January 24, 2008 - Flight Attendants at CommutAir, a regional air carrier headquartered in New York and serving 24 cities in eight states, voted overwhelmingly for IAM representation in an NMB-supervised election. The near-unanimous vote of 28-1 was announced following a count at NMB headquarters in Washington D.C.
The organizing victory at the Continental Connection carrier brings representation rights to all 47 Flight Attendants at CommutAir, who approached the IAM with concerns about wages, benefits and working conditions. The newly organized group is expected to double in size with the addition of a large group of new hires currently in training.
The win was especially notable for the short time, barely 90 days, from the onset of the organizing campaign to the election victory. Airline organizing campaigns frequently take years to reach a successful conclusion.
“It is a great pleasure welcome these Flight Attendants into the IAM,” said Transportation General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “Few industries are as volatile as ours and the best chance for airline employees today is with professional representation at the bargaining table backed by the support of tens of thousands of fellow airline employees across the country.”
Special thanks go to District 142 General Chair Julie Frietchen, and Local 2339C President Marcus Valentino, who helped coordinate the lightning fast organizing drive.
