United Negotiations Update

United Negotiations Update

Oct 7, 2024 | Featured, Featured News, Front Page, Perusals, Recent News, Recent News, Row 2, United

United Contract Negotiations Update

8 October 2024

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Your IAM District 141 negotiating team and United Airlines management continued contract negotiations for seven different contracts last week in Chicago, Illinois. The District 141 subcommittees for the Central Load Planner and Maintenance Instructor contracts were also present and engaged in negotiations covering items specific to those two Collective Bargaining Agreements.

The Central Load Planner sub-committee reached several tentative agreements (TAs) that covered memorializing the Charter Desk position, description, and qualifications. We also reached TAs in regard to Charter Desk Premium, more favorable language for our members in regards to mandatory overtime, and improved language when it comes to our CLP member’s restrictions on buying an extra week of vacation. We continued discussions on Article 4 pertaining to overtime rules and Article 5 vacation rules.

We made significant progress on our Maintenance Instructor (MI) contract. Reaching several TAs on Articles One, Seven, Ten, and Eleven. These TAs will add two locations and increase the amount of time our MIs have to report. We tentatively agreed to better language surrounding the upgrade plan and also improved language surrounding international override. We also proposed changes to member-driven requests to improve Article Four. We are awaiting the company’s response to these proposals.

Negotiations resumed for the Passenger Service and Fleet Service Agreements, as well. We continued to have a very spirited dialogue regarding temporary assignments.

We also had some needed discussions about Article Four. Specifically, we discussed shift bidding, relief, and preferencing, which were some of the most important topics to our front-line membership.

We will return to the negotiating table the week of 18 November, when the sub-committees from the Fleet Technical Instructor contract will join us.

Remember IAM WORKERS LEAD THE WAY.

In solidarity,

Your Negotiating Committee
Olu Ajetomobi
Joe Bartz
Jill Hazamy
Victor Hernandez
Barb Martin
Terry Stansbury
Faysal Silwany
Erik Stenberg
Sue Weisner

Michael G Klemm
President and Directing General Chair, 
District 141,
International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers

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United Negotiations Update

United Airlines Negotiations Update for September 17, 2024

Sep 17, 2024 | Featured, Front Page, Perusals, Recent News, Recent News, Row 2, United

United Contract Negotiations Update

17 September 2024

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Your IAM District 141 negotiating team and United Airlines management continued contract negotiations for seven different contracts last week in Chicago, Illinois. The District 141 sub- committees for the Storekeeper and Security Officer contracts were also present and engaged in negotiations that cover items specific to those two Collective Bargaining Agreements.

The Security Officers sub-committee presented proposals for Articles 1, 2, and 4, along with key language to be added under Article 10 as a new provision. 

We are waiting for written responses from the Company. 

Our Storekeeper sub-committee initiated conversations on Article 1 topics which included Storekeeper and Lead Storekeeper job descriptions as well as Designated Station Trainers (DST’s). These conversations included adding new cities in Article 2.A regarding job security. We also discussed issues regarding tooling, deliveries, inventory recovery trips and international travel.

Conversations resumed for the Passenger Service and Fleet Service Agreements and we exchanged proposals regarding specific provisions of Article 1. These included Temporary Assignments and Interpreters.

While we did not finalize any tentative agreements on these subjects, we had our best dialogue to date on several matters that you have identified as critical.

IAM District 141 is committed to reaching agreements for all seven new contracts in the shortest amount of time possible. To accomplish this, we need the Company to be willing to understand how important these contracts are to our members.

We will return to the negotiating table the week of September 30th, when we will be joined by the sub-committees from the Central Load Planner and Maintenance Instructor contracts.

Remember IAM WORKERS LEAD THE WAY.

In solidarity,



Your Negotiating Committee
Olu Ajetomobi
Joe Bartz
Jill Hazamy
Victor Hernandez
Barb Martin
Terry Stansbury
Faysal Silwany
Erik Stenberg
Sue Weisner

Michael G Klemm
President and Directing General Chair, 
District 141,
International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers

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United Negotiations Update

United Airlines Negotiations Update

Aug 20, 2024 | Front Page, Perusals, Recent News, Recent News, Row 2, United

United Contract Negotiations Update

20 August 2024

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Last week, your IAM District 141 negotiating team and United Airlines management continued contract negotiations for seven different contracts last week in Chicago, Illinois.

