Local 512 Newsletter

TRANSPORT
WORKERS UNION
A F LL-- C I O
INSIDE
LOCAL
VOLUME 32 NUMBER 3
Local 512 Newsletter
SEPTEMBER
2014
512 AA-TWU Collective Bargaining Agreement Remains In Full Force
IN THIS ISSUE:
BIANCALANA:
1
ENFORCING THE
CONTRACT
HAGN:
2
A NEW
DIRECTION?
BOYLE:
3
DANGEROUS GOODS
F REIDMAN:
LABOR DAY
3
G AJEWSKI :
3
MURPHY:
4
5
V ETERAN UPDATE
B ENEFIT D EBACLE
B RUN :
CC D UTIES
IL-IND S TATE
C ONFERENCE
6
CRUZ:
SAFETY FIRST
6
EAP—
7
MILESTONES
8
D EPRESSION ,
B ULLYING
“Union membership
in the United States
is not declining
because workers no
longer want or need
unions. Instead,
falling union density
is directly related to
employers' near
universal and systematic use of legal
and illegal tactics to
stymie workers'
union organizing.”
— Report from the
University of Illinois,
Chicago
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
tradicts CEO Doug Parker’s own words that the “biggest
RECENTLY I ATTENDED A MEETING OF THE PRESIDENTS’ opportunity” for the new American Airlines is to work
Council at the Air Transport Division (ATD) in Dallas. better with its employees. With that said, if you feel your
Several issues were discussed, I want to brief you on a contractual rights have been violated, file a grievance,
follow it all the way through, and if it has merit, we will
few of them.
The Equity Stake Lawsuit has a September 18 go forward to arbitration. It’s very important that we
court date assigned. This is to rule on the summary judg- fight for the existing TWU contract, which is in
ment motion and the motion to dismiss. A more detailed full force. If you have a personal experience of this that
explanation is on the 512 website, titled Explanation you want to share with our officers and other members,
Regarding Post Day 120 Equity Distribution by Int’l VP the best place to do so is at the next Membership meetSean Doyle (see the left column link EQUITY DIS- ing.
In Title II news, Int’l Rep Tony McCoy came in
TRIBUTION INFO).
We also discussed the Prefunding Trust. We went for a station visit in July. He walked the floor at various
shops and addressed the Meover the response to Int’l Rep
chanics, and he also was invited
Dave Virella’s letter, also
to a Baker Meeting. A Baker
posted on the 512 website (see
meeting is a notice of outsourcleft column PREFUNDING
ing from the company to the
link). Dave informed us that he
union. Tony discussed with us
will be actively working on not
some concerns he had with the
only holding the Company to its
structure of the Baker meetings.
responsibility to continue to pay
We are discussing with him ways
the retiree medical to those rethat we can improve those meettired employees, but also to reings and make them more proturn the company match contriductive.
butions to us active employees
The TWU, IAM, American Airwho were enrolled. I will keep
lines, and US Airways, have curyou informed on any progress on
LOCAL 512 OFFICERS, seated: VP Tim Murphy, President Chris Biancalana, rently signed off on a Letter of
these issues.
Kevin Hagn; standing: Executive Board Members Bobby
Agreement for Preferential HirThere was an issue that was Secretary-Treasurer
Brun, Trevor Chalcraft, Terry Boyle and Rick Friedman.
ing. This agreement has been
bought up that was especially
troubling to me. There is a system wide consensus that developed in hopes of getting displaced employees back
there are some former US Airways managers, working in to their home stations before either AA or US Air hire off
AA Legacy stations, that are deliberately disregarding the street. If you are interested, a copy of the agreement
aspects of the AA/TWU Collective Bargaining Agreement is on the 512 website.
As always, if you have any questions, please contact
(CBA) – the contract. Some TWU presidents were told by
US Airways managers that if they have a problem with me or any of us anytime. Please have a safe and Happy
management’s interpretation of the TWU contract, it will Labor Day.
be worked out in arbitration. One president said he was
Fraternally,
told by a member of management – a high level member
of management - ‘if the contract doesn’t say I can’t do it, Chris Biancalana, President
then I’m going to do it, and you can grieve it.’
cbianc@twulocal512.org
I have been here 30 years, and this has never been
Website: twulocal512.org
the way we have done business in Chicago, and this con-
512 President Chris Biancalana meets with Rep. Jan Schakowsky at a fundraiser BBQ
held at her home in Evanston Aug. 10, 2014. Congresswoman Schakowsky has represented the 9th Congressional District since 1999, after serving for eight years in the
Illinois State Assembly. Schakowsky, who serves on the House Democratic Leadership
team as Chief Deputy Whip, is a longtime supporter of unions and working people.
Chris Biancalana meets with Rep. Brad Schneider (IL 10th) and Rep.
Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii’s 2nd Congressional district at a political gathering Aug. 24, 2014. Local 512 is supporting Rep. Schneider’s bid for
reelection. The 10th congressional district of Illinois lies in the northeast
corner of the state and mostly comprises northern suburbs of Chicago.
