Official Statement from Teamsters Airline Division Director David Bourne

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is an official statement from Teamsters Airline Division Director David Bourne regarding the recent vote by Continental Airlines mechanics represented by the Teamsters Union to approve an amended collective bargaining agreement.

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"Today, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters announced that the mechanics of Continental Airlines ratified an amended collective bargaining agreement with the airline. In an election in which 84 percent of eligible Teamster mechanics voted, 2250, or 74 percent, voted in favor of accepting the new contract. 

"The IBT Airline Division is proud of our Continental mechanics and the strong new agreement their solidarity allowed us to achieve. In a difficult economy, our members were able to get retroactive pay, a signing bonus, good raises, furlough protections and defined benefit pension guarantees, and to set our entire membership up for a very favorable amalgamation with our brother and sister United mechanics.

"The new contract will be signed within the next week. The IBT Airline Division is the leading Airline mechanic union, representing 15,000 mechanics at United, Continental, AirTran, Frontier, Horizon, ExpressJet, and ASA, among other carriers, as well as a total of 64,000 airline employees in every craft."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.Teamster.org.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters