Apr 27, 2019 | Airlines, Departments, Featured, Home, retirement, United
The IAMAW and IAM District 141 are separate entities than the IAM National Pension Plan (NPP), even though both bear the “IAM” acronym. For those DL 141 IAM represented employees in the NPP, a letter was sent to your homes by the NPP. If you haven’t already received the letter, you will soon. The letter outlines changes that the NPP’s Board of Trustees have decided are necessary to maintain the long term stability of the NPP. IAM District 141 received the information contained in the letter on Friday, April 26, 2019.
Unfortunately, United Airlines attempted to blame District 141 today for the NPP dropping the ball in communicating these changes and stated: “we [United Airlines] were not informed by the IAM in advance.” The NPP, of which United Airlines management has a representative on the NPP Board of Trustees, David Lieb, failed to inform United Airlines in advance. The NPP also failed to inform the IAM’s largest district, IAM District 141, a district with the most active NPP participants, in advance. United’s weak attempt to shift blame and the NPP’s botched rollout of the modifications to our pension plan are BOTH completely unacceptable.
While the NPP remains well funded at 89%, in 2019, it has been certified in the Yellow Zone. The major reason for this is that the liabilities of the plan outweigh the assets, in the long term, and the NPP’s Board of Trustees decided changes are needed to fix this unsustainable condition. Because of this, the Board of Trustees have voluntarily reclassified the plan to be in the Red Zone, so that the Trustees can make changes to ensure the long term stability of the plan, per federal law.
It is not IAM District 141’s responsibility to notify United Airlines of modifications to the NPP. That responsibility falls squarely on the NPP, and more specifically United’s Board of Trustees representative, David Lieb. After all, Mr. Lieb had to approve of the changes to the NPP.
You can be assured that District 141 will do everything in its power to make sure all IAM represented NPP participants receive all the information there is pertaining this matter.
There is a lot of complex information included in the NPP mailings. There is a toll free telephone number 1-866-232-1296 and a website www.IAMBFO.org set up to give everyone more information.
Michael G. Klemm
President and Directing General Chairman
I.A.M.A.W. District Lodge 141
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Apr 26, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Featured, Home, Organizing, The Association
Brothers and Sisters,
The Association leadership met with American Airlines’ negotiators and Federal Mediators this week in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The Mediator’s unorthodox approach to these negotiations failed to provide adequate space for the parties to face-off in the critical high stakes final issues to be resolved. The recent sessions were short three-day bursts that started late in the mornings and did not proceed into the evenings. The Mediators kept the negotiators in separate rooms instead of creating an environment that forced the negotiators to face each other to reach an agreement or stalemate. An arbitrary deadline was set (without agreement from the Association) that resulted in this session to be the last 3 days the NMB have scheduled for the parties to meet.
The company took advantage of this strategy (that undermines the process and favors the company) by continuing with their greed driven tactics and proposals. Company management is unwilling to acknowledge the workforce, whose sacrifices have created the world’s largest airline that makes Billions in profits.
Given the company’s unwillingness to move away from demanding massive concessions from our members, the Mediators have informed us that they will report to their superiors at the National Mediation Board (NMB) that they do not see a clear path to reaching an agreement. This process will take a number of weeks. It will be up to the NMB to determine the next step(s) in this process as outlined under the Railway Labor Act.
Since the beginning of these negotiations, company negotiators have continued to hold steadfast in their opening positions of massive concessions in SCOPE, failed to move off their substandard health and retirement positions and will not negotiate to secure best in the industry compensation. What they have focused on is continuing to spin their half-truths on Jetnet.
We are certain that the company will be lobbying the NMB to recommend a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) since they cannot get the concessions they want from your negotiators. The recommendations from a PEB could favor the company. We must be prepared to reject those recommendations.
It is time for every Association represented member to clearly and unambiguously let the company know you will not accept another concessionary agreement. Your Association leadership has let the Company know that they are in for a fight. All of us must accept the fact this fight is truly on and it does personally affect each of us from this day forward.
Our collective success is up to you.
Fraternally,
Your Association Negotiating Committees
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Apr 19, 2019 | Airlines, Home, United
Nonstop to Chicago in Under 12 Parsecs: United Airlines will Launch a Star Wars-Themed Aircraft This Fall and Mark Hamill Thinks it’s Cool.
During last week’s “Star Wars Celebration” in Chicago, United Airlines unveiled a mockup that will thrill fans of the beloved sci-fi franchise.
In partnership with Disney, United Airlines plans to fly a specially-themed plane to help promote the upcoming film, “Star Wars: the Rise of Skywalker.”
The airline, passengers and fans reacted to the announcement with thundering applause.
And, just when everyone thought that the Force could get no stronger, Mark Hamill, aka Luke Skywalker, dropped in to offer a quick review.
And, because he’s Mark Hamill, he made sure to take the lid off the blender first.
Fans couldn’t be sure if Hamill was trolling or serious. So, just to be sure, a few of them actually tried to prove to the Star Wars actor that the Star Wars plane was actually… Star Wars-y.
The fans eventually got him to admit that there was SOME connection. From a certain point of view.
The whole thing even seemed to please the galaxy’s most emo overlords.
The United commemorative Star Wars airplane is scheduled to start making public appearances sometime this fall. It’s not being assigned to a particular route, so it might be spotted at airports around the country.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will hit theaters December 20.
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Apr 10, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Education, Featured, Hawaiian, Home, MNPL, Organizing, Philippine, Spirit, Uncategorized, United
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AMY KLOBUCHAR TALKS MEGA-MERGERS, PRAISES UNION ACTIVISM
Presidential Candidate Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn) spoke before hundreds of Machinists Union members at its conference of railroad and airline workers.
