Aviation Supports 46 Million Jobs. Congress Must Act.

Aviation Supports 46 Million Jobs. Congress Must Act.

Oct 20, 2020 | Airlines, COVID, Education, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, MNPL, Page Four, Perusals, Row 2 | 0 comments

The severe downturn in air traffic caused by Covid-19, followed by a slow recovery, will result in a loss of up to 46 million aviation-dependent jobs. The findings come from an industry study by Air Transport Action Group, released this week.

Airlines directly support 11 million jobs, including airline and airport workers, aircraft manufacturers, and aviation-related agencies. Counting those whose jobs are dependent on air travel, such as the tourism and hotel industries, another 87.7 million jobs require a healthy airline industry for their survival.  

Many experts do not expect air travel to return to normal levels until 2024. 

“Our analysis shows that up to 4.8 million jobs in aviation may be lost by the beginning of next year, a 43% reduction from pre-Covid levels,” ATAG Executive Director Michael Gill said of the research.

“When you expand those effects across all the jobs aviation would normally support, 46 million jobs are at risk, Gill continued. “These include highly-skilled aviation roles, the wider tourism jobs impacted by the lack of air travel and employment throughout the supply chain in construction, catering supplies, professional services and all the other things required to run a global transport system.”

International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District 141 President Mike Klemm underscored many of the study’s findings. “The economy needs airlines, just like it needs roads, bridges, and the internet. And, airlines need a well-trained and experienced workforce. The longer Congress refuses to act to protect this workforce, the more permanent the damage to this industry and economy becomes.”

The study, titled “Benefits Beyond Borders,” can be downloaded HERE>

Key Findings From the Report

In a typical year…

  • Air transport supports 87.7 million jobs and $3.5 trillion in global economic activity.
  • Over 11 million people work directly for the industry itself. Aviation jobs are, on average, 4.3 times more productive than other jobs in the economy.
  • Air travel carries 35% of world trade by value ($6.5 trillion worth in 2019), but less than 1% by volume (61 million tonnes in 2019).
  • Airfares today are around 90% lower than the same journey would have cost in 1950 – this has enabled access to air travel by greater sections of the population. Scope of the industry: 1,478 airlines flew 33,299 aircraft on 48,000 routes between 3,780 airports in airspace managed by 162 air navigation service providers.
  • 58% of world tourists travel to their destinations by air.

The Impact of Covid-19 on Aviation:

  • Aviation-supported jobs potentially fall by 46 million to 41.7 million (-52.5%)
  • Direct aviation jobs (at airlines, airports, manufacturers, and air traffic management) fall by 4.8 million (a 43% reduction compared with the pre-Covid situation)
  • Nearly 39,200 special repatriation flights took almost 5.4 million citizens home after borders closed in March 2020.
  • Nearly 46,400 special cargo flights transported 1.5 million tonnes of cargo, mostly medical equipment, to areas in need during the height of the pandemic response.

Additional Resources

///  Contact Your Senator and Ask Them to Extend the Payroll Support Program

/// The report can be downloaded at www.aviationbenefits.org. It was prepared by ATAG with other global aviation industry associations and research by Oxford Economics.

 

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Airlines Post First Million-Passenger Day Since Pandemic Began

Airlines Post First Million-Passenger Day Since Pandemic Began

Oct 20, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, Hawaiian, MNPL, Page Five, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Philippine, Row 2, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United | 0 comments

Over one million air travelers passed through TSA checkpoints on Sunday. The figure is the highest passenger count since the pandemic began hitting the airline industry in March, but is still just under half of 2019 levels. Airlines still need immediate aid from lawmakers.

On Sunday, the Transportation Security Administration logged 1,031,505 screenings, compared to 2,606,266 on the same date last year. In March, the worst month for US-based airlines, travel volume fell to just over 87,000 in single-day passenger counts.

Overall, air traffic has been on a slow path to recovery, clocking upwards of 900,000 passengers three times last week alone, but remaining just under the one-million mark.

The slow pace of the recovery, combined with lawmakers’ stubborn refusal to assist airlines, is creating increasingly grim prospects for the broader economy. “Airlines are more than private businesses,” said IAMAW District President Mike Klemm. “They operate like utilities. Airlines connect businesses to customers in precisely the same way roads, bridges, and internet connections do. The aviation workforce is critical to the American economy.”

