Helping Hands for May “Mental Health Awareness.”

Helping Hands for May “Mental Health Awareness.”

May 11, 2020 | EAP, Featured, Helping Hands, Uncategorized | 0 comments

 

 

EAP Peer Coordinators: 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In this standard monthly issue, we address several issues about Mental Illness including “What is Mental Illness?,” “Why Mental Health is Important,” “Can Your Mental Health Change Over Time?,” and What Are the Causes of Mental Illness?” Finally, page two addresses resources for mental illness.

It has been a rough week or two – thank you for helping each other to deal with some adverse circumstances. Several states are relaxing restrictions on staying at home. Anxiety may increase as people return to being exposed to the risk of the coronavirus. More to come.
 

Thank you for continuing to be there through trying times!

Bryan,
Bryan Hutchinson, M.S.

 

 

Helping Hands May Edition

The Employee Assistance Program is a compassionate, confidential, and free service that has helped hundreds of people cope with personal crises.

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Hawaiian Airlines Negotiations Update

Hawaiian Airlines Negotiations Update

May 8, 2020 | COVID, Featured, Front Page, Hawaiian, Home, Home, Organizing, Uncategorized | 0 comments

 May 8, 2020

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

We hope this communication finds you safe and healthy. As you are aware, we entered into Limited Issue/Expedited Negotiations with Hawaiian Airlines in the month of February. The majority of the Negotiating sessions were spent on sharing the proposals of both sides. We spent time explaining your proposals and listening to the Company proposals so that we had a very good understanding of the intention/purpose of the Company proposals. We were able to make some progress and felt that we were on our way to reaching a good Agreement on your behalf. The plan was to meet most of the month of April in hopes of reaching that Agreement. Unfortunately, due to the COVID 19 pandemic, we were not able to meet to further the discussions.

On Monday, May 4, We held a conference call with the Company to discuss resuming Negotiations. We made it very clear that our position remains unchanged. We must reach an agreement that rewards our Members at HA fairly for their hard work and sacrifices. We believe that HA will survive the current state of the Airline Industry and will return to profitability. Today’s hard work and sacrifice will make that possible. You deserve to be recognized for that moving in to the future. That recognition comes from a good Contract. An agreement was made to extend the timeframe for the Expedited Negotiations.

The plan for Negotiations will be to resume meeting with the Company as soon as the quarantine order is lifted by the State of Hawaii. We hope that happens sometime in June. Our position will be to pick up where we left off in March.

In closing, thank you for all you do. It is with your support and solidarity that your Negotiating Committee will be able to secure a good contract on your behalf.

In solidarity, 

Mike Klemm

President and Directing General Chair, District 141, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

Dave Supplee

President and Directing General Chair, District 142, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

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The Furloughs at United are Illegal

The Furloughs at United are Illegal

May 5, 2020 | COVID, Featured, Front Page, Home, Home, Uncategorized, United | 8 comments

United management is violating the CARES Act and the RLA and purposely violating our contracts during this illegal, furlough from full-time to part-time.

I’ve been with United Airlines for nearly 30 years. I’ve unfortunately been involved with numerous furloughs, all of which were painful. However, this furlough is the most illegal, confusing and maddening.

My hope is this communication will help you understand, exactly, what your contractual rights are and how this furlough should be handled.

We Are Going to Court and Using the Grievance Process

First, as we previously advised you, we are in the process of filing a lawsuit against United in Federal Court to enjoin their illegal action in violation of the CARES Act and the Railway Labor Act by converting all IAM represented full time employees to part time. However, we do not know when or how the Court will rule. Accordingly, we must advise you to fill out the company’s form to protect yourself.

However, in addition to our position that the company’s conduct violates Federal law, it also is in clear violation of various provisions of our collective bargaining agreements. For instance, under Article 7 paragraph H of the Passenger Service Employee and the Fleet Service Agreements it outlines the furlough process. EVP of Human Resources Kate Gebo and the rest of United management is lying to you and attempting to frame this furlough from full-time to part-time as just a reduction in hours that you are accepting voluntarily. THAT IS BLATANTLY UNTRUE. THIS IS A FURLOUGH. If it wasn’t involuntary they wouldn’t have offered a voluntary COLA first, which forces people to perpetuate United’s fiction on their unemployment application.