Page 2
Int’l Rep Tony McCoy Visits
INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TONY MCCOY
visited ORD July 28-29 at the request of the Officers
of Local 512. Tony is an on-staff specialist assigned
to Title II covering Facilities Maintenance and Automotive Maintenance. Tony spent his time walking
the different shop floors answering whatever questions the membership had for him. He provided
timely and accurate information for our members
and we will ask for him to visit again in the near
future. “Title II has historically been one of the
smaller work groups at AA,” says McCoy. “And I
want to ensure they have a continued voice to represent their issues and concerns. The best way to do
this is to actively stay involved in the TWU.”
Tim Murphy, Kevin Hagn, Rich Beeks, Tony McCoy, Dave Drabik, Tim Kmiec
Happy Labor Day — Woo Hoo! — Not
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
THE NEW AA IS STILL IN ITS INFANCY, BUT IT’S A GOOD TIME TO GAUGE
which way we’re heading. The company has been wildly profitable
since exiting bankruptcy. Year-to-date profits for the new AA are approximately two BILLION dollars, and the airline business as a
whole has a rosy outlook going forward. A lot of that success stems
from the sacrifices we, as employees, made during the bankruptcy
process and our continued hard work every day. With
the recent agreement between the IAM and Legacy US
Airways, there will be joint negotiations in the near future for one contract covering both the TWU and the
IAM represented employees. We will also see the combination of seniority lists. Those are the highlights, and a
look a little deeper shows that there is a lot of work still
to be done in the area of labor-management relations.
CEO Doug Parker stated to investors in March that S ECRETARY–
“the biggest opportunity for the new American Airlines TREASURER
management is to work better with its employees.” Yes, K EVIN HAGN
he really did say that, and while some of the faces here
have changed, we continue to spend considerable time, energy and
resources battling over issues we should be collaborating on.
It’s very much the same relationship we have had during our
entire time in office. There’s a big difference between being briefed on
a matter that’s already been decided by management, and collaborating so that we can reach a mutual understanding. Discussing issues in
the presence of the union is not the same as getting our input. It is
dishonest, or at best self-serving, for the company to hold a discussion with us in which the outcome is predetermined and then claim
‘we discussed it with the union.’ Telling us of their plans as opposed
to having us be a constructive part of those discussions—
collaborating—are vastly different matters.
While at times this is frustrating and aggravating, we as your
leaders have remained at the table to discuss issues with the company. Even during the tremendously difficult talks about the restructuring and the staggering job losses we faced, we professionally discussed the issues with them. While in many other business environments that would elicit some measure of respect,
here it was met with little, if any, recognition. We
are still seen as adversaries and not partners,
which is frustrating but not surprising. In their
world of one-track management, your opinion
only matters when you agree with theirs. When
their thoughts, ideas or plans are questioned or
challenged, they see it as a threat and try to shift the conversation in a
direction that changes the focus of the issues at hand. It seems that
the “financial crisis” mentality is still entrenched at a time when the
finances dictate otherwise.
The “New AA” is flush with cash, yet the conversations regarding
the use of their robust new balance sheet to address the long neglected assets of this corporation are very similar to those conversations that took place in this company’s darkest financial days. They
were in survival mode then and couldn’t expend resources unless
absolutely necessary. That changed on December 9, 2013 when they
exited bankruptcy and merged with US Airways. The new AA is a
financial titan that must re-start the process of investing in their resources to strengthen their place as an industry leader. I’m referring
to the basic things that we’ve done without for so long which are necessary for us to do our jobs better, properly and safely.
It’s hard to remember the last time any of us saw a new piece of
equipment here. What we have is a barely manageable fleet of equipment— aged, rotted or rusted. A recent order for 100 carts is still
bogged down in the bureaucratic process when the equipment is desperately needed now. Other ground equipment like
loaders and veyors are just resuscitated to see another day. No long term plan for replacing any of this
equipment has been mentioned to us, and at a time
when they are measuring profits in the BILLIONS of
dollars, the time has come to address this longstanding issue. This issue isn’t limited to the ground
equipment. Facilities Maintenance continues to be
overwhelmed trying to repair facilities that have also
fallen into disrepair. The weekly discussion over the outsourcing of
their work remains a very difficult subject, and rightfully so.
Yet new AA President Scott Kirby said to investors in May,
“Employees for the first time probably since 9/11 are excited about
the future, optimistic about the future and energized.”
I’m not sure what he’s referring to, because our view has not
changed even though the two top Officers of this company say otherwise. Here’s a short list of what I see and it really doesn’t enforce what
our new leaders are saying. None of these items make me feel excited
about the future, optimistic or energized like President Kirby says.
● Dirty, broken facilities that need immediate attention.
● Rusting and broken ground equipment.
● New interpretations of the contract that contrast to
anything we have ever heard before.
● The ongoing and continuous discussions about headcount in both departments.
AS WE START OUR NEWEST JOURNEY, THE COMPANY NEEDS TO EARN THE
good faith of its long lost employees. It would be the start of giving us
some direction. The perpetual chasing-our-tails strategy needs to be
replaced with a more definitive, positive track of success for us all.
