Mon, Dec 15, 2003
Union Claimed Maintenance Was Mishandled
Did UPS mishandle
aircraft inspections and repair work? Did later inspections find
potentially serious problems with UPS aircraft? The FAA says
no.
Aircraft mechanics in Miami and Philadelphia and their union,
Louisville-based Teamsters Local 2727 said the company had violated
FAA inspection regulations, a sore spot with the agency as it continues to
take fire for the way it inspects contract repair stations
nationwide.
A UPS mechanic in Miami told the FAA a UPS supervisor ordered
him not to log repairs to the brakes of a company aircraft.
Mechanics in Philadelphia said they were reassigned to other
inspections after they refused to clear a plane that showed
evidence of landing gear problems.
But the FAA says there were no violations found after what it
termed a "routine investigation" into the complaints. The
Louisville (KY) Courier-Journal quotes UPS spokesman Mark
Giuffre, who says the company was confident it would be
cleared.
He says the FAA finding
shows "the procedures that we followed and everything that was done
was proper by FAA standards."
Giuffre blamed "union discontent" for the allegations.
Another company spokesperson said the union complaints were
inappropriate. "There are other ways, more appropriate ways," to
voice such disagreements "without ever exploiting any kind of
safety concerns," UPS public relations manager Patti Hobbs
said.
The union is non-plussed by the FAA findings -- and by UPS
comments.
"That's just an attempt by UPS to use that as subterfuge of the
real issue," says the union's secretary-treasurer, "That's just an
attempt by UPS to use that as subterfuge of the real issue." Jack
Chatburn.
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