Here’s What Could Happen if UAW Wins a 4-Day Workweek for Automakers

Here’s What Could Happen if UAW Wins a 4-Day Workweek for Automakers

Here’s What Could Happen if UAW Wins a 4-Day Workweek for Automakers

IAM141.org

+ Show solidarity with UAW

The United Auto Workers (UAW) are currently engaged in a historic, nationwide strike action in pursuit of fair wages and ending the chronic exploitation of American manufacturing workers. Among the workplace improvements the union is seeking may seem far-fetched: a four-day, 32-hour work week. 

However, the idea may not be as radical as it might seem. In fact, more than half of employers in the U.S. have already taken a look at implementing the 4-day work week as part of their policies. Moreover, experts say that giving employees a better work/life balance can improve productivity and increase profits. 

According to a June survey from ResumeBuilder.com, many employers are adopting or considering a four-day workweek. The poll of 976 business leaders found that 20 percent already provide a four-day week for employees. Another 41 percent of respondents said they intend to pilot a four-day schedule soon. In total, a majority of companies surveyed are either implementing or planning a switch to a condensed 32-hour workweek within the coming months and years.

It’s also significant that the United Auto Workers champion the four-day workweek. The five-day workweek itself was born in the same automotive factories that are today marching for a 32-hour week. In other words, it’s not an impossible goal for the UAW to achieve. 

Here are a few ways a UAW win could affect you.

Your Employer Will be More Likely to Give You a 3-day Weekend.

With nearly 150,000 active members, the UAW represents one of the largest groups of workers in the country. If the union succeeds in securing a 32-hour workweek, it would mark the most significant adoption of the shortened schedule to date in the United States. Employers across industries and sectors would be keen to observe the impacts on productivity, worker satisfaction, and company bottom lines. 

The potential effect of the UAW’s innovative proposal means all eyes will be on the outcome – paving the way for other organizations to implement and benefit from 4-day schedules once the 32-hour week is proven effective at such a scale.

Based on the positive outcomes other employers have seen after transitioning to a 4-day week, there are strong indications that the shortened schedule could also work well for automotive companies. Across industries, organizations that have adopted 32-hour weeks report boosted productivity, improved morale, and lower absenteeism alongside unchanged or even increased revenues and profits. With similarly promising results observed across disparate sectors, the auto industry stands to benefit from the 4-day schedule in the same ways. 

If the 4-day week succeeds for automakers, employers everywhere will take notice, meaning your employer will see the benefits such a policy could bring to your workplace. 

Your Employer Could Make More Money, Attract Talent, and Increase Productivity

Most employers that have transitioned to a 4-day workweek report positive impacts. In a survey, 84% of business leaders said the shortened schedule helped their company attract and retain top talent. Additionally, 88% stated the 4-day week positively affected profitability.

Here is one way to rephrase and cite that quote from Max Shek:

According to the survey by ResumeBuilder.com, compressed workweeks lead to higher employee morale, engagement, and efficiency. 

Max Shek, founder of nerDigital, echoes those findings in his company’s experience: “Firstly, employee morale and engagement have significantly improved. Our team members are more motivated, energized, and happier in both their personal and professional lives,” he said. 

“This positive mindset has translated into increased productivity and higher-quality work. Additionally, we have observed that employees are more focused and efficient during their working hours. The compressed work week has encouraged them to streamline processes, eliminate time-wasting activities, and optimize their workflows.” 

Shek’s first-hand account mirrors the broader data – 4-day weeks create happier, more productive teams. 

You Will Not Pay More for Your Next Car. 

Corporate media and the Big Three Automakers are working overtime to scare American consumers by claiming a UAW victory will increase car prices. However, as UAW President Shawn Fain points out, automakers have increased car prices to record levels already without waiting for any increases in labor costs. In fact, sticker prices have reached record highs – while at the same time, wages for factory workers have been suppressed. 

Lower wages do not lead to lower prices for consumers. Instead, they lead to higher profits for companies. According to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, the big three American automakers – Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis – saw their profits nearly double over the past decade, totaling $250 billion between 2013 and 2022. Over the most recent UAW contract period, which expired last week, these companies experienced substantial gains, with vehicle prices rising 30% and CEO compensation increasing 40%. However, worker pay only grew 6% over the same 4-year period. The data reveals a grotesque growth in profitability for automotive companies in recent years, while workers have not shared equitably in these gains.

Higher wages and a 32-hour week can easily come from these titanic profits without raising consumer prices. Market competition will also deter any attempt to push higher prices. 

Currently, the UAW is limiting the strikes to factories that produce only a handful of vehicles with good inventories at dealerships. These include Ford Broncos, Rangers, Jeep Wranglers, and GMC Vans production lines.

You Will Not Make Less Money With a Shorter Week

The UAW is asking for three-day weekends to improve work/life balance for factory workers, not because they want to bring home smaller paychecks. Unified workers are calling for a shorter workweek – and pay raises that will replace the money lost with an extra day off. 

Extending family time for UAW members would also require automakers to keep the same 40-hour pay rates and start overtime pay for time at work over 32 hours a week. For the 4-day week to catch on, frontline workers must become advocates for the change. That won’t happen if it includes pay cuts. Workers are more likely to support and advocate for shorter weeks if they don’t face negative financial consequences. Maintaining pay makes a 4-day week more appealing.