In every state that we are aware of, this question is asked in some form: “Is your furlough voluntary or involuntary?” If you don’t say involuntary you run the risk of being denied unemployment. This is the jam United wants to put you in.

However, this will be less of a problem for many of us being forced to take an involuntary furlough later this month. Our contracts outline the process by which an involuntary furlough is conducted. When it becomes necessary to reduce the number of employees in any position and work status, the Company is required to give us 20 calendar days written notice. That sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Clearly, it’s not because United has not provided written notice to every employee affected by this furlough. This is a violation of our contracts.

The next step is all affected employees will receive an option form that they will have five days to complete. Employees requesting system options will receive an additional three days to complete the system option form and be placed on furlough status with applicable recall rights and furlough pay if they don’t return the form. Since United management has involuntarily furloughed every full-time fleet service and passenger service employee, there exists no system options to retain our full-time jobs. This is also a violation of our contracts. 

 

This leads us to our next step, which is filling out the form.

Option A states: Affected employees may fill a vacancy, or if no vacancy is available, may displace the most junior employee in your current classification in the alternate work status. So, if you’re full-time that allows you to fill a part time vacancy.

Option B states: Affected employees, who did not choose Option (A) above or chose Option (A) above but were not awarded a position, may choose to elect layoff with any applicable recall rights and furlough pay.

Option C states: Affected employees who are unable to maintain a position and were not laid off after exercising the above options may elect within the basic position within their classification to displace and/or fill, in order, up to the equivalent number of: (1) full-time vacancies; (2) probationary full-time employees; and (3) the most junior full-time employees on the system.

United Airlines, in addition to violating the CARES Act and the “status quo” provisions of the Railway Labor Act, has also flagrantly violated multiple facets of your collective bargaining agreements. If you fail to select any of these options, contractually, you are supposed to be placed on involuntary furlough. However, United management is purposely violating our contracts in a cynical attempt to scare, confuse and intimidate all of us. They have told you falsely that if you don’t select anything you will be placed in part-time status. This is also a violation of our contracts.

Brothers and Sisters I’m truly sorry for the inexcusable, illegal and premature actions United Airlines has taken. There’s NOTHING voluntary about what United is forcing us to do. Please demand a correct option form, as is required by your contract, and fill it out in the way that best serves you and your family.

Without prejudice to our lawsuit or our motion for immediate injunctive relief, I’ve directed all of my Assistant General Chairpersons, assigned to the United Airlines properties to work with your local committees to file grievances to protect your contractual rights of these blatant violations of your collective bargaining agreement.

 

Fraternally and in Solidarity,

Michael G Klemm

President and Directing General Chair,
District 141,
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
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The Furloughs at United are Illegal

SCOTT KIRBY’S NEW UNITED: GREED, CRUELTY AND DISHONESTY

May 3, 2020 | Uncategorized | 30 comments

 

 5/3/20

Scott Kirby and the rest of his dishonest and greedy management team are attempting to mislead United employees once again. As Mr. Kirby begins to realize that he cannot cause an involuntarily furlough of all full-time employees to part time, he is doing his best to cause mass confusion. As I have stated previously, in discussions with United management the carrier never put forth an idea that did not violate our contract, the CARES Act and your rights under both. The IAM could not agree to any company proposals that violated your contract or federal law.

Additionally, United demanded that your union and each IAM member not file a grievance against the company for their violations or pursue any legal action to protect your rights. We cannot and will not give up our rights to fight this injustice.

If Scott and the rest of his management team thought they had the right to involuntary layoff every single full-time worker to part-time, why would they ask us to waive our rights under the law and the contract?

Every IAM member at United should understand that Mr. Kirby is willing to upend the lives of approximately 15,000 dedicated and hard working United employees and their families to save $60 million dollars over the next several months. Think about that. United currently has approximately $10 BILLION in cash available, yet he fully intends to violate your contractual rights, break the law under the CARES Act and take food off your family’s table.

At the same time, we are RIGHT NOW, through the use of voluntary COLAs, saving United’s dishonest management team $30 MILLION PER MONTH and will save approximately $150 MILLION through September 30th.

