Mar 26, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, EAP, Featured, Front Page, Hawaiian, Home, Home, Philippine, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United |
Sisters and Brothers,
Working almost around the clock since Monday, the leadership of the House of Representatives and the US Senate engaged in negotiations to produce a historic $2 trillion stimulus bill that provides significant relief to our nation’s health care and transportation workers.
The Senate voted 96-0 last night to adopt the bi-partisan agreement, and it now moves to the House, where it will be introduced by Speaker Pelosi tomorrow and it is expected to pass.
Your actions since the beginning of this crisis, and your quick mobilization this week to contact elected officials in Washington made the difference for every working person in our country. Thanks to you, we are more certain of our future.
Once it becomes law, the CARE Act will secure the airline industry and our jobs for the next 6 months as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and will provide loan guarantees to rebuild our nation’s aviation infrastructure for the long term.
Key highlights for airline relief include:
- $25 Billion in grants to airlines for payroll assistance. Before Labor’s input, the bill only had a loan program. These grants are EXCLUSIVELY for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries and benefits. Before Labor’s input, this provision did not exist.
- No condition to open Collective Bargaining Agreements and enter concessionary negotiations to receive grants or loans. Before Labor’s input, the Treasury Secretary had the power to impose unlimited conditions for receiving federal funds. Your calls helped us close this major loophole.
- As a condition to receive federal grant funds, a carrier must refrain from conducting involuntary furloughs until September 30, 2020. Before Labor’s input, this important provision did not exist.
- Prohibition on stock buybacks and dividend payments until September 30, 2021, and limits on executive compensation and “golden parachutes.” Neither of these requirements existed before our Labor negotiators insisted on them.
I also want to remind our Brothers and Sisters at American Airlines that the ratification vote for the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement will close tonight at 8:00 Eastern Standard Time. You can find information at the Association Website if you have questions or are having difficulty voting. Please take a few minutes to make your voice heard.
Thank you again for your dedication and professionalism. In these most difficult circumstances, you are showing up every day to get our customers where they need to go. We are not out of the woods yet, by a long shot, but if we continue to speak up, show up, and take care of ourselves and each other, we will overcome this crisis.
Please make sure you take time to unwind, and try to get enough rest. Our EAP Representatives are always available at https://iam141.org/employee-assistance-program/
In Solidarity,
Mike Klemm,
President and Directing General Chair,
District 141, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Mar 25, 2020 | Airlines, American, COVID, Hawaiian, Home, Home, Philippine, Spirit, Uncategorized, United |
The federal aid package presented by the Senate, which is expected to be voted on shortly contains a huge problem that could affect every airline worker in the United States. The proposed legislation currently has NO protection against opening up existing collective bargaining agreements if an airline seeks a loan or loan guarantee.
A self-proclaimed labor leader is spiking the ball, claiming victory and credit, but obviously DOES NOT understand what’s missing in the legislation that she is taking credit for.
The text of the bill states, “A loan, loan guarantee, or other investment by the Secretary shall be made under this section in such form and on such terms and conditions and contain such covenants, representations, warranties, and requirements (including requirements for audits) as the Secretary determines appropriate.”
“This means the Secretary of the Treasury could demand that contracts be renegotiated and concessions made before loans, loan guarantees or investments are made. This is exactly what we were working to avoid. This needs to be fixed now or it could result in airline workers taking steep concessions.
Please contact your elected officials and ask them to ensure that the loan component of the federal aid package has the same language as the grant component of the package. You may contact your representative HERE, courtesy of Democracy.io.
We must act now to clean up the mess made by other so-called labor leaders.
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Mar 23, 2020 | American, COVID, Featured, Front Page, Home, Home, The Association |
ASSOCIATION UPDATE ///
March 23, 2020
As we move closer to the ratification vote for the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreements with American Airlines, we wanted to provide the members with a sample of the information that will be provided over the next few days via US Mail or by AA Company email.
In the unlikely event a member does not receive the voter information by US Mail or AA Company email, the following phone numbers will be available for a replacement PIN. A replacement PIN can only be provided to a member if the original PIN has not already been used to cast their vote. Once a replacement has been issued, the original PIN will be inactive.
TWU Fleet 520-991-9670
IAM Fleet 800-396-8481
TWU MLS and M&R 817-938-8787
IAM MLS and M&R 727-415-6628
Only the above phone numbers should be used for a replacement pin, if necessary, and will be available from 9:30am to 7:30pm Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, March 26.
