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Dear GO crewmembers:
Flight Attendants across the industry count you as family. We are inspired that you are voting to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and our labor movement.
We have power together! Organized through our unions, we can negotiate to share in the profits we create at our airlines. You have the commitment of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, 50,000 members strong at 19 airlines, to stand with you every step of the way to a successful vote and your first contract at JetBlue.
Make sure you have a plan to get your vote registered for the IAM before voting closes on February 1, 2023. The IAM is a great union and you have so much to gain with IAM membership. We can’t wait to celebrate with you and work together for our future.
Vote to gain the right to negotiate for a contract with protections in black and white. Executives wouldn’t agree to do their jobs without a negotiated contract that confirms their pay and benefits; we shouldn’t either. Management makes promises about taking care of employees and doing “the right thing” for them. Even if you take management at their word, we know executives come and go in this industry along with their word. That’s why eighty percent of airline workers have chosen the protection of a union contract. A legally binding contract provides certainty and enables us to own our work.
We don’t need to tell you what a difference frontline workers make for our airlines. We are owed the respect of a union contract for our valuable contributions. We are not motivated by golden parachutes that pay whether we perform our jobs well or not; we are moved by the pride we take in a job well done, the means to provide for our families, and the joy we feel when taking care of others.
Unions allow us to take care of each other. We use our collective power to negotiate fair wages, humane schedules, health and safety on the job, and all the benefits of a union contract.
There is so much that may seem out of our control today, but there is a lot that can change for the better if we recognize the power of standing together. Growing inequality and corporate greed needs to be put in check. And that’s exactly what we will do together. Think about the power we have together as aviation workers. We have more public contact than almost any other industry, and we are the backbone of the whole economy. That’s a lot of power if we choose to use it.
Choose to gain the power of joining together for a strong future at JetBlue by voting to join the IAM.
Always remember, we are Stronger and Better Together.
In Solidarity,
Sara Nelson,
International President,
Association of Flight Attendants
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
Dear GO crewmembers:
Flight Attendants across the industry count you as family. We are inspired that you are voting to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and our labor movement. We have power together! Organized through our unions, we can negotiate to share in the profits we create at our airlines. You have the commitment of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, 50,000 members strong at 19 airlines, to stand with you every step of the way to a successful vote and your first contract at JetBlue.
Make sure you have a plan to get your vote registered for the IAM before voting closes on February 1, 2023. The IAM is a great union and you have so much to gain with IAM membership. We can’t wait to celebrate with you and work together for our future.
Vote to gain the right to negotiate for a contract with protections in black and white. Executives wouldn’t agree to do their jobs without a negotiated contract that confirms their pay and benefits; we shouldn’t either. Management makes promises about taking care of employees and doing “the right thing” for them. Even if you take management at their word, we know executives come and go in this industry along with their word. That’s why eighty percent of airline workers have chosen the protection of a union contract. A legally binding contract provides certainty and enables us to own our work.
We don’t need to tell you what a difference frontline workers make for our airlines. We are owed the respect of a union contract for our valuable contributions. We are not motivated by golden parachutes that pay whether we perform our jobs well or not; we are moved by the pride we take in a job well done, the means to provide for our families, and the joy we feel when taking care of others.
Unions allow us to take care of each other. We use our collective power to negotiate fair wages, humane schedules, health and safety on the job, and all the benefits of a union contract.
There is so much that may seem out of our control today, but there is a lot that can change for the better if we recognize the power of standing together. Growing inequality and corporate greed needs to be put in check. And that’s exactly what we will do together. Think about the power we have together as aviation workers. We have more public contact than almost any other industry, and we are the backbone of the whole economy. That’s a lot of power if we choose to use it.
Choose to gain the power of joining together for a strong future at JetBlue by voting to join the IAM.
Always remember, we are Stronger and Better Together.
In Solidarity,
Sara Nelson,
International President,
Association of Flight Attendants
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2022 –The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has reached a two-year tentative agreement extension with McGee Air Services, an Alaska Airlines subsidiary, that will put over 2300 IAM members at McGee Air Services workers at one of the highest pay scale levels for airline operation vendors in the industry.
