Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers About Contract Negotiations

1. What is going on with our contract negotiations?
Meeting for a seventh round of talks during the week of November 1, Teamster negotiators reached tentative agreement on five more items and said contract talks are progressing well.

During talks the week of November 1, the committee reached five more tentative agreements with the company regarding training, uniforms, health and safety, holidays and hours of service. The committee will meet again in Houston from November 8-12 and November 15-18.

During the previous five rounds of negotiations, which began in late June, the union’s committee has reached a tentative agreement on these other areas:

• Seniority;
• Reduction in Force (RIF)/Filling of Vacancies;
• Leaves of Absence;
• Sick and OJI;
• Grievance Procedure;
• Arbitration;
• Job Classifications;

The bargaining team for the Teamsters include Dan Smith, co-chair; Robert Rausch, co-chair; Nick Manicone, Teamster attorney; fleet service negotiating committee members Kyle Carroll, EWR; Miguel Vasquez, EWR; Gary Welsh, IAH; Jorge Bonilla, IAH; Sam Arnold, CLE; and Karen Bossman, MCO. Also at the bargaining table for the Teamsters are business agents Chris Moore, Bob Luciano, Gabriel Guzman, Charlie Alferio and Rudy Gonzalez.

At the bargaining table for the company are Jeff Wall, Tom French (an attorney from Ford and Harrison), Fernie Lopez, Louis Smilanich, Tracy Lawson, Pete Merrin, Hermes Pineda and Jim Servedio.

For more information on the negotiations, visit cal-ualteamsters.com, contact your business agent, or call our CAL Fleet Service Workers Hotline at (877) 589-4951.

Questions and Answers About the Merger

1. What is going on with the merger? What do I need to know about the merger process?
On October 1, 2010 the merger received full legal approval and Continental and United Airlines now operates as United Continental Holdings, Inc. Under United Continental Holdings, Inc., Continental and United will continue to operate as separate carriers until the FAA issues a single operating certificate, which is expected to take place at the end of 2011.

For fleet service workers there are three important steps in the process:

1. CAL fleet service workers work with the Teamsters to negotiate a labor contract with Continental Airlines. During this time period, fleet service workers need to work to build a strong union. It is important to establish a nation-wide communications committee and a strong stewards structure at each station, which will be done with help from the Teamsters. As members, fleet service workers need to keep updated and involved.
    
2. A new election will need to take place to determine which union will represent the combined fleet service workers at both airlines. This vote will cover over 14,000 fleet service workers. Choices on the ballot will be the Teamsters, the IAM or no union. There are 800 more CAL fleet service workers than United fleet service workers.
    
3. A new contract will be negotiated that covers both the Continental and United fleet service workers. CAL fleet service will never be covered by the current United contract and the UAL fleet service workers will not fall under the Continental contract. Rather, a new combined contract will need to be negotiated. New Company, New Workforce, New Contract!
    

We believe that negotiating the two contracts (one at CAL and one at the New United) give fleet service workers a unique opportunity to improve your work standards. Now is the time to get involved and stay informed so that CAL fleet service workers have the unity and strength to take advantage of this opportunity!

2. Other commonly asked questions about the merger.

• UAL operates differently from CAL in many ways. For example, in some cases, UAL has an eight-hour shift and we have a 10-hour shift. How will these differences be reconciled? Will I be required to work under UAL rules?
  A new contract will be negotiated that covers pay, benefits, working conditions, hours and work rules for BOTH Continental and United fleet service workers together. During these negotiations for an amalgamated contract, the Teamsters will work to negotiate a strong, protective contract that benefits the combined unit. Until this amalgamated contract is negotiated, CAL and UAL pay, benefits, working conditions, hours and work rules will remain “as is”.
  
   
• How will my seniority be impacted by the merger?
  The Teamsters Airline Division strongly believes in working out seniority issues with all affected parties through discussion and consensus. Accordingly, we contemplate committees of United and Continental employees, assisted by Teamster attorneys and staff, discussing and agreeing to a method of integrating the two workforces by date-of-hire.
  
