Sep 5, 2019 | Airlines, Departments, Featured, Home, MNPL
The Colorado Machinists Council held their annual Legislative meeting last week in Denver. The event was hosted by Local 1886, with Local President John Martinez presiding.
America’s workplaces are facing dire challenges in 2019, despite a heated stock market and soaring corporate profits. Growing numbers of American workers see themselves losing ground as they face colossal wealth inequality and stagnating wages. Fewer workers are earning a real pension, meaning that more and more people will never be able to retire. The National Labor Relations Board and other federal regulators are openly attacking working people, engaging in radical assaults on wages, job security, and the right for employees to work together to create a better workplace.
Amplifying the voices of working people has never been more critical. Strengthening the voices of American workers to meet that challenge was the goal of the Colorado Machinists Council meeting.
The meeting brought together top union activists from around the Centennial State, including senior leadership from the Denver and Colorado chapters of the AFL-CIO and allied advocacy groups.
“We will never win with money. Corporations will never lose that fight,” said Josh Downey, President of the Denver Labor Federation. “We have to rely on work. We have to use boots on the ground,” he told the Council. Downey spoke at length about the importance of a “No Shortcuts” strategy for union members. A hard truth for those who have become accustomed to political apathy, but a renewed commitment to a robust union work ethic towards civic engagement will be needed if everyday workers want to thrive in the new century.
Event organizer Wes Fredrickson, who also works as an Organizer at the Machinists Union District 141 echoed the sentiments, saying to workers, “You are not without a voice. You are not without a work ethic. And, you are not without a union. You can use just those three tools to create great things.”
IAM District 141 Assistant General Chairman Rich Robinson spoke about the importance of aggressive industry activism in union campaigns such as those at JetBlue, JetStream, and Swissport. These efforts expand the union footprint and help boost wages and corporate responsibility, even for non-union members.
The good news for front-line workers is that sending a solid union work ethic into the political sphere is having a positive effect. There are promising signs that a fundamental shift in favor of working people is happening in the American political landscape. Union priorities are being openly championed by elected officials with an enthusiasm that has rarely been seen since the 1950s. Each of the major candidates vying for the presidential nomination of the major parties has personally met with thousands of Machinists Union members.
Josette Jaramillo, President of the Colorado AFL-CIO, touted the impressive gains that union members have made. “There’s no better time to be a union member, ” Jaramillo told the Council. “More than 5 thousand Alaska Airlines union members just ratified a new contract, protecting their jobs and raising industry standards in wages.” Union memberships are growing, despite serious efforts to stop that growth, she said.
Speaking to the goals of the Council, she said that Colorado unions are working with outside advocacy groups that share the core values of organized workers. “We’re teaching our members about solidarity. What it means to not only be part of their own union but what it means to work with other unions in our community.”
“And, honestly,” she continued, “it feels pretty badass for me to walk into a meeting with my county commissioners as a social worker, flanked by tradesmen and Fighting Machinists.” Josette is the first openly LGBT person and the first woman of color to serve as President of the Colorado AFL-CIO.
Other speakers included Machinists and Aerospace Union leaders such as Earnest “Red” Dow and Dean Ames. Ames was one of the original union organizers who helped bring Southwest Airlines into the Machinists Union in the early 1970s.
For hard core political activists such as Raymond Lincks, a 46-year ramp veteran of United Airlines, the Council offers an essential pathway for workers to play a substantial role, transforming politics from a spectator sport into nuts and bolts lobbying.
“Too often, the powerful think that we are at the bottom of the food chain. But, when we all get together and act in unison, they have to take us seriously.”
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Sep 4, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Featured, Home, The Association
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2019 — The TWU-IAM Association today announced that mediation for negotiations in the American Airlines/TWU-IAM Association contract talks will restart on Monday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. ET and continue through Thursday, Sept. 19. The sessions will be held in Washington, D.C. at the National Mediation Board (NMB).
Association principals Sito Pantoja, Director (IAM General Vice President) and Alex Garcia, Vice Director (TWU International Executive Vice President) met with the NMB on Thursday, Aug. 29 to outline the Association’s views on negotiations and to insist that negotiations resume.
“Our meeting with the NMB was positive and we are optimistic that resumption of negotiations will be productive,” said TWU-IAM Association Director Sito Pantoja. “It’s now time for the company to keep its word and give our members the industry-leading contract they promised. I thank our members for their incredible patience during this process.”
“The delays in this process have been frustrating for our members but they have remained fully supportive of the Association,” said TWU-IAM Association Vice Director Alex Garcia. “We will use this opportunity to finally close these negotiations, if American Airlines is a willing partner.”
The TWU-IAM Association represents nearly 30,000 ground workers at American Airlines and is the largest union at the carrier.