We’ve repeatedly done our share, if not more, and they have fallen far
short of what we should expect from them. They are more accountable to us these days in a way that makes them uncomfortable. Not
only are we employees in the new AA, we are shareholders, and we
have the right to know how their decisions impact our investment.
Our new direction is still not determined. While they transition
from what they call the Legacy AA and the Legacy US Airways to the
New AA, we can only wonder what our course is. The constant sea of
uncertainty we have become accustomed to as the norm must stabilize and we have to see the new, more stable AA with a clear direction
in which we can all share in the prosperity that was forecast when
they announced this merger. We, as always, are ready to talk about
securing our future without all the P.R. our new leaders are trying to
sell to everyone except the ones that matter most. Us.
Fraternally,
Kevin Hagn, Secretary-Treasurer
khagn@twulocal512.org
Page 3
Dangerous Goods Awareness
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Veteran’s Update
I would like to take this time to comment on Dangerous Goods
Awareness. The training is extensive in the Cargo Facility, and even
with that extensive training, questions arise at the receiving dock on a
daily basis. Now, I have spent half my thirty-year
career at the old Post Office and Air Freight Facility, so a lot has changed since I was a Crew
Chief on the Ramp. During that time I would
bring the DG paperwork with the bin location to
the Captain. Now, with implementation of the
NOTOC (Notice to Captain) procedure, the Gate
Crew Chief and the Captain should be aware that
a Dangerous Good will be dispatched for the
outbound trip. Upon the acceptance of the DG at
T ERRY B OYLE
the receiving dock, the first part of the NOTOC is
EB M EMBER
filled out. Once that is done it generates the information for the specific departure it will be dispatched on. The second
part of the NOTOC is the unit that the DG will be built in and dispatched
to its outbound flight. At this point, two clerks have inspected and
signed off on this DG and the NOTOC will generate the information to
you, the Gate Crew Chief. There can be instances where a NOTOC can be
generated by another station if the DG is connecting from another city,
so if you have not received the freight or it wasn’t planned in the outbound message, call your CSM. Give the CSM the air bill number; that
bill number is all they will need once they contact the CSM at the Cargo
facility. The CSM at Cargo can trace it or identify if a mistake has been
made. The Gate Crew Chief has too many responsibilities already, so
don’t try to make the calls to Cargo to solve a problem you didn’t cause.
Once you have the DG, always inspect it for leaks or damage even
though it was fine at the time of acceptance, something may have happened in the transportation. If there is an issue with shipment, contact
your CSM and show them the problem. Dry Ice shipments can appear to
be leaking through the cardboard covering. This is most likely condensation and is not dangerous. The cardboard covers the Styrofoam container and Dry Ice turns to vapor not water. In the event there is a problem, let the Ramp CSM contact the Cargo CSM so that you can safely
lead your crew to timely departure.
Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend. Stand united and stay
informed!
Fraternally,
Terry Boyle, Executive Board Member
tjban40@gmail.com
VETERANS COORDINATOR ARIZO GAJEWSKI REPRESENTED LOCAL
512 at meetings of the TWU Veterans Committee at the Air Transport Division (ATD) offices Dallas in June, with 23 attending, and
at the Local 100 Union Hall in Brooklyn, New York, in August,
with 42 members present. Last March, the ATD Veterans Committee voted to accept TWU servicemen from all
four of our union’s Divisions — Transit, Rail, Air and
Gaming. "What we're doing here is solidifying and
commencing the integration of what used to be the
ATD Veterans Committee with the local veterans
committees in all of the Divisions," said Jose
Galarza, International Representative. It is now
known as the Transport Workers Union VeterARIZO GAJEWSKI
ans Committee. Arizo reports that among the
VETERANS
issues discussed in June was having a way to identify
COORDINATOR
veterans when members sign in at union meetings;
how to promote the hiring of vets; and priority
boarding for military personnel on AA planes. They also discussed
updating the Veterans Committee website (veterans.twu.org).
John Samuelson, International Executive Vice President
and President of Local 100, opened the August meeting with an
overview of the four aspects of the Veterans Committee: Benefits, Communication, Events, and Legislative. The
group heard from a representative of
Building Homes for Heroes, a national non-profit, non-partisan 501(c)
(3) organization founded in 2006. See
buildinghomesforheroes.org for
more information. Nick Parisi discussed
veteran disability claims, Kevin Harrington discussed legislative
matters and recommended the votesmart.org website to review
how their elected officials are voting on veteran issues. Veterans
Administration representative Michael Perry discussed the three
aspects of the VA (Veterans Benefits, Veterans Health and Veterans National Cemetery). He recommended that before an individual leaves active duty status to make sure all information is correct on DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from
Active Duty, generally referred to as a "DD 214", which is issued
upon a military service member's retirement, separation, or discharge from active-duty military. The next meeting will be held in
Miami Nov. 17-20. “Remember, if you know or see a veteran,
thank them for their service,” says Arizo.