And, we worked our asses off to enhance, incentivize and expand voluntary program offerings, but Kirby refused to even discuss costs savings. That is because this is not about cost savings, it is about Scott Kirby wanting what he wants, when he wants. Which is why he feels it is OK to cheat American taxpayers by taking their money intended to maintain salaries and jobs and ignoring the requirements of the CARES Act. No wonder Scott Kirby has been banned from several casinos for breaking the rules. This time his disrespect for the rules, our contract and the law will rip off $60 MILLION from United’s workers to go directly into Kirby’s greedy hands.

But Scott Kirby isn’t as smart as he thinks. Scott, I suggest you read United States Senator, Josh Hawley’s letter to the CEO of United Airlines, Oscar Munoz, who knew how to run a company, cared about his employees and who you have made look really bad.

https://iam141.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Senator-Hawley-full-statement.pdf

As you can see, Senator Hawley thinks you’re a greedy, lying cheater too and demands you rectify this wrong immediately. I urge every United employee to print out Senator Hawley’s letter and bring it to your Supervisor at the start of your next shift.

Fraternally and in Solidarity,

 

Michael G. Klemm
President and Directing General Chairman
IAMAW, District Lodge 141

Please print and post on all IAMAW bulletin boards >>

Read the full statement from Senator Hawley HERE >>

Senator to United: Put CARES Act Money in Paychecks, or Give it Back

Senator to United: Put CARES Act Money in Paychecks, or Give it Back

May 3, 2020 | COVID, Featured, Front Page, Home, Home, MNPL, Uncategorized, United | 6 comments

Senator Josh Hawley issued a warning to United Airlines: use the $5 Billion of CARES Act money to keep your workforce intact… or give the money back.

In a series of Tweets, the Republican Senator from Missouri explained how he was approached by several IAMAW members as he was traveling back to Washington, DC. 

“I’m at the airport, flying back to DC, and multiple @United employees have told me the company is cutting their hours, pay & benefits immediately. This is AFTER United took billions in bailout money that was earmarked for workers. This had better not be true.”

Sadly, it is. United Airlines announced plans to slash the pay and benefits of over 15,000 full-time ramp and customer service workers, only days after accepting a huge share of the $50 billion allocated to airlines in the CARES Act. With public demand for air travel decimated since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Congress approved several aid programs designed to preserve the American aviation network and its highly skilled workforce. They recognized how important it is to be ready to rebuild quickly once the pandemic has subsided. Congress and the president made a choice to provide funding to safeguard civil aviation in the US, rather than try to recreate it later. 

“Airline workers are highly skilled, and irreplaceable without significant training,” said Mike Klemm, President and Directing General Chair of District 141 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The IAMAW is the largest union of airline and aerospace workers in the world. “These women and men must pass rigorous training and safety requirements when hired, and must maintain and update their skills and clearances regularly. This process requires a significant investment from the air carriers and workers. You can’t just hire people who can operate on and around aircraft and passengers on a whim. Qualified candidates must be identified, trained, and cultivated over the years to build up expertise. The skill and dedication of airline workers are the reasons our aviation system is as safe and resilient as it is.” 

Congress agreed and set aside a huge chunk of the $2 Trillion CARES Act to safeguard the civil aviation infrastructure in the US and the women and men who operate it, throughout the COVID Pandemic. “The costs of rebuilding our transportation networks will be much higher than to simply unpause it,” Klemm said. 

Lawmakers who drafted and passed the CARES Act and its sister bill, the Paycheck Protection Act, have learned about United’s actions over the weekend. They are not happy. And, they are increasingly threatening to take action.

 

 

 

The outrage over United executives’ actions is bipartisan. Representatives from both major parties and both federal legislative bodies have sent statements of support for Machinists Union members who will be hurt by this decision.

Last week, US Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee wrote a letter to IAMAW District President Mike Klemm where she clearly stated the CARES Act money was not meant to buy new aircraft, buy back stocks, pay out bonuses or for any other purpose than to be distributed directly to United workers impacted by COVID-19. “ “It was not the intent of Congress for this program to be used as an economic bail-out, but to support the hard-working men and women who are the focus of United Airlines,” she said. 

