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TWU/IAM ASSOCIATION M&R/MLS/MTS/MCT NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE CONTINUES CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

The Members of your TWU/IAM Association Negotiating Committee met the past two weeks in DFW and PHX to continue the discussions on proposed changes to the current Joint Collective Bargaining Agreements. The Committee fine-tuned their positions on numerous Articles, along with completing the arduous task of crafting proposed language on the majority of those Articles.

These last two weeks of discussions are part of a very vigorous meeting schedule that your Committee has set prior to the upcoming Section 6 negotiations with American Airlines. Over the course of the next several weeks we expect to conclude our preparations and then engage American in our quest to negotiate the best contract in our industry.

We want to thank you for all of the proposals that have been submitted, as they have helped guide our efforts to write proposals that our Members demand. Once again, we appreciate your patience and solidarity while we work to complete the necessary steps to prepare for negotiations for the new Collective Bargaining Agreements. As always, your support will be critical to your Negotiation Committee achieving its goals over the coming weeks and months.

Sincerely and fraternally,

Your Unified TWU/IAM Association Negotiation Committee

Rollie Reaves
International Representative
Transport Workers Union of America

John Coveny
President Directing General Chair
District 142 IAMAW

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TWU-IAM Association Negotiating Committee Begins Contract Discussions in Phoenix

January 20, 2024

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

The members of your TWU/IAM Association Negotiating Committee met in Phoenix the week of January 15, 2024, to start the discussions on proposed changes to the current Joint Collective Bargaining Agreements.

The committee began discussing their positions on various Articles that need to be addressed in the upcoming negotiations with American Airlines. We discussed negotiation procedures and formatting that we will use as the Association, issues with the grievance process, and possible changes to the contract to expedite this process.

In addition to those discussions, your committee has agreed to establish a very vigorous meeting schedule between the TWU and IAM to complete a total review of all proposals from our membership and to prepare to draft our proposals before Section 6 negotiations begin with American Airlines.

We thank you for your patience and solidarity while we work to complete the necessary steps to prepare for negotiations for new Joint Collective Bargaining Agreements. Your support will be critical to your Association achieving its goals over the coming weeks and months.

Sincerely and fraternally,

John M. Coveny, Jr.
President/Directing General Chair
IAM District 142

Rollie Reaves
International M&R Rep
TWU

Association M&R and MLS Negotiation Team Meets to Plan for 2024 Section Six Openers

In preparation for upcoming 2024 Section Six openers with the company, your M & R, and MLS TWU-IAM Association Negotiation Committee met in person for the first time at the new TWU Local 591 offices in Grapevine Texas.  The Committee discussed committee structure, subcommittee structure, Member input surveys, Member contract proposals, and upcoming scheduling dates for the Committee.

Your Association Negotiating Committee is committed to keeping you fully updated as preparations for negotiations continue.  Your support of your committee when negotiation begin, will guarantee that we will negotiate the industry leading contract we all deserve.

Fraternally,

M & R and MLS Negotiation Committee

AA Vaccine Mandate

October 22, 2021

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

The Association conducted a follow-up call today with American Airlines regarding the vaccine mandate.  The Company continues to work through the religious and medical accommodations submitted by the membership. Two items that we were informed of today include those members who have had Covid-19 recently and how they should handle being accommodated since they cannot get the vaccination at this time. Those members should put in for a medical exemption and request for a Covid-19 vaccine deferral until such time they can get vaccinated. The second question  answered was if there would be an exception for the 4-month requirement for the HCRA. The answer was no, the 4 months will not be waived and those members who may consider retiring within 4 months and want to utilize the HCRA option should put in for that as soon as possible. 

On a secondary point, not pertaining to vaccinations, the Association has notified the Company of our intent to arbitrate those areas of the attendance control policy that we believe are in conflict with the CBA.  We were not sent a copy of all the information members have been provided and have requested a meeting to discuss the policy in an effort to resolve the conflicts, where possible, in advance of arbitration.

As we learn any additional information, we will provide it accordingly.

The Association

NOT ENOUGH SUPPORT

The National Mediation Board dismissed the Aircraft Mechanic Fraternal Association’s (AMFA) application to conduct a representation election among mechanic and related workers at American Airlines. Last November the AMFA claimed a “representation dispute” existed among American Airlines mechanic and related workers in a filing at the NMB and that they had a majority of the necessary representational cards signed to call for an election. AMFA failed to have enough cards for a showing of interest and has failed in their raid of the maintenance and related membership.

“Once again AMFA’s divisive strategy of preying on the frustrations of our aircraft mechanic and maintenance related workers at American has failed. While we were in a vicious contract battle with American, AMFA organizers were selling snake oil to our members saying that we could not win our fight in delivering the industry’s best contract. But we did just that proving AMFA dead wrong. At the carriers AMFA represents, they continually fail in stopping the outsourcing of aircraft maintenance work” said TWU International Vice President and Air Division Director Gary Peterson.

IAM District 142 President Directing General Chair Dave Supplee added, “It’s time for us to focus on building upon the unity and solidarity that led our negotiating team to the industry leading contract that our maintenance and related members enjoy today. We see that AMFA has failed to deliver for years, just look at their dismal representation record after their raids at both Northwest and United. They made promises to members who voted for AMFA, and it cost too many of those workers their jobs. Look at AMFAs negotiations at Southwest, where after 7 years of negotiating they seemingly gained their members little more than back wages.”

The TWU- IAM Association is the largest union at American Airlines, representing over 30,000 groundworkers at the largest airline in the world.

In solidarity,

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