Negotiations Crawl Along in Chicago

Negotiations Crawl Along in Chicago

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Negotiations Crawl Along in Chicago This Week

 

1 April 2022

This week, the IAM District 141 Negotiations Committee and United negotiators met in Chicago to continue bargaining for new contracts covering over 25,000 United Airlines ground workers. We reported last week that we were not pleased with the pace of negotiations. This week was mostly more of the same, with some small progress made as the week came to a close.

Both the Union and the Company agreed to expedite these talks with a deadline of August 1st to conclude negotiations. At this pace, we will be hard-pressed to meet that deadline. The Union has made several proposals and counter-proposals to the Company regarding issues we view as being simple to resolve. Still, the Company is dragging its feet, and it doesn’t seem they possess the same urgency to produce industry-leading contracts as we do.

In a recent interview with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, United CEO Scott Kirby stated, “I think the most enduring change that’s going to come from COVID that’ll be most obvious to people is the customer service culture change that’s happened. We had over a 40-point improvement in our net promoter scores. I hear it, like, everywhere I go.” CEO Kirby went on to say, “I actually have the easiest job of anyone at United because I really only have one responsibility, which is to make our employees proud.”

Every IAM member at United Airlines deserves to lead the industry in all aspects of our terms of employment. It’s very obvious that CEO Kirby believes United is the leading global airline. It is also clear that CEO Kirby believes that United employees have led the way in providing United’s top-notch service improvements, which have added value to United’s brand and bottom line.

It’s time for United management to get serious about these expedited negotiations, put their money where their mouths are, and make us proud.

The Union and the Company will meet next the week of April 11th.

In Solidarity,

Your District 141 Negotiating Committee

Olu Ajetomobi
Joe Bartz
Victor Hernandez
Barb Martin
Andrea’ Myers
Terry Stansbury

Faysal Silwany
Erik Stenberg
Sue Weisner

Michael G. Klemm

President & Directing General Chair,
IAMAW District 141

Recording Secretaries: Please print and post on all IAMAW bulletin boards.

JetBlue’s Paid Time Off Scheme

JetBlue’s Paid Time Off Scheme

JetBlue’s Paid Time Off Scheme

Justice at JetBlue
29 March 2022

Many Americans would be surprised to learn that, in many countries, it’s normal to work only 11 months of each year. Most workers in nations like Brazil, Finland, and Germany, among many others, expect to take an entire month of vacation every year. In the US, such a thing is almost unheard of. Unions are trying to change that.

Union membership comes with a lot of well-known perks. Unions enjoy higher pay, better job protection, and get to vote on work rules. While pensions have been almost entirely wiped out for most Americans, an incredible 91% of union members will get monthly payments after they stop working.

But, the highlight reels often overlook a seemingly small but actually very critical benefit: time off.

“Time Off” from work is a feature of unionism that is far too often looked down on by American workers. Too often, workers who value their personal and family time are viewed as lazy, selfish, or as lacking commitment to their careers.

This toxic work habit has led more than half of Americans to work through nearly half of their vacation time each year. In 2017, according to one study, 54% of American workers did not take all the time off they had available. There are several causes. Corporate culture, the fear of becoming replaceable at work, or missing out on opportunities to advance are just a few. And the issue doesn’t end with vacations. Workplaces with an unhealthy emphasis on presenteeism also allow less sick time and fewer paid lunches and breaks.

It’s a problem.

Unions are pushing back on the harmful and abusive tendency of too many companies to try and take more and more personal time away from workers. The Machinists and Aerospace union, the largest collection of aerospace and airline workers in North America, is known for negotiating agreements emphasizing a healthier work/life balance for workers. Namely, union members have demonstrated an ability to overcome gimmicky corporate efforts to steal time, such as the Paid Time Off program at JetBlue.

The PTO scheme at JetBlue is designed to steal the personal time of Crewmembers at the lowest possible cost. Machinists Union Members have negotiated sick, personal, and vacation time off at rates as much as 300% higher than Ground Operations workers at JetBlue. 

This scheme grants a specified bank of 512 hours a year for ground-based crewmembers to use for time off from work. It sounds like a good idea in theory; JetBlue crewmembers can use their Paid Time Off (PTO) banks in whatever way they want, which sounds okay. However, JetBlue uses PTO to cover virtually all outages – not just vacation and personal time off. Crewmembers who are forced to miss work because they get sick or need to care for a loved one also have to draw pay from their limited PTO banks.

The 500 hours in PTO banks can run out fast. Most workers can’t really use PTO to cover time off until they know how much sick time they will need that year, which is impossible to calculate. While the scheme may sound good in theory, most crew members are afraid to use the hours they have for fear that doing so might leave them with no income while dealing with an unexpected illness.

