the postage and mail it to the address on the form. Forms will also be available from IAM Representatives. The NMB does not accept telephone or fax requests. The NMB must receive your request by August 5, 2011.

The election is the second in a series of representation elections triggered by the merger of United and Continental. The IAM has represented Ramp workers at United since 1948.

IAM, Hawker Beechcraft Begin Negotiations for 2,600

Tue. July 12, 2011

IAM Local 733 Bargaining Committee: Front Row, L to R: Chief of Staff to the International President Diane Babineaux, District 70 Directing Business Representative Steve Rooney, Aerospace Coordinator Ron Eldridge, Southern Territory General Vice President Bob Martinez, International President Tom Buffenbarger, Headquarters General Vice President Richard Michalski, District 70 Assistant Directing Business Representative Rita Rogers, LL733 Negotiator Marcus German, LL 733 Negotiator Shaun Junkins, LL 733 Negotiator Sam Humble, LL 733 Negotiator Tim Franta.

Back Row, L to R: Southern Territory Communications Representative Bob Wood, LL 733 2nd Shift Plant Chair Joe Kniep, District 70 Secretary-Treasurer Judy Pierce, District 70 Business Representative Becky Ledbetter, District 70 Business Representative Steve Groom, District 70 Business Representative Michael Burleigh, District 70 Business Representative Tony Larkin, Special Representative Mark Love, Strategic Resources Research Associate Andrew Buffenbarger.


Opening remarks by IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger and Hawker Beechcraft CEO Bill Boisture in Wichita, KS set the stage for the negotiations that will lead to a new contract for 2,600 IAM members at Hawker.

Kicking off the negotiations for 2,600 IAM members at Hawker Beechcraft, IAM President Tom Buffenbarger (left) and Hawker Beechcraft CEO Bill Boisture voiced similar concerns about the state of the general aviation industry.

Buffenbarger praised the skill and resolve of workers at Hawker in the midst of the industry’s worst downturn in decades. “We’re not afraid to speak out when we’re attacked,” declared Buffenbarger, who noted the IAM’s aggressive defense of the industry in the face of disparaging comments by President Obama and others about the use of business aircraft.

Hawker Beechcraft CEO Boisture also referenced President Obama’s disparaging remarks about business jets, calling the Obama Administration “no friend to our industry or our working people.”

Wichita’s largest newspaper, The Wichita Eagle, weighed in with an editorial titled ‘Stop the Jet Bashing.’ The editorial cites New York University law professor Richard A. Epstein, who derided the “cheap political populism” and “primitive economics” of the president’s rhetoric.

The general aviation industry supports a $1.2 billion annual payroll and generates an overall economic impact of $150 billion. The proposal to eliminate the depreciation on corporate jets would raise a scant $3 billion in tax revenue over a decade — less than a drop in the bucket of a $14.34 trillion national debt.

Opening remarks from President Buffenbarger and CEO Boisture, as well as a Q&A from media are available are available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quhQed334bw.