Flight Attendants from United, Continental and Continental Micronesia airlines today elected the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) to be their union at the new United. The merger brings new opportunities and the conclusion of this election sets the stage for Flight Attendants to unify and become full participants in the benefits of the merger.
“United Airlines Flight Attendants built our profession starting with the first union contract 65 years ago and they will once again lead the industry,” said Veda Shook, AFA International President. “This election is an historic moment for AFA and our profession. As we welcome our colleagues from Continental and Continental Micronesia, our combined strength is greater than ever and we are poised to make significant strides for Flight Attendants and their families.”
“United Flight Attendants are energized and ready for our future,” stated Greg Davidowitch, AFA president at United Airlines. “We will negotiate for the priorities set by today’s Flight Attendant as we maximize our leverage to set the highest standards at the world’s leading airline. Flight Attendants are dedicated to ensuring a successful merger and fully participating in its benefits.”
“Our profession is unique and I am proud to become a member of the union that is responsible for shaping the career I love,” said Frank Brown, Continental Flight Attendant. “From this moment forward, we are no longer Flight Attendants from different unions, we are Flight Attendants in AFA, the Flight Attendant’s union. There is no limit to what we can accomplish by standing together.”
AFA was elected with 55.1% of the vote. While waiting for the election results to be certified by the NMB, AFA has initiated transition plans for representing Continental and Continental Micronesia Flight Attendants. A temporary representation structure for Continental and Continental Micronesia Flight Attendants will be put in place as AFA immediately initiates the process for membership election of union officers.
Source:
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Turtles Invade JFK (Slow News Day)
NEW YORK (AP) -- A runway at John F. Kennedy International Airport was shut down briefly Wednesday morning after at least 78 turtles emerged from a nearby bay and crawled onto the tarmac.
Ground crews eventually rounded up the wayward reptiles and deposited them back in the brackish water farther from airport property, but not before the incident disrupted JFK's flight schedule and contributed to delays that reached nearly 1 1/2 hours.
"Apparently, this is something the tower has experienced before," said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters. "I guess it's the season for spawning."
The invasion began unfolding, slowly, at around 8:30 a.m., when an American Eagle flight crew reported seeing three turtles while taxiing out for departure. Before long, a chorus of pilots was radioing the tower to report turtles either on the end of a runway that juts out into the water, or approaching on the grass.
The FAA halted flights for about 12 minutes shortly before 9 a.m. while some of the turtles were cleared away, then quit using the runway entirely after getting new reports of "massive numbers" of turtles on the tarmac, Peters said.
Source.
Ground crews eventually rounded up the wayward reptiles and deposited them back in the brackish water farther from airport property, but not before the incident disrupted JFK's flight schedule and contributed to delays that reached nearly 1 1/2 hours.
"Apparently, this is something the tower has experienced before," said Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Jim Peters. "I guess it's the season for spawning."
The invasion began unfolding, slowly, at around 8:30 a.m., when an American Eagle flight crew reported seeing three turtles while taxiing out for departure. Before long, a chorus of pilots was radioing the tower to report turtles either on the end of a runway that juts out into the water, or approaching on the grass.
The FAA halted flights for about 12 minutes shortly before 9 a.m. while some of the turtles were cleared away, then quit using the runway entirely after getting new reports of "massive numbers" of turtles on the tarmac, Peters said.
Source.
Friday, June 24, 2011
NMB Update
The Mediation Board has assigned Jim Mackenzie as the mediator for United Airlines and the IBT that represent the mechanics and related. Case number A-13605, here is MR. Mackenzie’s bio.
Jock
Jim Mackenzie joined the National Mediation Board as a Mediator in March, 2009. In this capacity, he serves as a mediator in Airline and Railroad cases.
Prior to joining the NMB, Jim completed 31 years as a commercial pilot for a number of major airlines, retiring from Northwest Airlines in 2006 as an Airbus Captain. Following retirement, Jim was a Captain B-777/787 Instructor pilot for Alteon, a Boeing Company and an aviation consultant.