Like most other labor groups, the Machinists Union always negotiates “sick banks” to cover pay during illness. Having a separate sick bank may sound like a simple policy. But, in practice, union members get 300% more vacation and personal time off than their JetBlue counterparts, a truly astonishing figure. A typical sick bane for unionized ground workers at United is more than double the entire yearly allotment at JetBlue by itself.

Taking time off isn’t selfish. It’s something that unions are still fighting to maintain for American workers. Whether they like it or not, companies do not own the lives of their employees. The pushback does not just include sick banks. The Machinists are also fighting at every major airline to make mandatory overtime much more expensive. Machinists have made carriers pay time and a half, double-time, and double-time and a half pay rates for mandatory overtime. Employers of Machinist Union members tend to think twice before demanding that their workers give up hours of their personal lives because it can get expensive.

Time with family is sacred. Wasted time is not time wasted; employers have no right to workers’ personal time – and companies like JetBlue need to learn this.

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United Airlines Safety Bulletin

United Airlines Safety Bulletin

GSAP Event Review Committee (ERC) team members

Rachel Shultz – Management AO
Ashley Maddox – Management AO
William Salo – IAM District 141
Brian Leifker – IAM District 141
John Woodring – FAA
David Lilja – Program Mgr/Sr. Analyst

 ERC upcoming events 

 The ERC meets Wednesdays from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

Ground Safety Action Program News is cooperatively published by United Airlines, IAM, and the FAA. The Ground Safety Action Program (GSAP) is a joint partnership designed to improve the safety of United’s operations by offering the IAM, management, and administrative employees the ability to report safety concerns and/or self-disclose inadvertent Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) and company policy violations.

File a GSAP at ASAP.UAL.COM OR call the GSAP Hotline at 844-280-ASAP

Scan me to download the My Safety App to your smartphone

My Safety App (MSA): Available now!

We’re excited to introduce the My Safety app (MSA) – a mobile solution for Safety reporting available to AO frontline employees and M&A employees across the company.

MSA is available across all mobile platforms, including MAP devices, TC75 handheld scanners, and all personal mobile devices.

The app provides a user-friendly experience for the submission of GSAP and AO IOR reports directly from your work or personal mobile device. Airport Operations Safety listened to your feedback about the limitations and frustrations associated with the completion of safety reports on desktop computers. We addressed this feedback by partnering with the Digital Technology team to bring mobile safety reporting to the Airport Ops team.

The app was designed from the ground up, using feedback from CS, Ramp, MoveTeam, and IAM union leaders. The same groups were involved in testing the mobile app to ensure proper functionality. Some of the exciting features of the app include voice dictation and photo and video attachments. ETQ (the web-based tool you’ve traditionally accessed through Flying Together) or asap.ual.com will remain fully functional to users and will continue to serve as the database for safety reports.

Employees may file new reports or access old reports on the desktop platform or via the new mobile app.

As a reminder, the use of hand-held electronic devices while operating any motorized vehicle is strictly prohibited.

Ground Safety Action Program News is cooperatively published by United Airlines, IAM, and the FAA. The Ground Safety Action Program (GSAP) is a joint partnership designed to improve the safety of United’s operations by offering the IAM, management, and administrative employees the ability to report safety concerns and/or self-disclose inadvertent Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) and company policy violations.

Your feedback is welcome:

adam.carter@united.com

NLC@united.com

 

File a GSAP at ASAP.UAL.COM OR call the GSAP Hotline at 844-280-ASAP

Scan me to download the My Safety App to your smartphone

14 CFR Part 5 Requirement

Thank you for doing your part in creating a safer environment and helping United comply with 14 CFR Part 5, which requires employees of every Part 121 carrier to communicate hazards and/ safety concerns they identify at work. Your reporting has led to many improvements to policies and procedures, and much-needed technology updates. Keep up the good work!

Current NLC items under review by the Safety Review Committee

1. Flights Departing without Final Weights

Current phase: Investigation

Updated 2/25/22

Flights Departing without Final Weights have been reported and are being processed through the Flight Operations Safety Action Program (FSAP) along with a review by United’s FAA Principal Operations Inspectors (POI) for resolution.

2. PRC Weight Change Errors

Current phase: HI Draft Updated 3/1/22

As a result of multiple GSAP reports related to ATW Weight Changes, AO Safety is currently drafting a passenger weight error discrepancy Hazard ID. The goal of the Hazard Identification is to take a closer look at the errors and determine appropriate mitigations such as adding controls or technology that may help alleviate passenger weight change errors.

3. Difficulty Contacting Stations

Current phase: Project Planning Updated 3/1/22

Both GSAP and DSAP reports have identified occasions where contact information for stations is inaccurate or unavailable. As a result, a project team of subject matter experts is currently looking at a replacement for, or a rebuild of the AGH and Airport Database that is more accurate. The team will also create a process to correct station information in a timely manner. In the meantime, a quarterly audit of the AGH is being conducted to ensure the phone data is updated appropriately.

