Apr 10, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Education, Featured, Hawaiian, Home, MNPL, Organizing, Philippine, Spirit, Uncategorized, United
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AMY KLOBUCHAR TALKS MEGA-MERGERS, PRAISES UNION ACTIVISM
Presidential Candidate Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn) spoke before hundreds of Machinists Union members at its conference of railroad and airline workers.
For Senator Klobuchar, the event was the highlight of her first campaign stop in Las Vegas, where she also visited the Blind Center of Nevada and the Harold Brinley Middle School. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), also addressed delegates at the Machinists Union Transportation Conference. The Machinists Union is the largest union of aerospace and rail workers in the world.
In her speech, Senator Klobuchar emphasized her close ties with unions, which Owen E. Herrnstadt, Chief of Staff for the IAM International President, praised in his introduction of the senior senator from Minnesota.
“Since taking office in 2007, Amy Klobuchar has been a fearless fighter on behalf of working Americans,” Herrnstadt told the assembled group of over 800 union members from the nation’s railroads and airlines. “Amy knows how to get things done.”
“She has supported efforts to protect our pensions, to protect voting rights, to make drug prices affordable, raise the minimum wage … and shine a bright light on corporations that want to merge.”
Mergers were a particular area of focus of Klobuchar’s speech to the Machinists, whose members have been rocked by two recent mega-mergers. Notably, the mergers between United Airlines and Continental, and US Airways and American.
But air transport is not the only industry that has endured huge and difficult mergers.
“We are now in a new Gilded Age,” said Klobuchar of the railroad industry. “We’re down to four Class One Carriers that are carrying 90% of the traffic.”
“This means that wages go down because there’s not enough competition,” she said. Unions are the leverage that we have. Unions can take on corporations and win better wages for workers.”
The first female senator from Minnesota spoke highly of the community spirit and activism of Machinists.
“The 600 thousand members of the Machinists Union… helped rebuild communities affected by the raging wildfires in the West and the floods in the Midwest.”
“You sent your Critical Incident Support Team to support survivors when a gunman opened fire in Aurora, Illinois, killing five people, two of whom were IAM Members.”
“And, after the devastation of Maria, you partnered with airlines to fly goods and disaster relief to Puerto Rico,” she said.
“That’s a community. That’s a shared story. That’s ordinary people doing extraordinary things.”
After her speech, Senator Klobuchar spent time speaking with delegates and posed for pictures.
The IAM Transportation Conference assembles the top union activists within the railroad and airline industries. The event is being held this week in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will run through April 11.
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Apr 9, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Education, Featured, Hawaiian, Home, MNPL, Organizing, Philippine, Spirit, United
Bernie Sanders to American Airlines CEO:
“You Damn Well Have Enough Money to Pay Your Workers a Decent Wage.”
In a fiery speech delivered before a packed gathering of Machinists Union leaders, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called out the CEO of American Airlines for his attempts to outsource thousands of jobs at the airline.
Presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) addresses Machinists at the 2019 IAM Transportation Conference. (Via IAMAW DISTRICT 141 FACEBOOK PAGE.)
Sanders was one of two Presidential candidates that addressed the union at its Conference of Airline and Railroad workers in Las Vegas, Nevada this week.
Senator and presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar (D-Mn) also spoke at the event.
The Machinists Union is the largest union of aerospace and rail workers in the world.
In his speech, Sanders confronted American Airlines CEO Doug Parker over his threats to outsource union jobs and cut health care benefits for thousands of employees.
“American Airlines wants to slash the pay of its employees; they want to outsource jobs,” Sanders told the crowd. “They want to take away health care benefits, and they want to abolish its defined benefit pension plan.”
“Brothers and sisters, together, we are not going to let that happen,” he said to loud cheers from the audience which included many American Airlines employees.
American Airlines has refused to negotiate with fleet service workers until employees agree to new outsourcing and wage and benefit concessions.
The Machinists Union proposals would only cost a fraction of the money that American has budgeted for stock buyback schemes and executive pay.
Stock buybacks can inflate a company’s stock value. Since many executives are awarded bonuses based on stock performance, these schemes are a popular tactic for increasing executive pay.
“This is exactly what Americans are sick and tired of. And it’s not just American Airlines. Companies make good profits in America, and then they shut down and move to some desperate developing country.”
“American Airlines is not a poor, struggling company,” Sanders continued. “Last year, it made a net profit of $1.4 billion. This is a company that had enough money to pay its CEO, Doug Parker, over $19 million in compensation last year. This is a company that had enough money to buy back $15 billion of its own stocks during a five-year period.”
“So, today I say to the CEO of American Airlines… You damn well have enough money to pay your workers a decent wage with good benefits.”
Sito Pantoja, General Vice President of the union’s Transportation territory, praised Senator Sanders for his long-standing relationship with the Machinists Union. Sanders was also a featured speaker at the 2014 Machinists District 141 Convention, one of the largest gatherings of unionized airline workers in the US.
(left to right) International President Robert Martinez Jr., Senator Bernie Sanders, General Vice President, Transportation Sito Pantoja
“Long before he ran for president, Senator Sanders walked the picket lines with us. He attended our local lodge meetings. He has never once failed to answer when the Machinists have called,” said Pantoja.
“Senator Bernie Sanders is a true champion of the people and a true champion of the IAM.”
The IAM Transportation Conference brings together top Machinists Union Leaders from the rail and airline industries. This year’s conference is being held in Las Vegas through April 11.
The full remarks from Senator Sanders and Klobuchar are available courtesy of the 8 News Now Las Vegas Facebook Page.
