Mar 26, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, EAP, Featured, Front Page, Hawaiian, Home, Home, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United |
Sisters and Brothers,
Working almost around the clock since Monday, the leadership of the House of Representatives and the US Senate engaged in negotiations to produce a historic $2 trillion stimulus bill that provides significant relief to our nation’s health care and transportation workers.
The Senate voted 96-0 last night to adopt the bi-partisan agreement, and it now moves to the House, where it will be introduced by Speaker Pelosi tomorrow and it is expected to pass.
Your actions since the beginning of this crisis, and your quick mobilization this week to contact elected officials in Washington made the difference for every working person in our country. Thanks to you, we are more certain of our future.
Once it becomes law, the CARE Act will secure the airline industry and our jobs for the next 6 months as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and will provide loan guarantees to rebuild our nation’s aviation infrastructure for the long term.
Key highlights for airline relief include:
- $25 Billion in grants to airlines for payroll assistance. Before Labor’s input, the bill only had a loan program. These grants are EXCLUSIVELY for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries and benefits. Before Labor’s input, this provision did not exist.
- No condition to open Collective Bargaining Agreements and enter concessionary negotiations to receive grants or loans. Before Labor’s input, the Treasury Secretary had the power to impose unlimited conditions for receiving federal funds. Your calls helped us close this major loophole.
- As a condition to receive federal grant funds, a carrier must refrain from conducting involuntary furloughs until September 30, 2020. Before Labor’s input, this important provision did not exist.
- Prohibition on stock buybacks and dividend payments until September 30, 2021, and limits on executive compensation and “golden parachutes.” Neither of these requirements existed before our Labor negotiators insisted on them.
I also want to remind our Brothers and Sisters at American Airlines that the ratification vote for the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement will close tonight at 8:00 Eastern Standard Time. You can find information at the Association Website if you have questions or are having difficulty voting. Please take a few minutes to make your voice heard.
Thank you again for your dedication and professionalism. In these most difficult circumstances, you are showing up every day to get our customers where they need to go. We are not out of the woods yet, by a long shot, but if we continue to speak up, show up, and take care of ourselves and each other, we will overcome this crisis.
Please make sure you take time to unwind, and try to get enough rest. Our EAP Representatives are always available at https://iam141.org/employee-assistance-program/
In Solidarity,
Mike Klemm,
President and Directing General Chair,
District 141, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Mar 25, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Hawaiian, Home, Home, Philippine, Spirit, Uncategorized, United |
The federal aid package presented by the Senate, which is expected to be voted on shortly contains a huge problem that could affect every airline worker in the United States. The proposed legislation currently has NO protection against opening up existing collective bargaining agreements if an airline seeks a loan or loan guarantee.
A self-proclaimed labor leader is spiking the ball, claiming victory and credit, but obviously DOES NOT understand what’s missing in the legislation that she is taking credit for.
The text of the bill states, “A loan, loan guarantee, or other investment by the Secretary shall be made under this section in such form and on such terms and conditions and contain such covenants, representations, warranties, and requirements (including requirements for audits) as the Secretary determines appropriate.”
“This means the Secretary of the Treasury could demand that contracts be renegotiated and concessions made before loans, loan guarantees or investments are made. This is exactly what we were working to avoid. This needs to be fixed now or it could result in airline workers taking steep concessions.
Please contact your elected officials and ask them to ensure that the loan component of the federal aid package has the same language as the grant component of the package. You may contact your representative HERE, courtesy of Democracy.io.
We must act now to clean up the mess made by other so-called labor leaders.
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Mar 18, 2020 | Airlines, American, Community Service Page, COVID, Featured, Front Page, Hawaiian, Home, Home, MNPL, Organizing, Philippine, Safety, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United |
IAMAW District 141 /////
Sisters and Brothers,
In recent weeks, many of you have contacted your local union representatives, Assistant General Chairpersons or me directly to express your fears of possible pay cuts, furloughs or the likelihood of your carrier going bankrupt or completely out of business. You have good reasons to be concerned.
The airline industry is facing an existential threat from a global pandemic. The spread of the Coronavirus across continents has resulted in a decrease in demand for air travel by two-thirds worldwide, with at least one airline going out of business. For over two months, airline workers have worked on the front lines of the crisis, and you have adapted to reductions in flight schedules, last-minute policy changes, and have worried about how to best protect your personal health and safety. The worst part is the unease that comes from not seeing a clear end to this crisis.
As airlines announce more cuts in service, IAM General Vice President Sito Pantoja said today that “US carriers are contemplating further capacity cuts or shutting down operations altogether, which only a month ago was unimaginable.”
The President of the United States and members of Congress are discussing how they can best help the airline industry, which is the backbone of our nation’s economy. There are several ideas being considered, and we support any action that helps workers quickly and directly. As workers, we need to unite and say with a clear and strong voice that the need is great and immediate.
I urge you to call your representatives today at 202-224-3121 and ask them to take any action necessary to save our airline jobs.
Click here to send a message to your Federal Representatives:
Please act today to protect your job and those of thousands of airline workers and millions more who depend on our industry for their livelihoods. Many of you are applying for voluntary leaves and reductions in schedules, which shows how committed we are to get through this crisis together. I ask that we work with our elected officials to make sure no one gets left behind.
Thank you for your activism and solidarity.