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Mar 20, 2020 | Featured, Front Page, Home, Home, The Association, Uncategorized |
The TWU-IAM Association ///
March 19, 2020
Due to worsening circumstances surrounding the Coronavirus crisis in the United States, the TWU/IAM Association leadership has determined to make a change in the voting procedures for the ratification of the tentative Joint Collective Bargaining Agreements with American Airlines. This one-time change will convert the process from paper, in-person ballots to individual electronic voting.
This change will allow all eligible voters to cast a ballot in the ratification in a safe environment that is free of the threat of spreading the virus or becoming infected by it. Your safety is our top priority in this process.
The Association will utilize the same vendor for the process that is used by the National Mediation Board in their electronic representation elections, BALLOTPOINT. BALLOTPOINT will issue each voter a Personal Identification Number (PIN) by mail to their address on file with American Airlines. This mailing will include instructions of how each voter will use the BALLOTPOINT portal to vote.
BALLOTPOINT will also send an email to each voter’s American Airlines email account. Within that email will be the same PIN number sent by mail, along with voting instructions and a link to the BALLOTPOINT portal. A voter may sign on to their American Airlines email through JetNet on the day of the vote, open the BALLOTPOINT email, click on the link and be transferred to the secure portal for their voting purposes.
The email is being sent in case the PIN and voting instructions do not arrive by regular mail in time for you to vote.
Voting will be conducted beginning at 6:00 am Wednesday, March 25 and will conclude at 8:00 pm on Thursday, March 26.
This voting method is private and secure. Results of the vote will be provided to Association leadership promptly after the polls close and results will then be provided to our membership.
Questions should be directed to your local representatives.
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Mar 19, 2020 | Community Service Page, COVID, EAP, Featured, Front Page, Helping Hands, Home, Home, Uncategorized |
EAP Peer Coordinators:
Coronavirus has changed everything. All Airlines have experienced a severe drop off of load factors associated with reduced flying due to governmental flying restrictions.
This special edition addresses the situation by looking at how to cope with stress in this specific situation. I ask you to distribute the issue everywhere you believe it would benefit from the content.
We are facing unprecedented events – you are on the front lines and getting the brunt of this most difficult situation. Know that all of us – the regional representative, the airline coordinators and me are all available to talk through any situation. That is why we are here – to support you.
Thank you for supporting your co-workers while you and your family are facing the same uncertainty. One thing I do know – we will get through this – together. There has never been anything we have not been able to respond to and to find our way through! I am confident we will get through this.
Bryan,
Bryan Hutchinson, M.S.
Mar 18, 2020 | Airlines, American, Community Service Page, COVID, Featured, Front Page, Hawaiian, Home, Home, MNPL, Organizing, Philippine, Safety, Safety, Spirit, Uncategorized, United |
IAMAW District 141 /////
Sisters and Brothers,
In recent weeks, many of you have contacted your local union representatives, Assistant General Chairpersons or me directly to express your fears of possible pay cuts, furloughs or the likelihood of your carrier going bankrupt or completely out of business. You have good reasons to be concerned.
The airline industry is facing an existential threat from a global pandemic. The spread of the Coronavirus across continents has resulted in a decrease in demand for air travel by two-thirds worldwide, with at least one airline going out of business. For over two months, airline workers have worked on the front lines of the crisis, and you have adapted to reductions in flight schedules, last-minute policy changes, and have worried about how to best protect your personal health and safety. The worst part is the unease that comes from not seeing a clear end to this crisis.
As airlines announce more cuts in service, IAM General Vice President Sito Pantoja said today that “US carriers are contemplating further capacity cuts or shutting down operations altogether, which only a month ago was unimaginable.”
The President of the United States and members of Congress are discussing how they can best help the airline industry, which is the backbone of our nation’s economy. There are several ideas being considered, and we support any action that helps workers quickly and directly. As workers, we need to unite and say with a clear and strong voice that the need is great and immediate.
I urge you to call your representatives today at 202-224-3121 and ask them to take any action necessary to save our airline jobs.
Click here to send a message to your Federal Representatives:
Please act today to protect your job and those of thousands of airline workers and millions more who depend on our industry for their livelihoods. Many of you are applying for voluntary leaves and reductions in schedules, which shows how committed we are to get through this crisis together. I ask that we work with our elected officials to make sure no one gets left behind.
Thank you for your activism and solidarity.
Fraternally,
Mike Klemm
President and Directing General Chair,
District 141
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
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