Aug 10, 2018 | Airlines, American, Departments, Featured, Home, Organizing, The Association
Brothers and Sisters,
The Association Executive Negotiating Committee met with American Airlines this week in Washington, D.C. to continue the discussion about Scope proposals. Your Executive Committee presented the company with comprehensive proposals. The Association proposals are reasonable and recognize the sacrifices our members have collectively made through our company’s bankruptcies by securing our work into the future.
Our members deserve nothing less!
All of our responses to the company continue to fall on deaf ears!
Management continues to disrespect our members hard earned stake in this company by blatantly disregarding our attempts to come to fair and equitable Scope agreements for all classifications. With each passing negotiating session, the company’s negotiating committee’s disregard for our membership has become more apparent. They continue to ignore the contributions our members have made to help them become the most profitable airline in the world.
The company’s negotiating committee continues to make proposals that contradict what their Chairman and CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom have publicly promised our members from the beginning of negotiations. In stark contrast, American’s proposal will eliminate 2,500 AMT jobs, not include facilities maintenance work protections and allows the outsourcing of almost any fleet service work.
The company must know that our members will remain strong and united; that you will not waver in the protection of your scope and the jobs of all of our members!
Fraternally,
Your Association Executive Negotiating Committee
Aug 10, 2018 | Departments, Education, Featured, Home, Video
The IAM maintains the only fully-functioning year-round Union Educational Facility in North America, educating more than 60,000 IAM Activists since first opening its doors in 1981.
Hear about the IAM’s World-Class Winpisinger Center firsthand, from Brian Harrison, an IAM141 Grievance Committeeman from SkyHarbor Lodge 2559 in Tempe Arizona.
Aug 1, 2018 | Departments, EAP, Home
This month we focus on securing financial accounts and some tips for safe shopping online. There are some excellent tips for readers.
It his with a sorrowful heart that I must inform those of you who don’t already know that Rich Pascarella, IAM141 AGC, passed away recently. Rich was an ardent supporter of the EAP and had completed EAP I-III. Rich championed EAP with the membership every chance he had. He will be missed tremendously. Please keep Rich’s family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Bryan
Bryan Hutchinson, M.S.
Jul 19, 2018 | Departments, EAP, Home, Video
Jul 11, 2018 | Departments, Featured, Home, MNPL
President Trump’s appointment of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, if confirmed by the Senate, could cement the court’s pro-business tilt for decades to come.
This appointment has the potential to affect every one of us in a labor union. Labor unions have fought for decades and continue to fight for fair policies such as the right to organize, equal pay for women, safety in the workplace, civil rights for women and the LGBTQ community, immigration and voting rights.
Kavanaugh’s nomination was triggered by the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and has served on our country’s highest court since 1987. Many recent Supreme Court rulings have been decided by the conservative majority by a 5 to 4 vote. Justice Kennedy was considered a “swing vote,” since he sided with the more liberal justices on social issues such as gay marriage and the Affordable Care Act. Judge Kavanaugh’s writings over his 12 years on the Federal bench show that he will side with the conservative majority in most cases. His confirmation will give the conservative wing of the court a 6-3 “super majority” which has many labor leaders concerned about future challenges to civil rights, including labor rights.
As a Federal District Court judge in DC, Judge Kavanaugh overruled an unfair labor practice decision from the National Labor Relations Board against the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, stating that the hotel’s management was right to request that police issue citations for protesting on public property outside the casino. In 2007 he gave the Defense Department the ability to curb civilian workers’ collective bargaining rights. In a decision supporting Sea World, he wrote that OSHA cannot regulate safety in sports and entertainment. He supported a meat packing business against a successful organizing drive ruling that undocumented workers are not “employees” and had no right to organize a union.
The 51-49 split between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate, combined with the absence of Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) who is critically ill, sets the stage for a confirmation battle on Capitol Hill. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) are considered moderate Republicans who have stated their support of court precedent, particularly in regards to women’s reproductive rights. Will they join Democratic Senators who hope they can achieve a united front against the Kavanaugh nomination? Many observers are speculating about how the three Democratic Senators who voted for President Trump’s first Supreme Court nominee will vote this time. They are Joe Manchin (D-WV), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN), who joined Republican Senators including Collins and Murkowski and voted to confirm conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch in 2017.
In light of recent Supreme Court decisions like Janus vs AFSME which have put restrictions on the rights of unions to organize and represent workers, it is important that every American worker, whether they are a union member or not, understand the importance and the need to be informed and involved in this decision.
Each and every one of us should phone the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. An operator will connect you directly to your Senator’s office.
Tell them not to support Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
Jul 2, 2018 | Departments, Home, MNPL
June 27, 2018 the Supreme Court ruled on Janus v. AFSCME (American Federation of State, Country and Municipal Employees) case. This is the case which was brought to the Supreme Court to decide if it is unconstitutional for public-sector employees to have to pay union dues. Which is needed to cover the cost of collective bargaining. This decision public-sector workers will not be required to pay dues to union even if the unions continue to collectively bargain for those employees.
This decision will affect the membership for unions and the much-needed revenue for unions to continue to bargain and represent their membership.
The power and concept for unions was created during the end of the 18th century to fight employers who were making large amount of profits, while workers slaved from sunrise to late in the evening under deplorable conditions. They fought for child labor laws, salary’s sub-standard for anyone to live, lack health care, safety rules, vacations time, overtime and through the years equal rights and equal pay for men and women.
The power of unions has also opened the door for the working class for non-union jobs as well. By unions using the power of collective bargaining and by also fight on Capital Hill for so many workers proposals to become law we now have minimum wage, 8-hour day, overtime, safety, vacations and many other benefits which are benefited for many working Americans.
When you lower the power of workers to sit at the bargaining table (which has just happened) it drastically reduces the ability to move forward in the future.
Researchers have found that the Janus decision could reduce union membership of state and local government employees by 8.2% or 726,000 union members.
This will create a loss of revenue for the unions, which will restrict unions to have fewer representatives, fewer cases going to arbitration, and organizing fewer members. Also, salaries of state and local government employees would drop 3.6%-5.4%.
So why should we be concerned? Although this decision does not affect Airline and Rail workers yet, but it does have the potential to affect us in the future.
This administration has the power to carry the Janus case further, it could affect us as well. The current Supreme Court has proven that they have the majority of judges that will act just as we have expected. Which is to continue to do everything in their power to eradicate unions. This has been a goal from the Republican party for decades. Big business billionaires have been giving millions to candidates with the hope to get elected those who will follow through on the eliminations of unions.
The elimination of unions from big business will result lower pay, less or no health care, no job protection and all of the other many benefits that have been fought for over 130 years and generate an obscene amount of profits for the already top 1%.
We need to stand strong and continue to fight back, your future and the future for your children for generations to come depend on you.
Please, get involved, go to your union meetings, don’t let this happen to us.