Exercising Your Right to Vote—and Make a Difference
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
LABOR DAY IS A UPON US WHICH MEANS ANOTHER END TO SUMMER.
Hopefully it's been good for you and your family. The close of summer
brings a new season. No I'm not talking about the NFL or NHL, both
of which I love by the way, no I'm talking about election
season. I know nowadays it seems like it never ends. Once
a candidate wins an election, the talk
turns to who will be running in four years.
It can get exhausting, but it is now more
important than ever that Labor gets out
and gets to the ballot box. This year is
especially important, being that it is a non
-presidential election year. Democrats
tend to not get to the polls in force, like
they do during presidential election years. These off
R ICK F RIEDMAN
presidential election years are when the GOP can do
EB M EMBER
some of their worst damage. Republicans in many
swing states have been attempting to gerrymander the districts to
change the voting landscape. Why try to improve your party and actually listen to your constituents when you can just rig the system? Voters in Florida, a very important swing state, passed a constitutional
amendment that essentially outlawed gerrymandering; Republicans
did it anyway. Florida circuit Judge Terry P. Louis gave a blistering
ruling tearing the Republicans apart, saying the GOP political consultants "made a mockery" of the redistricting process and were being
guided by "partisan intent". He wrote "they managed
to taint the redistricting process and the resulting
map with improper partisan intent." He continued, "I
find the congressional redistricting plan adopted by
the legislature to be constitutionally invalid" and
added the case goes "to the very foundation of our
representative democracy." While we don't have this
problem in Illinois to this degree, we have to remain
vigilant and continue to vote for candidates who are
labor-friendly and will look out for workers best interests. It's not easy to live in a free society. There is a huge responsibility to being a citizen in this country and it can't be taken for granted.
Get out and vote on election day, encourage your family and friends
to vote, set the example. Have a happy and safe Labor Day.
Fraternally,
Rick Friedman, Executive Board Member
Rfriedman@twulocal512.org
Page 4
Benefits Enrollment: Be Prepared. Be Very Prepared.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I recently attended the annual TWU Benefits Conference.
This year it was held in Denver, and the membership was represented
from throughout the country by Local Union Officers and Benefit
Coordinators. This is the official beginning of the benefit enrollment
season. It is a two day event; the first day covers the voluntary offerings from the TWU, the second day is for American Airlines provided
benefits. Historically, there is an enormous amount of preparation
that goes into benefit enrollments, and this year is proving to be no
exception. For starters, this year we will see the integration of US
Airways’ employees into the existing American Airlines Benefit
Service Center, which is the portal wherein your benefit and pension is processed and stored. Additionally, there are going to be
changes to the Benefit Service Center itself. There will a division of
the health and welfare coverage from that of the defined pension plan,
with the new partition being known as the Pension Service Center.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois Replacing UnitedHealthCare
“Seek and Find” Jetnet
TO COMPLICATE THINGS, THERE IS GOING TO BE A NEW VENDOR managing the Benefit Service Center. And of course, we have all experienced
the absolutely fabulous All New and Improved User-Friendly
Jetnet. All this, coupled with the usual pricing and option changes,
will make this benefit enrollment season quite a challenge.
Things never go without a hitch, and last year was no exception.
We saw a debacle unfold in relation to the contribution amounts of
Flexible Spending Accounts and the amount of Flex Vacation Days
purchased both being automatically reset to zero. The situation was
resolved on a case by case basis; however, it just shows what can happen when changes occur to the benefit enrollment tools to which we
have all become accustomed. Think about that relatively minor issue
when compared to the overall vast amount of change that we will
experience this year. And, as such, think about the impact to those
affected when these issues arise. It’s no big deal to the company that
you mistakenly thought you were putting money aside for medical
expenses or vacation time; but it is a big deal to those who can’t take
advantage of much needed tax relief or to those who counted on being
able to purchase additional vacation days (no longer an option).
Now put this thought in perspective: we will be experiencing the
combination of two major airlines, with more than 100,000 employees and their dependants, into a single enrollment tool, and with a
new vendor managing it. Adding insult to injury, let’s not forget the
biggest obstacle of all; the All New and Improved User Friendly
Jetnet. It’s a good thing preparations have started early. Let’s just
hope that our new management team puts more time and effort into
benefit enrollment and integration than it did when it rolled out the
changes to Jetnet. Let’s hope that the company has learned from their
mistakes in relation to the rollout of the All New and Improved
User Friendly Jetnet when preparing for this monumental task.
I, for one, have my doubts.
If the upcoming changes to benefit and pension administration
are anything similar to what we have seen in the changes to Jetnet as
of late, we are all in for trouble. The navigation tools in New Jetnet
are in serious need of improvement. The search engine tool often
sends you to a useless blog. The online chat may be directed to the
wrong department or inconsistent answers are given. Some workers
can’t find basic pay information without a headache. Let’s just hope
that the devolvement is a work in progress.
But when it comes to something as important as the Annual
Benefit Enrollment, it is simply not enough for us to hope we can
actually speak to someone when we have questions or concerns
throughout the process. It is not enough to just hope that the person
can give timely and factual information, or that our issues can be resolved without incident.