Jim’s labor relations experience included 30 years working in various positions for the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). During his career with the airlines, Jim served as Chairman of the NWA Pilot Retirement and Insurance Committee and was successful in maintaining the pilots defined benefit plan though Congressional legislation. In addition, he gained bankruptcy and workout experience serving as a member of the NWA Unsecured Creditors Committee. His extensive labor relations experience also includes being elected to the Master Executive Council of Braniff International Airlines, Co-Chairman of the Peoplexpress Pilot Merger Committee and serving on various ALPA committees at the local and national level. In addition, he served as President of the Board of Directors of the Air Line Pilots Mutual Aid Association, which provided disability benefits for all ALPA pilots.
Jim’s military career with the United States Navy included 5 years flying the A-4 Skyhawk on active duty in the Western Pacific and 9 years in the Reserves as an adversary pilot.
Jim is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Source:
http://www.nmb.gov/activ-rpts/od.html#1
http://www.nmb.gov/directory/dirmed.html
Jock
Jim Mackenzie joined the National Mediation Board as a Mediator in March, 2009. In this capacity, he serves as a mediator in Airline and Railroad cases.
Prior to joining the NMB, Jim completed 31 years as a commercial pilot for a number of major airlines, retiring from Northwest Airlines in 2006 as an Airbus Captain. Following retirement, Jim was a Captain B-777/787 Instructor pilot for Alteon, a Boeing Company and an aviation consultant.
Jim’s labor relations experience included 30 years working in various positions for the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). During his career with the airlines, Jim served as Chairman of the NWA Pilot Retirement and Insurance Committee and was successful in maintaining the pilots defined benefit plan though Congressional legislation. In addition, he gained bankruptcy and workout experience serving as a member of the NWA Unsecured Creditors Committee. His extensive labor relations experience also includes being elected to the Master Executive Council of Braniff International Airlines, Co-Chairman of the Peoplexpress Pilot Merger Committee and serving on various ALPA committees at the local and national level. In addition, he served as President of the Board of Directors of the Air Line Pilots Mutual Aid Association, which provided disability benefits for all ALPA pilots.
Jim’s military career with the United States Navy included 5 years flying the A-4 Skyhawk on active duty in the Western Pacific and 9 years in the Reserves as an adversary pilot.
Jim is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Source:
http://www.nmb.gov/activ-rpts/od.html#1
http://www.nmb.gov/directory/dirmed.html
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Stewards,
A football player visiting from the University of New Mexico last Thursday was taken into custody at SFO after refusing to pull up his sagging pants. According to news sources, "There was a passenger on the aircraft that had boarded with his pants down around his knees showing his underwear." SF Police Sgt. Michael Rodriguez, "One of the flight attendants on that aircraft was offended by the fact that she could see the outline of his private area."
The US Airways flight attendant asked the passenger to pull up his pants but he refused, then the plane's Captain got involved, and finally the police. In the process of removing him from the aircraft a scuffle with police ensued, and the matter was escalated. I don’t know about you, but I already have a hard enough time blocking out the thoughts of what I know about the seats without having to imagine passengers rubbing their Calvin Klein’s all over them. Some people just will not do what is best for them, even when it is the simple act of pulling up their pants. Moving on….
The big move now is in getting back to the table as soon as possible. The unfortunate news flash for some is we find ourselves in a merger situation and the mechanics from the other airline have an active rewarding contract that continues until December 31, 2012. For many of us it is a no brainer that the company saves money each and every day we are without improvements to our own contract. The others need to get a clue.
United, as was expected, is doing everything possible to take advantage of this “green time” and will not enter talks until they absolutely have too. With this in mind, UAL exercised their lawful right to invoke mediation. This move seriously stalls our negotiating process and was the main reason we side stepped mediation as long as we did. Regardless of how you voted, the fact remains we were able to return a tentative agreement to the membership well in advance of any of the other group at UAL that have been stuck in mediation for nearly two years.
In an effort to help eat up time on the CAL agreement, the company has also petitioned that when we do meet in mediation, we proceed directly to formal discussions to combine the two agreements. United’s open agreement and Continentals active. To do what the company wants is known as the amalgamation process. The two contracts differ greatly, and under this scenario of amalgamation talks, we would be forced to create a combined committee of UAL and CAL Mechanics. We would then have to come to an agreement within ourselves, and finally sit down with the company and start again with page one for a brand new contract. Our guess is the company will use CAL language as the maximum ceiling for those negotiations and the prediction here is for a very lengthy process.