   
• There is rumor about that some of the current CAL fleet service work may be vendored out. Should I be worried?
  The Teamsters Airline Division has verified that the company has no intention of vendoring-out cargo work or EWR bag-room work. The bottom line is that the Teamsters fiercely oppose subcontracting and vendoring out work and no union has been more successful in combating it than the Teamsters. We will work hard, with you, to protect jobs and stop vendoring-out. As you recall, Continental announced that it intended to close seven stations; the Teamsters stepped in, and working with the company, stopped this from taking place.
   

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE TEAMSTERS
The Teamsters are the largest and most powerful transportation union in the United States and North America with 1.4 million members and 500,000 retirees spread across 500 local unions, 35 joint councils and 21 industry divisions.

The Teamsters have deep and long-term experience in the airline industry. The Airline Division provides expertise and coordination to our 64,000 airline-industry members at more than 40 different carriers. The division is headed by Captain David Bourne, an airline pilot with extensive aviation labor background. The Teamsters represent all classes and crafts in the airline industry and are the only union to do so. Industry leading Teamster Airline Division contracts cover fleet service workers, pilots, mechanics, store agents, customer service agents, fuelers, simulator technicians, dispatchers and flight attendants. This vast range of representation has helped the Teamsters gain real power in the Airline industry.

The Teamsters have massive resources, including a large strike and defense fund that makes us very strong at the bargaining table. In the aviation industry, no union negotiates stronger contracts or represents workers as well as the Teamsters. Many Teamster airline contracts are cutting edge.

The Teamsters have led the fight against subcontracting and vendoring-out work among our rank and file and on Capitol Hill. The Teamsters have won significant vendoring-out battles, including bringing back 18 percent of maintenance work for Continental mechanics since 2002 and keeping the UAL SFO maintenance base open. No union has such a consistent record of battling subcontracting and the vendoring out of work.

The Teamsters have a comprehensive political action and lobbying program on Capitol Hill to push the issues of aviation workers. In the highly regulated airline industry, this strong legislative presence equates to power.

The Teamsters are a fast-growing, progressive aviation union and have added more than 20,000 new members in recent years. The Teamsters consider organizing to be the source of power for workers and back this belief up with huge resources and a winning systematic organizing program. Check out this flier for more information about the Teamsters. Or visit the Teamster website, Teamster.org.

What are Teamster dues rates?

• The Teamsters Union’s Constitution has set membership dues rates at 2.5 times a members’ base, hourly rate of pay once a month, or 2 times the members’ base hourly rate if members make $11 an hour or less (there is no difference in union dues if you are part-time or full-time). If a member’s base rate of pay, (minus incentives, OT or shift differentials) is $20 per hour, their dues will be $50 per month. If a member’s base rate of pay is $10 per hour, their dues rate will be $20 per month. Minor variations for specific reasons set by local unions are allowed and subject to membership vote.
   
• Teamster members do not pay any dues until they ratify and sign their first contract, and the dues will not be retroactive to the date of the union vote. Initiation fees are commonly waived for newly organized groups and the dues rate is nationally set and approved through a membership vote.
   
• The majority of the dues members pay—78 percent—stay with their local unions. Only 22 percent of membership dues go to the International.
   
• The Teamsters is 100-percent funded by members—the union accepts no money from outside sources in order to protect its integrity and independence. Union dues go directly to paying for the costs of running the union and representing members. Also, dues are tax-deductible, if you itemize your expenses.

HOW DO I GET HOLD OF MY TEAMSTERS UNION/HOW DO I GET INFORMATION?

I have a question, concern or other matter I want to discuss with my union—how do I get in touch?

• You should call your Local Union Business Agent.
   
• You can also leave a message on the Teamster Hotline at (877) 589-4951 and a representative will get back to you.
   
• Also check out the CAL Fleet Service Website at: www.cal-ualteamsters.com
   
• Join our Facebook group by searching for “CAL Fleet Service Teamsters.”