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
Mar 4, 2020 | EAP, Featured, Home, Safety, Uncategorized, United
Sisters and Brothers,
United Airlines informed its employees today that the airline will reduce its international flight schedule by 20 percent and its domestic flight schedule by 10 percent in April, and have begun planning similar reductions for the month of May. These reductions are in response to the global outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
United management is offering voluntary, unpaid leaves for active, non-probationary, US-based employees. Management has also instituted a hiring freeze, and postponed salary increases.
Please know that these salary freezes DO NOT affect IAM-represented United employees.
IAM contracts are in full force and unaffected, and all provisions in our contracts must be followed. It is also important to note there are no plans for involuntary furloughs.
I would like all IAM members at United to know that your union is here for you. We have weathered many storms together and we will get through this one as we have done in every other instance. Please know that your IAM representatives are here to answer questions that you may have and the Union’s EAP program is always available for members during times of stress.
I will work closely with United management, and I will make sure all IAM members at United Airlines are fully informed of all developments. In the coming days, IAM District 141 will inform members of measures that we will take to ensure our members’ interests at United Airlines are well protected.
While today’s news is not what any airline worker wants to hear, we have confidence in United’s leadership to make the right decisions to protect the best interests of United employees and the airline.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact your local union committee. For the latest on COVID-19, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website, Coronavirus Disease 2019 webpage.
Michael G. Klemm
President & Directing General Chairman
IAMAW, District Lodge 141
Jan 28, 2020 | Airlines, American, Featured, Hawaiian, Home, Organizing, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United
2020 Novel Coronavirus Update
Concerns centered on Coronavirus are very much on our minds, especially as we work with the traveling public and provide cleaning and maintenance on our aircraft. Members of the IAM Joint Air Transport Safety Committee have been very involved in these issues that concern the varied jobs that our members perform.
We have participated in conference calls with our respective airlines that have included the Medical, Safety, Emergency Preparedness, and operating departments to discuss the adequacy of current policies and procedures.
JATSC members are also sharing information with other aviation union affiliates of the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department along with principles and senior officials from agencies charged with aviation safety, health and security about a coordinated response to the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak.
JATSC members will continue to participate in these discussions, providing input concerning our member’s protection.
As this issue continues to unfold we will likely learn more about this virus and how to effectively protect ourselves, but there are some basic precautions that you should take:
- Know and understand your company’s policy on protection from the virus and follow the policies. Don’t take short cuts.
- Good personal hygiene is also very important. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. The use of hand sanitizers (60% or more of alcohol) can be used when water is not readily available. It is always a good idea to wash your hands for 20 seconds as soon as the water is available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Use the proper disinfectant that is approved for use on the aircraft or ground facilities and follow the directions as most disinfectants require a dwell time on the surfaces to be effective prior to wiping off.
Make sure that you are aware of any bulletins, alerts, or protocols that your employer has communicated concerning the Coronavirus. The CDC (Center for Disease Control), OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) all have a lot of current info on the virus as well. Take a few moments to review:
U.S. Department of Labor/Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 2019 Novel Coronavirus Webpage.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2019 Novel Coronavirus Webpage.
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