The IAM organized McGee Air Services in July 2016. The tentative agreement extension covers IAM members who work in Phoenix, AZ; San Jose, CA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; Oakland, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and Paine Field, WA.
If ratified by IAM members at McGee Air Services, the two-year extension would:
Read the complete highlights of the tentative agreement here.
IAM members at McGee Air Services will vote on the tentative agreements in the coming weeks. During that period, IAM representatives will also hold contract educational meetings at the McGee Air Services stations.
“The IAM’s tentative agreement was long overdue for our members who give so much to carry out the mission of McGee Air Services,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “This agreement came about after meeting and listening to our member’s concerns during station visits this year. IAM members’ ramp service work is vital in making Alaska Airlines one of the top-performing airlines.”
“Excellent way to close out the year by presenting an agreement extension called for by the membership,” said IAM District 142 President and Directing General Chair John Coveny. “Once again, our IAM leadership provided the necessary resources to help obtain a tentative agreement that will impact other companies similar to McGee Air Services. I appreciate the dedication of our IAM negotiating committee and the entire support staff for their work in getting improved wages and benefits. The next steps include meeting with the members to answer any questions about this agreement extension.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is one of the largest and most diverse industrial trade unions in North America, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2022 –The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has reached a two-year tentative agreement extension with McGee Air Services, an Alaska Airlines subsidiary, that will put over 2300 IAM members at McGee Air Services workers at one of the highest pay scale levels for airline operation vendors in the industry.
The IAM organized McGee Air Services in July 2016. The tentative agreement extension covers IAM members who work in Phoenix, AZ; San Jose, CA; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; Oakland, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and Paine Field, WA.
If ratified by IAM members at McGee Air Services, the two-year extension would:
Read the complete highlights of the tentative agreement here.
IAM members at McGee Air Services will vote on the tentative agreements in the coming weeks. During that period, IAM representatives will also hold contract educational meetings at the McGee Air Services stations.
“The IAM’s tentative agreement was long overdue for our members who give so much to carry out the mission of McGee Air Services,” said IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen. “This agreement came about after meeting and listening to our member’s concerns during station visits this year. IAM members’ ramp service work is vital in making Alaska Airlines one of the top-performing airlines.”
“Excellent way to close out the year by presenting an agreement extension called for by the membership,” said IAM District 142 President and Directing General Chair John Coveny. “Once again, our IAM leadership provided the necessary resources to help obtain a tentative agreement that will impact other companies similar to McGee Air Services. I appreciate the dedication of our IAM negotiating committee and the entire support staff for their work in getting improved wages and benefits. The next steps include meeting with the members to answer any questions about this agreement extension.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is one of the largest and most diverse industrial trade unions in North America, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
Justice at JetBlue
16 December 2022
IAM members at Southwest Airlines voted yesterday to approve an industry-leading contract.
The four-year contract provides for the below industry-best wage rates on 12/15/22. Thereafter, all pay rates at every step will increase by 3% every year to 12/15/26. Please check out where you would fall on the below pay scales and compare your pay with what IAM members at Southwest Airlines negotiated.
Southwest IAM members will also receive a signing bonus of $200 for each year of service, with a minimum of $1,000. For example, if you have 15 years of service, you will receive $3,000.
All MSEs are paid at double time. All part-time workers receive time and a half for all voluntary overtime up to 12 hours and double-time for any overtime hours worked in excess of 12 hours.
Any pick-up of another Crewmember’s mandatory overtime assignment will be paid at double-time as well.
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
16 December 2022
IAM members at Southwest Airlines voted yesterday to approve an industry-leading contract.
The four-year contract provides for the below industry-best wage rates on 12/15/22. Thereafter, all pay rates at every step will increase by 3% every year to 12/15/26. Please check out where you would fall on the below pay scales and compare your pay with what IAM members at Southwest Airlines negotiated.
