Denver Airport Super Shuttle Drivers Join CWA after 2-Year Battle

Health Care, Fund-Raising and AT&T Retail Workers Also Organize

After a two-year fight for a union, Super Shuttle drivers at Denver International Airport voted overwhelmingly last week for CWA representation.

Overcoming two years of hostility, harassment and coercion, 94 Super Shuttle drivers at Denver International Airport finally got the chance last week to vote for a union. In a resounding victory, they voted 77-4 for representation with CWA Local 7777, which also represents 300 Union Taxi drivers at DIA.

The mostly African immigrant group filed their original petition for a union election in December 2009. Attempting to frighten its drivers and derail the vote, Super Shuttle management claimed the workers were independent contractors and therefore ineligible, terminated a driver on the organizing committee, and committed numerous other unfair labor practices.

CWA prevailed in seven ULPs it filed against management, with the NLRB eventually directing the election. It further ordered Super Shuttle to refund the drivers $65,000 in franchising fees, which the company had collected as retaliation for their union activities.

District 7 Organizing Coordinator Al Kogler said Local 7777 organizer Abdi Buni, a former Union Taxi driver at DIA, did an "incredible job" of holding the Super Shuttle drivers together, and local President Lisa Bolton provided critical support.

Besides drivers at Super Shuttle and Union Taxi, CWA represents 125 other DIA workers, including 70 at Avis and Budget rental car, and 45 at WallyPark, the airport's parking lot company.

In other organizing victories, 165 dieticians at the University of California have joined UPTE-CWA Local 9119. University management dropped its opposition to allowing the workers to become part of the union's health care unit at UC.

In Portland, Ore., call center workers at the Fund for The Public Interest voted 19-5 to join CWA Local 7901. Although the Fund bills itself as a progressive organization, management bitterly fought their employees' campaign. The employees work late hours making cold calls to raise donations.

In Elko, Nev., 11 AT&T Mobility retail store workers formerly with Alltel, won representation with CWA Local 9413.