More information about how a 4-day week has worked in real-world examples can be found at 4dayweek.com

 

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Here’s What Could Happen if UAW Wins a 4-Day Workweek for Automakers

September 20, 2023

+ Show solidarity with UAW

The United Auto Workers (UAW) are currently engaged in a historic, nationwide strike action in pursuit of fair wages and ending the chronic exploitation of American manufacturing workers. Among the workplace improvements the union is seeking may seem far-fetched: a four-day, 32-hour work week. 

However, the idea may not be as radical as it might seem. In fact, more than half of employers in the U.S. have already taken a look at implementing the 4-day work week as part of their policies. Moreover, experts say that giving employees a better work/life balance can improve productivity and increase profits. 

According to a June survey from ResumeBuilder.com, many employers are adopting or considering a four-day workweek. The poll of 976 business leaders found that 20 percent already provide a four-day week for employees. Another 41 percent of respondents said they intend to pilot a four-day schedule soon. In total, a majority of companies surveyed are either implementing or planning a switch to a condensed 32-hour workweek within the coming months and years.

It’s also significant that the United Auto Workers champion the four-day workweek. The five-day workweek itself was born in the same automotive factories that are today marching for a 32-hour week. In other words, it’s not an impossible goal for the UAW to achieve. 

Here are a few ways a UAW win could affect you.

Your Employer Will be More Likely to Give You a 3-day Weekend.

With nearly 150,000 active members, the UAW represents one of the largest groups of workers in the country. If the union succeeds in securing a 32-hour workweek, it would mark the most significant adoption of the shortened schedule to date in the United States. Employers across industries and sectors would be keen to observe the impacts on productivity, worker satisfaction, and company bottom lines. 

The potential effect of the UAW’s innovative proposal means all eyes will be on the outcome – paving the way for other organizations to implement and benefit from 4-day schedules once the 32-hour week is proven effective at such a scale.

Based on the positive outcomes other employers have seen after transitioning to a 4-day week, there are strong indications that the shortened schedule could also work well for automotive companies. Across industries, organizations that have adopted 32-hour weeks report boosted productivity, improved morale, and lower absenteeism alongside unchanged or even increased revenues and profits. With similarly promising results observed across disparate sectors, the auto industry stands to benefit from the 4-day schedule in the same ways. 

If the 4-day week succeeds for automakers, employers everywhere will take notice, meaning your employer will see the benefits such a policy could bring to your workplace. 

Your Employer Could Make More Money, Attract Talent, and Increase Productivity

Most employers that have transitioned to a 4-day workweek report positive impacts. In a survey, 84% of business leaders said the shortened schedule helped their company attract and retain top talent. Additionally, 88% stated the 4-day week positively affected profitability.

Here is one way to rephrase and cite that quote from Max Shek:

According to the survey by ResumeBuilder.com, compressed workweeks lead to higher employee morale, engagement, and efficiency. 

Max Shek, founder of nerDigital, echoes those findings in his company’s experience: “Firstly, employee morale and engagement have significantly improved. Our team members are more motivated, energized, and happier in both their personal and professional lives,” he said. 

“This positive mindset has translated into increased productivity and higher-quality work. Additionally, we have observed that employees are more focused and efficient during their working hours. The compressed work week has encouraged them to streamline processes, eliminate time-wasting activities, and optimize their workflows.” 

Shek’s first-hand account mirrors the broader data – 4-day weeks create happier, more productive teams. 

You Will Not Pay More for Your Next Car. 

Corporate media and the Big Three Automakers are working overtime to scare American consumers by claiming a UAW victory will increase car prices. However, as UAW President Shawn Fain points out, automakers have increased car prices to record levels already without waiting for any increases in labor costs. In fact, sticker prices have reached record highs – while at the same time, wages for factory workers have been suppressed. 

Lower wages do not lead to lower prices for consumers. Instead, they lead to higher profits for companies. According to an analysis by the Economic Policy Institute, the big three American automakers – Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis – saw their profits nearly double over the past decade, totaling $250 billion between 2013 and 2022. Over the most recent UAW contract period, which expired last week, these companies experienced substantial gains, with vehicle prices rising 30% and CEO compensation increasing 40%. However, worker pay only grew 6% over the same 4-year period. The data reveals a grotesque growth in profitability for automotive companies in recent years, while workers have not shared equitably in these gains.

Higher wages and a 32-hour week can easily come from these titanic profits without raising consumer prices. Market competition will also deter any attempt to push higher prices. 

Currently, the UAW is limiting the strikes to factories that produce only a handful of vehicles with good inventories at dealerships. These include Ford Broncos, Rangers, Jeep Wranglers, and GMC Vans production lines.

You Will Not Make Less Money With a Shorter Week

The UAW is asking for three-day weekends to improve work/life balance for factory workers, not because they want to bring home smaller paychecks. Unified workers are calling for a shorter workweek – and pay raises that will replace the money lost with an extra day off. 

Extending family time for UAW members would also require automakers to keep the same 40-hour pay rates and start overtime pay for time at work over 32 hours a week. For the 4-day week to catch on, frontline workers must become advocates for the change. That won’t happen if it includes pay cuts. Workers are more likely to support and advocate for shorter weeks if they don’t face negative financial consequences. Maintaining pay makes a 4-day week more appealing.

More information about how a 4-day week has worked in real-world examples can be found at 4dayweek.com

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Have Your Say: IAM Committee Wants to Hear from You at Upcoming Listening Sessions

Have Your Say: IAM Committee Wants to Hear from You at Upcoming Listening Sessions

Have Your Say: IAM Committee Wants to Hear from You at Upcoming Listening Sessions

IAM141.org

The Future of the IAM is in the hands of its members. 

