Feb 14, 2020 | Community Service, Education, Education Class, Featured, Home, Uncategorized, Video
District 141 of the Machinists and Aerospace union is partnering with local union lodges to help provide education and training for union stewards at airports around the nation.
The program, headed by Director Mike “Mac” McGovern, attracts hundreds of union stewards each year.
This past week, a recently expanded education staff held training classes for Union Stewards at Dulles (Local 1759) and Minneapolis (Local 1833).
“Great group of members,” said District Educator Chris Lusk of his visit to Dulles. “This is a great opportunity to meet union stewards, find out what their issues are, and help to educate them on how to be better stewards.”
“We go over a number of things in the education department. We go through scenarios, we go over things that may be shared from station to station.”
Assistant General Chairs Mike Cyscon and Rich Creighton were present in Dulles to offer expert guidance for the stewards.
Feb 14, 2020 | Community Service, Featured, Home, Uncategorized
There was a time long ago, before dating sites and apps on the internet, when the only way to meet someone was to go out and interact with people. As union members who believe in solidarity, we do this all the time. But how does solidarity turn into true love? To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we asked a few couples who are active members of District 141 how they met and what made them realize they had found “The One.”
— Jenn and Jeff Carlson
Jenn and Jeff worked together but didn’t really know each other. That changed on May 23, 2006.
Jeff Carlson’s car was in the shop, so he was riding home from work with a friend. They stopped for a beer, and Jeff began a conversation with Jenn that lasted for hours. Jenn offered to drop him off, and he was smitten: “I kissed her good night as I was getting out of the car, and I knew she was the one.”
“I called her the next day and made plans to go out, and we have been by each other’s side ever since. We were married exactly 3 years from the night we met,” said Jeff.
The Carlsons have both served as Committee Chairs at Local 2210 in San Antonio, TX. Jenn holds the position at present, and Jeff describes his role as “right hand” Shop Steward.
Their roots in the airline business run deep. Jenn is the 4th generation in her family to work at United. Jeff’s mother was a flight attendant for Allegheny Airlines and his father was a ramp serviceman at American. Jeff said they proudly honor that legacy: “My father taught me how important a union was from the time I was a child, and Jenn and I carry our parents’ support of unionism forward as we represent our members on the shop floor every day.”
— Adriana and Dave.
Adriana and Dave met (of course!) when he took her picture.
During the 2011 United/Continental representation election, Rich Pascarella, President of Local 1759 (who later became a District 141 AGC), organized an informational meeting for Ramp Service workers at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD). Adriana Picasso, a Lead Customer Service Agent at United and Shop Steward, was a volunteer at the IAM T-shirt booth. Dave Lehive, as a Communications Representative for District 141, was interviewing workers and photographing the event. At the end of the day, Adriana asked Dave to take her picture, and he says that “the rest is history.”
Dave and Adriana’s friendship flourished through emails and Facebook, and a few months later they found themselves together again, this time in Las Vegas at the District 141 Convention. After several dinners and many dates over the next 3 years, Dave and Adriana tied the knot on March 8, 2015.
“We found true love through the IAMAW,” said Adriana. “We’re both passionate about our Union and each other.”
— Helena and Sonny.
Helena and Sonny’s wedding reception included 400 Brothers and Sisters from District 141.
“I did not expect to find my husband at my first District 141 Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada!”
Helena was relatively new to the union, but her activism earned her election as Conductor Sentinel at Local 1725 in Charlotte, NC. At the 2010 District 141 Convention, former AGC (now Grand Lodge Representative) Gil Simmons introduced Helena to Sonny Thornton, a Committeeman from Local 1776.
After 2 years in a long-distance relationship, they were married during the 2012 District Convention at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. After the wedding, Sonny continued to work in Philadelphia and he and Helena scheduled vacations and day trades to be together. After four years of managing flight and work schedules, Sonny transferred to Charlotte in 2016 intending to retire soon after. He’s still working.
“During our first dates, I would say ‘no union talk’ which was very hard for Sonny,” says Helena. “‘What do I talk about now?’ he would ask, because he was passionate about his union work. Now I’m the local’s Recording Secretary and the roles are reversed, so I’m the one that ‘talks union’ all the time.”
Maria and Ivan’s union work is an extension of their family life.
Maria and Ivan Caban.
Maria and Ivan Caban were introduced by their parents, who were coworkers at the Houston Airport. Ivan’s family moved to Texas from Puerto Rico when his dad was laid off by Pan American Airways.
Their courtship began at the airport while Maria worked at the Duty-Free shop. After 33 years together, their commitment to justice and to each other drives their work. Maria is a Trustee at Local 2198, while Ivan serves as Trustee at Local 811, both in Houston, Texas.
They also enjoy working on policy-making and legislative issues, and Maria says the work brings them closer together. She said, “We are passionate about the same things, such as human rights, a better quality of life, the right to organize, defending the voiceless and those who are afraid to speak up for themselves. We went through unfair practices at the job and were happy that we could spend time together fighting with the union for what we believe.”