Southwest IAM members will also receive a signing bonus of $200 for each year of service, with a minimum of $1,000. For example, if you have 15 years of service, you will receive $3,000.
All MSEs are paid at double time. All part-time workers receive time and a half for all voluntary overtime up to 12 hours and double-time for any overtime hours worked in excess of 12 hours.
Any pick-up of another Crewmember’s mandatory overtime assignment will be paid at double-time as well.
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
Safety
15 December 2022
Camdyn Harris, an Atlanta-based Fleet Service Worker at Delta Air Lines who was struck and crushed by a passing lav truck while guiding an aircraft into her gate, is alive and, while severely injured, is expected to recover. The incident happened on December 10, just after 6:00 in the evening.
Horrific video of the accident showed the ground agent standing behind gate C 36 at Hartsfield-Jackson. She was helping to provide a safe pathway for an approaching Boeing 717 aircraft. As the regional jet turns into the gate, the young ramp worker is suddenly struck from behind by a lav truck at near-full speed. The flat front grill of the vehicle threw her into the concrete, shattering bones in her face and causing other serious injuries. It also shows the truck’s rear tires passing over her body.
The video then shows the aircraft and the lav truck slamming their brakes. The truck operator then rushes out of his vehicle to attend to the fallen wing walker and several other people working nearby. A police report following the incident says that she was found “bleeding from the head but was stable” and that she was transported to nearby Grady Hospital. The police report goes on to say that the lav truck driver was “looking down at his assignment tablet” just before striking the ramp worker. Police cited him, his badge was confiscated, and he was escorted from the airport.
The tragic incident was a major topic at Machinists Union District 141 Safety Conference, held this year in Orlando. The Safety Conference brings front-line airline workers, members of airline management and other safety experts together each year to discuss ways to make airports safer places to work.
Her mother, Chanelle Harris, said those who rushed to her aid initially thought the teenage ramp worker had died. “Believed to be dead and without breath, she regained consciousness and was rushed to Grady Hospital in Atlanta,” her mother said. “Thank you, God, for sending my baby back to us.”
Her mother also said that Camdyn was facing a long recovery.
“Thankfully, her spine was left intact,” Harris said of her daughter’s injuries. “But Camdyn suffered many broken bones in her face, a fractured skull, and a serious concussion. She has had difficulty finding her words and remembering things since the incident. We pray for a full recovery, but know that it will be a long one that will require much love, attention and support,” she continued.
Her mother asked that the video be shown, hoping it would lead to safer working conditions at Delta and other airlines. Since first appearing on Twitter, it has quickly gone viral, having been picked up by local media outlets.
In a statement reported by Local News Outlet Fox News 5, Delta Air Lines sought to minimize the accident, stressing that Camdyn’s injuries were only “non-life-threatening.”
“Delta teams are fully investigating an accident involving an employee injury in Atlanta on Saturday evening, as nothing is more important than the safety of our people and our customers,” the message read. “The employee was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”
It’s unclear if Delta is resisting a workers’ compensation claim or offering other financial assistance to Camdyn or her family. Her mother has started a GoFundMe page to ask for help from the public. As of December 15, five days after the accident, the page had collected $1,247.
UPDATE: Donations to Camdyn Harris and her family have increased since this article was written. Donations have poured in from around the nation and will likely reach several thousand dollars by this weekend. Currently, more than $5,000 in donations have been made.
Camdyn Harris, a Delta Ramp Worker struck by a Lav Truck while guiding in an aircraft at ATL Airport.
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
15 December 2022
Camdyn Harris, an Atlanta-based Fleet Service Worker at Delta Air Lines who was struck and crushed by a passing lav truck while guiding an aircraft into her gate, is alive and, while severely injured, is expected to recover. The incident happened on December 10, just after 6:00 in the evening.