JetBlue Crewmembers: Union Job Protection Can’t Come Soon Enough

JetBlue Crewmembers: Union Job Protection Can’t Come Soon Enough

JetBlue Crewmembers: Union Job Protection Can’t Come Soon Enough

Justice at JetBlue
15 March 2022

Last week, CEO Robin Hayes wrote to JetBlue employees saying surging fuel prices threaten the airline industry’s recovery from the COVID 19 pandemic. He is correct.

CEO Hayes also stated how JetBlue workers could step up and help out during this time, which is reasonable. He claimed that airline executives would scale down JetBlue’s schedule due to higher fuel prices making specific routes unprofitable. Realistic.

Everyone, including the IAM, wants to see JetBlue be successful. But, how can we protect ourselves during these very uncertain times? What if the financial situation in our industry gets so bad that JetBlue has to declare bankruptcy?

Many airline analysts are forecasting airline bankruptcies. Alarmingly, JetBlue’s poor management style has earned it the dubious title of “worst airline” in America for a range of management failures. What if the industry’s financial condition gets so bad that mergers/acquisitions are the only way the airline can survive? History has shown that airline mergers and acquisitions are more likely to happen during industry downturns. They are also more likely to occur to mismanaged airlines that cannot handle basic scheduling logistics. 

Joining a union is the best way to protect ourselves. Why? Airlines MUST NEGOTIATE with employee unions during the bankruptcy process, and workers have a voice in the outcome. During mergers, airlines are legally required to negotiate seniority rights, wages, benefits, and working conditions with unions. In short, if the worst happens, then having union representation benefits us.

While we hope our industry can make it through these uncertain times, we need to prepare for the alternative. Hoping is not enough. Having IAM representation would go a long way to ensuring that our interests are represented no matter what happens.

 

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JetBlue Crewmembers Deserve More from Northeast Alliance

JetBlue Crewmembers Deserve More from Northeast Alliance

JetBlue Crewmembers Deserve More from Northeast Alliance

Justice at JetBlue
28 February 2022

Two-thirds of JetBlue’s operation is now tied up with American’s in the so-called “Northeast Alliance.” American and JetBlue now share revenue and coordinate schedules in New York and Boston, by far JetBlue’s largest bases of operations.

However, the power in the Northeast Alliance lies with American Airlines.

Less than two months before entering the Northeast Alliance, JetBlue warned its

Board of Directors that the Northeast Alliance created a risk of JetBlue being co-opted by American manipulation and noted that potential ways to alleviate this risk might help preserve only some level of JetBlue’s independence.

Essentially, American and JetBlue have merged in New York and Boston by sharing revenue and coordinating schedules, but GO Crewmembers aren’t compensated or protected like American ground operations employees.

American ground ops workers, starting this month, will lead the industry in pay rates, $33.60 per hour at top of scale. In two years American ground ops workers will earn approximately $35 per hour base pay. This doesn’t include shift differential and premiums. AA ground ops workers also have 6 weeks vacation and 10 holidays paid at double-time and a half. They also have profit sharing and the best pension and 401k program in the industry. ALL BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE WITH AA BECAUSE OF THEIR UNION.

JetBlue GO Crewmembers deserve to share in the success they create. The only way to do that is by unionizing and gaining the right to negotiate a legally binding contract.

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Negotiations Crawl Along in Chicago

IAM Negotiators, United Meet at IAM141 District Headquarters

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18 February 2022

IAM Negotiators, United Meet at IAM141 District Headquarters

The IAM District 141 negotiating committee and representatives from United Airlines met this week in Chicago, IL, and engaged in another round of meaningful talks under the expedited negotiation process. The Union and the Company discussed specific quality of life issues identified by IAM members in the contract survey and proposal process and explained our concerns surrounding each issue.

The Union once again emphasized to the Company the need to compensate IAM-represented United Airlines members at the top of the industry, provide employment security provisions that provide all IAM members and their families the job protections they need and deserve, and fix the issues that degrade IAM United members quality of life on and off the job.

The negotiating committee also spent time honing contract language that will be proposed to the company.

We are cautiously optimistic that the expedited contract process is on track. Our hope is that the Company recognizes the importance and value of IAM members at United Airlines and how bargaining a fair and just contract is not only the right thing to do but also vital to United Airlines’ future success.

Due to some scheduling conflicts our next negotiating session with the Company will be the week of March 21st. However, your negotiating team will be getting together in the meantime to work on fine-tuning your proposals in preparation for the upcoming meetings.

In Solidarity,

Michael G. Klemm

President & Directing General Chair,
IAMAW District 141

Recording Secretaries: Please print and post on all IAMAW bulletin boards.