The District 141 Maintenance Instructors sub-committee was also present and engaged in negotiations that cover items specific to the Maintenance Instructor Collective Bargaining Agreement.

While we are frustrated regarding the pace of negotiations and the Company’s reluctance to memorialize and clearly define the Agent on Demand (AOD) work area in the Passenger Service Employee Agreement, we did make some progress in those areas. We exchanged and discussed proposals regarding specific provisions of Article 1. These include Temporary Assignments, Interpreters, Location and Point and Contact Center vacancies. Robust discussions took place on these elements of our contracts, and we expect to resolve and finalize these issues in the coming rounds of negotiations.

The Maintenance Instructor sub-committee had discussions on Article 1 and 10. These include locations, report time for vacancies and International Travel.

We made clear to the Company that we did not appreciate their unpreparedness to begin work at the start of the week. They were expected to respond to specific proposals that had been passed to the Company during our last week of negotiations held in July.

IAM District 141 is committed to reaching agreements for seven new contracts in the shortest amount of time possible. However, to accomplish this, we need the Company to work in a timely, professional manner.

It must be emphasized that all of our proposals are reasonable and are modeled according to modern airline industry norms. It is crucial to note that all Union proposals come directly from our front-line membership.

We will continue negotiations the week of September 9th, when we will be joined by the sub-committees from the Security Officer and Storekeeper contracts.

Remember IAM WORKERS LEAD THE WAY.

In solidarity,

Your Negotiating Committee
Olu Ajetomobi
Joe Bartz
Jill Hazamy
Victor Hernandez
Barb Martin
Terry Stansbury
Faysal Silwany
Erik Stenberg
Sue Weisner

Michael G Klemm
President and Directing General Chair, 
District 141,
International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers

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Union Members at O’Hare Walk Out on Kirby; Sick and Tired of the Same Old Lip Service

Union Members at O’Hare Walk Out on Kirby; Sick and Tired of the Same Old Lip Service

May 6, 2024 | Featured, Featured News, Front Page, Other News, Perusals, Recent News, Row 2, United

Union Members at O’Hare Walk Out on Kirby; Sick and Tired of the Same Old Lip Service

7 May 2024

United Airlines is no longer the airline it was under Oscar Muñoz. From 2015 to 2020, this company respected its employees, and, in return, those workers gave the airline the best years in its history.

Recently, United management has been eliminating Customer Service Centers and developing metrics that force our members to meet unreasonable demands. This practice has resulted in poor customer service for our passengers, including mis-boards, as well as increases in damages and on-the-job injuries.

Moreover, company management is demanding that Reservations Agents maintain scorecards of 97% or higher or face unfair discipline. Now, top management has launched an outright assault on Protected Work related to the movement of jet bridges by Passenger Service Employees.

Our Union Membership has had enough. 

Last week, United CEO Scott Kirby walked into a Customer Service Breakroom in Chicago to meet with front-line union members. He had hoped to pose for selfies and chat about how much United values its workers. Instead, all but two employees walked out on him.

Under Article 2 A 1 of the Passenger Service contract, the movement of jet bridges is protected as core work. Despite the clarity of the contractual language, United is insisting that it has the right to move that work to other groups.

In response,  last week, we also concluded a two-day arbitration case to let United management know we are protecting the work of IAM-represented Customer Service Representatives.

The company claims it can assign anyone to do any work covered under the airline’s seven different contracts. Management’s flawed logic would mean that a Customer Service Representative could be told to walk down the jet bridge, position a belt loader to an aircraft, and offload the aircraft. If that sounds like nonsense, that’s because it IS nonsense.

It’s also a sign of absolute disrespect to every IAM member covered under any IAM collective bargaining agreement at United Airlines. Even more maddening, Article 2 A 1 of the Fleet Service contract explicitly states that the movement of a jet bridge is NOT Fleet Service work.

This grievance is in no way an attempt to take work away from our Move Team sisters and brothers. In fact, it’s just the opposite: the goal is to help the Move Team do their job more efficiently by holding the Company accountable for assigning a Customer Service Representative to each aircraft brought to the terminal from another area.

