Mar 26, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Home, Organizing, The Association
Brothers and Sisters,
If American Airlines wants to throw down their version of facts from two people who have never participated in a negotiating session, that’s their prerogative, we’ll throw down the real facts from those who were actually there.
Fact: The Mediators assigned by the NMB were informed by the lead Company negotiator that he was not permitted to reach any agreement on the most important outstanding issues. In an attempt to break the logjam, the Mediators made an attempt to involve higher ranking Company executives to meet with our Executive negotiating team, including the Association Director and Vice Director. The Association offered to meet where the Director and Vice Director could attend, in Chicago, IL. The Company Executives elected not to travel the next day to meet but have agreed to meet on an alternate future date. Instead of returning to the table to seriously negotiate, the Company negotiators and the Mediators wasted a day going to meet with AA Executives, anyway. Remember, the Company can talk to themselves anytime – they don’t need to waste valuable negotiating time in non-productive, one-sided meetings among themselves.
Fact: The Company lead negotiator made it very clear on Tuesday, March 19, in front of the mediators, that AA refuses to bargain further unless the Association made concessions on healthcare and Scope provisions in all contracts. The Association made it clear that we were willing to negotiate on every aspect of the contract, but we were not going to negotiate concessions on healthcare, Scope, retirement and other areas that are LESS THAN WHAT WE ARE STARTING WITH – WHAT WE HAVE TODAY!
Fact: The Company’s communication, actually signed by senior vice presidents, flatly distorts the proposals made by their negotiators and the positions of the Association negotiators. They are either lying or they are totally ignorant of what is going on at the bargaining table.
Fact: The Association is not divided – there are no IAM proposals and there are no TWU proposals. All of our positions are to benefit all Association represented members and to achieve the best contracts in the industry. We intend to achieve this without bowing to AA’s bargaining threats to extremely diminish our livelihoods.
Fact: Every Association represented member has sacrificed through concessions and bankruptcies. We paid the price to save our companies and create the environment for the merger that formed the largest airline in the world. We will not sell out, we will not concede more. It is time for every Association represented member to make American Airlines understand that they must get serious at the table to finish these negotiations. The Company must hear from you that their miscommunication garbage will not work.
Fact: If American were to have offered to “Guarantee” 15 mechanics per aircraft, into the future, we would sign that scope proposal tomorrow. With 962 aircraft, that would equal 14,540 mechanics. American has never “guaranteed the Association headcount in the future.” It is absolutely clear that AA is attempting to outsource huge swaths of our current scope, including offshoring maintenance work to foreign soil.
Fact: The NMB had ex-parte negotiations with American Airlines senior leadership and four members of senior management had agreed to, on less than 24 hours-notice, “make themselves available for two hours to meet with us, from 8am to 10am, Wednesday morning.” We did not believe 2 hours was enough time and offered to meet all day in Chicago. The Company proved they’re not interested in serious bargaining because they rejected that offer! The next morning, the mediators again met with senior AA leadership, and their negotiating team at Headquarters until 1 pm, which seemed odd since the Senior leadership could “only make themselves available for two hours for the Association Leadership.” More evidence of the company’s deceitfulness.
We have now agreed to meet with the Company on April 3 in Washington, DC at a neutral location, in order to close out the agreement.
Fact: Jerry Glass made it very clear on Tuesday, March 19 in front of the mediators, that he had no room to move unless the Association made concessions on the Company’s medical proposal. The Association’s Committee made it clear that we were willing to negotiate on every aspect of the contract, but we were not going to negotiate against ourselves by making concessions on our medical proposal unless the Company agreed to move off their “take it or leave it” demand on our “Health & Welfare proposal” that goes well beyond the medical plan.
Fact: On the morning of Thursday, March 21 the Company explained that they may have something they can do regarding the “Health & Welfare” proposal but they would not know for a while if they would be able to do it. We agreed that we would be interested in fully understanding their “proposed concept” on a piece of the Health & Welfare proposal, but this was only a piece of the puzzle and they still needed to respond with the rest.
Fact: Our proposal is that all “Association Members” receive full retro, from the Company back to the amendable date.
To summarize, our position is based on sound logic that this membership has sacrificed in bankruptcy to save our work, pay for what we have and create the environment for USAir and American to merge into the largest airline in the world. There is absolutely no reason to give up any more! There is no basis for the Company to demand more in concessions because American is reaping record profits.
