Jun 8, 2018 | Airlines, American, Home, The Association
Brothers and Sisters,
On behalf of the members of the TWU-IAM Association, we would like to extend our enthusiastic support for the Aircraft Maintenance Offshoring Bill, federal legislation that would support US aircraft maintenance workers. This bill is intended to draw attention to the airline industry-wide trend of offshoring aircraft maintenance.
“The TWU-IAM Association believes the offshoring of this maintenance work creates serious security issues and job concerns,” said Association Chair and Vice Chair Alex Garcia and Sito Pantoja respectively. “These jobs should be performed by American workers on American soil, not at foreign repair stations where FAA and US security oversight is lacking.”
The bill will do two things to draw attention to the issue: First, it would require airlines to disclose next to each flight for sale, on confirmation information, and boarding passes, the city and country and date in which the aircraft intended to fly a particular flight last underwent heavy maintenance. Secondly, it would require airlines to include on their website the cities and countries in which their fleet has undergone heavy maintenance in the last five years and the cities/countries in which the airline holds a contract for heavy maintenance.
“This bill will provide the necessary safeguards that will help ensure that all passengers have access to where and when their aircraft was serviced,” added Garcia and Pantoja. “We urge all members of Congress to support this bill and pass these strong reforms.”
This bill will be introduced today by Senator McCaskill and Representatives Garamendi (D-CA) and Donovan (R-NY).
Fraternally,
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Alex Garcia
TWU International Executive Vice President
TWU/IAM Association Director
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Sito Pantoja
IAM General Vice President
TWU/IAM Association Vice Director
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May 25, 2018 | Airlines, American, Home, The Association
Brothers and Sisters,
In an amateurish and unprofessional move, American Airlines management is trying to bribe Association members into giving away work, abandoning good healthcare and giving up better retirement security by doing an end run around your negotiating committee.
Making the biggest mistake possible, American negotiators continue to disrespect you and your leadership by attempting to negotiate in breakrooms and by email! These delay tactics prevent the real negotiations that are needed to get the contract you deserve.
“This Association negotiates face to face,” said Association Chair and Vice Chair Alex Garcia and Sito Pantoja respectively. “As we reported to you previously, Association negotiators are meeting with American to address minor open issues the week of June 11th. The Association is and has been fully prepared to continue bargaining the all important issues of medical insurance, wages, retirement security, work/job protection and profit sharing, but American has refused. They’d rather hide behind their computers and continue to insult you with their sub-par offers.”
On March 21st, the Association leadership told American that their proposals regarding medical insurance, wages, retirement security, work/job protection and profit sharing were not acceptable. American management then began their failing strategy of negotiating in public, trying to convince American workers to accept their substandard offer. Your strength and solidarity has worked. American has thrown some money on the table even while we are not in negotiations. Keep telling the company to shove their inadequate proposals that outsource work, take away healthcare and weaken retirement. Tell them to get back to the table.
May 18, 2018 | Airlines, American, Departments, Home, Organizing, The Association
Brothers and Sisters,
American Airlines recently changed course by contacting the TWU-IAM Association leadership seeking dates to discuss minor issues that remain open in our negotiations. The Association views all discussions between us and the company as important to achieving our goal of a tentative agreement. For this reason, the TWU-IAM Association Negotiating Committees have agreed to send a small group of committee members to meet with American Airlines on June 11th and 12th to discuss these outstanding issues.
Regretfully, however, we are still in dispute. American Airlines management continues to disrespect Association members by refusing to negotiate the components of our contracts that will impact our lives and our families most of all.
The Association’s priority is to reach a fair agreement with the industry’s most profitable carrier that brings true work protections, leads the industry in compensation, provides the retirement security Association members deserve, more fairly shares the profits we help generate, and preserves the healthcare choices brought to American Airlines through its merger with US Airways.
Fraternally,
Your Association Negotiating Committee
May 9, 2018 | Airlines, American, Home, The Association
Since American management walked out of talks in late March, the TWU-IAM Association mechanic and related, stores and fleet service negotiating committees have been fully prepared to resume joint contract bargaining and bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion. Instead of making a good faith effort to to reach a fair agreement with 30,000 American Airlines ground workers and get back to work, American management has opted to conduct company-controlled road-shows in an attempt to bypass your negotiating committees. This diversion only serves to prolong the process and prevent Association members from reaping the benefits of a fair joint contract.
“Enough is enough. Association members have waited long enough for a fair joint contract,” said Alex Garcia and Sito Pantoja, Association Chair and Vice Chair, respectively. “The Association has been ready to resume talks since American management walked out of negotiations, but the Company seems more interested in holding their corporate side-shows than they are in reaching a fair agreement. Each day that American management refuses to negotiate is a slap in the face of 30,000 workers.”
In late March, talks broke down as American Airlines Executive Vice President Stephen Johnson—who had never before been in negotiations—stormed out of the room because the Association rejected American’s proposals regarding medical and retirement benefits, wages, scope/job security and profit sharing, which were wholly inadequate.
“We are deeply concerned over American’s refusal to negotiate and their seeming attempt to bend Association members to their will,” continued Garcia and Pantoja. “Make no mistake, we will not bend to American’s will, we stand ready to negotiate and we are fully prepared to mobilize the Association’s significant resources and bring this process to a conclusion that provides 30,000 Association members a fair joint contact that they can be proud of.”
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Apr 27, 2018 | Airlines, American, Departments, Education, Featured, Home, Video
Apr 27, 2018 | Airlines, Departments, Featured, Home, MNPL, Video
