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;  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