That was the message from Machinists Union leadership’s first in-person listening session to the union’s front-line membership. The meeting, held on May 2 at Local 1297 in Ashland, Ohio, marked the first of many such gatherings around the nation.  

The “Committee on the Future” campaign aims to ensure that Machinists Union Members’ priorities and ideas are heard loud and clear by Union Representatives and its elected personnel. 

The committee members, who equally represent the Local, District, Territorial, and Grand Lodge levels of our union, will travel to locals and districts in every corner of North America to hear from the membership and document their suggestions and concerns.

The Committee also heard from several IAM Grand Lodge departments and received a personal thank you from IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr.

Now, the Committee is taking the listening tour virtual through Zoom to make it accessible to even more members across North America. The online sessions will be offered in English, French, and Spanish multiple times per week. Each 90-minute virtual forum will be limited to 500 participants to allow for engaged discussion.

Members can register for the Zoom listening sessions by visiting The IAM Committee on the Future website and signing up for their preferred date and language session. After registering, members will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link to join the video call.

With technology expanding participation, the Committee on the Future can hear from a diverse range of members on charting the IAM’s future direction. With help from IAM Union Representatives, these online forums will allow attendees to have their voices heard without having to miss work or travel to attend a meeting in person.

The Committee on the Future is looking to collect unfiltered perspectives from Machinist Union Members across the union. These insights will shape the recommendations presented in an upcoming 2024 report that will be delivered directly to the IAM Executive Council and Grand Lodge Convention.

“I am pleased with the ideas coming from the committee members,” said IAM Headquarters General Vice President Brian Bryant. “Everyone represents their territory well, so I am proud to see the efforts to move our great union forward. I encourage members to participate and give their honest feedback during these COTF listening sessions. I hope we emerge a stronger organization after this process.”

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+ LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IAM COMMITTEE FOR THE FUTURE

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Have Your Say: IAM Committee Wants to Hear from You at Upcoming Listening Sessions

September 18, 2023

The Future of the IAM is in the hands of its members. 

That was the message from Machinists Union leadership’s first in-person listening session to the union’s front-line membership. The meeting, held on May 2 at Local 1297 in Ashland, Ohio, marked the first of many such gatherings around the nation.  

The “Committee on the Future” campaign aims to ensure that Machinists Union Members’ priorities and ideas are heard loud and clear by Union Representatives and its elected personnel. 

The committee members, who equally represent the Local, District, Territorial, and Grand Lodge levels of our union, will travel to locals and districts in every corner of North America to hear from the membership and document their suggestions and concerns.

The Committee also heard from several IAM Grand Lodge departments and received a personal thank you from IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr.

Now, the Committee is taking the listening tour virtual through Zoom to make it accessible to even more members across North America. The online sessions will be offered in English, French, and Spanish multiple times per week. Each 90-minute virtual forum will be limited to 500 participants to allow for engaged discussion.

Members can register for the Zoom listening sessions by visiting The IAM Committee on the Future website and signing up for their preferred date and language session. After registering, members will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link to join the video call.

With technology expanding participation, the Committee on the Future can hear from a diverse range of members on charting the IAM’s future direction. With help from IAM Union Representatives, these online forums will allow attendees to have their voices heard without having to miss work or travel to attend a meeting in person.

The Committee on the Future is looking to collect unfiltered perspectives from Machinist Union Members across the union. These insights will shape the recommendations presented in an upcoming 2024 report that will be delivered directly to the IAM Executive Council and Grand Lodge Convention.

“I am pleased with the ideas coming from the committee members,” said IAM Headquarters General Vice President Brian Bryant. “Everyone represents their territory well, so I am proud to see the efforts to move our great union forward. I encourage members to participate and give their honest feedback during these COTF listening sessions. I hope we emerge a stronger organization after this process.”

+ FIND AN UPCOMING LISTENING SESSION
+ LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IAM COMMITTEE FOR THE FUTURE

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Millionaire CEO Calls Workers “Arrogant,” Calls for Higher Unemployment to Teach Them a Lesson

Millionaire CEO Calls Workers “Arrogant,” Calls for Higher Unemployment to Teach Them a Lesson

Millionaire Real Estate CEO thinks that workers need to be put in their place, using tactical unemployment.

Millionaire CEO Calls Workers “Arrogant,” Calls for Higher Unemployment to Teach Them a Lesson

IAM141.org

Tim Gurner, the millionaire CEO of the real estate company Gurner Group, said at a property summit on Tuesday that unemployment needs to increase dramatically in order to remind workers they are not in charge.

“We need to see unemployment rise. Unemployment has to jump 40, 50% in my view. We need to see pain in the economy. We need to remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around,” Gurner said at The Australian Financial Review Property Summit.

Such a jump in unemployment would raise joblessness in the US from about 3.8% to 5.5%.

Gurner believes workers became too “arrogant” and empowered during the pandemic when labor shortages gave them more leverage to demand better pay and working conditions. He wants to see that change.

“There’s been a systematic change where employees feel the employer is extremely lucky to have them, as opposed to the other way around,” he said. “We’ve got to kill that attitude and that has to come through hurting the economy.”

On Friday, he attempted to walk back the comments somewhat, posting “I want to be clear: I do appreciate that when someone loses their job it has a profound impact on them and their families.”

The controversial CEO is infamous for previously claiming that young people can’t afford homes because they frivolously spend money on things like avocado toast and coffee.