A recent study conducted by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) backs up the union argument that the US economy cannot afford a “hands-off” approach to airline recovery. According to the study, 46 million airline-dependent jobs are now at risk. Another industry group, Airlines for America, has released data showing that airlines create $1.7 trillion in economic activity.

Despite the importance of airlines to the nation’s economy, Congress is allowing mass furloughs to devastate the industry. Carriers plan to cut at least 36,000 highly trained and experienced workers, including pilots, gate, tower and ground agents, and flight attendants. Non-union job cuts are expected to become permanent over the next few weeks, while union workers have negotiated buyout and retirement packages with employers that have helped reduce the pain for front-line workers. Airline workers nationwide have engaged in a herculean effort to contact Congress, sending over 100,000  messages to convince lawmakers to protect the industry, but it has produced no additional funding so far. 

An extension of airline aid in the CARES Act has bipartisan support in the House and Senate and is expected to be included in an upcoming COVID relief bill. 

IAMAW General Vice President Sito Pantoja has called on union members to continue to contact their members of Congress, even if they’ve already done so. 

“There is strong bipartisan support for a clean extension of the Payroll Support Program (PSP) in both the House and Senate, but a bill still has not been passed,” he said in a message to union members.  “Republicans in both chambers have nixed standalone bills that would have ensured the futures of our airline members.”

“With an unstable president who constantly changes his mind, the IAM calls upon Congress to put their differences aside to do what’s right for the American people.”

 

Additional Resources  ///  Contact Your Senator and Ask Them to Extend the Payroll Support Program

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Visitors to Hawaii Can Skip Quarantine Thanks to United’s COVID Testing

Visitors to Hawaii Can Skip Quarantine Thanks to United’s COVID Testing

Oct 19, 2020 | COVID, Featured News, Front Page, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2, Safety, Safety, Uncategorized, United | 0 comments

United Airlines passengers traveling from San Francisco to Hawaii may bypass the state’s quarantine requirements by taking a rapid-result COVID test from the airline. 

In a collaboration with the San Francisco International Airport (SFO), United customers now have the option to take a rapid COVID-19 test before their flight, either at the airport or at a nearby drive-through location at United’s Maintenance Center. 

State authorities in Hawaii approved the program which will allow visitors to the islands to skip the mandated quarantine upon arrival. Previously, those traveling to Hawaii had to remain separated from the population for up to two weeks. 

United was the first airline to offer passengers COVID testing. 

United, working with the administration of the San Francisco International Airport, will make two tests available to customers traveling to Hawaii: a rapid test option taken at the airport on the day of travel or a drive-through test administered 48 to 72 hours before departure. Customers who produce a negative test result through either option will be exempt from quarantine requirements in Lihue, Maui, and Honolulu. Customers traveling to Kona will be required to take a second complimentary test when they arrive on the island to avoid quarantine.

“We are living in a new world with COVID-19,” said Erik Stenberg, District 141 Safety Chairman and Assistant General Chair. “Offering a rapid result COVID test to passengers is a great step for United Airlines to help restore travel to Hawaii safely after COVID-19 had essentially stopped it over the last 7 months. Measures like this one will become more common in everyday life.” 

The rapid Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 test is available at an on-site testing facility in SFO’s International Terminal outside the security checkpoint. Customers based in San Francisco can schedule their visits online and receive results in about 15 minutes. The on-site testing facility is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT, and customers should make an appointment at least three hours before their flight, as no walk-in appointments are available.

Customers taking the drive-through test option can schedule an appointment online and should make the appointment 48 to 72 hours before their flight departure. Walk-in appointments are not available. After a customer takes the test, they will receive the results via email in 24 to 48 hours. The drive-through testing facility is located at United’s San Francisco Maintenance Center parking lot at 800 S Airport Blvd–a short drive away from the airport. 

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Mary Sansom Has Receipts: A union activist who has recorded and made history

Mary Sansom Has Receipts: A union activist who has recorded and made history

Oct 16, 2020 | Community Service, Community Service Page, Education, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, MNPL, Organizing, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, retirement, Row 2, Safety, Video | 0 comments

“Shut ‘Em Down!”

Mary Sansom has fought for airline workers for decades, taking on managers, politicians, and even retirement on the way.

Sister Mary Sansom was initiated into Local 1833 of the Machinists Union in 1973 when she began working in the flight kitchen at Northwest Airlines in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of her co-workers “dragged” her to local meetings, but she did not fully understand the value of union membership (among other things) until she was furloughed during a pilots strike 5 years later. She marks that as the beginning of her “union education” that has guided her through more strikes, airline mergers, and also many successes as a champion for working people.

