Mechanics from Eight Airlines Pledge All Available Resources to Back Colleagues at United Airlines.

CHICAGO -- Meeting in Chicago this week, union leaders representing mechanics at eight U.S. airlines unanimously pledged the full resources of their organization to support their colleagues at United Airlines, "up to and including the right to strike."

Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) national officers and leaders for AMFA local unions serving Alaska Airlines, ATA, Horizon Airlines, Independence Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines vowed to stand together "in the event that the United Airlines contract is permanently changed without the approval of the AMFA membership."

The AMFA leaders met this week in Chicago to make plans for a pending strike against United Airlines. In January 2005, AMFA members working for United overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike if permanent changes are made to the contract without the approval of the membership. Bankruptcy Judge Eugene Wedoff has imposed a temporary 9.8 percent pay cut and reduced sick leave benefits for AMFA members, for the period February 1 through May 31, 2005, to give AMFA and United additional time to try to reach a consensual contract agreement.

AMFA said United has not taken the negotiations seriously and has added fuel to the fire by moving to terminate the mechanics' pension plan and making itself eligible for up to 40 percent bonuses while mechanics and other employees receive only five percent under the company's new success-sharing plan.

According to AMFA National Director O.V. Delle-Femine, "United says a strike is illegal. We obviously disagree with that interpretation and are prepared to defend our right to strike. As AMFA's national director, I am authorized to call for an immediate nationwide strike against United if modifications are made to our contract without the approval of the membership and have called strikes three times before on behalf of AMFA's members. Without aircraft technicians on duty, the airline cannot safely fly or comply with federal regulations."

United is seeking to rewrite all its labor contracts to save costs for the second time in its bankruptcy. After slashing labor costs by $2.5 billion annually in 2003, including a 13 percent pay cut for mechanics, the airline later said it needed another $725 million in yearly reductions.

AMFA represents more aircraft technicians than any other union. AMFA's credo is "Safety in the air begins with quality maintenance on the ground." To learn more about AMFA, visit www.amfanatl.org.