Updated HEROES Act Introduced as Time Runs Out for Airline Workers

Updated HEROES Act Introduced as Time Runs Out for Airline Workers

Sep 29, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, Hawaiian, MNPL, Organizing, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Philippine, Row 2, Spirit, Uncategorized, United | 0 comments

Texas Senator Cornyn’s Support Boosts Chances for Passage in the Senate 

On Monday evening, House Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi introduced a revised version of the HEROES Act, which includes $25 billion in funding for airline workers and another $3 billion for airline contractors. With a bipartisan majority of members of the House of Representatives on record supporting an extension of the Payroll Support Act (PSP), if the bill earns support in the Republican-controlled Senate, the eventual extension of the funding is all but assured.

If the bill fails to become law immediately, however, airlines may begin laying off tens of thousands of workers as they wait for lawmakers to seal the deal. IAMAW District 141 President Mike Klemm worries that many junior airline workers may not get called back to work – even if the aid comes within a few days of the PSP expiration. “I have seen nothing in this funding that would force airlines to bring our members back immediately upon passage. We need this bill to become the law before midnight tomorrow. Our members have no more time,” Klemm stated. 

The support from Republican lawmakers, particularly in the Senate, is vital for the passage of a clean extension of airline payroll assistance. 

In a letter to the Machinists last week, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined 16 members of his caucus who have voiced support for union workers facing catastrophic job cuts in the American aviation industry. Over 200,000 airline and aviation workers are expected to lose their jobs starting on Thursday.  An extension of the Payroll Support Program, a provision of the CARES Act, would prevent job cuts until March 30, 2021. 

“In recent weeks, several airlines have notified significant segments of their workforces that their jobs could be at risk on October 1,” Senator Cornyn said in the statement. “With air travel anticipated to remain low in the near future, a clean extension would maintain the goal of the CARES Act and avoid further layoffs.”

Klemm spoke with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) during the IAMAW Day of Action last week while encouraging every Machinists Union member to contact their representatives to help them understand the urgency. “This revised bill has relief for many segments of our economy, which is needed, and we are happy they are being addressed, but airlines aren’t just another business, they are also a utility. Like roads and bridges and a fully functioning electric grid, air lanes must be in place before an economic recovery can happen. If we need to use taxpayer money, let’s use it to keep highly skilled airline workers on the job, and help bring back our economy, instead of having them join the millions who are unemployed.” 

“Both parties and the president support an extension of this aid,” Klemm added. “But I don’t know if lawmakers understand the deadline airline workers face. This has to happen, and it has to happen now.” Klemm urged all union members to make a call to their lawmakers and remind them that September 30 is the last day to prevent tens of thousands of job cuts.

Additional Resources /// Tell Lawmakers: Support for Airline Payrolls Cannot Wait  /// Read the joint airline union letter the IAMAW sent to the Senate last week

     Related Stories

141 Report: Jason Kammer Talks Labor Issues and Politics in the Grand Canyon State

141 Report: Jason Kammer Talks Labor Issues and Politics in the Grand Canyon State

Sep 18, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Featured News, Front Page, MNPL, Page Five, Page Three, Perusals, Row 2, Uncategorized | 0 comments

141 Report: Jason Kammer Talks Labor Issues and Politics in the Grand Canyon State

Jason Kammer has worked as a Ramp Service Agent in PHX since 1996 when he joined his mother and uncle working at America West Airlines. After two airline mergers, Brother Jason now serves as the Vice President for Transportation of the Arizona State Council of Machinists.

He previously held positions as Shop Steward, Grievance Committee Rep, and was elected president of IAM Local 2559, where he served members for six years until 2019. He is also active in the Sky Harbor Lodge MNPL Planning Committee and is a delegate to the Maricopa Area Labor Federation.

Long considered a Republican stronghold, political analysts now view Arizona as a swing state in the 2020 election. The state’s demographics are changing rapidly, and in 2018 Democrat Kyrsten Sinema won a hard-fought election to the US Senate. In this year’s senate race, Democrat Mark Kelly is leading the polls against Republican incumbent Martha McSally. Senator McSally was appointed by the Arizona governor to the position in 2018 after she lost the election to Sinema and the first replacement for the late Senator John McCain stepped down. 

The Grand Canyon State has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1996, and President Trump won the state by just over 3 points in 2016. Polls this year show a very tight race, and many have Democratic nominee Joe Biden ahead of the president by up to 5 points. The state of Arizona is shaping up to be a battleground in this election, and we are pleased to hear Jason’s views. 