A final decision from this arbitration hearing will take some time to arrive. Both sides are allotted around 30 days to write their post-hearing briefs. Once his process is complete, the Arbitrator will render a decision based on all the evidence and witness testimony.

We expect the decision to be handed down in July.  When we do, we will immediately report back to the membership.

Mike Klemm,
PDGC, District 141,
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
LGR

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United Negotiations Update

United Negotiations Update

Apr 25, 2024 | Featured, Front Page, Row 2, United

United Contract Negotiations Update

23 April 2024

Dear Machinists Union Sisters and Brothers at United Airlines,

As President and Directing General Chair of IAM District Lodge 141, I want to thank you for your participation in our recent pre-negotiation surveys. Your insights are crucial as we begin preparations for the upcoming contract talks with the airline. These negotiations will impact  29,000 union members across Fleet Service, Passenger Service, Storekeepers, Maintenance Instructors, Security Officers, Central Load Planners, and Fleet Technical Instructors roles.

In fact, this was the highest level of contract survey participation in the history of IAM District Lodge 141.

Some of the top priorities are reducing the steps of pay progressions, real, enforceable job preferencing, improved pension and 401k contributions, general work scheduling, quality of life improvements, and for-profit sharing to be in line with other work groups at United Airlines.

While these are some of the top member priorities, your negotiating committee plans to work on all areas of our contracts so that IAM members’ value to United Airlines is recognized and realized. 

In our last communication, we expressed that we believe we can reach the industry-best contracts we deserve by the end of the calendar year. However, that will only be possible IF United Airlines management is serious about treating us with the respect we deserve. United management talks a good game about having the best employees in the airline industry and United being the premier global airline. Now, the time has arrived for United management to walk the walk and not just talk the talk.

Unfortunately, United management has informed us that they will not be available to meet with your negotiating committee until May 21st. That meeting will discuss protocol, scheduling, and the logistics of negotiations. Though this delay is not ideal, we will use this extra time to refine our strategy and strengthen our position.

Thank you again for your engagement. Remember, our strength is our unity.

In Solidarity,

 

Your Negotiating Committee
Olu Ajetomobi
Joe Bartz
Jill Hazamy
Victor Hernandez
Barb Martin
Terry Stansbury
Faysal Silwany
Erik Stenberg
Sue Weisner

Michael G Klemm
President and Directing General Chair, 
District 141,
International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers

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United Negotiations Update

Machinist Union Members at United Begin Preparations for New Contract Talks

Mar 15, 2024 | Featured News, Front Page, Other News, Row 2, United

Machinist Union Members at United Begin Preparations for New Contract Talks

Machinist Union Members at United Begin Preparations for New Contract Talks

IAM141.org
15 March 2024

Union members at United Airlines, including nearly 29,000 workers over seven different workgroups, are preparing to start contract negotiations as soon as this summer, according to an announcement made on Friday by the Union’s District President, Mike Klemm.

According to Klemm, the seven agreements between the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and United Airlines will become eligible for updates on May 1. Thanks to an early start provision in the 2023 agreements, this will be the second round of contract talks between the union and the carrier in as many years.

In 2023, the Machinists Union negotiated industry-leading wages and job protections, with thousands of union members earning more than $37 an hour. They also extended critical job protections for hundreds of employees at airports where United had a smaller footprint, who might have otherwise faced the possibility of being outsourced. The 2023 agreements also insourced several stations, including Miami and Colorado Springs.

In 2023, the Airline committed to “Expedited Negotations,” which would have focused on only the top concerns of union members. The hope was that the talks would bring meaningful job improvements to covered workers quickly, within a few months. However, the Airline proved unable to fulfill that commitment, and talks stalled.

Under the Railway Labor Act, the governing body that oversees labor relations in transportation industries, including airlines, the failure of United to quickly seal a deal with the union meant that the two parties would enter into “Section 6” negotiations instead. Section 6 Negotiations, named after Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act, will require the parties to litigate every aspect of the collective bargaining agreements and are likely to take as long as a year or more to negotiate.

President Klemm warned that the track record of United Airlines’ inability to swiftly cement collective Bargaining Agreements might result in delays in the new round of negotiations.

