Brothers and Sisters,
I wanted to give a quick update as to what’s been happening in our cities lately. Now that all members have been recalled to their cities, the Executive Board is making plans to visit all locations. Baltimore and Charlotte are back with Local 510, with our members being recalled to those cities. The vaccination process is well underway and people seem eager to want to fly. Bookings are on the rise as headcount is being increased in most of our cities. We hope that this continues through the summer and beyond.
The new stimulus protects us until September 30th, so we can take a breath for now. There will be bumps in the road as we move forward. The Association continues to work on the memberships behalf to resolve issues that arise with the new contract. The designation of IAM cities and TWU cities may be a bit confusing, but we will work this out as well. We will continue to monitor headcount as American works through the VEOP and VLOA awards. We are glad to see several members take advantage of these programs and wish them well as they move on into retirement.
We all need to stay vigilant and wear our masks and social distance as we see light at the end of the tunnel. American is offering an extra day of vacation in 2022 and $50 to all members who get the Covid vaccination. We all take a chance every day we show up for work, so make sure to keep yourself safe and look out for your fellow members.
STAY TWU STRONG
UNITED INVINCIBLE
Kevin Sullivan
President Local 510
February 23, 2021
Sisters and Brothers,
This communication is being shared to address the concerns that will arise from the fact that the Fleet Service “Allocator” Arbitration was not heard today. We are all well aware of the challenges we face while dealing with this pandemic, but at the same time we have developed proper and safe methods to conduct a hearing like this and we believe this should have happened today. The information we have received regarding the arbitrator, Steven Crable, was that he was unable to conduct the hearing in person since he has not yet received his second Covid-19 shot. The Association had agreed in advance to an in-person arbitration, but also that if presenting the case in-person wasn’t a viable option, that video conferencing would be administered. It appears that the company insisted on the in-person ideology, with the arbitrator present with them and the Association presenting our case remotely. The company’s flawed arbitration philosophy is both completely unacceptable and will never be tolerated, since it would only work to their advantage.
We fully recognize just how important this issue is for our members and that this grievance will be presented and heard in an arbitration. We believe this move by the company is a complete overreach to gain ownership of covered work, which we will argue was never relinquished or negotiated from the Association. It is truly troublesome that a ratified agreement that is nearing its one-year anniversary is continuing to be renegotiated by some individuals in management who have changed positions and were not present at the bargaining table throughout negotiations. This issue, along with a few others, have placed some serious questions around the company’s integrity and understanding of bargaining in good faith; including their ability to understand what they actually agreed to. We will not allow the language in the ratified agreement to be trampled on or dismissed, simply because the carrier can’t accept the true meaning and true intent reached in negotiations. There are mechanisms of protection for our members in the agreement that must be upheld, even if it comes with added cost to the company.
The Association remains committed to supporting the membership and we will take all required steps necessary to fully represent the contract and the members covered by the agreement. We have constantly recognized and appreciated you, the members, for your support and understanding as we are forced to fight through the growing pains of a new contract. Rest assured, we will never give up fighting for our members’ contractual rights. We will always take the fight where it needs to go and to whom it needs to be with. The rescheduled date for this case to be heard is now March 30 & 31, 2021. The new date was proposed by the arbitrator to the Association and American. As more information is further known, it will be communicated to the membership.
February 8, 2021
American Airlines has informed the Association that it will again, be sending Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications (WARN Act notifications) to Association covered employees. This notice, which is required by law, will contain information indicating that American Airlines may furlough employees.
The company has also advised the Association that they will be offering another round of Short Term Voluntary Leaves of Absence (VLOA) or non-contractual Voluntary Separation (VEOP) to eligible members.
If the company furloughs again under Article 6, the Association will view all options regarding this matter. The company must follow Article 12 – Reduction in Force for specific details. As always, if you have any questions, please contact your local union representative.
Fraternally,
The Association Leadership Team
January 16, 2021
With the recent approval of the Payroll Support Program (PSP2), we have been working to make sure Association represented employees who were impacted in the October reductions are recalled in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreements. After several discussions with American Airlines management, your Association Leadership has been informed that, beginning Tuesday, January 19, 2021, notices for Article (6) preferential recall will be sent via FedEx to those members who were reduced, displaced, bumped or furloughed.
A few key highlights that members need to be aware of:
- This recall process was not a given and several hours were spent by the Association Leadership working to make sure all affected Association represented employees are recalled to their station in accordance with Article (6) of their Collective Bargaining Agreement where they had Station Protection.
- Association represented employees who were affected under Article (6) and have remained active may accept preferential recall under Article (6) or they may decline such offer and stay in their current status, classification and location. However, by declining, they will forfeit their Article (6) preferential recall for any future openings.
- Association represented employees who were affected under Article (6) and have accepted furlough will also receive preferential recall notices under Article (6). In some locations where furloughed members are being recalled, those furloughed members may choose a Voluntary Personal Leave of Absence (VPLOA), as described in the Collective Bargaining Agreements, where the Company determines the full recalled manpower is not operationally necessary. Such VPLOA is determined by the Company using Classification seniority of those who are recalled from furlough only.
- Association represented employees who were affected under Article (6) from the Mechanic and Related or Material Logistics Specialists agreements from FLL and SJU will not be recalled at this time and will remain in their current status and location since the Company has determined they do not intend to reopen those two locations at this time.
Association Local & District leaders were briefed on many of these recall details on a conference call yesterday afternoon; however, at that time we did not yet have the date recall notices would be sent out. Please contact these leaders with any questions you may have. We hope this information is helpful and want to thank our members for their solidarity and in welcoming all of these members back to their home stations.
TWU President Mike Quill introduces keynote speaker Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the national TWU Convention in 1961.
In 1961, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the TWU’s Constitutional Convention, “It is faith that keeps us going, and with this faith we will be able to adjourn the councils of despair and bring new light into the dark changers of pessimism, and then, on that new day, when that day comes, the fears of insecurity, the torments of frustration, and the doubts clouding our future, will be transformed into confidence, into excitement to reach new goals, and in which the brotherhood of man will be undergirded by secure and expanding prosperity available to all,” he said.
“This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to join hands, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual ‘Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at last.’”
Sixty years later, we continue to honor King’s legacy by doing everything possible to defend the livelihoods of the women and men of the Transport Workers Union.
