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Mechanics Tell United: Don't Outsource Mileage Plus, Aircraft Maintenance
Airport Leafleting Alerts Flyers to Potential Dangers of Foreign Repair
Operations
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Airline mechanics
and supporters leafleted airports nationwide today, asking passengers to
sign a petition urging United Airlines (UAL; NASDAQ: UAUA) to pull back
from its plans to sell off its Mileage Plus program and its San Francisco
aircraft maintenance operation.
The protesters stood outside United terminal arrival and departure
doors at Chicago O'Hare, Washington Dulles, Los Angeles International, San
Francisco International, and Denver International on the busiest travel day
of the year to alert passengers to the potential safety risks that United's
outsourcing of crucial heavy maintenance could pose to the flying public.
They were accompanied by turkey-suited mascots wearing signs reading,
"Outsourcing Airplane Maintenance Is a Turkey."
"Every time passengers fly with United, they place their trust in this
airline to fly them to their destinations using the safest equipment,
checked by the most qualified mechanics. Outsourcing the heavy maintenance
on United's fleet to foreign countries, with all the safety and security
risks that go along with that, is a betrayal of passengers' trust," said
Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa.
Currently, United is outsourcing heavy maintenance of its 747s and 777s
to China and South Korea, and is exploring selling off its key San
Francisco maintenance facility. The FAA does not require foreign companies
to perform drug or criminal background checks on their employees. Foreign
companies are also not required to employ FAA-certified mechanics.
The leafleters also spoke to holiday travelers about potential Mileage
Plus benefits cuts frequent flyers could see if that program is sold off by
United. They cited the dramatic program cuts suffered by frequent flyers at
United partner Air Canada, after Air Canada sold off its frequent flyer
program in 2005.
A substantial majority of United mechanics have submitted cards
requesting Teamster representation.
"Many of us have seen firsthand the kind of shoddy airplane repairs
that come with outsourcing," said Rich Petrofsky, a United mechanic for 38
years. "We wouldn't want our own families flying in unsafe planes, and we
don't want our customers exposed to that risk either. Foreign mechanics
with too little oversight should not wind up in charge of United's fleet."
"The Teamsters plan to enforce language in the existing mechanics'
contract that will make it harder for United to go forward with even more
outsourcing," Hoffa said. "In addition, once certified, we plan on
negotiating strong Teamster contract language that, like our other Teamster
aviation contracts, will prevent outsourcing. We will do everything in our
power to prevent United from potentially endangering the flying public by
sending these mechanics' jobs oversea."
The Teamsters Aviation Mechanics Coalition represents 20,000 highly
trained mechanics at 14 airlines.
SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
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