“It’s essential to recognize the changing dynamics at United Airlines,” he said in a written statement to union members. “This is not the same airline as it was from 2015 through 2020.”

“Our goal remains to secure an industry-leading contract for our membership by the end of this year. Nevertheless, we’re prepared for all possibilities, including the chance that negotiations may be unnecessarily delayed due to United’s strategic use of the laws that govern labor relations in the airline industry,” he continued.

Before the negotiations begin, Klemm said that union negotiators will canvas front-line union members for input.

“The feedback we get from these surveys will be vital to your Negotiating Committee as we prepare to begin talks with United Airlines,” he said, adding that high levels of participation will strengthen the union’s hand at the bargaining table.

“By participating, you’re not just sharing your views; you’re actively contributing to the strength and direction of our negotiations,” Klemm said.

 

Union Members Can Take the Survey Here

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Machinist Union Members at United Begin Preparations for New Contract Talks

15 March 2024

Union members at United Airlines, including nearly 29,000 workers over seven different workgroups, are preparing to start contract negotiations as soon as this summer, according to an announcement made on Friday by the Union’s District President, Mike Klemm.

According to Klemm, the seven agreements between the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and United Airlines will become eligible for updates on May 1. Thanks to an early start provision in the 2023 agreements, this will be the second round of contract talks between the union and the carrier in as many years.

In 2023, the Machinists Union negotiated industry-leading wages and job protections, with thousands of union members earning more than $37 an hour. They also extended critical job protections for hundreds of employees at airports where United had a smaller footprint, who might have otherwise faced the possibility of being outsourced. The 2023 agreements also insourced several stations, including Miami and Colorado Springs.

In 2023, the Airline committed to “Expedited Negotations,” which would have focused on only the top concerns of union members. The hope was that the talks would bring meaningful job improvements to covered workers quickly, within a few months. However, the Airline proved unable to fulfill that commitment, and talks stalled.

Under the Railway Labor Act, the governing body that oversees labor relations in transportation industries, including airlines, the failure of United to quickly seal a deal with the union meant that the two parties would enter into “Section 6” negotiations instead. Section 6 Negotiations, named after Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act, will require the parties to litigate every aspect of the collective bargaining agreements and are likely to take as long as a year or more to negotiate.

President Klemm warned that the track record of United Airlines’ inability to swiftly cement collective Bargaining Agreements might result in delays in the new round of negotiations.

“It’s essential to recognize the changing dynamics at United Airlines,” he said in a written statement to union members. “This is not the same airline as it was from 2015 through 2020.”

“Our goal remains to secure an industry-leading contract for our membership by the end of this year. Nevertheless, we’re prepared for all possibilities, including the chance that negotiations may be unnecessarily delayed due to United’s strategic use of the laws that govern labor relations in the airline industry,” he continued.

Before the negotiations begin, Klemm said that union negotiators will canvas front-line union members for input.

“The feedback we get from these surveys will be vital to your Negotiating Committee as we prepare to begin talks with United Airlines,” he said, adding that high levels of participation will strengthen the union’s hand at the bargaining table.

“By participating, you’re not just sharing your views; you’re actively contributing to the strength and direction of our negotiations,” Klemm said.

 

Union Members Can Take the Survey Here

Related

Alaska Air and Hawaiian Airlines Bulletin

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Oct 31, 2024

The IAM Districts 141 and 142 reached a Transition Agreement with Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines for the Alaska COPS and RSSA agreements, and the Hawaiian COPFS agreement, respectively October 31, 2024 Aloha Sisters and Brothers of Hawaiian and Alaska Airlines,...

AA Tentative Agreement Ratification Results

AA Tentative Agreement Ratification Results

Oct 29, 2024

The leadership of the TWU/IAM Association would like to thank you for your unity and participation in the 2024 JCBA Extension Ratification Vote.  October 29, 2024 RE:  Economic Extension Vote Results Dear TWU-IAM Association Brothers and Sisters: The leadership of the...

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 As a reminder, voting on the American Airlines contract extension opens at noon central on Friday, October 25th and closes at noon central on Tuesday, October 29th.  October 24, 2024 TO: Association Fleet Sisters and Brothers RE: AA Contract Extension Vote As a...