New Union Vote at the New American Airlines
Source: Labor Notes
Jenny Brown
Voting ends today for American Airlines passenger service agents deciding whether to unionize, with results tomorrow. The vote is a result of the merger between American and US Airways, which created the largest airline in the world—and the largest union representation election in the U.S. this year.
The agents handle reservations, check in passengers and baggage, and staff airline gates. A third of them—the 5,500 US Airways agents—are already members of the Communications Workers (CWA). The 9,000 American agents have tried several times to unionize, losing their 2013 election by a heartbreaking 150 votes.
Stakes are high for the union workers, who would lose their union and contract if the majority votes no. But workers’ expectations are also high, because the company has stayed largely neutral under its new CEO, former US Airways head Doug Parker.
In the 2013 campaign, “the company spent $3 to 4 million going through union-busting tactics,” said Wendell Johnson, a 14-year American passenger service worker. “They set up a website ‘AA Independent’ that came up on the computer for all the employees to see.” Managers and supervisors spoke against the union.
FULL story at link.
American Airlines passenger service agents Cassandra Rosenbach, Sherri Chatmon, and Lisa Cooper pose at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Agents at the newly merged airline finish voting today on union representation. Photo: CWA. - See more at: http://www.labornotes.org/2014/09/new-union-vote-new-american-airlines#sthash.KAaZbtVE.dpuf
Read more: http://www.labornotes.org/2014/09/new-union-vote-new-american-airlines
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