Mary has served as Chief Steward and has been recognized for her work as a safety advocate. As the first woman to chair the Labor Division of the National Safety Council, she has received several awards for her service. She has represented Local 1833 in 5 Grand Lodge Conventions, where she earned the nickname “Shut ‘Em Down Mary” because of her strong criticism of airline mergers and the immense pain they inflict on workers. In 2006, she was recognized again by the Machinists & Aerospace Union as “Sister of the Month” for the United States.

During a turbulent period in the airline industry in the 1990s, Mary continued her advocacy work as a delegate to the IAMAW Legislative Conference and the Minnesota State Council of Machinists. She was elected Recording Secretary of Local 1833 in 2000, a position she still holds, even after her retirement in 2010. 

As a retiree, Sister Mary stays active as Recording Secretary for the Minnesota State Council of Machinists, is a founding member and serves as Recording Secretary for the Minnesota State Council Machinists Retirees, and is the president of the Local 1833 Retired Members Social Club.

We are pleased to welcome Mary Sansom to the District 141 Video Report.

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LAST CALL FOR THE CENSUS: Stand Up and Be Counted

LAST CALL FOR THE CENSUS: Stand Up and Be Counted

Oct 14, 2020 | Featured, Featured News, Front Page, MNPL, Row 2 | 0 comments

The US Census Bureau announced this week it will end all operations to gather data for the 2020 Census at 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time on Thursday, October 15, after the Supreme Court agreed to suspend an order from a lower court that extended the timeline for the national count.

What Happens Now?

If you did not receive a form in the mail from the Census Bureau, you can still respond via email or phone. Visit my2020census.gov to begin the process. It only takes 10 minutes, on average, to complete the questionnaire. You can also respond via phone at 844-330-2020. There is assistance available over the phone in 13 languages other than English. There are also guides and instructions available for download in 59 languages.

Data from the census is used to determine each state’s representation in Congress and in the Electoral College, and to guide the distribution of public funds. An undercount of the population can have a severe negative impact on any community, which stands to lose funding for education and school lunches, public transport, roads, bridges and other infrastructure, hospitals and health programs, the arts, and many other public works for ten years.

All information provided on the census is confidential and cannot be shared with another government agency, court, financial institution, or landlord. There are no questions on citizenship.

If you have completed the census, thank you! Please take time now to send a quick note to everyone you think may have let this slide in the face of so many challenges this year. Young families, renters, students, people with disabilities, and marginalized groups are historically under-counted, and they stand to lose the most.

We all count! Let’s put it in writing.

 

Be Counted

my2020Census.gov

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“Vote Early, Stay Safe” Pennsylvania Machinists Get Out the Vote on the Streets of Philadelphia

“Vote Early, Stay Safe” Pennsylvania Machinists Get Out the Vote on the Streets of Philadelphia

Oct 14, 2020 | COVID, Education, Featured, Featured News, Front Page, MNPL, Organizing, Page Five, Page Four, Page Three, Page Two, Perusals, Row 2, Video | 0 comments

A small army of Fighting Machinists took to the streets of Philadelphia this week to encourage union members to get out and vote.

In-person early voting is underway in Pennsylvania, and members of IAM Air Transport Local 1776 left voting information on the doors of 1,030 union households in neighborhoods of South Philadelphia. The Machinists GOTV event was coordinated with the Pennsylvania State AFL-CIO, where Obie O’Brien, a member of Local 1776 serves as Vice President and IAM Representative. 

 

The IAM team, led by Local 1776 President Larry Reeves and former President Rich Howell, included Maurice Bonner, James Brown, Jason Custis, Milo Dabney, Elliot Eldridge, Tom Marshall, Andre Robinson, Troy Smack, Bill Zebley, and Dave Lehive, who is also a District 141 Communications Representative. 

“We were received very warmly in the neighborhoods where we worked. Several people thanked us for sharing information about how people can vote early and stay safe,” said Ines Garcia-Keim, President of the New Jersey State Council of Machinists, who joined the team with her husband John, a member of the American Federation of Musicians. “We are thrilled to be here to help the Machinists Union Get Out the Vote effort in one of the targeted states in the Eastern Territory,” she added.

IAM members may find information regarding our endorsed candidates, opportunities to volunteer, and other resources at https://iam2020.org/get-out-the-vote/, or by contacting your local’s president or legislative committee. 

 

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