Looks like it's official once more:
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. . District Lodge 141-M
United Airlines Contract Updates
. .Machinists at United Airlines. .Reject Contract Offer
Washington, D.C., February 13, 2002 - By a wide margin, United Airlines mechanic and related employees voted yesterday to reject a contract offer by the carrier that included terms imposed by a Presidential Emergency Board.
"Our negotiators opposed the emergency board’s involvement," said Scotty Ford, District 141-M president and lead negotiator for the mechanics group. "Their proposals fell short of what we felt we could achieve in direct negotiations. The results of today’s vote shows our members agree."
The 13,000 mechanic and related employees, represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) have been in direct and federally mediated negotiations with United Airlines since December, 1999.
With nearly 90 percent of eligible members voting, 68 percent voted to reject the proposal. In separate voting, 86 percent of the membership authorized a strike at United if an enhanced agreement cannot be hammered out.
Tom Buffenbarger, International President of the Machinists Union, urged an immediate resumption of negotiations with United Airlines. "We will travel anywhere, and meet around the clock if necessary for the next six days to reach an agreement," said Buffenbarger. "My advice to Congress and the President remains the same: stay out of this and we will get it done."
"If we achieve significant improvements – and I suspect we will – we will schedule a vote of the membership by mid-March," said Robert Roach, Jr., IAM General Vice President of Transportation.
In separate negotiations, IAM District 141, representing 30,000 Ramp & Stores, Public Contact, Food Services and Security Officers continues to meet in mediated talks with United Airlines. Both IAM districts have been in negotiations with United Airlines since December 1999. All IAM contracts with United became amendable on July 12, 2000.
. .<a href="http://www.iam141m.org/ual.htm" target="_blank">http://www.iam141m.org/ual.htm</a>