Our rejection of the contract puts us squarely in to the grasp of the Company as explained by a Reuters news article released yesterday. This article ran with the sub title; U.S. airlines, determined to keep their grip on recovery, will at best allow unions in contract negotiations to take back only part of what they gave up in concessions during restructuring. The basis of the piece as the article states, “carriers are relentless about cost control, capacity reduction, and liquidity.” They are tightening their rule to see that it does not get away. You can read the article for yourself by going to Reuters.com or http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/17/uk-airlines-labor-idUSLNE75G03Q20110617
What now? The IBT leadership has always acted in the unselfish and best interest of our members and we will continue to do so. The Union has opposed the Company’s request that the UAL mediation take place on an amalgamated foundation, and has argued that the agency must proceed with mediation on a single contract basis involving only the UAL mechanics. We are also urging the company, and the NMB to address only those differences that we believe resulted in a failed contract. Our hope is to enter into an agreement providing reasonable and interim improvements before the expected lengthy amalgamation process really has to begin.
Our Achilles heel is in the members among our ranks who support and act on behalf of the other two failed groups who will not let go of the past and who will do anything to acquire personal gains. The distorted and misinformation being put out by them does nothing other than spread fear and doubt in the minds of those members who refuse to take a more careful approach and interest in their own future. Any member who spent just a little bit of time comparing our old contract with the new, as it applies in today’s reality in the economic market, would have seen the extreme risks in voting this down. Unfortunately, you have groups and individuals like Joe Prisco with the mechanics for change, and GT Davis who at every turn deceive and mislead our group. Why?
I wrote a while back about the dangers of selfishly and irresponsibly posting premature reports, and adding personal judgment to this information. I generically accused that person of being a dumb ass. I need to apologize to the generality of my remark; I learned from Denver Mechanics that the dumbass I described in my editorial was none other than GT Davis. It is my thought that GT conspired with one of the former negotiators (Ramon) from Denver to see this contract, and Union fail at any and all cost. Even if it meant putting members once again on the shelf, and stalling a much needed raise in pay.
We all need to remember that bigots like GT have interest only in disrupting and causing unbalance to any organization. He did the same to the last two groups, and will continue with this one without ever standing up and taking responsibility for his actions. It is a fool that follows his cue, and who will not exercise free thought and simple reasoning.
This was not supposed to end with GT, but quite frankly I am done puking in a bag. I am tired of being sick about the ignorance of some of our membership and the agony they create. It is time to fight back and hold those who cause dissention and hatred in our jobs accountable for their trickery. GT, pull your pants up, quite playing your game at self importance, and let us get back to work. We have all spent way too much time on you and your antics. Your attempt at self amusement is hurting all UAL Mechanics.
~Dave Saucedo – Chief Steward, Seattle MM
Friday, June 17, 2011
UAL Mechanics and Related Update: NMB Mediation
The Airline Division reached out to the NMB today and learned that the NMB has taken the Company’s and the Union’s positions regarding amalgamated mediation under advisement, and that it will provide the parties with an answer once it makes a decision. The Union has opposed the Company’s request that the UAL mediation take place on an amalgamated basis, and has argued that the agency must proceed with the mediation on a single contract basis involving only the UAL mechanics and related.
Additionally, as Airline Division Director Captain David Bourne had predicted, the NMB has set a mediation schedule that will not commence until much later this year. The NMB has advised that it will conduct its initial conference with the parties in November, 2011, and will set formal mediation dates to start thereafter. The Airline Division is extremely disappointed but not at all surprised with the NMB’s scheduling order, and will be using all means necessary to accelerate this schedule. To that end, the Airline Division and the UAL Local Union Principal Officers are establishing, an action committee to develop strategies in coordination with the membership to persuade the NMB to set an expedited mediation schedule.
Fatigue Study
In an ongoing effort to continue to improve our safety, working conditions and quality of life, the Teamsters Aviation Mechanics Coalition, (TAMC) is urging you to participate in the Aviation Maintenance Industry Fatigue Benchmark Study. The anonymous online survey is hosted by the University of Illinois to collect data on maintenance technician work practices and operational conditions related to work and duty patterns across the industry. This information is being collected as part of an ongoing effort by the FAA/Industry Maintenance Fatigue Working Group. The TAMC and Airline Division are working to ensure that we are a part of this Working Group.