A BIG CHANGE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR AMERICAN AIRLINES employees in Illinois. There is going to be a mandatory change for those
that have United Health Care as the administrator for their medical
benefits. The company has eliminated the “Tier Option” when making
a choice in providers. Let me give you a brief explanation of how this
option worked. Other than the very limited offering of
HMO’s, Legacy American Airlines employees had three
options for their medical plans. They were the Core,
Standard and Value Plans. These plans were administered by three different insurance companies, Aetna,
Blue Cross Blue Shield, or United Health Care. American Airlines is self insured as far as all their employee
medical plans other than the HMO’s. Having said that,
and because of the fact that American Airlines is not in
M. M URPHY
the employee benefit business, these insurance compa- TIMOTHY
V ICE P RESIDENT
nies are contracted to administer the plans, but the
claims are paid out of American Airlines treasury.
There was a ‘Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3” provider assigned to each state
that the employees lived in. The medical plans that are administered
by the carriers are all the same exact plans, just under different administration. In Illinois, our Tier 1 provider was United Health Care.
If your doctor did not take United Health Care but did take Blue Cross
Blue Shield, the Illinois Tier 2 carrier, you could chose to pay 25%
over the cost of your premium cost to be in the Blue Cross Blue Shield
network. If your doctor was in neither United Health Care nor Blue
Cross Blue Shield networks, but did take Aetna, you could chose to
pay 50% over the cost of your premium to be in the Aetna network.
The important thing to understand was that the insurance was exactly
the same coverage; you were simply offered the option of paying extra
to be in a specific network. United Health Care and Blue Cross Blue
Benefit Enrollment Counselors
Shield had the lion’s share of being the Tier 1 and Tier 2 networks in Recognizing this, Local 512 is making arrangements to have as much
many of the states, although they split up the preferred Tier 1 spot help for our members as possible. As in the past two years, Benefit
equally for the most part. Aetna had a relatively small piece of the pie. Enrollment Counselors will be available to assist you in your online
So in 2015, Aetna is being eliminated altogether, and you are being enrollment. Plan change information will be made available through
assigned either United Health Care or Blue Cross Blue Shield in your
postings, on our web site, and at
respective state with no option. In
The real question is this: Once the entire working class membership meetings. Of course,
Illinois, we are being assigned Blue
has no good paying jobs, no defined pension benefits, no feel free to call the Union Hall and
Cross Blue Shield, although the vast
health insurance benefits, no money, and no hope, who speak to an officer. I strongly suggest
majority of us have United Health
that everyone review their coverage,
will be buying all those airline tickets?
Care. And your premiums are going
both company and Union sponsored,
up. And the company knows how
during the enrollment window; this will help avoid duplicate, unafmuch they are going up, but will not tell the TWU. So the bottom line fordable, or unnecessary coverage. It is of paramount importance that
is this: you need to review your medical plan options, although you you take nothing for granted; verify that you have the coverage that
will be given limited time to do so, because the company is delaying you need. Moreover, it is imperative that everyone actually enrolls,
telling you the costs, and you need to find a doctor that will take Blue and not just let things rollover from last year. And because enrollment
Cross Blue Shield. To add insult to injury, although the company confirmation is crucial, we have requested that the company make a
claims it wants to have a negative impact on as few employees as pos- printer available that actually prints documents, unlike the antisible, and that this is part of the overall integration of American Air- quated dot matrix equipment that is standard issue in the vast majorlines and US Airways, essentially every one of the thousands of ity of our work areas.
American Airlines employees in the entire state of Illinois will be
The Benefit Enrollment Counselors are proficient in the use of
forced into a network that now serves the relatively small number of
the Benefit Service Center. They are a helpful resource available for
US Airways employees.
Page 5
information and assistance. It is quite apparent that American Air- overpayment; good luck with that. Maybe a new website is in the
lines will continue its current path of a Self Serve Online Em- works instead.
ployee Relationship, which basically means that you are on your
The timing of the benefit enrollment season and Labor Day may
own. Here is our complicated website, here are the options, be coincidental, but they really go hand in hand. Labor Day is a celehave a nice day. You need a Philadelphia lawyer to navigate you bration, a recognition of those who work hard every day. Benefits are
through the legalese. Does the company care if you
part of your overall compensation package; the
have it right for your family? The assistance that they
employer recognizes the efforts and hard work of
provide is defaulted to a website visit, an online chat,
the employee and rewards them accordingly. We
or the infamous HR Services phone tree. There are a
cannot allow the Self Serve Online Employee
lot of new enrollees this year and the system may be
Relationship to create such a gap between
strained. But the web site looks good, that’s the imworker and the employer that would allow the emportant thing in the company’s eyes. There are a lot
ployer to forget about their responsibility to proof pictures of smiling employees. Sunshine and rainvide the benefits that workers have earned and
bows. I would bet that all those happy photos were
deserve. Unfortunately, your hard work and dedinot taken while navigating the All New and Imcation at American Airlines are recognized as only a
proved User Friendly Jetnet. The best advice I
number on a spread sheet to be analyzed by some
can give is start the process early so you don’t get left ATD Benefit Committee, from left to right: bean counter. The days of true and heartfelt appreWayne Tranfaglia, Local 507; Terry Buck, Local
behind.
514; George Crozier, Local 501; Timothy M. ciation of employee efforts, the days of employers
Having someone in a management role that is Murphy, Local 512; Tony Lepore, Local 591; recognizing that it is the employee who is the face
of the company, are fading away. Don’t let the ‘we
available to help with any relevant employee-related Gregory Mackey, Local 567.
love our employees’ propaganda machine reissue is becoming harder and harder to find. In
keeping with the current path of the Self Serve Online Employee place the benefits you have earned and deserve. Talk is cheap, comRelationship, many of the employee support roles have been either pensation and benefits are not free. We can’t simply get disgusted
outsourced or eliminated. How about the AUTOTA time keeper, for with the whole process and walk away from the table without getting
example? We have seen the available hours at the window reduced to what we have earned and what we deserve. Unfortunately, managean absolute minimum. Remember the Human Resource Office at the ment of all big companies has changed the rules, but the game reGEM Building? It is all but vacant except for a skeleton crew and the mains the same. We need to remain focused on what is rightfully
office of the outsourced bus driving outfit. Medical Room 100 is ours.
gone—you must go to the hanger for your annual taxi tow exam.
Big American Corporate Greed
Do-It-Yourself Training Department
LABOR DAY, A CELEBRATION FOR ALL WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, IS SLOWLY
HERE IS AN AREA THAT AFFECTS US ALL: THE ORD RAMP TRAINING De- being eliminated by Big American Corporate Greed. How? By elimipartment. Online do-it-yourself training courses are replacing in- nating the American Worker through outsourcing and sending jobs to
structor led classroom courses, but the computer training modules, third world countries; by the use of technology to eliminate jobs in the
frequently, are not user-friendly. You can’t ask the computer a ques- U.S. by creating call centers abroad; through the expanded use of part
tion, or ask for clarification, and good luck if you get stuck. The Train- -time workers with few or no benefits; and by creating economic slaving Department is spending more and more time troubleshooting ery to pump up corporate profits. Why? At one time, this would be
computer problems than actually training—they almost need to be IT described as the $64,000 question. But no longer; not the sixty-four
professionals. Of course, if you don’t get your lessons done on time, million dollar question. Not the sixty-four billion dollar question.
the one real person that the company still employs will be happy to Corporate Greed has no limits — that is the answer.
give you some paperwork for non-compliance, or better yet, take away
The real question is this: Once the entire working class has no
your CS privileges. Don’t have the time or computer available to do good paying jobs, no defined pension benefits, no health insurance
the lesson? Too bad! Figure it out if you want to be able to CSO or benefits, no money, and no hope, who will be buying all those airline
CSW. The company would just love for you to do your training lessons tickets? The sad reality is no one —no one other than the elite 1% of
at home, on your own time. That’s available to you now, but someone society. And American Airlines cannot build the world’s largest airto relieve you is not in the budget. Yes, it’s the all new Self Serve line like that. So let us not forget what Labor Day is about. We can’t
Online Employee Relationship. Comply without complaint: talk let Greedy Corporate America forget about what Labor Day is all
to the hand. Or better yet, how about an online chat?
about. It’s about every baggage handler, mechanic, fork lift operator;
Then there are the synergies about which we heard so much every American worker that gets up every day and works hard to produring the bankruptcy process. That is a fancy term for eliminating vide for their family. It’s a day to celebrate and acknowledge those
more employees. And many of those employees were in support roles. labors. It’s a day to remember all the sacrifices that were made, and
A prime example of a much needed support role affected by the bank- all the lives lost in the labor movement that gave us what we have
ruptcy restructuring is the people in Corporate Receivables in Tulsa. today. And it gives us the resolve to stand united to protect those
They are the ones that we deal with when an employee goes off pay- things for our futures, and that of future generations. Happy Labor
roll for a period of time, and travel privileges are suspended or over- Day. Fraternally,
payments occur. Another one is the Injury Counselor, the person that
Tim Murphy, Vice President
basically manages employee injury claims. That role has become subBenefits Coordinator
ject to the synergies. Find someone in management to help with
tmurphy@twulocal512.org
much needed workers compensation payments, or explain a salary
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Hope everyone’s having a great summer! As we continue
the integration period, I’m sure everyone’s noticed some
new management coming from US Airways, starting to
work with the current AA management. As we go through
these different managing styles, I still want everyone to
remember that your assignments and direction should
be given to you by your immediate Crew Chief. Per the B OBBY B RUN
contract, this is stated in Article 11: “The Crew Chief EXECUTIVE B OARD
will be qualified in the duties of his classification and will
be capable of performing these duties. He will assist his group in the
performance of their duties, provided the assistance does not interfere with the performing of his primary responsibilities as described
above. While he is performing the duties, his primary responsibilities
will not be assumed by others. However, the above provisions do not
preclude management from directing individual employees under
non-routine circumstances or, in the absence of the Crew Chief,
from the immediate work area.” We do not have a shortage of Crew
Chief’s, so every work area should have a Crew Chief. If you are in
Support, for example, your assignments should be coming from the
Support Crew Chief; if you are on a Gate, the assignments should
come from your Gate Crew Chief. If you have been directed by a CSM
and not your Crew Chief, please notify your Union representative.