For Senator Klobuchar, the event was the highlight of her first campaign stop in Las Vegas, where she also visited the Blind Center of Nevada and the Harold Brinley Middle School. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), also addressed delegates at the Machinists Union Transportation Conference. The Machinists Union is the largest union of aerospace and rail workers in the world.
In her speech, Senator Klobuchar emphasized her close ties with unions, which Owen E. Herrnstadt, Chief of Staff for the IAM International President, praised in his introduction of the senior senator from Minnesota.
“Since taking office in 2007, Amy Klobuchar has been a fearless fighter on behalf of working Americans,” Herrnstadt told the assembled group of over 800 union members from the nation’s railroads and airlines. “Amy knows how to get things done.”
“She has supported efforts to protect our pensions, to protect voting rights, to make drug prices affordable, raise the minimum wage … and shine a bright light on corporations that want to merge.”
Mergers were a particular area of focus of Klobuchar’s speech to the Machinists, whose members have been rocked by two recent mega-mergers. Notably, the mergers between United Airlines and Continental, and US Airways and American.
But air transport is not the only industry that has endured huge and difficult mergers.
“We are now in a new Gilded Age,” said Klobuchar of the railroad industry. “We’re down to four Class One Carriers that are carrying 90% of the traffic.”
“This means that wages go down because there’s not enough competition,” she said. Unions are the leverage that we have. Unions can take on corporations and win better wages for workers.”
The first female senator from Minnesota spoke highly of the community spirit and activism of Machinists.
“The 600 thousand members of the Machinists Union… helped rebuild communities affected by the raging wildfires in the West and the floods in the Midwest.”
“You sent your Critical Incident Support Team to support survivors when a gunman opened fire in Aurora, Illinois, killing five people, two of whom were IAM Members.”
“And, after the devastation of Maria, you partnered with airlines to fly goods and disaster relief to Puerto Rico,” she said.
“That’s a community. That’s a shared story. That’s ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”
After her speech, Senator Klobuchar spent time speaking with delegates and posed for pictures.
The IAM Transportation Conference assembles the top union activists within the railroad and airline industries. The event is being held this week in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will run through April 11.
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Apr 9, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Education, Featured, Hawaiian, Home, MNPL, Organizing, Philippine, Spirit, United
Bernie Sanders to American Airlines CEO:
“You Damn Well Have Enough Money to Pay Your Workers a Decent Wage.”
In a fiery speech delivered before a packed gathering of Machinists Union leaders, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called out the CEO of American Airlines for his attempts to outsource thousands of jobs at the airline.
Presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) addresses Machinists at the 2019 IAM Transportation Conference. (Via IAMAW DISTRICT 141 FACEBOOK PAGE.)
Sanders was one of two Presidential candidates that addressed the union at its Conference of Airline and Railroad workers in Las Vegas, Nevada this week.
Senator and presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn) also spoke at the event.
The Machinists Union is the largest union of aerospace and rail workers in the world.
In his speech, Sanders confronted American Airlines CEO Doug Parker over his threats to outsource union jobs and cut health care benefits for thousands of employees.
“American Airlines wants to slash the pay of its employees; they want to outsource jobs,” Sanders told the crowd. “They want to take away health care benefits, and they want to abolish its defined benefit pension plan.”
“Brothers and sisters, together, we are not going to let that happen,” he said to loud cheers from the audience which included many American Airlines employees.
American Airlines has refused to negotiate with fleet service workers until employees agree to new outsourcing and wage and benefit concessions.
The Machinists Union proposals would only cost a fraction of the money that American has budgeted for stock buyback schemes and executive pay.
Stock buybacks can inflate a company’s stock value. Since many executives are awarded bonuses based on stock performance, these schemes are a popular tactic for increasing executive pay.
“This is exactly what Americans are sick and tired of. And it’s not just American Airlines. Companies make good profits in America, and then they shut down and move to some desperate developing country.”
“American Airlines is not a poor, struggling company,” Sanders continued. “Last year, it made a net profit of $1.4 billion. This is a company that had enough money to pay its CEO, Doug Parker, over $19 million in compensation last year. This is a company that had enough money to buy back $15 billion of its own stocks during a five-year period.”
“So, today I say to the CEO of American Airlines… You damn well have enough money to pay your workers a decent wage with good benefits.”
Sito Pantoja, General Vice President of the union’s Transportation territory, praised Senator Sanders for his long-standing relationship with the Machinists Union. Sanders was also a featured speaker at the 2014 Machinists District 141 Convention, one of the largest gatherings of unionized airline workers in the US.
(left to right) International President Robert Martinez Jr., Senator Bernie Sanders, General Vice President, Transportation Sito Pantoja
“Long before he ran for president, Senator Sanders walked the picket lines with us. He attended our local lodge meetings. He has never once failed to answer when the Machinists have called,” said Pantoja.
“Senator Bernie Sanders is a true champion of the people and a true champion of the IAM.”
The IAM Transportation Conference brings together top Machinists Union Leaders from the rail and airline industries. This year’s conference is being held in Las Vegas through April 11.
The full remarks from Senator Sanders and Klobuchar are available courtesy of the 8 News Now Las Vegas Facebook Page.
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Apr 5, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Featured, Home, Organizing, The Association, Video
[gdlr_video url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHJRJ_bjMlk&feature=youtu.be” ]
District 141 and 142 answer questions about issues our Association members are facing with American Airlines.