Let’s not forget that Doug Parker said, “We’re never going to lose money again.” Is this another play on words, and Doug actually meant the “We” as in only him and his leadership team? While negotiations are about give and take, American thinks they can fool us with hourly pay offers while they take everything else that matters. They call it the “Best Contract in The Industry?” Not by a long shot with their take-it-or-leave-it proposals.
The truth is AA is hell-bent on capturing massive concessions for each and every station and workgroup, leaving us with far less in real compensation and loss of security for the far fewer remaining jobs. Their promise of “you will have a job” doesn’t come with any promise of keeping the work you do, replacing workers as they leave the workforce or advancing our seniority for shift, day off improvement or choice of other work as those workers leave the seniority list. What it does come with is a guarantee that your seniority will mean less in the future than it ever has in the past.
There are only three scheduled days of negotiations left with no additional dates scheduled by the mediators. Those dates are April 23-25 in Fort Lauderdale. It appears that we are headed for a very long and hot summer, remaining behind our peers in the industry.
Fraternally,
Your Association Negotiating Committees
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Mar 25, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Education, Hawaiian, Home, Philippine, Spirit, United, Video
Educators from District 141 held a Shop Steward training session for members of Local 2319 in Tampa, Florida this week. District 141 AGCs Robert Jesel and Tony Gibson joined educators Vinny Capitani, Andrea Myers, Deena Pena and Education Director Mac McGovern. Click on the video for TPA Remote Reservations Shop Steward Marcy Jones’ views on how the training provided building blocks to increase our power in the union.
Mar 22, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Home, Organizing, The Association
Brothers and Sisters,
This week, American Airlines not only continued to slow roll negotiations, THEY ACTUALLY JUST STOPPED. American’s arrogance and obstinance at the table is a tell-tale sign of their mistaken belief that this membership is okay with them forcing massive concessions on us in Scope and several other Articles. Without Scope, all else in the CBA is of little consolation because our quality of life is further and forever diminished. Their reluctance to move beyond their current table position that eliminates thousands of more jobs, by obliterating our members’ ranks, is directly correlated to this flawed belief that each of us is okay with letting American’s Leadership Team stuff hundreds of millions of dollars into their pockets at our expense.
This week it was made clear that American’s Negotiating Committee has been neutered and powerless in their ability to negotiate anything that is open. In fact, they had to take the entire Wednesday morning to go to headquarters and ask the top executives for permission to negotiate. It was clear they were denied permission since the only answer to any discussion was “NO.” Neutered might even be to weak a word to describe their lethargic and disrespectful demeanor.
The Association and American’s positions on the big issues that remain open are below:
| Article |
Association’s Proposal |
American’s Demand |
American’s Answer This Week |
| Scope |
Preserve the work we do today with minimum headcounts and grow as the company grows |
Reduce the number of jobs on the seniority list by thousands and thousands |
Not open for discussion. Our position is our position |
| Wages |
The best overall pay in the industry and guarantee industry- leading profit sharing
Annual industry wage comparator reset |
Delta plus 3% and keep current AA (1.4%) profit sharing
No annual industry wage comparison reset. |
Not open for discussion. Our position is our position
Not open for discussion. Our position is our position |
| Pension |
Maintain the defined benefit pension plan, plus additional in 401(k) to be the best retirement in the industry. All paid by the company. |
Abolish the defined benefit pension plan. Replace with 5% defined contribution plan with a 4% match |
American isn’t sure what they want to do. Our position is our position |
| Medical Benefits |
Maintain superior LUS medical plans with existing cost caps as added options for all Association members |
Eliminate all LUS medical plans and restrict choice to the inferior LAA plan at uncapped cost |
Not open for discussion. Our position is our position |
| Retiree Medical |
A bridge for retirement utilizing accrued sick time and other retiree insurance benefits |
Eliminate bridge to retire medical for all members and retirees left to fend for themselves |
Not open for discussion. Our position is our position |
To summarize, our position is based on sound logic that this membership has sacrificed in bankruptcy to save our work, pay for what we have and create the environment for USAir and American to merge into the largest airline in the World. There is absolutely no reason to give up any more! There is no basis for the Company to demand more in concessions because American is reaping record profits.
