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CWA Calls for Expedited Election at US Airways

The Communications Workers of America today filed for an immediate rerun representation election for passenger service representatives at US Airways and called on the National Mediation Board to set an election date with ballots to go out July 1.

CWA had just about concluded bargaining with US Airways for a first contract covering some 10,000 passenger service agents when a federal appeals court last week invalidated the representation election won by CWA in Sept. 1997. The ruling was based on the airline's challenge of the rules the NMB set for the second election.

"It's unfortunate that this legal maneuvering is standing in the way of a fair contract for passenger service professionals," said CWA President Morton Bahr. "We urge the NMB to move quickly and send out the ballots for a new election by July 1. Then we can get back to the business of negotiating and finalizing the contract that agents have worked so hard to achieve," he said.

Although 84 percent of the employees have signed union membership cards, the airline denied CWA's request to voluntarily recognize the union, thus making a new election necessary.

Bargaining between CWA and US Airways got underway in December 1997, following the vote for CWA representation in September 1997. The passenger service agents are the only major employee group at the airline not covered by a union contract, and their wages, benefits and working conditions are far below that of the pilots, flight attendants, machinists and now ramp workers.

Agents haven't had a pay raise in nearly seven years and many are working under a two-tier system of benefits that US Airways imposed on part-time workers. On June 1, management announced it would implement some improvements in employees' wages and benefits, changes already agreed to in bargaining with CWA.

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