Horrific video of the accident showed the ground agent standing behind gate C 36 at Hartsfield-Jackson. She was helping to provide a safe pathway for an approaching Boeing 717 aircraft. As the regional jet turns into the gate, the young ramp worker is suddenly struck from behind by a lav truck at near-full speed. The flat front grill of the vehicle threw her into the concrete, shattering bones in her face and causing other serious injuries. It also shows the truck’s rear tires passing over her body.
The video then shows the aircraft and the lav truck slamming their brakes. The truck operator then rushes out of his vehicle to attend to the fallen wing walker and several other people working nearby. A police report following the incident says that she was found “bleeding from the head but was stable” and that she was transported to nearby Grady Hospital. The police report goes on to say that the lav truck driver was “looking down at his assignment tablet” just before striking the ramp worker. Police cited him, his badge was confiscated, and he was escorted from the airport.
Her mother, Chanelle Harris, said those who rushed to her aid initially thought the teenage ramp worker had died. “Believed to be dead and without breath, she regained consciousness and was rushed to Grady Hospital in Atlanta,” her mother said. “Thank you, God, for sending my baby back to us.”
Her mother also said that Camdyn was facing a long recovery. “Thankfully, her spine was left intact,” Harris said of her daughter’s injuries. “But Camdyn suffered many broken bones in her face, a fractured skull, and a serious concussion. She has had difficulty finding her words and remembering things since the incident. We pray for a full recovery, but know that it will be a long one that will require much love, attention and support,” she continued.
The tragic incident was a major topic at Machinists Union District 141 Safety Conference, held this year in Orlando. The Safety Conference brings front-line airline workers, members of airline management and other safety experts together each year to discuss ways to make airports safer places to work.
Her mother asked that the video be shown, hoping it would lead to safer working conditions at Delta and other airlines. Since first appearing on Twitter, it has quickly gone viral, having been picked up by local media outlets.
In a statement reported by Local News Outlet Fox News 5, Delta Air Lines sought to minimize the accident, stressing that Camdyn’s injuries were only “non-life-threatening.”
“Delta teams are fully investigating an accident involving an employee injury in Atlanta on Saturday evening, as nothing is more important than the safety of our people and our customers,” the message read. “The employee was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”
It’s unclear if Delta is resisting a workers’ compensation claim or offering other financial assistance to Camdyn or her family. Her mother has started a GoFundMe page to ask for help from the public. As of December 15, five days after the accident, the page had collected $1,247.
UPDATE: Donations to Camdyn Harris and her family have increased since this article was written. Donations have poured in from around the nation and will likely reach several thousand dollars by this weekend. Currently, more than $5,000 in donations have been made.
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
Justice at JetBlue
14 December 2022
In a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing yesterday, JetBlue Airways announced that CEO Robin Hayes’ CONTRACT has been extended two years to 2025.
At the same time, JetBlue management, under Hayes’ direction, has put on a full-court press to convince GO Crewmembers that we don’t need a CONTRACT.
Management says that the “direct relationship” is good enough for us. If a legally binding CONTRACT is good for Mr. Hayes, then why isn’t it good for us? Why doesn’t Robin trust the “direct relationship” with the Board of Directors when it comes to his salary, benefits, and working conditions? Why doesn’t Robin just accept what the Board of Directors offers him without having the right to negotiate?
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
14 December 2022
In a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing yesterday, JetBlue Airways announced that CEO Robin Hayes’ CONTRACT has been extended two years, to 2025.
At the same time, JetBlue management, under Hayes’ direction, has put on a full court press to convince GO Crewmembers that we don’t need a CONTRACT. Management says that the “direct relationship” is good enough for us.
If a legally binding CONTRACT is good for Mr. Hayes, then why isn’t it good for us? Why doesn’t Robin trust the “direct relationship” with the Board of Directors when it comes to his salary, benefits and working conditions? Why doesn’t Robin just accept what the Board of Directors offers him without having the right to negotiate?
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
Union members at United Airlines turn their backs on Scott Kirby at the airlines’ board meeting in Houston.
