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Teamster Prez Rallies Continental Workers at Newark Airport |
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Sunday, 20 December 2009 21:00 |
Board Nears Rule Change on Unionizing
Teamsters President James Hoffa urged Continental Airlines to respect workers’ rights to unionize during a Local 210 rally in October at Newark Liberty Airport. Hoffa also announced that the IBT has filed for an election.
“The time is right to organize ramp, cargo and customer services workers,” Hoffa said. “There’s a backlash taking place in this country because workers have gone backward. People are outraged by excessive corporate profits and executive salaries and they’re fighting back.”
A recent rule proposed by the National Mediation Board (NMB), which resolves disputes in the railroad and airline industries, would allow a union if a majority of employees voting supported one. Under the current rules a majority of all eligible voters must vote for a union to gain union representation. This proposed NMB rule change could be particularly great news for the 8,000 Continental Airline workers (the fourth largest airline in the country) who have been trying to unionize for more than a decade with the Teamsters. The IBT already represents some 4,000 Continental mechanics. |