Additional Resources /// Visit the Local 2559 Sky Harbor Website

     Related Stories

IAM’s Airline Day of Action Sounds Alarm Across Country

IAM’s Airline Day of Action Sounds Alarm Across Country

Sep 18, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Front Page, GOIAM Stories, Hawaiian, MNPL, Page Five, Philippine, Row 2, Spirit, Uncategorized, United | 0 comments

As part of the IAM Airline Day of Action, IAM airline members have been making thousands of phone calls, sending countless emails and meeting with their elected officials all across the country today virtually, and in person, demanding that Congress act now to pass legislation that would stem hundreds of thousands of layoffs slated to begin on October 1, 2020.

The Senate has taken two vacations and still hasn’t passed a clean extension of relief provided for airlines in the CARES Act. Time is running out. IAM members must act now to tell your Senators to support a clean extension of relief provided for airlines in the CARES Act.

 

Here’s how you can take part in the IAM Airline Day of Action:

  1. Call your Senators at 866-829-3298 to urge them to pass a clean extension of the PSP through March 31, 2021, and to save hundreds of thousands of frontline airline workers’ jobs.
  2. Email your Senators.
  3. Tweet at Majority Leader McConnell and your Senators.

– We need your help, @SenateMajLdr. Without a clean extension of the airline #PayrollSupportProgram, hundreds of thousands of frontline airline workers will be furloughed when the program expires on September 30th. Please get to the negotiating table now.

– [INSERT SENATOR’S TWITTER HANDLES] Congress needs to put politics aside and get a deal done now to save the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of airline workers. Pass a clean extension of the airline #PayrollSupportProgram today.

– [INSERT SENATOR’S TWITTER HANDLES] In a few short weeks, airline workers will not have healthcare during a pandemic. Congress needs to pass a clean extension of the airline #PayrollSupportProgram now.

– [INSERT SENATOR’S TWITTER HANDLES] Airline workers have worked through the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it’s Congress’s turn to take care of these heroes. They need to pass a clean extension of the airline #PayrollSupportProgram now.

“The Trump Administration and strong bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate all agree that airline workers and the industry as a whole need further aid to prevent hundreds of thousands of layoffs and great harm to the U.S. economy,” said IAM General Vice President Sito Pantoja. “The IAM calls on Senate Majority Leader McConnell to support the U.S. airline industry. This industry drives over a million jobs and pumps trillions of dollars into our economy. We cannot turn our backs on this most vital sector of our economy.”

“The airline Payroll Support Program has been one of the most successful jobs programs in U.S. history,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “Congress must stop the partisanship and extend relief for hundreds of thousands of airline workers. These men and women will make their voices heard in November and they will remember who stood with them and who stood against them to save the airline industry and their livelihoods.”

 

    RELATED ARTICLES

Help Save Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs on Thursday’s IAM Airline Day of Action

Help Save Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs on Thursday’s IAM Airline Day of Action

Sep 16, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Front Page, GOIAM Stories, Hawaiian, MNPL, Organizing, Page Five, Perusals, Philippine, Row 2, Spirit, Uncategorized, United | 0 comments

IAM airline members are mobilizing this Thursday, Sept. 17 in 32 cities in over 20 states, either in person or virtually with Senators and Senate staff, to demand that Congress act now to pass legislation that would stem hundreds of thousands of layoffs slated to begin on October 1, 2020.

The Senate has taken two vacations and still hasn’t passed a clean extension of relief provided for airlines in the CARES Act. Time is running out. IAM members must act now to tell your Senators to support a clean extension of relief provided for airlines in the CARES Act.

Here’s how you can take part in the IAM Airline Day of Action:

  1. Call your Senators at 866-829-3298 to urge them to pass a clean extension of the PSP through March 31, 2021, and to save hundreds of thousands of frontline airline workers’ jobs.
  2. Email your Senators.
  3. Tweet at Majority Leader McConnell and your Senators.

– We need your help, @SenateMajLdr. Without a clean extension of the airline #PayrollSupportProgram, hundreds of thousands of frontline airline workers will be furloughed when the program expires on September 30th. Please get to the negotiating table now.

– [INSERT SENATOR’S TWITTER HANDLES] Congress needs to put politics aside and get a deal done now to save the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of airline workers. Pass a clean extension of the airline #PayrollSupportProgram today.

– [INSERT SENATOR’S TWITTER HANDLES] In a few short weeks, airline workers will not have healthcare during a pandemic. Congress needs to pass a clean extension of the airline #PayrollSupportProgram now.