Your responses will be anonymous and confidential. Neither your organization nor the FAA will see your individual responses. The survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
To enter the survey, please click here: http://surveys.scisms.com/s3/tm060u2f
If the above link is not highlighted in your email client, please cut and paste the address into your web browser.
If you have any questions about this study, please feel free to contact:
Russ Leighton
Aviation Safety Coordinator
Teamsters Airline Division
Office: (800) 294-1224 ext. 6615
OR
TAMC Steering Committee, UAL
Dave Saucedo
Email: dsaucedo@teamsters986.org
Your responses will be anonymous and confidential. Neither your organization nor the FAA will see your individual responses. The survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete.
To enter the survey, please click here: http://surveys.scisms.com/s3/tm060u2f
If the above link is not highlighted in your email client, please cut and paste the address into your web browser.
If you have any questions about this study, please feel free to contact:
Russ Leighton
Aviation Safety Coordinator
Teamsters Airline Division
Office: (800) 294-1224 ext. 6615
OR
TAMC Steering Committee, UAL
Dave Saucedo
Email: dsaucedo@teamsters986.org
Monday, June 13, 2011
Mediation Board Update, June 13,2011
Click here is see the letter that was sent from Captain Bourne to the National Mediation Board in response to United Airlines' application for mediation service.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Request for Federal Mediation
Attached is a copy of the letter I received yesterday from Doug McKeen, on behalf of UAL. As you will note, upon notice of the vote results that rejected the transition Tentative Agreement, UAL filed a request for Federal Mediation and has opted to proceed directly to mediated talks for a single, combined contract for UAL and CAL mechanics. The letter requesting mediation is also attached.
This morning we were notified that the NMB has agreed to UAL’s request and placed us in mediation. While we are disappointed that UAL has chosen to move directly to mediation instead of returning to the bargaining table, it is a reality that we have no choice but to accept mediation. Under the RLA, both the union and management have the right unilaterally to request mediation at any time in the process and based upon the rejection of the Tentative Agreement, UAL made the determination to move to that process.
I want to be perfectly clear here. We do not have the option to reject mediation; we are legally required to participate. Because mediation has no specific time limits, there is no way to determine how long the process will take to complete. This does not mean, however, that we agree with the Company’s effort to push for an immediate amalgamation of the United and Continental contracts. As we explained during the road shows, the company has pushed hard for an immediate amalgamation since the merger became effective last fall. We have resisted that effort. The fact that the company has invoked mediation, however, will make our efforts to resist an all-in-one amalgamation much more difficult and, all likelihood, time consuming.
As you know from our communications, meetings and road shows, this was the situation we wanted to avoid at all cost, because we were aware of the risk of mediation. While the goal of the tentative agreement was to provide you pay raises, job security and a higher starting point for an improved amalgamated agreement; under mediation your current agreement will remain effective until a new agreement is reached. The timeline for this process as I noted above is unknown; past history tells us we are looking at an extended period of time, possibly three to five years.
While we believe that the outcome of the vote was not in our collective best interest, we will continue to work diligently with the negotiators to craft the best contract possible for you and, in the shortest time possible.
Sincerely,
David P. Bourne, Director
Teamsters Airline Division
This morning we were notified that the NMB has agreed to UAL’s request and placed us in mediation. While we are disappointed that UAL has chosen to move directly to mediation instead of returning to the bargaining table, it is a reality that we have no choice but to accept mediation. Under the RLA, both the union and management have the right unilaterally to request mediation at any time in the process and based upon the rejection of the Tentative Agreement, UAL made the determination to move to that process.
I want to be perfectly clear here. We do not have the option to reject mediation; we are legally required to participate. Because mediation has no specific time limits, there is no way to determine how long the process will take to complete. This does not mean, however, that we agree with the Company’s effort to push for an immediate amalgamation of the United and Continental contracts. As we explained during the road shows, the company has pushed hard for an immediate amalgamation since the merger became effective last fall. We have resisted that effort. The fact that the company has invoked mediation, however, will make our efforts to resist an all-in-one amalgamation much more difficult and, all likelihood, time consuming.