Feb 11, 2020 | Airlines, American, Featured, Home, Uncategorized
A union leader in the world of aviation, Gil Simmons will serve as Grand Lodge Special Representative at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
IAMAW Transportation General Vice President Sito Pantoja announced the appointment in a recent communication to union members. Brother Pantoja also announced the appointment of District 142 General Chair Sean Ryan to the position of Special Representative for the Transportation Territory. The assignments became official in January.
“Sean and Gil have a long history of commitment and dedication to our members which has earned them tremendous respect throughout the IAM,” said Pantoja. “They bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to our department that will serve as a great resource for our team.”
Gil Simmons began his career at US Air in 1985 when he initiated into IAM Local Lodge 1776. While working at US Air (which later merged with American Airlines) for several years, Gil decided he had the tools necessary to create needed workplace improvements. He became a union activist in 2006 and quickly established himself as a trusted advisor and tireless advocate for his fellow workers.
Gil became a Local 1776 Grievance Committee Representative in 2007 and was elected Committee Chair a year later. In 2010, members elected him Vice President At Large at District 141, and later Assistant General Chair, a position he has held since 2011.
Simmons also serves as Airline Coordinator East at the Pennsylvania State Council of Machinists. He is a Trustee for the New Jersey State Council and an IAM delegate to the Pennsylvania State AFL-CIO.
A consummate professional, Gil has helped save countless jobs from unfair terminations, worked to expand workers’ rights, and has devoted himself to creating a broader social and policy-making role for working people.
“Gil understands the importance of working with other union members to advance a strong, pro-worker legislative agenda,” said New Jersey State Council of Machinists President Ines Garcia-Keim. “He was the point person in the effort to affiliate our 42,000 airline workers with the NJ State Council,” she said of his work in New Jersey.
“That’s just one thing Gil has done for which I am grateful,” she said.
Gil Simmons with IAMAW Local 1776 President Rich Howell and Derrick Monk at a Labor Day Awards Ceremony in 2017.
IAMAW District Lodge 141 President and Directing General Chair Mike Klemm praised Gil’s lifetime of service to airline workers, and said, “For years, Gil has been an incredible advocate for working people. Do not let his modesty and quiet nature fool you; there is nobody that I would rather have on my side than Gil.”
“I’m honored to earn the opportunity to serve my sisters and brothers in whatever way I can,” Gil said of his appointment. “I was proud to work at District 141 and with President Mike Klemm for ten years, and I can count hundreds of friends there. They put me into a position to succeed in what was always a challenging and rewarding job.”
“I learned a lot, and I hope I helped a lot,” Gil said. “I can never really thank District 141 enough.”
As Special Representative, Gil will service local lodges within the IAMAW’s Transportation Territory and will provide assistance and oversight in organizing campaigns.
Feb 7, 2020 | American, Featured, Home, The Association, Uncategorized
February 7, 2020
Association and American Meet to Finalize Language
As previously announced, the TWU-IAM Association reached Agreements in Principle (AIP) last week with American Airlines on five new Joint Collective Bargaining Agreements (JCBAs). The five-year accords run through 2025.
This week, Association negotiating committee members met with company representatives in Fort Lauderdale, FL to begin finalizing contract language to bring our Agreements in Principle back to you as complete Tentative Agreements for your consideration. This time-consuming work is necessary for accurate full-text documents to be presented to the membership before ratification voting begins. We expect this process to take a few weeks.
The parties this week finalized the proposed base wage scales and associated premiums going forward, and those rates for each group accompanies this update.
We ask for your continued patience as we continue the work to bring you complete details on the premier collective bargaining agreements in the industry.
Click here for Complete List of proposed base wage rates and hourly premiums
Click here for Fleet Service and Central Load Planner proposed base rates and hourly premiums
Click here for a printable version of this bulletin
Feb 4, 2020 | American, Featured, Home, retirement, The Association, Uncategorized
February 4, 2020
What to Know About the Early Out Offer at American Airlines
Sisters and Brothers,
The Company has informed the Association that they are planning to offer an Early Out to Association Members at some point and time under terms and conditions established by the Company.
Why is this not part of the Agreement in Principle:
- As part of the negotiation process over the past several years, the Company has discussed offering an Early Out to Association Members. The Association informed the Company that if we were to agree to an Early Out as part of the contract it would have to be offered by Seniority to any Member in the system who applied. The Company stated they could not agree to such application.
- In the last session, prior to reaching an Agreement in Principle on the terms and conditions of open items that the Association had proposed, the Company indicated that the cost of offering an Early Out during the JCBA was going to cost millions of dollars. The Association did not agree to any cost for an Early Out since it is a program the Company will unilaterally offer and is not part of the collective bargaining agreement. In fact, the carrier could have made the offer at any time, since it was never a part of our negotiations.
- So, an Early Out could be offered by the Company, but since the Company does not agree to offer such Early Out by Seniority as the Association discussed, the terms and conditions of the Early Out will be solely established by the Company.
Many of you have sacrificed much over the years and may have the opportunity to participate in an Early Out, but the Association could not agree to allow the Company to circumvent a Member’s Seniority or allow millions of dollars to be held over our heads in negotiations.
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