Apr 6, 2020 | Community Service, Community Service Page, COVID, Featured, Front Page, Home, Home, Safety, Uncategorized, United |
CDC recommendations updated to include face coverings.
The Centers for Disease Control continue to study the spread of coronavirus in the United States. Last week, they updated recommendations for people in situations where social distancing can be difficult, such as workplaces like airports or call centers. Wearing a face cover is now encouraged to help slow down the spread of the virus, which can happen even when people are showing no symptoms of the disease.
Medical grade and one-time-use masks are in short supply and they are urgently needed by healthcare workers. Maintaining a 6-foot distance is still the best way to protect yourself while interacting with others, and using a mask is not a substitute for that practice. The new CDC recommendation however, states that a simple cloth mask is an additional and effective measure.
Alice Martins from Local 914 in Newark, NJ is working in one of the epicenters of the outbreak of coronavirus. She shared her video showing how to make a face cover using a United Airlines uniform scarf. All you need is a scarf and two rubber bands – no sewing required! Thank you, Alice!
What measures are you taking in your city to protect workers from the spread of coronavirus? Let us know in the comments below!
Mar 26, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, EAP, Featured, Front Page, Hawaiian, Home, Home, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United |
Sisters and Brothers,
Working almost around the clock since Monday, the leadership of the House of Representatives and the US Senate engaged in negotiations to produce a historic $2 trillion stimulus bill that provides significant relief to our nation’s health care and transportation workers.
The Senate voted 96-0 last night to adopt the bi-partisan agreement, and it now moves to the House, where it will be introduced by Speaker Pelosi tomorrow and it is expected to pass.
Your actions since the beginning of this crisis, and your quick mobilization this week to contact elected officials in Washington made the difference for every working person in our country. Thanks to you, we are more certain of our future.
Once it becomes law, the CARE Act will secure the airline industry and our jobs for the next 6 months as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and will provide loan guarantees to rebuild our nation’s aviation infrastructure for the long term.
Key highlights for airline relief include:
- $25 Billion in grants to airlines for payroll assistance. Before Labor’s input, the bill only had a loan program. These grants are EXCLUSIVELY for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries and benefits. Before Labor’s input, this provision did not exist.
- No condition to open Collective Bargaining Agreements and enter concessionary negotiations to receive grants or loans. Before Labor’s input, the Treasury Secretary had the power to impose unlimited conditions for receiving federal funds. Your calls helped us close this major loophole.
- As a condition to receive federal grant funds, a carrier must refrain from conducting involuntary furloughs until September 30, 2020. Before Labor’s input, this important provision did not exist.
- Prohibition on stock buybacks and dividend payments until September 30, 2021, and limits on executive compensation and “golden parachutes.” Neither of these requirements existed before our Labor negotiators insisted on them.
I also want to remind our Brothers and Sisters at American Airlines that the ratification vote for the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement will close tonight at 8:00 Eastern Standard Time. You can find information at the Association Website if you have questions or are having difficulty voting. Please take a few minutes to make your voice heard.
Thank you again for your dedication and professionalism. In these most difficult circumstances, you are showing up every day to get our customers where they need to go. We are not out of the woods yet, by a long shot, but if we continue to speak up, show up, and take care of ourselves and each other, we will overcome this crisis.
Please make sure you take time to unwind, and try to get enough rest. Our EAP Representatives are always available at https://iam141.org/employee-assistance-program/
In Solidarity,
Mike Klemm,
President and Directing General Chair,
District 141, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Mar 25, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Hawaiian, Home, Home, Philippine, Spirit, Uncategorized, United |
The federal aid package presented by the Senate, which is expected to be voted on shortly contains a huge problem that could affect every airline worker in the United States. The proposed legislation currently has NO protection against opening up existing collective bargaining agreements if an airline seeks a loan or loan guarantee.
A self-proclaimed labor leader is spiking the ball, claiming victory and credit, but obviously DOES NOT understand what’s missing in the legislation that she is taking credit for.
The text of the bill states, “A loan, loan guarantee, or other investment by the Secretary shall be made under this section in such form and on such terms and conditions and contain such covenants, representations, warranties, and requirements (including requirements for audits) as the Secretary determines appropriate.”
“This means the Secretary of the Treasury could demand that contracts be renegotiated and concessions made before loans, loan guarantees or investments are made. This is exactly what we were working to avoid. This needs to be fixed now or it could result in airline workers taking steep concessions.
Please contact your elected officials and ask them to ensure that the loan component of the federal aid package has the same language as the grant component of the package. You may contact your representative HERE, courtesy of Democracy.io.
We must act now to clean up the mess made by other so-called labor leaders.
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Mar 18, 2020 | Airlines, American, Community Service Page, COVID, Featured, Front Page, Hawaiian, Home, Home, MNPL, Organizing, Philippine, Safety, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United |
IAMAW District 141 /////
Sisters and Brothers,
In recent weeks, many of you have contacted your local union representatives, Assistant General Chairpersons or me directly to express your fears of possible pay cuts, furloughs or the likelihood of your carrier going bankrupt or completely out of business. You have good reasons to be concerned.