Let’s not forget that Doug Parker said, “We’re never going to lose money again.” Is this another play on words, and Doug actually meant the “We,” as in only him and his leadership team? While negotiations are about give and take, American thinks they can fool us with hourly pay offers while they take everything else that matters. They call it the “Best Contract in The Industry?” Not by a long shot with their take-it-or-leave-it proposals.
The truth is American is hell-bent on capturing massive concessions for each and every station and workgroup, leaving us with far less in real compensation and loss of security for the far fewer remaining jobs. Their promise of “you will have a job” doesn’t come with any promise of keeping the work you do, replacing workers as they leave the workforce or advancing our seniority for shift, day off improvement or choice of other work as those workers leave the seniority list. What it does come with is a guarantee that your seniority will mean less in the future than it ever has in the past.
There are only three scheduled days of negotiations left with no additional dates scheduled by the mediators. Those dates are April 23rd – 25th in Fort Lauderdale. It appears that we are headed for a very long and hot summer, remaining behind our peers in the industry.
Fraternally,
Your Association Negotiating Committees
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Mar 14, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Featured, Hawaiian, Home, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, United
For most travelers, getting on a brand new plane is a treat. Besides that “new plane smell,” passengers expect that a new aircraft, like a new car or appliance, will offer the latest advances in technology, safety and comfort. When that aircraft is the newest version of the Boeing 737, a time-tested workhorse of commercial aviation, customers trust that any glitches have been discovered and corrected long ago.
After 2 deadly crashes in less than six months, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 is under fierce scrutiny from aviation experts around the world. Facing growing public pressure from labor unions and passengers choosing to fly other aircraft or not fly at all, President Trump issued an emergency declaration on March 13, 2019 to ground the entire fleet of 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9 aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration issued the safety directive just hours after Canadian officials had grounded the fleet, which made the United States the outlier after officials from more than 40 countries had banned the planes from their airspace until investigations are complete.
The crash of Lion Air (JT) flight 610 just 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta (CGK) airport on October 29, 2018 became the first major incident involving the 737 MAX. The aircraft had been delivered to the airline just two months earlier, and while it was known that the pilot had requested permission to return, there were major disagreements between investigators and Lion Air’s executives as to the airworthiness of the plane. The investigation into that crash that claimed 189 lives was still ongoing when Ethiopian Airlines (ET) flight 302 crashed 6 minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa (ADD) airport on March 10, 2019, killing 149 passengers and 8 crewmembers on board. That aircraft had been in service for just 4 months, and similarly to the Lion Air incident, the pilot had made a distress call and was attempting to return to the airport.
The day after the Ethiopian crash, Boeing’s CEO and the FAA insisted that the planes were safe, but aviation experts and independent analysts questioned the design of the aircraft and the technology it employs to prevent stalling. A report stated that the recent federal government shutdown had delayed the rollout of software fixes for the aircraft for 5 weeks, but FAA officials approved the delay because they did not see an immediate safety threat. The Dallas Morning News found that several pilots had reported safety concerns about the 737 MAX 8 via the FAA’s Voluntary Disclosure Reporting Program, where pilots can report aviation incidents without fear of repercussions (similar to the DL141’s GSAP program). Ultimately, pressure from lawmakers, unions, safety experts and the flying public, and citing “new evidence” collected at the Ethiopian crash site, forced Boeing to agree to the FAA’s recommendation to suspend global operations of the entire 737 MAX fleet.
“We welcome the FAA directive to put the 737 MAX fleet out of service to give safety experts and the aircraft manufacturer time to evaluate the causes of these deadly crashes and determine what changes are needed to ensure this never happens again,” said Mike Klemm, IAM District 141 President and Directing General Chair. “There are no shortcuts to safety, so we must make sure that everything we learn from this investigation is thoroughly communicated to our members who proudly work as Maintenance Training Specialists, Maintenance and Related, Stores and Fleet Service so they can continue to preserve the safety of the customers we serve and of our brothers and sisters who fly for a living.” Klemm went on to voice confidence in the Boeing aircraft, and trusts that the investigation will calm the public’s fears and reinforce the high production standards of the Boeing assembly plants.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is the largest airline union in the world, and IAM District 141 represents workers at American, United, Hawaiian, Philippine and Spirit Airlines.
