TWU LOCAL 501 PRESIDENT UPDATE
Brothers & Sisters,
On behalf of your TWU Local 501 Executive Board, we hope All of our Members had a wonderful 4th of July. We also wish that everyone enjoys and appreciates life, and all that it has to offer this summer with family and friends during your free time.
As for a few topics pertaining to the job: Your Executive Board to the best of our abilities will continue to protect our members jobs and working conditions with robust representation. We also encourage our members to always work together with Integrity.
On May 21, 2019 at an LGA Town Hall meeting, Robert Isom committed to the TWU that he would send Company Negotiators back to the bargaining table. As of today, the Association has been ignored upon their request to the company that Robert Isom be held to his word.
On July 1st, 2019, the Association was in federal court defending our members against charges by American Airlines that OUR members were engaged in activities not permitted under the Railway Labor Act. Isn’t it a shame that the company chooses to be in a court room instead of Negotiating with us on a JCBA. It’s also a shame that American has accused ALL of the Association members with frivolous charges when they know just how hard our members work every day and night.
We are far away from the days American Airlines promised to share the pain and the gain! A ruling by the Federal Court in the Northern District of Texas is expected within 30 days.
The Temporary Restraining Order remains in effect until a further ruling by the court. The TRO dated June 14th, 2019 can be read on our TWU International, Association and Local 501 websites/face book pages and on our Local 501 Union bulletin boards at all of our stations and shops.
Compliance with the TRO- Temporary Restraining Order is absolutely required!
On the topic of Re-Staffing Philadelphia: On June 20th, 2019 in Philadelphia TWU Local 501, the International, IAM Representatives, Labor relations, and Philadelphia management conducted a meeting with employees on the TWU FSC Philadelphia Re-Call List.
This Re-Staffing is under a signed letter of Agreement made on April 10th, 2019 by the TWU International, IAM Leadership and American. As of today, the same type of agreement is still in the works for the Philadelphia Re-Staffing of our TWU Title 2 Re-Call List.
The Re-Staffing of Philadelphia is complex as it involves the signed agreements, cross-utilization, Preferential Hiring issues and the Association Agreement. At this time, we have established thus far some dates for re-call letters to be sent out Federal Expressed to employees approximately July 8th, 2019 and an anticipated time frame for TWU Local 501 to take effect in Philadelphia with a new TWU bid in place by September 14th, 2019.
As for a TWU working bid, that will be established with Philadelphia management and TWU Local 501. Working Conditions, Rules and Job locations and assignments are being discussed with Labor relations, Philadelphia management, IAM Leadership and Local 501 to establish the best transition possible for ALL. Any questions may be posed to the TWU, IAM, Philadelphia management or Labor Relations as we are all trying to establish the TWU Re-staffing in Philadelphia in Unity.
Another important topic is the TWU Re-Staffing of Newark. While Newark has yet to meet the required flight scheduling that American believes is needed to trigger the re-staffing, it should be duly noted that Local 501 has been involved in numerous discussions with many parties in an attempt to return our Brothers and Sisters back home. The fight Continues!
While the majority of this communication touched on a few hot topics, our TWU Local 501 Administration and Representatives are also hard at work taking care of every day issues. Protecting, assisting our members in 29f’s, attendance hearings, termination hearings, grievance filing and communicating with our members with any important Union information. Our Local is involved in CLC, State Conference and Young Workers Meetings. We are also committed to making our Safety, WWC, Benefits, Veterans and bid committees as strong as possible for our members.
“BE A PROUD MEMBER OF THE TRANSPORT WORKERS UNOIN”
In Solidarity,
Victor J. Gonzalez
President, TWU LOCAL 501 INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD