Teamsters Continue Drive To Represent Tulsa American Airlines Mechanics

The ink has barely dried on the agreement to merge American Airlines and US Airways, creating the world's largest airline.

But that is not stopping the Teamsters Airline Division and Aviation Mechanics Coalition from continuing their quest to take union representation over American Airlines mechanics.

The Teamsters were in Tulsa Saturday for a door-to-door campaign to garner support for their union.

The group announced that at many maintenance stations across the country, American Airlines mechanics and related workers have reached a majority of cards signed for Teamster representation.

With a majority of cards at the major hubs in hand, the Teamsters Union is nearing majority support throughout the system and is one step closer to filing for an election with the National Mediation Board. The union has received the majority of cards in 14 of its 30 locations, including Tulsa.

"With 11,000 workers spread out across the country, this has been a major undertaking that has been led by AA mechanics from the beginning," said Chris Moore, a representative of the Teamsters Airline Division and Chairman of the TAMC.

"It is their passion and desire to improve their representation that drove this campaign and enabled us to get to this point in such a relatively short time."

In September 2012, the AA mechanics kicked off their campaign to seek industry-leading representation with the Teamsters Union. While facing the challenges of bankruptcy and a merger with US Airways, the AA mechanics in conjunction with the TAMC and the Teamsters Airline Division have been working tirelessly to gain majority support for the union.

9/22/2012 Related Story: American Airlines Mechanics Rally For Break From TWU

"This is a huge step in the right direction in a short amount of time," said Joe Moberly, 24-year American Airlines mechanic at the Tulsa hub. "We are well on our way to being a part of the union that represents more aviation mechanics than any other in the nation – the Teamsters."

American Airlines mechanics and related have been represented by the Transport Workers Union since 1946.

News On 6 reporter, Tess Maune is covering this story for our evening newscasts and will speak with both unions.