The airline industry is facing an existential threat from a global pandemic. The spread of the Coronavirus across continents has resulted in a decrease in demand for air travel by two-thirds worldwide, with at least one airline going out of business. For over two months, airline workers have worked on the front lines of the crisis, and you have adapted to reductions in flight schedules, last-minute policy changes, and have worried about how to best protect your personal health and safety. The worst part is the unease that comes from not seeing a clear end to this crisis.
As airlines announce more cuts in service, IAM General Vice President Sito Pantoja said today that “US carriers are contemplating further capacity cuts or shutting down operations altogether, which only a month ago was unimaginable.”
The President of the United States and members of Congress are discussing how they can best help the airline industry, which is the backbone of our nation’s economy. There are several ideas being considered, and we support any action that helps workers quickly and directly. As workers, we need to unite and say with a clear and strong voice that the need is great and immediate.
I urge you to call your representatives today at 202-224-3121 and ask them to take any action necessary to save our airline jobs.
Click here to send a message to your Federal Representatives:
Please act today to protect your job and those of thousands of airline workers and millions more who depend on our industry for their livelihoods. Many of you are applying for voluntary leaves and reductions in schedules, which shows how committed we are to get through this crisis together. I ask that we work with our elected officials to make sure no one gets left behind.
Thank you for your activism and solidarity.
Fraternally,
Mike Klemm
President and Directing General Chair,
District 141
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
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Mar 16, 2020 | Airlines, Community Service Page, COVID, EAP, Education Class, Featured, Front Page, Home, Home, MNPL, Pinned Post, Safety, Safety, Uncategorized, United
Dear United Member,
I’m sure by now most of you have had a chance to read the communication put out by Oscar Munoz and Scott Kirby last night. I want to start off by commending both men and their teams for keeping the IAM completely informed with the dire financial outlook of, not only United Airlines, but the airline industry in general. They have made it clear that their number one goal is to do everything possible to limit the impact on United’s workforce, which includes approximately 28,000 IAM members. With that said, it’s important you know the financial situation is significantly worse than the days and weeks following 9/11.
Oscar and Scott stated that March is typically United’s busiest month of the year. But this year, in just the first two weeks of March, one million fewer customers have boarded United aircraft compared to March, 2019. United is also currently projecting that revenue in March will be $1.5 billion lower than last March, and the months ahead look grim as well.
I want to share something with you. When Oscar and I came into our respective positions, weeks apart in 2015, he approached the Union and committed to do right by IAM members. He expressed his desire to enter negotiations early to improve the wages of IAM members at United.
Our response was, “wages are important but more critical than money is that IAM members’ work is protected. We need real job security and to not worry which station was next to be outsourced.” He heard us, understood IAM members’ needs and he and his team negotiated in good faith. We were able to gain the security IAM members so very much deserve. Oscar’s word was good and I am grateful for that.
The IAM’s current relationship with Oscar Munoz and Scott Kirby is solid and there exists a level of trust between both parties that we value. It is because of this relationship that the IAM will have input on any decisions that are made that will impact IAM members at United.
I want to emphasize that the IAM’s ONLY priority is to protect IAM members’ interests during this very uncertain time.
As more information becomes available, I will relay that to you.
God bless, stay safe and protect yourselves and your families by following the CDC guidelines.
Sincerely and Fraternally,
Mike Klemm
President and Directing General Chair,
IAMAW District 141
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Mar 14, 2020 | Airlines, American, Community Service, Community Service Page, COVID, EAP, Education, Featured, Front Page, Hawaiian, Home, Home, Philippine, Safety, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United
GOIAM.COM /////////////
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
I know there is much uncertainty surrounding the evolving COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak that has now been classified as a global pandemic. Our daily routines are being affected by the cancellation of many events in an effort to limit the spread of the virus. I want each and every member of our IAM family to know that the IAM is taking all necessary action to keep all of us safe while continuing the important work of our union.
The most important thing each of us can do now is to heed the advice of health officials. Please closely follow guidelines and monitor updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The best way to avoid being exposed to this virus is to:
– Clean your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
– Avoid close contact with people who are sick
– Stay home and seek medical care if you are sick
– Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or use the inside of your elbow
– Wear a facemask if you are sick
– Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily
I also encourage you to monitor the IAM Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center for more information, specific safety tips for our membership in the healthcare and transportation industries, as well as any updates on changes in IAM operations. Beginning this Saturday, March 14, we have made the decision to suspend programming at the Winpisinger Education and Technology Center for two weeks. We will closely monitor the situation and provide updates on all status changes.
To ensure that everything possible is being done to protect our membership at work, IAM Local Lodge Safety and Health Committees should meet with employers on steps being taken to mitigate the risk of virus transmission. Every employer has the responsibility to do everything necessary to keep its employees safe. Our union has a duty to hold employers responsible to that commitment.
The IAM Grand Lodge is working with elected officials to ensure that sufficient funding is available to respond to the outbreak and that steps are taken to protect jobs in industries that are especially affected by the pandemic.
Lastly, I want our membership to know that we will get through this difficult time together. Throughout our union’s 132-year history, we have always confronted great challenges. Our unity has pulled us through the toughest of times and this situation will be no different.
Let’s be smart, stay safe and continue our march toward dignity and justice for all working people.
Fraternally,
Robert Martinez Jr.
International President
