The IBT claims that they do not have any responsibility for all of the work outsourced by UAL to China. They also claim that the handover of 100 aircraft for heavy maintenance in China celebrated by UAL management in the picture we distributed did not happen on their watch.
That is baloney.
- The Teamsters were certified as the mechanic and related representative at United Airlines in April 2008 after promising that they would stop the mass outsourcing of mechanic work. The 100 aircraft handover ceremony occurred in Beijing more than three years after the IBT became the UAL mechanics’ representative and celebrates a five year contract for heavy maintenance reached in March 2010.
- As we specifically stated in our leaflet, the IAM retained their prohibition on foreign maintenance in their 2003 Restructuring Agreement, and the language permitting performance of heavy checks by foreign companies was originally negotiated by AMFA in 2005. However, in their 2011 contract with United, the IBT not only did not stop this practice, they agreed to language which allowed the Company to expand it.
- The Teamsters take credit for language which prohibits the sale or lease by United of its SFO base. However, that language was originally negotiated by the IAM in their 2003 Restructuring Agreement.
- While criticizing the IAM for negotiating weak language (and taking credit for protections the IAM achieved), the Teamster/UAL agreement retains language the IAM agreed to under the pressure of bankruptcy permitting unrestricted outsourcing of heavy maintenance visits. However, the IBT signed on to this same language after the Company had been out of bankruptcy for five years.
- On every property where the IBT is the mechanic and related representative the contract permits more outsourcing and there is more outsourcing –substantially more– than at American. That is a simple fact.
The IBT has never led the way against outsourcing. We would lose work at American if we agreed to any IBT contract now in effect. The Teamsters do a lot of talking about outsourcing – their record on preventing it is not much to discuss.