After a four-year absence, ground crew workers at USAir will again have union representation.
The workers, who handle baggage and cargo, voted in favor of collective bargaining but must vote again in a runoff election to choose a union, the National Mediation Board said.The successful unionization vote followed failed attempts in 1990 and 1992.
Of the 7,687 eligible workers, 5,096 favored union membership, although the vote to choose from three unions was split, the board said. The board's rules require that if more than one union is on the ballot and no union receives a majority of the votes, a runoff is held between the top two vote-getters.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers led the balloting with 1,813 votes, while the United Steelworkers garnered 1,746 votes. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which represented the workers until 1990, was third, with 1,533 votes, and was eliminated from consideration.