Fraternally,
Mike Klemm
President and Directing General Chair,
District 141
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
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Mar 14, 2020 | Airlines, American, Community Service, Community Service Page, COVID, EAP, Education, Featured, Front Page, Hawaiian, Home, Home, Philippine, Safety, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United
GOIAM.COM /////////////
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
I know there is much uncertainty surrounding the evolving COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak that has now been classified as a global pandemic. Our daily routines are being affected by the cancellation of many events in an effort to limit the spread of the virus. I want each and every member of our IAM family to know that the IAM is taking all necessary action to keep all of us safe while continuing the important work of our union.
The most important thing each of us can do now is to heed the advice of health officials. Please closely follow guidelines and monitor updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The best way to avoid being exposed to this virus is to:
– Clean your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
– Avoid close contact with people who are sick
– Stay home and seek medical care if you are sick
– Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow
– Wear a facemask if you are sick
– Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily
I also encourage you to monitor the IAM Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center for more information, specific safety tips for our membership in the healthcare and transportation industries, as well as any updates on changes in IAM operations. Beginning this Saturday, March 14, we have made the decision to suspend programming at the Winpisinger Education and Technology Center for two weeks. We will closely monitor the situation and provide updates on all status changes.
To ensure that everything possible is being done to protect our membership at work, IAM Local Lodge Safety and Health Committees should meet with employers on steps being taken to mitigate the risk of virus transmission. Every employer has the responsibility to do everything necessary to keep its employees safe. Our union has a duty to hold employers responsible to that commitment.
The IAM Grand Lodge is working with elected officials to ensure that sufficient funding is available to respond to the outbreak and that steps are taken to protect jobs in industries that are especially affected by the pandemic.
Lastly, I want our membership to know that we will get through this difficult time together. Throughout our union’s 132-year history, we have always confronted great challenges. Our unity has pulled us through the toughest of times and this situation will be no different.
Let’s be smart, stay safe and continue our march toward dignity and justice for all working people.
Fraternally,
Robert Martinez Jr.
International President
Jan 28, 2020 | Airlines, American, Featured, Hawaiian, Home, Organizing, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United
2020 Novel Coronavirus Update
Concerns centered on Coronavirus are very much on our minds, especially as we work with the traveling public and provide cleaning and maintenance on our aircraft. Members of the IAM Joint Air Transport Safety Committee have been very involved in these issues that concern the varied jobs that our members perform.
We have participated in conference calls with our respective airlines that have included the Medical, Safety, Emergency Preparedness, and operating departments to discuss the adequacy of current policies and procedures.
JATSC members are also sharing information with other aviation union affiliates of the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department along with principles and senior officials from agencies charged with aviation safety, health and security about a coordinated response to the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak.
JATSC members will continue to participate in these discussions, providing input concerning our member’s protection.
As this issue continues to unfold we will likely learn more about this virus and how to effectively protect ourselves, but there are some basic precautions that you should take:
- Know and understand your company’s policy on protection from the virus and follow the policies. Don’t take short cuts.
- Good personal hygiene is also very important. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. The use of hand sanitizers (60% or more of alcohol) can be used when water is not readily available. It is always a good idea to wash your hands for 20 seconds as soon as the water is available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Use the proper disinfectant that is approved for use on the aircraft or ground facilities and follow the directions as most disinfectants require a dwell time on the surfaces to be effective prior to wiping off.
Make sure that you are aware of any bulletins, alerts, or protocols that your employer has communicated concerning the Coronavirus. The CDC (Center for Disease Control), OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) all have a lot of current info on the virus as well. Take a few moments to review:
U.S. Department of Labor/Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 2019 Novel Coronavirus Webpage.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2019 Novel Coronavirus Webpage.
Recording Secretaries: please post on all IAMAW Bulletin Boards
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Jan 10, 2020 | Airlines, Featured, Hawaiian, Home, Organizing, Uncategorized
Brothers and Sisters,
District Lodge 141 and 142, along with Hawaiian Airlines, have agreed to enter into a ‘Limited Issue/Expedited Negotiation’ process in an effort to reach new contract agreements prior to the amendable date of the existing Agreements.
This process will permit the parties to identify a limited number of issues that, if successfully addressed, will allow the parties to reach an agreement, subject to membership approval The parties have agreed to meet a minimum of 2 weeks each month, with a target date of April 30, 2020, to resolve the issues.
As part of the process, if the parties reach new ratified agreements under the expedited process, the Company has agreed that, at a minimum, any pay raises that are agreed to in negotiations will be effective on the date of ratification, which will bring raises to our membership much faster and far before the amendable date of the current contracts.
If the parties do not reach agreement by the target date, they can mutually agree to continue the process if sufficient progress is being made. If either party feels the progress looks like a deal cannot be reached, that party can end the expedited process and negotiations will revert back to original Railway Labor Act Section 6 negotiations.
Your Negotiating Committee fully supports this process and they have been hard at work identifying those issues that we will be addressing during the expedited process.
Below is a calendar of meeting dates and what is scheduled.
January 20 – 24 Negotiating Committee will be meeting to internally finalize our expedited issues.
January 28 – Meeting with the company to jointly discuss expedited issues for both the Union and Company.
February 3 – 7 Negotiations will begin in Honolulu and expedited issues will be exchanged with full Negotiating Committees.
Thereafter, beginning February 17, negotiations will occur generally every other week until the end of April or earlier, if agreement is reached.
Although this process is different than has been used in the past, it provides the opportunity to address the important issues identified by the membership and gives us the opportunity to gain value for our membership sooner than the traditional negotiating process.
And, most importantly, the membership retains its right to vote on any tentative agreements.
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