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.
Recording Secretaries: please post on all IAMAW Bulletin Boards
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Jan 18, 2020 | American, Featured, Home, Safety
Union safety inspectors and company representatives conducted a safety walk-through audit last week at Sea-Tac airport in Seattle. The exercise was sponsored by Local 1351 and the unionized workers at American Airlines.
The planned safety audit was joined by company partners from American Airlines’ Absence Management, the department that studies injuries and workplace dangers. Overseeing the inspections was Tony D’Aloiso, Safety Director at District 141 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, as well as Systems Safety Expert, Thomas Merrick from Transport Workers Union Local 539.
Airlines and their unionized employees can often adopt an adversarial stance towards one another, particularly during contract negotiations. However, when it comes to airline safety, both sides agree that strong partnerships are in the best interest of everyone involved. Passengers, investors, management and front-line workers alike all benefit from a strong safety culture.
“Today we had corporate and our union guys here, doing a safety audit (and) working together, and that’s our big thing right now,” said Pam Flaherty, a Safety Rep from IAMAW Local 1351, which is based in Seattle.
Jan 10, 2020 | Airlines, Featured, Hawaiian, Home, Organizing, Uncategorized
Brothers and Sisters,
District Lodge 141 and 142, along with Hawaiian Airlines, have agreed to enter into a ‘Limited Issue/Expedited Negotiation’ process in an effort to reach new contract agreements prior to the amendable date of the existing Agreements.
This process will permit the parties to identify a limited number of issues that, if successfully addressed, will allow the parties to reach an agreement, subject to membership approval The parties have agreed to meet a minimum of 2 weeks each month, with a target date of April 30, 2020, to resolve the issues.
As part of the process, if the parties reach new ratified agreements under the expedited process, the Company has agreed that, at a minimum, any pay raises that are agreed to in negotiations will be effective on the date of ratification, which will bring raises to our membership much faster and far before the amendable date of the current contracts.
If the parties do not reach agreement by the target date, they can mutually agree to continue the process if sufficient progress is being made. If either party feels the progress looks like a deal cannot be reached, that party can end the expedited process and negotiations will revert back to original Railway Labor Act Section 6 negotiations.
Your Negotiating Committee fully supports this process and they have been hard at work identifying those issues that we will be addressing during the expedited process.
Below is a calendar of meeting dates and what is scheduled.
January 20 – 24 Negotiating Committee will be meeting to internally finalize our expedited issues.
January 28 – Meeting with the company to jointly discuss expedited issues for both the Union and Company.
February 3 – 7 Negotiations will begin in Honolulu and expedited issues will be exchanged with full Negotiating Committees.
Thereafter, beginning February 17, negotiations will occur generally every other week until the end of April or earlier, if agreement is reached.
Although this process is different than has been used in the past, it provides the opportunity to address the important issues identified by the membership and gives us the opportunity to gain value for our membership sooner than the traditional negotiating process.
And, most importantly, the membership retains its right to vote on any tentative agreements.
[gdlr_stunning_text background_color=”#f3f3f3″ button=”Download PDF” button_link=”https://iam141.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/HAL-Bulletin-011020v3.pdf” button_background=”#184ab9″ button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_border_color=”#0d2a6b” title=”Printable Version” title_color=”#184ab9″ caption_color=”#a0a0a0″]Please Post on Bulletin Boards[/gdlr_stunning_text]
Jan 10, 2020 | Airlines, Featured, Home, MNPL, Uncategorized, Video
When airlines spend millions to influence public policy, they don’t always have the best interests of their workers in mind.
The Machinists Union Non-Partisan Political League was formed to ensure that airline workers are not forgotten as critical legislation is drafted.
Activists like District 141 Legislative Director Dave Roderick have worked from the MNPL to help advance the interests of front-line airline workers around the nation. Thanks to these efforts, gate agents are better protected from assault and more airline workers are getting adequate rest periods, protecting their safety and that of the flying public. These victories have helped improve the entire industry.
But, there’s still more work to do. Airline workers are under threat by well funded corporate lobbyists. Our pensions, our health care, and our contracts are under constant threat. Your help is urgently needed.
Visit the MNPL tab at IAM141.org to sign up for voluntary, recurring donations to the IAM141 MNPL.
And, Thank You For Your Support
Dec 25, 2019 | Community Service, Featured, Home, Organizing
“Have a Merry Christmas, and thank you, everyone!”