“When I was trying to buy my first home, I wasn’t buying smashed avocado for $19 and four coffees at $4 each,” Gurner told “60 Minutes” in 2017. “We’re at a point now where the expectations of younger people are very, very high… They want to eat out every day, they want travel to Europe every year.”

Now, Gurner believes inflicting economic pain on workers through mass unemployment is the solution to what he sees as a problematic shift in power dynamics between employers and employees.

“I think the problem that we’ve had is that people decided they didn’t really want to work so much anymore through COVID,” he said this week. “They have been paid a lot to do not too much in the last few years, and we need to see that change.”

Gurner’s controversial comments will likely provoke a backlash from workers’ rights advocates who argue employees deserve fair treatment and compensation from their employers. But the real estate mogul appears intent on turning back the clock to a time when employers had more power over their workforce.

Last year, S&P 500 CEOs earned an average of 272 times more than their workers, according to the latest Executive Paywatch report from the AFL-CIO. Those CEOs received $16.7 million in total compensation in 2022, on average, while US workers’ real hourly wages dropped for the second straight year after adjusting for inflation, the report found.

According to a ranking by the Australian Financial Review, Garner has a net worth of around $917 million.

Millennials face unique economic challenges that have made it difficult to achieve financial stability. Stagnating wages and rising housing costs have made it harder for millennials to afford major life milestones like home ownership. At the same time, the cost of higher education has skyrocketed, leaving many graduates burdened with massive student loan debt that they will still be paying off when it is time to retire. On top of that, millennials entered the workforce during an era of increased automation, job displacement, and recessions that limited opportunities early in their careers. Most millennials are also unlikely to have access to the pensions and strong retirement benefits that previous generations relied on for security in their later years.

Adding to the challenges, most Millenials have no access to labor unions and, therefore, will lack adequate wages and working conditions and will likely retire without a pension.

Add fuel, food, and healthcare costs that are steadily rising; millennials struggle with economic pressures on all fronts. Unless serious policy changes are made, millennials will remain at a financial disadvantage compared to prior generations.

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Millionaire CEO Calls Workers “Arrogant,” Calls for Higher Unemployment to Teach Them a Lesson

September 15, 2023

Tim Gurner, the millionaire CEO of the real estate company Gurner Group, said at a property summit on Tuesday that unemployment needs to increase dramatically in order to remind workers they are not in charge.

“We need to see unemployment rise. Unemployment has to jump 40, 50% in my view. We need to see pain in the economy. We need to remind people that they work for the employer, not the other way around,” Gurner said at The Australian Financial Review Property Summit.

Such a jump in unemployment would raise joblessness in the US from about 3.8% to 5.5%.

Gurner believes workers became too “arrogant” and empowered during the pandemic when labor shortages gave them more leverage to demand better pay and working conditions. He wants to see that change.

“There’s been a systematic change where employees feel the employer is extremely lucky to have them, as opposed to the other way around,” he said. “We’ve got to kill that attitude and that has to come through hurting the economy.”

On Friday, he attempted to walk back the comments somewhat, posting “I want to be clear: I do appreciate that when someone loses their job it has a profound impact on them and their families.”

The controversial CEO is infamous for previously claiming that young people can’t afford homes because they frivolously spend money on things like avocado toast and coffee.

“When I was trying to buy my first home, I wasn’t buying smashed avocado for $19 and four coffees at $4 each,” Gurner told “60 Minutes” in 2017. “We’re at a point now where the expectations of younger people are very, very high… They want to eat out every day, they want travel to Europe every year.”

Now, Gurner believes inflicting economic pain on workers through mass unemployment is the solution to what he sees as a problematic shift in power dynamics between employers and employees.

“I think the problem that we’ve had is that people decided they didn’t really want to work so much anymore through COVID,” he said this week. “They have been paid a lot to do not too much in the last few years, and we need to see that change.”

Gurner’s controversial comments will likely provoke a backlash from workers’ rights advocates who argue employees deserve fair treatment and compensation from their employers. But the real estate mogul appears intent on turning back the clock to a time when employers had more power over their workforce.

Last year, S&P 500 CEOs earned an average of 272 times more than their workers, according to the latest Executive Paywatch report from the AFL-CIO. Those CEOs received $16.7 million in total compensation in 2022, on average, while US workers’ real hourly wages dropped for the second straight year after adjusting for inflation, the report found.

According to a ranking by the Australian Financial Review, Garner has a net worth of around $917 million.

Millennials face unique economic challenges that have made it difficult to achieve financial stability. Stagnating wages and rising housing costs have made it harder for millennials to afford major life milestones like home ownership. At the same time, the cost of higher education has skyrocketed, leaving many graduates burdened with massive student loan debt that they will still be paying off when it is time to retire. On top of that, millennials entered the workforce during an era of increased automation, job displacement, and recessions that limited opportunities early in their careers. Most millennials are also unlikely to have access to the pensions and strong retirement benefits that previous generations relied on for security in their later years.

Adding to the challenges, most Millenials have no access to labor unions and, therefore, will lack adequate wages and working conditions and will likely retire without a pension.

Add fuel, food, and healthcare costs that are steadily rising; millennials struggle with economic pressures on all fronts. Unless serious policy changes are made, millennials will remain at a financial disadvantage compared to prior generations.

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Airline Worker Injuries on Rise

Airline Worker Injuries on Rise

Airline Worker Injuries on Rise

IAM141.org

As heatwaves plague the country, few places are hotter than Phoenix. Workers and city officials gathered at Phoenix Sky Harbor on Wednesday to share heat-related health and safety concerns. 