IAM141.org
7 December 2022
Over three hundred United Airlines pilots, fleet and customer service workers, stores agents, and flight attendants picketed at the upscale Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Houston on Wednesday, where United Airlines held a board meeting with top executives.
Over three hundred United Airlines pilots, fleet service workers, and flight attendants picketed at the upscale Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Houston on Wednesday, where United Airlines held a board meeting with top executives. The demonstration comes as United executives demand that unions grant them the power to outsource employees, a move that all unions at the airline have flatly rejected.
It also comes amid the holiday travel season, when air traffic snarls can damage an airline’s reputation with travelers.
The Airline Pilots Association took the lead in organizing the event, which drew members from The Machinists Union, and the Association of Flight Attendants, and the Gulf Coast AFL-CIO, among other labor groups.
CEO Scott Kirby attempted to meet with the unions, who had gathered in orderly lines encircling the hotel where executives were meeting. He emerged from the Grand Foyer at the luxury hotel’s entrance, which charges room prices as high as $5,000 per night, to the sight of hundreds of union members holding signs and silently marching along the sidewalk. Some of the signs read, “United Divided,” “Contract Now,” and “We Made United $1 Billion This Summer.”
Kirby made a few attempts at friendly banter with the pilots, promising that a contract would be locked in “very soon.” To the ramp workers, he said that there was “a single issue that was holding up the negotiations,” and that the Machinists Union was refusing to discuss the issue. He went on to say, “I can’t talk about it directly, but if we had an event like the COVID pandemic hit us again, we could face devastating consequences.”
Yet, the chances of Congress allowing the collapse of any major airline, let alone the entire commercial aviation industry, is remote.
During the pandemic, Kirby attempted to furlough thousands of fleet and customer service agents by reducing their hours from full-time to part-time. This was after accepting its share of $54 billion in funding from taxpayers to cover its entire payroll. In exchange for the funding, Kirby promised to retain the airline’s entire workforce in order to preserve the nation’s air infrastructure. He was forced to reverse course after unions took the matter to lawmakers, who in turn pressured the airline to keep its word. Kirby also signed off on a scheme to encourage mass retirements by dangling the promise of lucrative payouts to new retirees. The sharp cuts in the airline’s workforce resulted in staff shortages and delays as the pandemic waned and air travel returned.
In response to Kirby’s attempts to meet the picketing unions, the unions turned their backs on the CEO, who said, “won’t you please at least acknowledge that I’m addressing you?” The union members did not respond, instead continuing to stand silently at attention with their backs to Kirby.
“United proudly announced that the carrier just had its third-best Thanksgiving ever,” said Machinists Union District President Mike Klemm, who attended the picket but who refused to meet with Kirby. “IAM members ensured almost 3 million customers could connect with family and friends during the Thanksgiving holiday. And how does United thank us? They refuse to protect our jobs and pay us what we’re worth,’ he continued.
In a statement to union members, Klemm said that the offers Kirby was making were “disgraceful,” and went far beyond wages.
“United management’s refusal to provide acceptable job security and wage rates for IAM-represented workers is unacceptable and disgraceful,” he said. IAM members at United Airlines have spoken loudly and clearly that the issues of wages and job security are paramount to any acceptable tentative agreement.”
Machinist Union Air transport Territory General Vice President Richie Jonsen, along with his Chief of Staff Edison Fraser both attended the events today to show support for the movement. Johnson, who has spearheaded the creation of a labor coalition at Delta Airlines, today announced a similar move at United.
Johnsen announced that every union at United Airlines was forming an alliance to build historic power for frontline workers as four of the five unions at the carrier were locked in contentious negotiations.
“The 78,000 people who make United fly have more than earned our fair share of the profits we create,” the joint statement from the five unions read. “We still feel the sacrifices of bankruptcy, the squeeze of the merger, and the extreme challenges of the pandemic. At every turn, we did our jobs, and we’ve fought hard for a bright future at United Airlines,” the statement continued.
