=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/c/a/2008/10/08/BUPH13D6Q6= .DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, October 8, 2008 (SF Chronicle) United Airlines to lay off 414 at SFO George Raine, Chronicle Staff Writer United Airlines has told the union that represents its mechanics at San Francisco International Airport that it will lay off as many as 414 workers beginning Dec. 7, as part of its efforts to contain costs. The workers will be shed in what is the second round of layoffs announced this year. The first round ended Friday, during which time 137 workers departed with an involuntary furlough, with recall rights, said Paul Molenberg, business agent for Teamsters Local 856 in San Bruno, one of two locals representing approximately 3,000 mechanics at the United Airlines Maintenance Facility at San Francisco International Airport. United said in a statement released Tuesday: "As we reduce the size of o= ur fleet and take actions companywide to enable United to compete in this challenging economic environment, we must take the difficult but necessary step to reduce the number of people we have to run our business." The layoffs are part of the "ongoing effort to size the company appropriately," said United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski. A seniority system is in place and the United workers with the least time of service are the first to be laid off, said Molenberg. Many of the workers had been assigned the Boeing 737, but United is grounding the older fleet and so that work is going away, he said. To satisfy a state law that 60 days' notice be given of layoffs, United said in a letter to an official of the California Employment Development Department dated Sept. 29 that 414 employees at the maintenance facility will be laid off Dec. 7 or within two weeks beginning that date. The letter, obtained by The Chronicle, said United cannot predict whether these layoffs will be temporary or permanent. "However, in light of the present circumstances, they will remain in effect for the foreseeable future, and we cannot say whether any of these affected employees will be recalled," the letter added. In letters to workers being warned that they may be let go, also obtained by The Chronicle, United wrote in part, "After a careful review of our staffing needs due to the recently announced capacity reductions, we have determined that we must implement a workforce reduction" at the maintenance facility. United, as other airlines, was damaged this year by spiraling fuel costs and by the sagging economic conditions that are worsening. In Washington, D.C., Leslie Miller, a spokeswoman for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said the union does not believe that 414 workers will be let go in this round of layoffs. She said the union does not believe the actual number is firm. "We believe it will be less than that," said Miller. The Teamsters' Molenberg said the two rounds of layoffs are discouraging. "We've had lows before when United hit bankruptcy, and we had to take concessions and layoffs. I can't say this is the worst, but it's another low." E-mail George Raine at graine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ----------------------------= ------------------------------------------ Copyright 2008 SF Chronicle <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the AIRLINE List, please send an E-mail to: "listserv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx". Within the body of the text, only write the following:"SIGNOFF AIRLINE".