Sky Harbor Local Lodge 2559, which represents several hundred Machinists Union members, helped lead the event. 

Backed by Phoenix Vice Mayor Yassamin Anasari, airport, and airline workers announced that they had filed a formal OSHA complaint against aviation support services provider Prospect Airport Services for allegedly not ensuring basic worker protections amid Phoenix’s record-high temperatures.

In 2023, Phoenix saw an astounding 31 consecutive days, with temperatures soaring at or over 110 degrees. The record-breaking streak was only one record that was shattered this year. In July, temperatures rose to 119 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, the highest temperature in the city’s history.  

The previous record was set back in 1989.

Workers met outside Terminal 4, holding signs and photos depicting Arizona’s extreme heat. One man had an image of a temperature gauge reading 113 degrees. One cabin cleaner said she was recently hospitalized because of the intense heat. “Over the course of the last few months, I’ve experienced nearly every symptom of heat illness,” she told local news outlet AZ Family. “I’ve suffered from extreme fatigue, weakness, headaches, vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of coordination, and nausea,” she said. “Our uniforms only make the heat worse. We often aren’t given access to water to drink on the airplanes while we’re cleaning the cabins. Sometimes I resort to drinking water left over by passengers.”

According to AZ Family, officials said the OSHA complaint aimed to “hold major airlines and their contractors accountable” for workers’ health and safety amid extreme heat. 

Phoenix airport workers also demanded Congress pass the “Good Jobs for Good Airports Act” to improve pay and benefits. Employees earned just $13-$14 per hour, some told AZ Family. “Our wages and benefits are a slap in the face after coming into the airport day in and day out to make it possible for these airlines to function,” said Cecilia Ortiz, a lead wheelchair assistant. “We cannot continue to live like this. We cannot continue to be paid poverty wages without quality employer-paid health care and other benefits like paid time off.”

The “Good Jobs for good Airports Act” would increase labor standards for service workers at airports that get federal funding and would apply to the vast majority of all unified workers in the nation. The proposed legislation has the backing of 43 co-sponsors.

According to Senator Ed Markey, the lead sponsor of the bill, the legislation would “provide airport workers with the pay, benefits, and labor standards they deserve after serving on the frontlines of our nation’s aviation system and keeping airports safe through a global pandemic, climate disasters, and peak travel seasons.” 

“In the face of ongoing health risks, airport service workers – including cleaners, wheelchair agents, baggage handlers, concessionaires, and security personnel – continue to play an essential role in keeping Americans moving. This legislation would improve job quality for hundreds of thousands of airport service workers – a largely Black, Brown, and immigrant workforce – by setting minimum wage and benefits levels at all major airports that receive federal funding.”

According to OSHA figures released this week, the number of on-the-job injuries at airports declined in 2020 when travel dropped due to the pandemic. However, as flights resumed, injuries rapidly rebounded and are now higher than before the pandemic. On September 1, a tragic accident occurred at Boston Logan Airport when a forklift operator was pinned by a metal beam and killed while servicing a JetBlue flight, highlighting the dangers airport workers continue to face. The agent’s name was not released, but he worked for a JetBlue contractor.

In that incident, authorities reported the 51-year-old forklift operator from Winthrop was working in an outdoor loading area at Terminal C when attempting to drive the lift through a bag service entrance. Tragically, the forklift’s backrest extension was raised at the time, according to Massachusetts State Police. 

This safety attachment is designed to protect drivers, but in this case, it led to the operator being fatally pinned against the entrance. The safety extension hit a metal beam intended to prevent vehicles from entering the tunnel if they are too large to drive through safely. But the extension, designed to prevent loads from tipping over and falling onto the forklift operator, caused the forklift to tip, crushing the driver. He died at Logan Hospital later that day. 

JetBlue refused to issue a statement immediately following the accident, but the airline’s ‘Code of Conduct’ reads, “Safety always comes first.” 

Another OSHA report, released in June, revealed that a failure to follow required safety procedures contributed to the tragic death of Piedmont Airlines customer service agent Courtney Edwards. According to the report, the American Airlines subsidiary did not ensure their ground crew adhered to protocols, resulting in Edwards being pulled into the spinning turbines of a jet engine, instantly killing the 34-year-old ramp agent. The heartbreaking incident highlights the immense importance of airlines enforcing strict safety measures for ramp workers to prevent such accidents that cost lives like Edwards’.

In the wake of the tragic accident, OSHA cited Piedmont Airlines for one serious violation regarding exposing the ground crew to ingestion hazards during aircraft marshaling, wing-walking, and baggage-handling duties. For this violation, OSHA has proposed $15,625 in penalties against Piedmont, an amount set by federal statute. The citation and fine highlight the need for airlines to implement and enforce proper safety protocols to protect ramp workers from harm.

Following the tragic incident, Piedmont released a statement saying that safety was their top priority.

According to Machinists Union Safety Representative Joe D’Eccliss, many of the safety issues airlines are facing can be corrected with better training, lower turnover, and more careerism in the industry. 

“Airlines need more workers,” said D’Eccliss. “Short staffing is a major driver of the accident rates we are seeing,.” He also pointed out that injury rates tend to be higher at the contractors that airlines hire to perform work. “Direct-hires at major airlines get more investment from their companies,” and also stated,  “Contractors exist to cut corners and costs, and sometimes these cuts include safety.” 