As you know from our communications, meetings and road shows, this was the situation we wanted to avoid at all cost, because we were aware of the risk of mediation. While the goal of the tentative agreement was to provide you pay raises, job security and a higher starting point for an improved amalgamated agreement; under mediation your current agreement will remain effective until a new agreement is reached. The timeline for this process as I noted above is unknown; past history tells us we are looking at an extended period of time, possibly three to five years.
While we believe that the outcome of the vote was not in our collective best interest, we will continue to work diligently with the negotiators to craft the best contract possible for you and, in the shortest time possible.
Sincerely,
David P. Bourne, Director
Teamsters Airline Division
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
United Airlines Files for Mediation
Here is United's response to the letter David Bourne sent last week requesting to return to the table.
P. Douglas McKeen
Senior Vice President
Labor Relations
The United Building, 77 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601
June 7, 2011
David D. Bourne
Director, Airline Division
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
25 Louisiana, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Dear David:
Thank you for your letter of June 3. I regret to hear that the Tentative Agreement reached by the union negotiating committee and United has not been ratified. I, too, believe that it is in the best interests of all involved to resolve the labor agreement issues on an expedited basis.
To that end, the Company has decided to request the mediation services of the National Mediation Board for a single amalgamated collective bargaining agreement covering the IBT-represented mechanics at both subsidiaries, United and Continental (including CMI). We believe that use of the NMB's services in this manner is the best way to achieve a mutually acceptable agreement on a fair and expedited basis. We particularly believe that seeking an amalgamated agreement will be a constructive and positive approach, given the completion of the merger and integration of the subsidiaries that has occurred and will continue.
We intend to ask the NMB to set mediation dates as soon as possible. We hope to hear from the NMB soon regarding available dates.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
P. Douglas McKeen
Official Letter Click Here
P. Douglas McKeen
Senior Vice President
Labor Relations
The United Building, 77 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601
June 7, 2011
David D. Bourne
Director, Airline Division
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
25 Louisiana, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Dear David:
Thank you for your letter of June 3. I regret to hear that the Tentative Agreement reached by the union negotiating committee and United has not been ratified. I, too, believe that it is in the best interests of all involved to resolve the labor agreement issues on an expedited basis.
To that end, the Company has decided to request the mediation services of the National Mediation Board for a single amalgamated collective bargaining agreement covering the IBT-represented mechanics at both subsidiaries, United and Continental (including CMI). We believe that use of the NMB's services in this manner is the best way to achieve a mutually acceptable agreement on a fair and expedited basis. We particularly believe that seeking an amalgamated agreement will be a constructive and positive approach, given the completion of the merger and integration of the subsidiaries that has occurred and will continue.
We intend to ask the NMB to set mediation dates as soon as possible. We hope to hear from the NMB soon regarding available dates.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
P. Douglas McKeen
Official Letter Click Here
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Proposed Contract for United Airlines Mechanics and Related Rejected
MEMORANDUM
TO: All Local Unions with Members Employed as Mechanics and Related at
United Airlines
FROM: Captain David Bourne, Director, Teamsters Airline Division
DATE: June 2, 2011
Proposed Contract for United Airlines Mechanics and Related Rejected
The mechanics and related working at United Airlines have rejected the tentative agreement reached earlier this spring with the company. More than 87 percent of the members voted in the secret ballot vote. The members have directed us to return to the bargaining table with the company. We will discuss the vote results with the local leadership shortly and will indeed return to the negotiating table to attempt to secure even greater improvements than what were contained in this tentative agreement. We anticipate getting back to the table within the next several weeks.
Official Letter Click Here
TO: All Local Unions with Members Employed as Mechanics and Related at
United Airlines
FROM: Captain David Bourne, Director, Teamsters Airline Division
DATE: June 2, 2011
Proposed Contract for United Airlines Mechanics and Related Rejected
The mechanics and related working at United Airlines have rejected the tentative agreement reached earlier this spring with the company. More than 87 percent of the members voted in the secret ballot vote. The members have directed us to return to the bargaining table with the company. We will discuss the vote results with the local leadership shortly and will indeed return to the negotiating table to attempt to secure even greater improvements than what were contained in this tentative agreement. We anticipate getting back to the table within the next several weeks.
Official Letter Click Here
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