Please give us all the info. We are seeing this happen more and more,
and we need to stay vigilant, making sure procedures are being followed! Fraternally, Bobby Brun, Executive Board Member
Page 6
Illinois-Indiana State Conference
Ted Berkshire, Rafael Melon, Andrew Rangolan and Gwen York
listen as Donald May makes a point.
TWU representatives, including Local 512 President Chris Biancalana and Communications Coordinator Mike Brennan, participated in a meeting of the Illinois-Indiana State Conference on Monday, Aug. 4, hosted by Local 556, at the International Union Of Elevator
Constructors Local No. 2 hall in Chicago Ridge. The group discussed candidates for
the upcoming election and heard from a representative from Rep. Brad Schneider’s
office. They observed a moment of silence for Brother Donald Knight, President of
Local 2014, who died suddenly in July.
First row left to right (with Local they represent): Danny Groves (2003), Donald
Donald Knight
May (2003), Gwen York (TWU International COPE-Political Field Staff), Dale Wilson
(556), Donna Keith (556), Sean Doyle (TWU International VP and immediate past president of Local
512), Andrew Rangolan (TWU International COPE-Political Field Staff), Lee Clark (571). Second row
left to right: Mark Szumylo (571), Don Bristow (2003), Bruce Caudill (2003), Ebony Sunday (guest),
Brian Connors (2003), Brendan Remezas (556), Ted Berkshire (2053), Council Creech (572), Rafael
Melon (571), Chris Biancalana (512). (Photo by Mike Brennan)
Mike Brennan and Chris Biancalana flanking Sean Doyle.
Andrew Rangolan and Council Creech; Brian Conners and Clair
Rogerson, Deputy Political Director, Schneider for Congress
Fall Protection: What You Need To Know
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Following procedures? At the hangar, a third party vendor
is observed setting up a step ladder on a scissor lift and climbing
up the ladder, apparently without a harness, to accomplish a
task. The ground is some 40 feet below.
Recently, there was an issue about vendors on AA property and which
guidelines they need to follow while performing their work. While the discussion on that subject needs to continue, one important safety issue came to
light from that discussion. Fall protection. While many of the Title III members rarely have heard this term, it is a well recognized phrase in the lives of
our Title II member’s world. Especially in Facilities maintenance.
The following facts are directly from the OSHA website:
•
Falls are the leading cause of worker fatalities.
•
150 to 200 workers are killed each year and more than
100,000 injured as a result of falls on construction sites.
•
If an employee is exposed to falling 6 feet or more from
an unprotected side or edge, the employer must select
either a guardrail system or safety net system, or per- KENNY CRUZ
sonal fall arrest system to protect the worker.
SAFETY
OSHA has a lot of information on when and what is needed COORDINATOR
when working at specific heights. The links to OSHA’s guidelines
are at the bottom of this article. If you have any questions about working off
the ground, please consult the OSHA website which has recently been added
to our webpage under the “Member Resources” tab in the upper left side of
the home page. It is easily navigable and employers must conform to their
standards.
If you have any questions, please let me know. I am here to see that you
work in the safest environment possible and am always available for questions.
Fraternally,
Kenny Cruz, Safety Coordinator
kennycruz512@gmail.com
Here are some helpful links regarding fall protection:
https://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtraining/htmlfiles/subpartm.html
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/standards.html
https://www.osha.gov/Region7/fallprotection/fall_protection_info.html
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/steelerection/fallprotection.html
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/construction.html
https://www.osha.gov/Publications/fall_protection_qc.html
Page 7
Fear and Loathing in the Workplace: Dealing with Depression, Bullying
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I want to start by saying that I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far. Now with the winter months fast approaching, and in light
of recent events in the world of entertainment (the loss of Robin Williams), I would like to take this time to talk to you
about the signs and symptoms of depression and
how to treat this form of mental illness.
First off, I would like to say that it is imperative to
be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of depression. They range from difficulty making decisions
and fatigue to hopelessness and feelings of guilt. If
these symptoms persist, they can worsen over time.
The length of one’s depression could last days, months
or even years if untreated. It is estimated that 7% of STEVE AUGUST
the adult U.S. population suffers from severe depres- EAP COORDINATOR
sion, while only 2% suffer from dysthymia, which is a
milder form of the illness; 4% to 6% of people suffer from what is
known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). The good news about
these illnesses is that they are treatable with proper care.
Most cases can be due to a chemical imbalance in the brain. Psychotherapy can be the best form of treatment for these scenarios. It
has been proven that the combination of medications and therapy
can help to ease the pain of depression. Certain medications such as
antidepressants, antipsychotics, etc., can also assist a person battling
depression, but be sure to talk to a physician or your local pharmacist
before taking any of these medications.