David Roderick, District Legislative Director for the Machinists Union, agrees. “The Good Jobs for Good Airports Act” will help raise wages for airline and airport workers, which will help new agents choose airline work as their career,” he said. “An experienced workforce takes a little more money but is more than worth the investment,” he continued. “We also need to fine these companies more and ensure that our union members are treated fairly.”

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Airline Worker Injuries on Rise

September 13, 2023

As heatwaves plague the country, few places are hotter than Phoenix. Workers and city officials gathered at Phoenix Sky Harbor on Wednesday to share heat-related health and safety concerns. 

Sky Harbor Local Lodge 2559, which represents several hundred Machinists Union members, helped lead the event. 

Backed by Phoenix Vice Mayor Yassamin Anasari, airport, and airline workers announced that they had filed a formal OSHA complaint against aviation support services provider Prospect Airport Services for allegedly not ensuring basic worker protections amid Phoenix’s record-high temperatures.

In 2023, Phoenix saw an astounding 31 consecutive days, with temperatures soaring at or over 110 degrees. The record-breaking streak was only one record that was shattered this year. In July, temperatures rose to 119 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, the highest temperature in the city’s history.  

The previous record was set back in 1989.

Workers met outside Terminal 4, holding signs and photos depicting Arizona’s extreme heat. One man had an image of a temperature gauge reading 113 degrees. One cabin cleaner said she was recently hospitalized because of the intense heat. “Over the course of the last few months, I’ve experienced nearly every symptom of heat illness,” she told local news outlet AZ Family. “I’ve suffered from extreme fatigue, weakness, headaches, vomiting, muscle cramps, loss of coordination, and nausea,” she said. “Our uniforms only make the heat worse. We often aren’t given access to water to drink on the airplanes while we’re cleaning the cabins. Sometimes I resort to drinking water left over by passengers.”

According to AZ Family, officials said the OSHA complaint aimed to “hold major airlines and their contractors accountable” for workers’ health and safety amid extreme heat. 

Phoenix airport workers also demanded Congress pass the “Good Jobs for Good Airports Act” to improve pay and benefits. Employees earned just $13-$14 per hour, some told AZ Family. “Our wages and benefits are a slap in the face after coming into the airport day in and day out to make it possible for these airlines to function,” said Cecilia Ortiz, a lead wheelchair assistant. “We cannot continue to live like this. We cannot continue to be paid poverty wages without quality employer-paid health care and other benefits like paid time off.”

The “Good Jobs for good Airports Act” would increase labor standards for service workers at airports that get federal funding and would apply to the vast majority of all unified workers in the nation. The proposed legislation has the backing of 43 co-sponsors.

According to Senator Ed Markey, the lead sponsor of the bill, the legislation would “provide airport workers with the pay, benefits, and labor standards they deserve after serving on the frontlines of our nation’s aviation system and keeping airports safe through a global pandemic, climate disasters, and peak travel seasons.” 

“In the face of ongoing health risks, airport service workers – including cleaners, wheelchair agents, baggage handlers, concessionaires, and security personnel – continue to play an essential role in keeping Americans moving. This legislation would improve job quality for hundreds of thousands of airport service workers – a largely Black, Brown, and immigrant workforce – by setting minimum wage and benefits levels at all major airports that receive federal funding.”

According to OSHA figures released this week, the number of on-the-job injuries at airports declined in 2020 when travel dropped due to the pandemic. However, as flights resumed, injuries rapidly rebounded and are now higher than before the pandemic. On September 1, a tragic accident occurred at Boston Logan Airport when a forklift operator was pinned by a metal beam and killed while servicing a JetBlue flight, highlighting the dangers airport workers continue to face. The agent’s name was not released, but he worked for a JetBlue contractor.

In that incident, authorities reported the 51-year-old forklift operator from Winthrop was working in an outdoor loading area at Terminal C when attempting to drive the lift through a bag service entrance. Tragically, the forklift’s backrest extension was raised at the time, according to Massachusetts State Police. 

This safety attachment is designed to protect drivers, but in this case, it led to the operator being fatally pinned against the entrance. The safety extension hit a metal beam intended to prevent vehicles from entering the tunnel if they are too large to drive through safely. But the extension, designed to prevent loads from tipping over and falling onto the forklift operator, caused the forklift to tip, crushing the driver. He died at Logan Hospital later that day. 

JetBlue refused to issue a statement immediately following the accident, but the airline’s ‘Code of Conduct’ reads, “Safety always comes first.” 

Another OSHA report, released in June, revealed that a failure to follow required safety procedures contributed to the tragic death of Piedmont Airlines customer service agent Courtney Edwards. According to the report, the American Airlines subsidiary did not ensure their ground crew adhered to protocols, resulting in Edwards being pulled into the spinning turbines of a jet engine, instantly killing the 34-year-old ramp agent. The heartbreaking incident highlights the immense importance of airlines enforcing strict safety measures for ramp workers to prevent such accidents that cost lives like Edwards’.

In the wake of the tragic accident, OSHA cited Piedmont Airlines for one serious violation regarding exposing the ground crew to ingestion hazards during aircraft marshaling, wing-walking, and baggage-handling duties. For this violation, OSHA has proposed $15,625 in penalties against Piedmont, an amount set by federal statute. The citation and fine highlight the need for airlines to implement and enforce proper safety protocols to protect ramp workers from harm.

Following the tragic incident, Piedmont released a statement saying that safety was their top priority.

According to Machinists Union Safety Representative Joe D’Eccliss, many of the safety issues airlines are facing can be corrected with better training, lower turnover, and more careerism in the industry. 