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Apr 8, 2019 | Departments, Education, Home, Video
Weekly wrap up video for April 6th. Topics this week are about the American Airlines Tower ops stewards from Dallas and Chicago and Coverage from the 2019 Women’s Conference from Las Vegas Nevada.
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 21, 2019 | Departments, Education, Featured, Home
Each year, our District awards several of these scholarships to qualified and deserving members — or their children, grandchildren or spouses — who are pursuing a college education. The scholarship amounts usually range between $1,000 and $2,000.
An independent committee selects the scholarship winners on the merits of essays submitted by the applicants. The topic for this year’s scholarship competition is “How can our Local Lodges better serve our communities?”
The rules of the competition are bellow, along with an application.
We urge you to take advantage of this outstanding opportunity for you or someone in your family. The scholarship can be used to help pay for tuition, fees, books, living expenses — it’s up to you, as long as it makes your life as a student easier!
Our union has always been about working people building better lives for themselves and their loved ones. The Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship is one of the ways our District helps its members reach for their dreams.
Download the Official Call Letter and Entry Form Below.
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Competition Rules
Eligibility
This essay competition is open to children, spouses and dependent grandchildren (as defined by the IRS) of members with one year or more of good standing (as of June 1, 2018) in District Lodge 141 who are graduating high school seniors or who are currently enrolled full time and/or commencing college full time. The competition is also open to any members with one year or more of good standing (as of June 1, 2018) in District Lodge 141 who are enrolled in college with a minimum of six units per semester. District Lodge 141 officers and their families are not eligible. Only one award per family is allowed per year. Past winners are not eligible. Applications must be signed by your Local Lodge President or Recording Secretary.
A bibliography of sources for essay material must be included. The essay must be the work of the entrant or the entrant will be disqualified. The winners may be interviewed by the Scholarship Chairperson. The application must be filled out completely or the entrant will be disqualified.
Essay Rules
The subject of the 2019 essay competition is “How can our Local Lodges better serve our communities?” All essays must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document and printed on 8 1/2” x 11” white bond paper with a minimum of 700 words and a maximum of 1,000 words. Please include a recent photograph of the applicant. The title must be placed on the top of the paper. The entrant’s name or identification must appear on each page of the essay paper.
Awards
One each — $2,000 overall winner
Six each — $1,000 placement winners
Awards will be presented at winners’ Local Lodges after confirmation of student enrollment at an accredited college or university (copy of valid registration or class schedule confirmation).
Judging
Judging will be done by an impartial Scholarship Chairperson who is not a member of District Lodge 141 and the impartial Scholarship Committee. The decisions of the Committee will be final.
Disqualification
Previous winners and all entrants not conforming to the contest rules will be disqualified. Disqualification decisions of the Committee are final.
Handling
All essays received become the property of District Lodge 141 and may be published in the future using the contestant’s name.
Submission
All entry forms must be mailed and postmarked no later than midnight, July 15, 2019. The entry form and essay must be placed in an envelope and mailed to the Scholarship Committee Chairperson at the address shown below. The word SCHOLARSHIP must be written in the lower left-hand corner of the envelope. Also, the electronic version of the essay (as a Microsoft Word document) must be submitted to dan@bleicomm.com.
Scholarship Committee
Daniel Brin, Chair; Frank Casciato, Vice Chair; Mike Delano and Richie Castaneda, Committee Members.
Sponsored by IAMAW DISTRICT LODGE 141
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Mar 13, 2019 | Departments, Education, Home
Want to unlock troves of cash for college? Here are a few easy tips that will absolutely help your essay edge out the competition.
Know the Rule Book Better than the Competition
Playing smart is the same thing as playing well.
Did the contest require proof of enrollment? Did you include your full contact details? Writing essays can be a lot like college football; the team that can learn the rule book has an advantage.
Each year, there are at least one or two entries that can’t be awarded because of some disqualifying T that wasn’t crossed or i that wasn’t dotted. Double check everything, and you will have an automatic advantage right out of the gate.
For an example of what scholarship rules look like in real life, check out the IAM141 Adolf Stutz Memorial Scholarship Contest Rules.
Keep the Focus on Your Topic
Shorter, simpler, better.
Carefully identify the specific goals that your essay is trying to achieve. Throw everything else out. Distracting digressions are the enemy. Kill them.
If your topic is important and urgent to your audience, you can skip the fluff and get right to the point.
The Basics, Perfectly
Spell checkers are great inventions. Don’t waste them.
Another tip: absolutely never let yourself think that you can proofread your own work. To win these scholarships, you will want to build a strong team behind you. Every good team has trainers and coaches. Bring in experts to help you improve your game. Draft your English teacher, tutors, and anyone else with strong written communication skills to proofread, suggest edits, and help you clean up your essay.
One other thing. If you find yourself always skipping over a particular section of your essay, it’s not readable enough. Try to write clearly enough so that anyone with an 8th grade or higher reading level can understand it.
Just Show Up. Just in Case No One Else Does.
Sometimes, there’s really not that much competition.
Last year, thousands of dollars worth of scholarship money went unclaimed. And, not for any good reason. Most of it wasn’t paid out just because there were more scholarship opportunities than there were applicants. Which means that at least a few thousand dollars could have been claimed by anyone hitting a keyboard and submitting the results.
Keep checking with your local lodge to find out when the upcoming Machinists Union Scholarship Award Contests will be held. They’re held each year, but the only way to know about them is to stay involved with your local lodge.
Remember, there could be several scholarship opportunities each year. Besides the Adolf Stutz Memorial Scholarship Essay Contest, the Machinists Union International Headquarters will hold its own Annual Scholarship Contest, and your Local Lodge may also have one. In addition, some state and central labor councils offer scholarships for their affiliates and their families. Do check into all of them.
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