– [INSERT SENATOR’S TWITTER HANDLES] Airline workers have worked through the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it’s Congress’s turn to take care of these heroes. They need to pass a clean extension of the airline #PayrollSupportProgram now.

“The Trump Administration and strong bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate all agree that airline workers and the industry as a whole need further aid to prevent hundreds of thousands of layoffs and great harm to the U.S. economy,” said IAM General Vice President Sito Pantoja. “The IAM calls on Senate Majority Leader McConnell to support the U.S. airline industry. This industry drives over a million jobs and pumps trillions of dollars into our economy. We cannot turn our backs on this most vital sector of our economy.”

“The airline Payroll Support Program has been one of the most successful jobs programs in U.S. history,” said IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. “Congress must stop the partisanship and extend relief for hundreds of thousands of airline workers. These men and women will make their voices heard in November and they will remember who stood with them and who stood against them to save the airline industry and their livelihoods.”

Additional Resources  /// Ask Lawmakers to Support Clean Extension of PSP///  Support the Machinists Non-Partisan Political League

Help Save Thousands of Airline Jobs This Fall

Support a clean extension of the Payroll Support Program for airlines, and help save thousands of airline worker jobs this fall.

Send Lawmakers a Message Now

    RELATED ARTICLES

Union Safety Doesn’t Stop for Pandemic

Union Safety Doesn’t Stop for Pandemic

Sep 15, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Front Page, Hawaiian, Page Four, Perusals, Row 2, Safety, Safety, Uncategorized, United | 0 comments

The goal of a Ground Safety Action Program (GSAP) is to enhance aviation safety by preventing personnel injuries, accidents, and incidents.

Its focus is to encourage voluntary reporting of safety hazards and events that come to the attention of members of IAMAW District Lodge 141 at United Airlines (GSAP), American Airlines (GSAP still in development), and Hawaiian Airlines (GSIP). 

IAM District 141 President Michael Klemm strongly supports these programs to ensure all members have a single voice on workplace safety. No one knows your job better than you, and your continued support of this program is vital. The reporting of all incidents and near misses is essential to allow your Event Review Committee (ERC) to track and trend the data provided to help guide changes to policies and procedures. As we move forward through this pandemic, and as flight schedules change, this is an opportunity for the airlines to improve our policies, procedures, and for the FAA to oversee our safety programs.

Safety is a core value to the leadership of the IAM. Our Ground Safety Action programs (GSAPs) have been instrumental in implementing changes to numerous policies and procedures using proactive reporting from the front lines.

Please continue to report safety hazards, near misses, and incidents to Management, Union Representatives, and the GSAP program that each carrier supports.

Additional Resources
///  Visit the IAMAW Safety Department
/// Get Printable Copy

Note: Not all airlines and contracted companies have an endorsed safety program. Contact your company safety department for more information.

    RELATED ARTICLES

IAM Political Action: Support Clean Extension of Payroll Support to Prevent Airline Furloughs

IAM Political Action: Support Clean Extension of Payroll Support to Prevent Airline Furloughs

Sep 14, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Front Page, GOIAM Stories, Hawaiian, MNPL, Perusals, Row 2, Uncategorized, United | 0 comments

In March, as U.S. COVID-19 cases began rising exponentially, Congress rose to the occasion by enacting the CARES Act to provide assistance to tens of millions of Americans who found their financial security, if not their health, directly imperiled by the pandemic.

Among other things, the CARES Act created the Payroll Support Program (PSP), under which the Treasury Secretary issued $32 billion in grants to airlines and their contractors exclusively to keep their workers on the payroll through September 30, 2020.

But while time marches on, so does the pandemic, Airline workers are facing the worst crisis by far in the industry’s history. Last Wednesday, a major airline put 36,000 workers across the country on notice that they could be furloughed on or after October 1. Other carriers have issued and will issue similar notices.

Please ask your member of Congress to join House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) on a bipartisan letter to House and Senate Leadership, urging them to extend the PSP authorities in the CARES Act through March 31, 2021, and save hundreds of thousands of frontline airline workers’ jobs.

Additional Resources  /// Ask Lawmakers to Support Clean Extension of PSP///  Support the Machinists Non-Partisan Political League

Help Save Thousands of Airline Jobs This Fall

Support a clean extension of the Payroll Support Program for airlines, and help save thousands of airline worker jobs this fall.

Send Lawmakers a Message Now

    RELATED ARTICLES