US Airways Passenger Services: Getting Ready for Our Merger

With the merger of US Airways and American Airlines expected to be approved in August, agents and representatives at both carriers are launching our campaign for CWA representation at the combined airline.

After the merger is finalized and we are ready to move forward with an election for our combined unit, our union will petition the National Mediation Board (NMB) to recognize that a single transportation system exists. At that time, we will need to show the NMB that at least 50% of the entire group wants to be represented by our union. Then, the NMB will schedule a new union election, and the group will have a chance to vote for CWA representation.

Throughout this process, US Airways agents and representatives will continue to be covered by our union contract.

American Airlines agents had an election for union representation earlier this year, after management spent more than a year delaying the election and engaging in an all-out anti-union campaign. In the end, they lost by only 150 votes.

The only way to ensure that we keep the contract protections and benefits we have fought long and hard for is to win the election for all agents and representatives. If we lose, we will immediately lose all protections; if we win, our contract will remain in place until a new one is negotiated.

We must organize and mobilize now to win that election.

Mobilizers at every station and reservation center are building a structure to deliver accurate information and organize actions. In the coming weeks and months, we will keep you informed through our mobilization structure, Town Hall calls, and a variety of on-line resources such as this new website and Facebook.

It is critically important that we stay informed and get involved in our union. We’re stronger together!

By: Velvet Hawthorne, Chair, US Airways Bargaining Committee