“Airlines need more workers,” said D’Eccliss. “Short staffing is a major driver of the accident rates we are seeing,.” He also pointed out that injury rates tend to be higher at the contractors that airlines hire to perform work. “Direct-hires at major airlines get more investment from their companies,” and also stated,  “Contractors exist to cut corners and costs, and sometimes these cuts include safety.” 

David Roderick, District Legislative Director for the Machinists Union, agrees. “The Good Jobs for Good Airports Act” will help raise wages for airline and airport workers, which will help new agents choose airline work as their career,” he said. “An experienced workforce takes a little more money but is more than worth the investment,” he continued. “We also need to fine these companies more and ensure that our union members are treated fairly.”

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99% Flight Attendants at American Vote to Authorize a Strike

99% Flight Attendants at American Vote to Authorize a Strike

99% Flight Attendants at American Vote to Authorize a Strike

IAM141.org

On Wednesday, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) announced that American Airlines’ flight attendants have voted in favor of going on strike if the company doesn’t agree to fair contract terms.

According to the APFA, which represents over 26,000 flight attendants at the airline, a staggering 99.47% of the flight attendants have voted to approve a strike.

“Today, we sent a clear message to American Airlines management,” said APFA National President Julie Hedrick. “We are fired up and ready for a contract. They ignore this strike vote at their peril,” she continued. “Our contributions to the success of American Airlines must be recognized and respected.”

The Union is asking to be paid for time spent on the job. Currently, American only pays the Union for the time they spend in the air; the time spent working while on the ground is unpaid. This is done at other airlines, such as Delta, which pays flight crews “boarding pay.”

APFA is also asking for scheduling improvements and better work / life balance.

The vote doesn’t necessarily indicate that a strike is on the immediate horizon. U.S. federal legislation sets high barriers for airline unions to legally go on strike. A federal mediator must declare that continued talks would be futile, a determination that is seldom made. Additionally, intervention from the President or Congress could further postpone or prevent a strike.

Should federal mediation fail to convince the company to offer the Union a fair agreement, the APFA has the option to enter a 30-day cooling-off period. After this period, the flight attendants would be permitted to initiate a strike.

Amid a strong labor market backdrop and growing public support for unions, unionized workers such as pilots, airline workers, and delivery drivers are experiencing increased leverage in negotiations.

Next week, a coalition of labor unions at United Airlines will hold a historic summit at the Machinists Union District Headquarters in Chicago. The meeting will include representatives from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

Last week, American Airlines’ pilots ratified a new four-year contract featuring over $9.6 billion in total pay and benefits increases. This move is part of the airline’s competitive strategy against industry rivals like United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

On August 9, following two years of talks, Transport Workers Union Local 555, the Union representing 19,000 Southwest employees in areas like ramp operations, provisioning, and freight, finalized an agreement with the Dallas-based airline. Pending approval from union members, the new contract would include increased wages and 12 weeks of parental leave, among other benefits. Union members are scheduled to vote on the agreement from September 8 to September 20.

Notably, the pay increases at Southwest are the same as those negotiated on behalf of thousands of Machinists Union at United. The new agreement would grant top-of-scale pay for ground workers of $36.72.

As travel demand remains robust, airlines are scrambling to increase staffing. This urgency has empowered workers to negotiate for better pay and improved work conditions.

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99% Flight Attendants at American Vote to Authorize a Strike

August 31, 2023

On Wednesday, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) announced that American Airlines’ flight attendants have voted in favor of going on strike if the company doesn’t agree to fair contract terms.

According to the APFA, which represents over 26,000 flight attendants at the airline, a staggering 99.47% of the flight attendants have voted to approve a strike.

“Today, we sent a clear message to American Airlines management,” said APFA National President Julie Hedrick. “We are fired up and ready for a contract. They ignore this strike vote at their peril,” she continued. “Our contributions to the success of American Airlines must be recognized and respected.”

The Union is asking to be paid for time spent on the job. Currently, American only pays the Union for the time they spend in the air; the time spent working while on the ground is unpaid. This is done at other airlines, such as Delta, which pays flight crews “boarding pay.”

APFA is also asking for scheduling improvements and better work / life balance.

The vote doesn’t necessarily indicate that a strike is on the immediate horizon. U.S. federal legislation sets high barriers for airline unions to legally go on strike. A federal mediator must declare that continued talks would be futile, a determination that is seldom made. Additionally, intervention from the President or Congress could further postpone or prevent a strike.

Should federal mediation fail to convince the company to offer the Union a fair agreement, the APFA has the option to enter a 30-day cooling-off period. After this period, the flight attendants would be permitted to initiate a strike.

Amid a strong labor market backdrop and growing public support for unions, unionized workers such as pilots, airline workers, and delivery drivers are experiencing increased leverage in negotiations.

Next week, a coalition of labor unions at United Airlines will hold a historic summit at the Machinists Union District Headquarters in Chicago. The meeting will include representatives from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

Last week, American Airlines’ pilots ratified a new four-year contract featuring over $9.6 billion in total pay and benefits increases. This move is part of the airline’s competitive strategy against industry rivals like United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

On August 9, following two years of talks, Transport Workers Union Local 555, the Union representing 19,000 Southwest employees in areas like ramp operations, provisioning, and freight, finalized an agreement with the Dallas-based airline. Pending approval from union members, the new contract would include increased wages and 12 weeks of parental leave, among other benefits. Union members are scheduled to vote on the agreement from September 8 to September 20.

