International Brotherhood of Teamsters has announced the filing of a lawsuit against ExpressJet Airlines, a United Express carrier, alleging that the company triggered a major dispute under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), the company said.
The law governs airline and railroad labor relations. The law was allegedly violated when it unilaterally offered a bonus program to attract new airframe and powerplant (A&P) mechanics while it was negotiating with the union over fair pay rates for those workers.
The lawsuit also alleges that the company violated the RLA by offering recruitment bonuses to mechanics without bargaining with the union about those changes. The union requested that the court prohibit the company from making these unilateral changes until pay rates and bonuses could be bargained with the Teamsters, who represent ExpressJet´s 500 mechanics and related workers.
The union expects the court to hold a hearing on its request for a preliminary injunction in the upcoming weeks.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