Boeing 787 MAX 8 (Boeing.com)
The original Boeing 737 was introduced in 1967, and the twin engine, narrow body design has undergone many upgrades since, becoming the best selling commercial airliner in history. The newest design, the 737 MAX, was introduced in 2016. There are currently 371 in service worldwide in the 2 main variants, the 737 MAX 8 and the 737 MAX 9, which has a longer body and holds more passengers. Boeing reports that there are over 4,600 on order. Southwest Airlines has the most 737 MAX 8 planes of any US carrier, operating 34 of them. American Airlines has 24 in service, and United Airlines has 14 of the 737 MAX 9 version which has not been involved in any incidents but is also grounded according to the FAA directive. Hawaiian Airlines, Philippine Airlines and Spirit Airlines do not have any 737 MAX aircraft currently in service or on order.
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Mar 5, 2019 | Airlines, Departments, Featured, Home, Safety, United
A CommutAir plane carrying 28 passengers and three crewmembers slid off the runway upon landing in Presque Isle, Maine (PQI). The incident happened on March 4th at 11:30 AM EDT.
Crown of Maine Via Twitter: Flight 4933 slid to the right of the runway as it landed in Presque Isle, Maine. The landing caused the nose gear to break off and lodge itself between the engine and the fuselage.
The 50 seat Embraer 145 was traveling from Newark, New Jersey (EWR) to Presque Isle, which was experiencing snow showers at the time. One pilot and three passengers suffered minor injuries. The aircraft’s landing gear broke off the plane during the incident and wedged itself between the engine and fuselage.
“At this time our focus is on the well-being of all those involved,” a company representative said in a statement on Twitter. “We will be working with authorities to obtain more information.”
Read the statement here.
CommutAir flight attendants are represented by Machinists District 142.
Mike Klemm, President of Machinists District 141 praised the outstanding professionalism of the crew: “These were minor injuries, but this was not a minor incident,” Klemm said. “The crewmembers’ skill and fast response helped to ensure the safety of the passengers aboard this flight. We wish everyone involved a quick and full recovery.”
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Mar 5, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Hawaiian, Home, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, United
A bolt of lightning struck a UPS ramp worker upside the head as he loaded a 757 freight plane at Clinton National Airport (LIT) this week.
52-year-old Darin Campbell is expected to make a full recovery after lightning struck him in the head while he was working a flight on the ramp at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Surprisingly, the strike left him with relatively minor injuries, aside from burns on the top of his head. Campbell said in a statement to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazelle that he is still suffering from headaches and sore muscles, and will be taking a few day off from work.
He also told the paper that he was shopping for a shirt with a lightning bolt design on it.
The 35 year UPS veteran remembers hearing, “instant thunder” and seeing a blinding flash of light just as he stepped off of the 757 he was loading. “It felt just like getting hit in the head by a ball bat,” he told reporters.
The blast left severe burns on the top of his head, leading investigators to think that the bolt hit him directly. He was knocked unconscious for several minutes.
Campbell was transported by ambulance to nearby Baptist Medical Center. He has since been released and is recovering at home.
Although weather delays are a common headache for air travelers, few are aware of just how dangerous it is to work at an airport during an electrical storm. Airport workers face the perfect conditions for lightning injuries and are among the most likely to be injured by strikes. Lightning poses a real hazard to baggage handlers, fuelers, and anyone else on the tarmac.
One horrifying incident happened on camera at Fort Myers, Florida in 2017. A Southwest Airlines ramp worker was injured when a bolt of lightning struck the tail of the 737 that he was pushing away from the gate. The electric current traveled down the body of the plane and electrocuted him just as he was disconnecting the aircraft from the pushback tractor. (See Video)
21-year-old Austin Dunn was hospitalized for two weeks and suffered 3rd-degree burns as a result of a lightning strike that hit the Southwest Airlines plane he was wingwalking in 2017.
Because the potential for a severe injury is so high, safety advocates within IAM141 have worked with airlines and city officials to install early warning systems at many airports around the nation. These lights, sirens, and specific work rules help ramp workers know when lightning is striking nearby so that they can seek cover.
The IAM141.org Safety Department can help your local lodge develop and implement a safety program at your station. Contact a representative today by visiting the IAM141 Safety Department Page.
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