A federal judge in Milwaukee ruled Tuesday that Frontier Airlines and its parent company must restore all mechanic and stock-clerk work to union- covered employees.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters filed a request for an injunction against Frontier and Republic Airways in March, claiming Republic officials abrogated a collective-bargaining contract with Frontier mechanics and stock clerks.
Of 135 Frontier mechanics offered a move to Milwaukee, 35 volunteered to go but only 21 made the move.
The judge said the Teamsters are entitled to an injunction to restore the status quo as it existed prior to Feb. 24, when the airline notified the union after some workers were en route in Wisconsin that their work would be done by nonunion workers.
“This is huge. This saved jobs,” said Matthew Fazakas, president of Teamsters Local Union No. 961. “This is Teamsters work. They can move it to whatever city they want, but this is Teamsters work.”
The company argued the issue was a representation dispute.
Ann Schrader: 303-954-1967 or aschrader@denverpost.com
