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.
Recording Secretaries: please post on all IAMAW Bulletin Boards
[gdlr_stunning_text background_color=”#f3f3f3″ button=”Download PDF” button_link=”https://iam141.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/JATSC-Statement-on-Coronavirus.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 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.
Oct 28, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Hawaiian, Home, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, United, Video
Oct 7, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Hawaiian, Home, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, United
Machinists Union members at IAH are rallying around a critically injured ramp agent who many know as a humble and hard-working friend.
Ulysses Cruz was severely injured by an Allied Aviation van, according to officers of the International Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union in Houston.
Cruz was struck as he was wing-walking an aircraft from the gate on the morning of September 7.
Witnesses say that Cruz’s actions may have prevented the van from crashing into the aircraft.
Surveillance video shows Cruz spotting the approaching van, raising his wands to alert the driver about the moving aircraft, and then bracing himself just before being hit. Safety experts who have reviewed the footage say that Cruz had only a split second to react after seeing the van. Had the van continued past Cruz, it may have collided with the departing aircraft, potentially resulting in a larger incident. The van’s impact knocked Cruz about 15 feet back onto the concrete, causing extensive injuries.
According to witnesses and security videos, Cruz was positioned correctly at the rear of the plane as it began to push away from the gate when he was struck. Witnesses and video of the event indicate that the vehicle may have been traveling above the posted speed limit, giving Cruz very little time to react.
Coworkers at IAH who know Cruz were not surprised that he would instinctively place the safety of others before his own. “I believe he thought that his first job was to protect the people on that plane,” said Local 811 Committeeman Bruno Pereira, who was working at the Control Center at the time of the accident. “That’s the person Uly is. He would have tried to protect his passengers and the driver of that van,” adding that Cruz might not have been able to avoid injury, even if he wanted to.
The driver of the van, whose identity has not been released, said the morning sunlight blinded him just before the accident. He is a lead agent with Allied, an aircraft fueling contractor for United Airlines. Sources at the company said that he is an experienced lead agent with over 40 years of service. Charges have not been filed against him.
Cruz, a native of Guam, transferred to Houston seeking more secure work at the IAH hub. The move was risky, but friends say Cruz was willing to “sleep in his van” to make it work. He eventually gained a full-time position and made his home in Houston. He also built a reputation as a hard-working and modest coworker. “His paycheck would all go to his family. I never see him wearing expensive clothes or jewelry or have the latest gadgets,” said Simi Edwards, a friend of Cruz’s for 22 years.
Cruz has been unable to return to work and faces urgent and possibly long-term medical needs because of the accident. His coworkers are collecting donations to help cover expenses that his family is incurring while he recovers.
The Cruz family has asked for privacy throughout the ordeal. Those wishing to make donations or send their good wishes to the family may do so on the IAM Houston BTW Facebook Page.
This summer has been particularly dangerous for airline ramp workers. In August, an agent in Charlotte, North Carolina, died when the tug he was driving flipped over, pinning him underneath. The same week, another ramp agent was killed at JFK airport while working short-handed at Delta. In that incident, the tug he was operating shifted into gear as he was connecting carts, crushing him.
The District 141 Ground and Flight Safety Committee works to promote a safety culture within our members at every airline. More information and links to educational and reporting tools are available at https://iam141.org/safety/ and UnionSafe141.org.
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Sep 20, 2019 | Airlines, American, Departments, Hawaiian, Home, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, United
Flash flooding from Tropical Storm Imelda hammered the Houston area this week, causing over 900 flight delays and cancellations at Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). The historic storm stranded thousands of passengers and employees for hours.
Motorists trapped by rising floodwaters near IAH airport in Houston finding higher ground under a bridge.
Airport officials grounded all flights into IAH by mid-afternoon on Thursday, after continuous heavy lightning prompted an hours-long closure of ground operations earlier. By late afternoon, all roads surrounding the airport were impassable due to flooding.
According to the IAH Twitter account, most flights departed with delays of up to 50 minutes. Houston-bound travelers, however, were stuck at airports until the flooding that surrounded Bush Intercontinental subsided.
Airline and airport employees, including over 1500 ramp and gate agents at United Airlines, were unable to leave.
At noon, authorities reported that cars parked in the airport’s parking lots were safe; floodwaters had not breached the daily or hourly parking areas. Those with family members trapped at the airport got assurances that their loved ones were also safe. Many restaurants remained open, and the airport never lost electrical power.
Union officials with Machinists Union Local Lodges 811 and 2198 reported that the airport would cease most operations into Friday. However, the airport would not be closed and a few arrivals would resume as soon as conditions improved.
The storm brought an estimated 45 inches of rain to the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast by Friday. Floods, rain and lightning forced at least 650 flights at IAH to be cancelled, with another 230 delays on Thursday. Friday saw another 350 cancellations and 84 delays, according to social media posts by airport authorities.
[gdlr_stunning_text background_color=”#f3f3f3″ button=”Download PDF” button_link=”https://iam141.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Thousands-Stranded-as-Tropical-Storm-Imelda-Shuts-Down-Houstons-Major-Airport.pdf” button_background=”#184ab9″ button_text_color=”#ffffff” button_border_color=”#0d2a6b” title=”Tropical Storm Imelda Leaves Thousands Grounded in Houston” title_color=”#184ab9″ caption_color=”#a0a0a0″]Please Post on Bulletin Boards[/gdlr_stunning_text]
