One Year Later, Determined Piedmont Agents Still Fighting for Contract

Agents at Piedmont Airlines marked the first anniversary of their union victory last week with a clever demonstration protesting management's refusal to bargain a first contract.

At North Carolina's Charlotte airport, CWA members at Piedmont Airlines demonstrate for a fair contract on the one-year anniversary of their union representation victory.

Wearing large letters on their backs spelling out "CONTRACT NOW," agents marched through Terminal E at Charlotte Douglas International Airport demanding that the airline get serious.

"Contract negotiations began last February, but you wouldn't know it from management's bargaining proposals," said Abdur Bilal, a longtime union activist at Piedmont. "After nine months, we haven't been offered any serious proposals addressing agents' most pressing economic needs."

Talks are now under the auspices of a federal mediator because Piedmont was not willing to offer proposals acceptable to the workers. The union bargaining committee is meeting with the mediator Nov. 15.

A key issue is fair raises, with agents averaging only $10.74 an hour. Some make significantly less: Agents in Phoenix average just $8.50 an hour, with a maximum of $10 an hour. Further, more than 60 percent of Piedmont agents are part-timers who get no paid sick leave, holiday pay, or health insurance.

Nearly 3,500 CWA-represented agents work at 74 airports across the Piedmont system. For more information about the agents, bargaining updates and issues, visit their website at www.PiedmontAgent.org.