Local 501 Secures Stay Home with Pay During Pandemic
On 75th Anniversary, with International’s Assistance
On their 75th anniversary of becoming part of the TWU, Local 501 has secured a tremendous victory.
Local 501 members are Fleet Service and Maintenance & Related workers based in LaGuardia and JFK International Airports in New York City – which currently has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country.
Local 501 President Victor Gonzalez explained, “We are the hotbed right now. We had a very high number of confirmed cases in our workforce, which led our members to reach out to me. In return, I reached out to the International.”
Local President Gonzalez provided International President John Samuelsen with all the details needed, such as the confirmed number of members infected, and the International was able to get results.
Local 501 came to an agreement with American Airlines to allow workers based at LaGuardia and JFK Airports to work one day out of their workweek and stay home other four days with pay, to stop the spread of the virus. The agreement covers 95% of the local.
“This is the way things should always work. Members express concern to their local, local leadership contacts the International, and members can get the assistance they need – and deserve,” President Samuelsen said. “This is a tremendous victory.”
“We did it to protect our members’ safety and livelihoods,” Gonzalez said. |