-Vinny Agosta, IAMAW Local 1322
Members of Machinists Local 1322, located in the heart of Ozone Park, New York, hosted the much-anticipated annual visit from Santa at Riverview School (277Q) in Woodside, New York.
Santa and his elves, with help from Airline workers from Local 1322, handed out donated toys to a packed cafeteria of eager students.
The Riverview School serves students with special needs, from Kindergarten to 21 years of age, and maintains educational programs throughout the Queens Borough in New York.
“Thank all the members of Local Lodge 1322 for all your years of gift-giving. Have a Merry Christmas and thank you, everyone!”
-Vinny Agosta of IAMAW Local 1322
“Santa just arrived with gifts from the Machinists Union!”
-Annette Beale, School Principal
“We’d like to thank you all for your contribution! It’s been a wonderful celebration!”
-Angela Pomo, Assistant Principal
“I worked a lot of flights in my years at JFK. I can tell you that Local 1322 is a made up of a great bunch of people. They’ve been doing this for years, and they’ve touched a lot of lives. I want to join them in hoping that all airline workers and their families are having a warm and happy holiday season.”
-IAMAW District 141 President and Directing General Chair, Mike Klemm
Dec 13, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Featured, Home, Organizing, The Association
Sisters and Brothers,
Over the past several weeks, the Association, the NMB and American Airlines have been working to reach the tentative agreement our members have been promised and rightfully deserve. As most of you know, we also agreed to limit communications in a manner that would not create more rumor or inuendo from either side.
Management Negotiators are frequently absent from these negotiations which was the primary reason for not continuing face-to-face negotiations this week. We also had requested that the NMB allow us to negotiate the week of Thanksgiving, but the Company Negotiators passed on that opportunity as well. We have yet to see Robert Isom or Doug Parker, who we believe are calling the shots from Texas, engage in any negotiating session since the day negotiations started.
With that said, we felt it was imperative at this point to provide a fact-based update to our members about some of the key items that remain open. Below represents a few of the outrageous items Management Negotiators have not provided acceptable solutions to. Please keep in mind that while you may not see an issue listed, others are open, and we cannot agree to a Tentative Agreement until they are all resolved.
Compensation: Management negotiators have walked backwards from their previous public statements and are now only offering the Pay of Delta or Southwest, and with managements 2% out year raises, our members will fall behind in pay once again. This is something CEO Parker has stated would not happen.
Retro Pay: Company Negotiators have flat out insulted our members with their demand for a zero retro payout and have offered a “bonus” that will not cover the missing payday loan they are asking of nearly three quarters of the Association Membership. Remember, retro is a one-time payment to our members for the labor we provide that earns billions of dollars for this company. Our retro pay is no different than management’s stock buy backs of 3.8 billion in 2015, $4.5 billion in 2016, $1.4 billion in 2017 and $2 billion in 2018, except it is in the millions – NOT BILLIONS!
Payroll System: Management is also demanding our members who aren’t paid two weeks in arrears agree to a self-funded Company payday loan demand, so they can switch payroll systems. Obviously, we are fighting this demand since they must pay members weekly by law in some locations. We know the system will accommodate the way our members are currently paid, it just takes more effort on Management’s part to do. Management Negotiators have not offered any other solution to their payroll problem, other than demand our members accept the change to two weeks’ pay in arrears. Just this past week, they made another insulting attempt to convince us the switch was not as bad as we say. Later, Management finally admitted they are demanding TWU members, who are paid biweekly, would be funding an 80 hour payday loan to themselves in order for American to make the payroll change.
Scope Protection: We also remain apart on Scope Protection for our members. Management Negotiators continue to make demands that we accept their proposal that we do significantly less work in the future than we do today. These open items are Scope provisions that we currently have, and are fighting to protect, not additional items.
Vacation: Finally, we are so significantly apart on Vacation that every member should be disgusted with how American views us compared to Management. Their proposal insults all of us by demanding a 5th week of vacation at 25 years and a 6th week of vacation at 30 years, even though management enjoys a 5th week of vacation at 17 years “right now.” Our members have earned the 6th week of vacation at 25 years through the sacrifices made in the work we do.
We are in ongoing discussions with the NMB to solidify additional days and continue negotiations in person or by phone. We remain willing to meet anytime and anywhere, for as long as it is necessary, to achieve the long overdue JCBA our members deserve.
