Virgin America Flight Attendants Seek Voice with TWU
Flight attendants at Virgin America are looking for an upgrade of their own. This week, after an overwhelming number of the 650 flight attendants at the airline signed union authorization cards, they filed a petition with the National Mediation Board (NMB) for representation with the Transport Workers (TWU).
The low-coast airline is known for its high quality and innovative onboard service. Ramon Wood, a Virgin flight attendant based at New York’s JFK, says:
We’re very proud that Virgin America wins high marks from travelers, based on the service we provide. We believe we can make service better for passengers and elevate working conditions for in-flight team members by having a voice in our dealings with the company. Right now we’re seldom heard and our concerns are not addressed. Read the rest of this entry »
Omni Flight Attendants Vote to Join AFA-CWA
Nearly 400 flight Attendants at Omni Air International voted overwhemingly—by an 83 percent margin—to join the Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA).
Omni Air flight attendant Mya Grap, interm president of the AFA-CWA Omni unit, says:
We love our work and we want to make it better. We are going to make the most out of this opportunity and make a big difference for our future….Omni Flight Attendants make great contributions to the success of our carrier and to our country through our work with the U.S. military.
Republican Shutdown of FAA Over—For Now
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The Republican shutdown for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is over—for now—and the 4,000 furloughed FAA workers will return to work Monday and 70,000 construction workers should be back on the job soon now that airport improvement funds will flow again.
The Senate—even though it was adjourned—approved a House-passed bill that extends FAA funding until Sept. 16. That was possible because it was in what is known as pro forma session. Here’s how The Associated Press described it:
Employing the so-called “unanimous consent” procedure which took less than 30 seconds, two senators were present to approve a House-passed bill extending FAA’s operating authority through mid-September.
Democratic Sen. James Webb of Virginia stood up, called up the bill and asked that it be passed. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., the presiding officer, agreed and it was done. Read the rest of this entry »
Eliminating Workers’ Rights More Important to Republicans than Air Safety
House Republicans would rather shut down the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and put the flying public at risk than allow aviation and rail workers a simple majority vote—the same process that applies to electing lawmakers—on whether to join a union.
This incredible hostage-taking of a bill to reauthorize funding for the FAA—which expires Friday—is all about a new rule adopted last year by the National Mediation Board (NMB) that says air and rail elections should be decided by a majority of votes cast. Previously under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), which covers rail and airline workers, each worker who did not cast a vote in a representation election was automatically counted as a “No” vote.
If new funding isn’t approved, air traffic controllers would remain on the job, but the agency’s other 32,000 workers, including safety inspectors and other vital workers, face furloughs.
Unions Use Paris Air Show Video to Spotlight High-Skilled Washington Aerospace Workforce
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The Paris Air Show—the largest and most prestigious in the world—draws thousands of aviation and aerospace companies looking for new products and technology and, in many cases, new manufacturing locations.
This year, representatives from Machinists (IAM) District 751 and SPEEA/International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 2001—their high-skilled members work at the Boeing Co.—are joining with Washington State officials to showcase the state’s aerospace industry and workforce.
The video above—produced by Kathy Cummings, Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) communications director—will be showing at the Washington State Pavilion at the Le Bourget Airport in Paris. In it union workers talk about the pride they take in producing the world’s best airliners, the skill and education level of the workers not just at Boeing, but throughout the states’ aerospace workforce that numbers about 84,000 people at 650 companies.
SPEEA member Michael Hochberg says that if he was “an aerospace company and wanted to find,”
a large pool of talented people to help me make airplanes or make other aerospace products, I would think the Puget Sound is a great place because we have literally generations of people who have worked in airplanes, kids who have grown up with aerospace…it’s just an amazing place to do business for an aerospace company.
Airline Unions Form Global Alliance
Fourteen airline unions from the United States and seven other countries have formed a cooperative global organization to give workers a stronger voice in dealing with the world’s major airlines.
The One World of Labor Council was created this week during a two-day meeting of union officials in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Transport Workers (TWU) and sponsored by the London-based International Transport Workers Federation (ITF).
The members of the council, which also includes the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), represent workers at American Airlines, British Airways, Qantas, Chile-based LAN Airlines, and several other carriers that belong to the oneworld global airline alliance.
Piedmont Workers Buck Anti-Union Attacks, Vote CWA by 2-1
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Despite a massive and vicious anti-union campaign by the notorious, hired-gun union-busting firm, Labor Relations Institute, (LRI) the 3,000 fleet and passenger service agents at Piedmont Airlines voted by a two-to-one (1,170-638) margin to join Communications Workers of America (CWA).
CWA President Larry Cohen says the campaign was a big victory for workers’ bargaining and organizing rights.
Piedmont and parent company US Airways used every anti-union trick in the book to keep workers from voting “CWA Yes.” Management held forced captive audience meetings, had supervisors tear up union materials and harass union supporters, and even hired a notorious union-busting company that promised management results “or your money back.”
Piedmont agents stood up to this intimidation and won their union.
Air Line Pilots Elect New Leaders
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Capt. Lee Moak, a Delta Air Lines captain, was elected Air Line Pilots (ALPA) president Oct. 13 at the union’s 43rd regular biennial Board of Directors meeting. He succeeds Capt. John Prater who served as ALPA president since January 2007.
Moak, who joined ALPA in 1988, is a former Marine Corps fighter pilot and currently flies as a B-767 300 ER captain. A 22-year veteran at Delta, he is currently serving his third term as the chairman of the Delta Master Executive Council (MEC), which represents the more than 12,000 pilots of Delta Air Lines. Says Moak:
Our union has faced many challenges throughout its long history. Our successes have been most evident when we have worked together for the common good. I look forward to working with the many talented ALPA pilots and union staff as we proactively engage with each and every party that has the potential to influence the careers and professional lives of the pilots we represent.
Sean Cassidy, an Alaska Airlines pilot, was elected ALPA’s first vice-president, Capt. Bill Couette was re-elected for a second term as vice-president—Administration and Capt. W. Randolph Helling was re-elected vice-president–secretary/treasurer. The new officers begin their terms Jan. 1.
Time to Clear Aviation Bill for Take Off
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Congress returns to work this week and one of its top priorities, say the nation’s aviation unions, is to break the gridlock that has held the vital aviation safety and investment bill hostage.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization is now on its 15th temporary extension since 2007 and that expires Sept. 30. Both the U.S. Senate and House have passed versions of the aviation bill. But with so little time until Congress adjourns for the fall elections, it’s time to tell your lawmakers, “Pass the FAA Bill Now!”
The bill funds air traffic control modernization, airport expansion and makes air travel safer for the flying public and for workers. The legislation would create an estimated 300,000 jobs because of the investments in air traffic control modernization and airport improvements. It also addresses important labor-management and workers’ rights issues.
Court Upholds Democratic Election Rules for Air, Rail Workers
A federal court upheld new democratic voting procedures for workers in the airline and rail industries who want to form unions. Earlier this year, the National Mediation Board (NMB) issued a new rule that says air and rail union elections must be decided by a majority of votes cast.
Previously under the Railway Labor Act, which covers rail and airline workers, every worker who did not cast a vote in a representation election was automatically counted as a “No” vote.
In May, the Air Transport Association (AT) and 10 of the airline industry group’s members filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the NMB ruling. The court upheld the new rule and denied ATA’s request for an injunction.
Edward Wytkind, president of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD), says the court’s action brings workers “a step closer to pursuing the power of collective bargaining under fairer union election rules.”