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Sep 3, 2019 | Airlines, Departments, EAP, Helping Hands, Home
September focuses on sleep – the basics of sleep and how much sleep one needs. There has been a lot of research on sleep and how important it is for optimal functioning. Many of our co-workers work shifts that don’t allow for “normal” sleep cycles. This can lead to issues, including physical health problems. Of interest is how alcohol disrupts the important REM (rapid eye movement sleep cycle.
The workplace is stressful. Our co-workers are dealing with a lot of stresses on a continual basis. Being a supportive entity for our co-workers is important – I am grateful for each of you, and the support you are giving them on a daily basis.
Bryan,
Bryan Hutchinson, M.S.
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Aug 21, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Hawaiian, Home, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, United
The summer weather brings many challenges for airline workers, with specific risks for those who work outside. Intense sun, heat, humidity, heavy rain, and lightning storms are just some hazards that must be considered and respected to protect their own, their co-workers’ and their passengers’ safety. But inclement weather is only one of the many dangers that ramp workers face every day.
Last week, two airline ramp workers lost their lives while performing their duties.
On Sunday night, Kendrick Darrell Hudson was killed when the tug he was driving on the ramp at Douglas Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT) flipped over and pinned him underneath. Hudson was transporting baggage through an area that some workers described as poorly lit , and a police report states that the vehicle he was driving swerved to avoid hitting a piece of luggage lying on the ground. CLT is in the midst of a $2.5 Billion capital building project , and the ongoing construction work at times changes the flow of traffic and the lighting in some areas, according to IAM members there. Hudson, age 24, was an employee of Piedmont Airlines, a regional carrier and a subsidiary of American Airlines. Piedmont Airlines ramp workers in CLT are represented by CWA Local 3635. In a message to members, the local president said the union is working to support Hudson’s family and is taking part in the accident’s investigation.
Kendrick Hudson in a Facebook photo. He was killed in an accident at Charlotte Douglas Airport on August 11, 2019.
On Wednesday afternoon, Charlie Mohammed, a 19-year veteran of Delta Air Lines was meeting an arriving aircraft at JFK Airport in New York as part of a 2-man crew. While he was at the tail of the airplane hooking up a bag cart to a tug, it appears that the tug rolled unexpectedly, pinning him underneath . Not visible to his Delta co-worker, he was initially found by a fueler who alerted co-workers and called the emergency. Ramp workers rushed to his aid and had to use a forklift to remove the tug. Charlie “Mo” was taken to the hospital where he later died. Delta Air Lines ramp workers are not represented by a union and are currently organizing to join the IAM. Organizers are offering IAM resources to Delta workers to assist them with their shock and grief. IAM Local 1894 hosted an open house this week and had District Lodge 141 EAP Representatives available to speak with workers and offer support.
It is estimated that between 4 and 6 airport ramp workers die on the job each year, but exact numbers are difficult to find because accidents are investigated by different government agencies depending on the circumstances. The Federal Aviation Administration investigates incidents on runways and taxiways, while incidents near the gates controlled by the airlines and airport authorities are investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration . Because ramp accidents occur on the ground, they are not considered aviation accidents, but rather industrial accidents. Accidents on the ramp cost major airlines over $10 Billion per year worldwide, according to the Flight Safety Foundation, an industry group.
Charlie Mohammed, a Delta worker at JFK died on the job on August 14, 2019. Photo credit: Moises Cruz
Airline ramp workers navigate hazardous environments daily, in congested areas with lots of motorized and pedestrian traffic. They face immense time pressures to achieve quick aircraft turnarounds and work alongside diverse airport workers in fueling, catering, cleaning, and security. Many of these functions are outsourced to vendors who may not prioritize safety as unionized airline workers do.
The District 141 Ground and Flight Safety Committee is tasked with promoting a safety culture within our members at every airline. The importance of using the tools at our disposal, such as GSAP to report safety issues no matter where they are or which workers they immediately affect cannot be stressed enough. Alertness and effective communication between all workers is a key factor in maintaining a safe work environment. In our shared workspaces, we must remain vigilant and take proactive steps to ensure we all return to our families and loved ones at the end of our workday.
Think Safety, Work Safely. Every Day.
Fraternally,
Michael G. Klemm
President & Directing General Chairman
IAMAW District Lodge 141
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Aug 21, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Hawaiian, Home, MNPL, Philippine, Spirit, United, Video
Aug 20, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Featured, Home, Organizing, The Association
NEW YORK, NY – Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) led 26 of his colleagues from downstate New York and northern New Jersey in sending a letter to top leadership at American Airlines and unions representing their workforce urging them to maintain jobs in the greater New York metropolitan region.
As members of Congress representing the communities in the New York metropolitan area, we are committed to ensuring that our constituents continue to have opportunities to earn a living and raise their families in dignity and security. We hope that your organizations work together in good faith to come to an agreement that continues to grow American’s workforce in the U.S.
The full text of the letter can be found here.
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