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US airline 100 per cent unionised thanks to organising drive
18 February 2010
An organising drive by a US affiliate has led to the total unionisation of the workforce at a major US airline.
The campaign, run by the Teamsters union, led to a majority vote in favour of union membership on 12 February by Continental Airlines’ ground workers. The success took place in spite of difficult federal labour rules governed by the Railway Labour Act (RLA); these stipulate that a union must win a majority of the votes of all eligible voters; those who don’t vote are considered to have voted against the union. The 7,600 baggage handlers and other ground workers voted 55 per cent in favour of joining the Teamsters union.
The ground workers join the company’s mechanics, who are also represented by the Teamsters union; Continental’s cabin crew are members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers while its pilots belong to the Air Line Pilots Association International. All three unions are ITF affiliates.
ITF civil aviation section secretary Gabriel Mocho welcomed the workers into the union fold and stated: “Now that the entire workforce is unionised, workers are in a win-win situation; all three unions will be stronger as a result.”
The National Mediation Board (NMB), which administers the RLA, has, following union pressure, recommended that the election rules be amended so that only the votes of a majority of those voting are counted.
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