Piedmont Agents Vote 'CWA Yes'

Washington, D.C. - The 3,000 fleet and passenger service agents at Piedmont Airlines now have a union voice, as agents voted by a two-to-one margin for representation by the Communications Workers of America. Ballots were counted today by the National Mediation Board.

The agents were the only major workgroup at Piedmont without union representation. Now agents will vote on bargaining goals, elect their bargaining team and negotiate with management over wages, working conditions and other benefits. Key issues in the campaign were job security, unfair and arbitrary treatment and the lack of a grievance process.

CWA President Larry Cohen said the campaign was a big victory for workers’ bargaining and organizing rights.

"Piedmont and parent company US Airways used every anti-union trick in the book to keep workers from voting 'CWA Yes.' Management held forced captive audience meetings, had supervisors tear up union materials and harass union supporters, and even hired a notorious union-busting company that promised management results 'or your money back.'

"It's outrageous that most union elections are conducted this way in the United States. Piedmont agents stood up to this intimidation and won their union. But it shouldn’t be this way in our democracy," he said.

Voting took place under new election rules set by the NMB that ensured that airline elections would be conducted following the same democratic rules that govern elections in the United States. Testimony and other action by AFA-CWA, CWA and airline workers convinced the NMB to implement the fair election rule in June.

CWA represents more than 60,000 employees in the airline industry. About 70 percent of airline workers in the U.S. have union representation, and that means fair treatment, respect and the ability to bargain with management over wages and working conditions. Now Piedmont agents have a CWA voice.