Notably, the pay increases at Southwest are the same as those negotiated on behalf of thousands of Machinists Union at United. The new agreement would grant top-of-scale pay for ground workers of $36.72.

As travel demand remains robust, airlines are scrambling to increase staffing. This urgency has empowered workers to negotiate for better pay and improved work conditions.

 

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Hurricane Idalia: Emergency Resources

Hurricane Idalia: Emergency Resources

Hurricane Idalia Emergency Resources

Union Resources

Contact your Assistant General Chair or Local Grievance Committee for help accessing the IAM Disaster Relief Fund.

Disaster Relief Information

Employee Assistance Program

IAM141 Community Service

Airports are likely to have suffered damage as a result of the storm. If you see any safety-related issues when returning to work, please complete a safety report (GSAP, GSIP, etc.)
Safety Page

All IAM members can obtain confidential help through the IAM Employee/Member Assistance Program. Services include but are not limited to addictions, mental health, stress, depression, and financial hardship.

You can reach the confidential IAM Assistance Helpline by calling 301-335-0735 or emailing iameap@iamaw.org.

As an IAM member, you could also be eligible for a $500 disaster relief grant through the Union Plus Disaster Relief Grant program.

 

Mobile Apps

Florida Storms – Florida Public Radio Emergency Network Google Play  iTunes

Florida 511 – Get up-to-the-minute, real-time traffic conditions and incident information for the State of Florida with Florida 511.

FEMA – mobile app

Red Cross – mobile apps

Everbridge – mobile apps

Gas Buddy – Gas station availability

  •  
Traffic

 

Florida 511 – Get up-to-the-minute, real-time traffic conditions and incident information for the State of Florida with Florida 511.

Florida Highway Patrol – Florida Highway Patrol Live Traffic Crash and Road Condition Report. Reports are updated every five minutes. Incidents located within city limits also may not show on the map since it is not common practice for FHP to work incidents inside city limits.

Florida Traffic – Traffic incidents and conditions from Florida 511 and Florida Highway Patrol brought to you by Florida State Emergency Response Team Geographic Information Systems.

Evacuation Information

All Florida coastal counties and counties are susceptible to storm surges, and most have designated evacuation zones. 

Mapping tool: Allows those in the storm’s path to search by address and determine if you are in a designated evacuation zone. 

Evacuation Zones – to determine if you are in a designated evacuation zone

Evacuation Orders: View Florida County evacuation orders.

Read More About Evacuation Zones – learn more about designated evacuation zones, which counties have them and which don’t, how flood zones are factored into evacuations, and evacuation orders.

Shelter Status and Openings

Please go to Summary Shelter Information for currently open general and special needs shelters within the State of Florida. 

For information from your county Emergency Management program regarding shelter preparedness and lists of potential shelters that may be opened, please visit the Shelter Information Index and choose your county.

View Open Shelters on a map.

Special Needs Assistance

If you know or care for an individual with access or functional needs, such as a medical condition that requires assistance but not hospitalization, it is important that you pre-register with the Florida Special Needs Shelter Registry.

For more Special Needs Sheltering Information, here

 

State Assistance Information Hotline
Florida’s State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) is active.

This toll-free hotline is activated to provide additional resources to help Floridians receive accurate & up-to-date information regarding Hurricane Idalia.

State Assistance Information Line: 1-800-342-3557

Report Fraud or Price Gouging
FEMA will never ask you for money to provide disaster assistance. Recognize fraud:  
  • FEMA employees will always have an official ID  
  • Don’t trust anyone who offers financial help & asks for money or personal info.  
  • Always talk with someone you trust.

Ways to Report Fraud to FEMA

For more information, visit fema.gov/disaster-fraud

Report Price Gouging in Florida

  • Call: 1-866-966-7226
Emergency Planning

While living in and visiting Florida offers many benefits and advantages, it is important to keep in mind severe weather hazards and potential threats. Every family and business should have predefined emergency plans and always keep an emergency supply kit ready and stocked.

Each Florida county has a designated emergency management program, and residents, businesses, and visitors should also visit their county’s emergency management for the most up-to-date and locally significant information.

 

Over 1,500 Flights Canceled Due to Hurricane Idalia

IAMAW141 | 30 August, 2023

By Wednesday morning, Hurricane Idalia had severely impacted the Gulf Coast Big Bend region, resulting in the cancellation of over 1,500 flights and the delay of at least 1,000 more.

The storm was the worst to hit the region in more than 120 years.

The Federal Aviation Authority has announced that multiple airports, such as Tampa, St. Pete-Clearwater, Sarasota, and Tallahassee, are shut down. They might reopen on Thursday, based on the amount of damage the storm caused.

Aviation tracking website FlightAware data shows Southwest Airlines being the hardest hit, with 200 canceled flights. American, Delta and United Airlines saw 200 additional delays and 300 cancellations at 9:00 a.m.

Passengers flying to airports in the path of Hurricane Idalia have been notified by major airlines, including Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United. These airlines offer free booking changes within a specific time frame to accommodate the hurricane’s impact on travel plans.

The National Hurricane Center reported that just before 8 a.m. ET, Idalia arrived at Keaton Beach in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 3 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph and even higher gusts.

In preparation for potential impacts from Invest 93L, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has declared a state of emergency for 33 counties. This order enables state officials to provide necessary resources to any affected areas.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 33 counties in the hours leading up to Idalia’s landfall. The order allows state officials to make critical resources available to areas that the storm may impact.

Florida is home to thousands of Machinists Union Members centered around the state’s airports. 

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CONTACT@IAM141.org

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