“Today is that day. Together, our unions form the United Airlines Union Coalition to coordinate closely on bargaining and other issues. None of us can do our jobs without each other. We have each other’s backs in bargaining, and will stand together until we have ratified contracts that reflect the world-class airline United should be.
“We will coordinate in this round of bargaining and we will stand together for our future too. We are United.”
.
Important Letter from the United Labor Coalition Just over one year ago, the United Airlines Labor Coalition raised its concern over United’s codeshare agreement with Emirates Airlines, based partly on accounts of unfair labor practices and employee intimidation in...
Unruly Woman Fined $40,000PHOENIX - Cayla Farris, a passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu on February 13, 2022, has been ordered by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to pay $38,952 in restitution to the airline.Unruly Woman...
Strength Through Solidarity: Grievance Committee Members Convene in PhiladelphiaPHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of Grievance Committee Members from the Machinists Union gathered in Philadelphia to discuss the future of work in the airline industry. Strength Through...
7 December 2022
Over three hundred United Airlines pilots, fleet service workers, and flight attendants picketed at the upscale Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Houston on Wednesday, where United Airlines held a board meeting with top executives.
Over three hundred United Airlines pilots, fleet service workers, and flight attendants picketed at the upscale Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Houston on Wednesday, where United Airlines held a board meeting with top executives. The demonstration comes as United executives demand that unions grant them the power to outsource employees, a move that all unions at the airline have flatly rejected.
It also comes amid the holiday travel season, when air traffic snarls can damage an airline’s reputation with travelers.
The Airline Pilots Association took the lead in organizing the event, which drew members from The Machinists Union, and the Association of Flight Attendants, and the Gulf Coast AFL-CIO, among other labor groups.
CEO Scott Kirby attempted to meet with the unions, who had gathered in orderly lines encircling the hotel where executives were meeting. He emerged from the Grand Foyer at the luxury hotel’s entrance, which charges room prices as high as $5,000 per night, to the sight of hundreds of union members holding signs and silently marching along the sidewalk. Some of the signs read, “United Divided,” “Contract Now,” and “We Made United $1 Billion This Summer.”
Kirby made a few attempts at friendly banter with the pilots, promising that a contract would be locked in “very soon.” To the ramp workers, he said that there was “a single issue that was holding up the negotiations,” and that the Machinists Union was refusing to discuss the issue. He went on to say, “I can’t talk about it directly, but if we had an event like the COVID pandemic hit us again, we could face devastating consequences.”
Yet, the chances of Congress allowing the collapse of any major airline, let alone the entire commercial aviation industry, is remote.
During the pandemic, Kirby attempted to furlough thousands of fleet and customer service agents by reducing their hours from full-time to part-time. This was after accepting its share of $54 billion in funding from taxpayers to cover its entire payroll. In exchange for the funding, Kirby promised to retain the airline’s entire workforce in order to preserve the nation’s air infrastructure. He was forced to reverse course after unions took the matter to lawmakers, who in turn pressured the airline to keep its word. Kirby also signed off on a scheme to encourage mass retirements by dangling the promise of lucrative payouts to new retirees. The sharp cuts in the airline’s workforce resulted in staff shortages and delays as the pandemic waned and air travel returned.
In response to Kirby’s attempts to meet the picketing unions, the unions turned their backs on the CEO, who said, “won’t you please at least acknowledge that I’m addressing you?” The union members did not respond, instead continuing to stand silently at attention with their backs to Kirby.
“The 78,000 people who make United fly have more than earned our fair share of the profits we create,” the joint statement from the five unions read. “We still feel the sacrifices of bankruptcy, the squeeze of the merger, and the extreme challenges of the pandemic. At every turn, we did our jobs and we’vefought hard for a bright future at United Airlines,” the statement continued.
“Today is that day. Together, our unions form the United Airlines Union Coalition to coordinate closely on bargaining and other issues. None of us can do our jobs without each other. We have each other’s backs in negotiation and will stand together until we have ratified contracts that reflect the world-class airline United should be.
“We will coordinate in this round of bargaining and we will stand together for our future too. We are United.”
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