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Teamsters Kick Off Third Round of Bargaining in Denver
Today, the Teamsters kicked off the third round of negotiations with United Airlines in Denver, Colorado. Bargaining continues to center on Article 6 on RIF and Recall; Article 18 on Union Security and Representation; Article 19 on Grievance Procedure; and Article 20 on Board of Arbitration, with dedicated subcommittees working toward the goal of reaching a tentative agreement on these issues during the current round of bargaining. But United continues to employ delay tactics to slow down negotiations.
“United is delaying negotiations in a host of ways. Whether it’s the company being late to start bargaining or refusing to share vital data with the union, the airline is sending a clear message that they want to try to drag this out as long as possible,” said Clacy Griswold, Chairman of the United Airlines Teamsters National Negotiating Committee. “The company thinks it can win by treating us with disrespect and delaying until we give in to its demands. But the Teamsters are so much stronger than that. Together, we are holding the fire to United’s feet and forcing them to take these negotiations as seriously as we do.”
New Subcommittee Formed to Address Safety Concerns
During Monday’s negotiations, the union’s national negotiating committee created a new subcommittee to discuss Article 12 on Field Trips. United proposed changes to Article 12 that met the Teamsters’ demand for a minimum of two mechanics per job but proposed exemptions that would undermine the safety of Teamsters when working non-United aircraft.
“Safety should be a top priority for United, but the carrier continues to add language that suggests it cares more about saving costs than the safety of its employees,” said Dan Andrew, a technician represented by Teamsters Local 781 and a member of the national negotiating committee. “We are further along than we were last month when United wouldn’t even agree to a minimum of two mechanics on any job. But we won’t rest until we get the safety protections at work that we deserve, with no exemptions added.”
The third round of negotiations will continue through Sept. 17. Negotiations will resume in Chicago on Sept. 24. To keep informed and engaged, download the Teamsters Airline Division app at http://ibt.io/AirlineDivisionApp.