Tulsaâ€™s American Airlines Face Union Challenge

Tuesday, March 16th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Since the 1940's, the Transport Workers Union has represented the workers at the American Airlines base in Tulsa. For the first time, they face a serious challenge from a rival union.

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, or AMFA, says it's now gathered enough signatures from Transport Workers MEMBERS to force an election. Eight thousand jobs are in the balance, and the result could have consequences for "all" of Tulsa.

On one side is the Transport Workers Union, the long-time incumbent union. The challenger is AMFA, a relative newcomer that gained a foothold in Tulsa last year when American Airlines was teetering on bankruptcy, and workers took huge pay cuts to save it. Many disgruntled Transport Workers are now wearing AMFA logos and say the TWU was too soft to fight against the concessions.

Dennis Hayes, AMFA Supporter said, "Instead of defending the membership, they were scaring the membership into accepting this lousy concession agreement, and the people were so scared, they were willing to accept this bad agreement."

But the leaders of the Transport Workers Union says the choice was a 17% pay cut or a 100% pay cut, in other words, layoffs.

Rick Mullings, TWU Local 514 says, â€œAMFA took a hardline at the Northwest Airlines shop they represent in Minneapolis, which is similar in size to the 8-thousand member American base here in Tulsa.â€

The result in Minneapolis was more than 4,000 layoffs.

Mullings continues, "There's no doubt that 9/11, and the economy and the war and SARS are all reasons for the airline industry to fail but AMFA represented 3 of those majors, Alaska, Northwest, and United...those are the 3 that have had the most people affected by all of this...laid-off."

Last week, AMFA filed the signatures it's gathered from Transport Workers calling for an election. They need 50% plus one. The TWU leadership isn't convinced they have it. AMFA says they do.

Hayes continues, â€I can assure you we have enough. We wouldn't have wasted our time filing if we hadn't."

Whichever side is right, a lot is at stake.

Kevin Hammack, TWU Supporter, said, â€œIt's not a union thing. It's not a representation thing. It's a thing that's going to cost our families food on the table if we make the wrong decision here.â€

The federal government is currently verifying the signatures. The election could happen in a little as 90 days.