IAMAW District 141 Legislative Director Dave Roderick credited the grassroots work of union members for getting the attention of lawmakers such as Jackson-Lee and Hawley. But, he stressed there is much more work to be done. “Our union is ramp and customer service agents – and a lot of other airline workers who love our jobs, and we want to keep them,” Roderick said. “Keeping our jobs right now means getting to work. It means calling our representatives, and making sure they understand just how shady United management is being. It means making sure that lawmakers know that we love our company, and the work we do. It means asking them to insist that company executives keep their word.”

Read the official letter from Senator Josh Hawley to United executives:

 

 

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The Furloughs at United are Illegal

“This is Why We’re Fighting.” IAMAW District 141 President Klemm Addresses United’s Violation of the CARES Act

May 1, 2020 | Featured, Front Page, Home, Home, Uncategorized, United | 26 comments

Incoming United CEO Kirby Initiates Forced Layoffs, Violates Contracts While Taking Billions of Taxpayer-Funded Airline Bailout Money.

This morning, United Airlines announced it will cut the pay and benefits of all full-time IAM members at United Airlines. Not only is this action by United’s incoming CEO Scott Kirby, EVP Human Resources, Kate Gebo, and their leadership team cruel and selfish, it is quite possibly illegal.  

The IAM is considering all legal options, including a lawsuit against United to stop this action and protect our membership. The decision by Mr. Kirby and Ms. Gebo, who have lined their pockets with record bonus payments, to upend the lives of tens of thousands of committed United Airlines workers who have turned this airline around through past sacrifices and a commitment to OUR airline is unconscionable. We recognize the need for airlines to save money in these unprecedented times, but these cuts are not about saving money.

The carrier has refused to engage with the IAM in cost saving discussions that would provide the carrier with the same amount of financial relief as they claim the involuntary furloughs will without gutting our contracts or the CARES Act. Over the past two weeks, the IAM presented a myriad of voluntary programs and options to provide the company tens of millions of dollars of savings. This is IN ADDITION to approximately $30 plus million per month they are already saving through current voluntary leaves of absence (COLA) and reductions in hours for part-time workers. The IAM’s proposals added to current savings equal over $200 MILLION over the next five months. The company rejected every one of our ideas and presented none, except for cutting the hours of full-time workers. It’s apparent their goal is not to save money, but to hurt their employees and their families. 

What is truly outrageous is that United has received $5 billion in taxpayer funded airline bailout money under the CARES Act and has cut IAM members’ pay and benefits, something the CARES Act clearly forbids. United plans to have approximately $9.5 billion in cash at the end of the second quarter. They will report at the end of the third quarter upwards of $5.5 billion and a greatly reduced cash burn rate for the fourth quarter. This action is NOT necessary and is being taken because of United management’s laziness to find workable solutions centered on caring for their workers. 

The IAM believes that involuntarily furloughing all full-time workers is not in compliance with the CARES Act or our legal contracts at United. Downgrading all full-time employees to part-time status requires a forced furlough and reduces pay and benefits.   

That is why we are fighting.  

Remember, our pension, 401K contributions, vacation, sick time, occupational illness time and many other benefits are tied to the hours we work. With the number of voluntary COLAs the company has been able to get so far— over 23,000 employees in May alone—the $5 billion received in airline bailout funds will likely be more than they need to cover payroll through September. This is almost certainly the case now with forced furloughs of all full-time workers.

When a merchant takes someone’s money and does not provide the product or service they paid for, that customer will not return. As air travel rebounds, United’s passengers will know that the airline misappropriated the tax money intended to preserve workers’ pay and benefits and will bring their business to responsible carriers. United’s short-term solution will cause long-term problems for the carrier and its shareholders.

Every IAM member, whether employed by United or not, should be outraged and let their voices be heard. It’s very obvious that United’s Core 4 corporate philosophy is a fraud. It’s apparent that United’s new philosophy is Greed, Cruelty and Dishonesty. Deserving of a special shout out for deception is EVP and COO Greg Hart’s email that falsely claims a “more favorable” agreement was available. Nothing could be further from the truth. United management, nor the Union, can violate the law, IAM members’ contracts or IAM members’ rights. Greg never took part in any conversation and, frankly, doesn’t know what he’s talking about. 

All union members will be advised of further developments as they occur. 

 

Mike Klemm,

President and Directing General Chair, 
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, District 141

 

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