Ultimately, we are responsible for ourselves and, at times, for the
people around us. Please, if there are any questions or concerns,
don’t be afraid to contact someone who can help. Don’t tackle this
problem alone; depression is a serious illness and can affect the lives
of many people. I thank you for your time and look
forward to seeing everyone soon.
Fraternally,
Steve August, EAP Coordinator
steveaugust1974@gmail.com
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
With 25 years under my belt at American
Airlines, I finally decided to get more involved
with my workplace as an Employee Assistance Program Coordinator, mainly as a result from a personal journey that has brought
me to this point. Opportunities to learn since
then have been presenting
themselves in the forms of local
EAP meetings plus a yearly
conference in Las Vegas for the
Labor Assistance Professionals, which I was able to
attend with some of my fellow
union EAP cohorts from all
over the United States such as LOUIE TREVINO
EAP COORDINATOR
firefighters, iron workers and
the auto industry, to name a
few. Las Vegas would be one of the last places
a person would think of going to learn about
how to help people, with its reputation as ‘Sin
City’. However, sometimes it’s not the place
you go to but the people you go with that
counts, so I found myself in good company
with like-minded folks who wanted to be wellinformed. We were there for a series of seminars that went on for six days, covering topics
like eating disorders, an overview of addiction, and problem gambling (in Vegas of all
places....I told you!). One of the speakers happened to be none other than A.A.'s own lead
EAP manager, John Tuttle, who provided
some interesting insights on a concern that
might get overlooked at times: workplace
bullying. Gonzo journalism this is not, so I
will present the facts to address the often
ignored subject of workplace bullying.
The Workplace Bullying Institute definition is as stated: “Workplace Bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one
or more persons (the targets) by one or more
perpetrators that takes one or more of the
Use words and actions to create
harmony instead of chaos with
the people you encounter every
day, as you really don't know
what might be happening in
their lives.
following forms: verbal abuse, offensive conduct/behaviors (including nonverbal) which
are threatening, humiliating, or intimidating
and work interference/sabotage, which prevents work from getting done.”
“Rules 31 and 32 at American Airlines
state: Rule 31: Horseplay, fighting, or scuffling on Company premises at any time is
prohibited. Rule 32: Behavior that violates
the Company's Work Environment Policy,
even if intended as a joke, is absolutely prohibited and will be grounds for severe corrective action, up to and including termination of
employment. This includes, but is not limited
to, threatening, intimidating, interfering with,
or abusive, demeaning, or violent behavior
toward, another employee, contractor, customer, or vendor, while either on or off duty.
Behavior that is also hate-related will result in
immediate termination of employment, regardless of length of service and prior employment record.”
A fairly simple way to determine if
there's bullying involved is that the target (the
person getting bullied) isn't amused by comments and/or actions. Sometimes we need to
know when to stop, when a joke has gone too
far. Everybody loves a good laugh, although it
shouldn't be at someone's expense. Fun at
work can be healthy, as long as it doesn't undermine getting the job done. Frequently the
target will blame themselves for being bullied
and therefore will not say anything about it. If
you are getting bullied, it doesn't mean that
you are friendless or are weak. Some bullies
might even find you threatening in some way.
Studies have shown from thousands of conversations with targets that they appear to be
the veteran and most skilled person in the
work group. Even when the target tries to
stick up for themselves, the bully will try to
elevate their aggressiveness to instill fear for a
sense of control. Remember, only you can
control the way you feel, no one else does.
That doesn't mean antagonistic behavior is
acceptable, though. Everybody deserves to be
treated and spoken to with respect, from labor to management alike. Familiarizing yourself with the rules and regulations of the
workplace prevents conflicting situations in
where one might not know if the proper procedures are being followed. If you feel pressured into doing something that doesn't feel
right, please contact a union steward immediately.
So what can one do when confronted
with a bullying situation? Definitely speak to
someone you can trust, or contact a union
official such as a steward or an EAP coordinator. Talking about it always helps. Confronting the bully is a suggestion that depends on
whether your physical safety might be at risk.
Stooping to their level of intimidation is the
type of reaction bullies feed upon. Making a
scene will not help either. If possible, talk to
the bully in a calm professional manner; the
person may not realize they are making you
uneasy, and it might actually defuse the situation. It also doesn't help bringing others into
the situation. The way you handle things will
speak for itself.
We all spend a great deal of our time at
work, away from our loved ones. Some of us
probably see our fellow employees more than
our own families and friends. We share the
common bond of our workplace, so we need
to get along as best as we can to form a
stronger union. We are all the union, with our
different personalities and view points. When
difficulties arise, there's absolutely no shame
in asking for help, so please utilize the many
aspects of the Employee Assistance Program.
Our words and actions have the ability to
make someone happy or feel bad. Gossip is
poison which brings only misery. It's only
purpose is to make you feel good when someone else is doing bad. It's a horrible way to
communicate. Use words and actions to create harmony instead of chaos with the people
you encounter every day, as you really don't
know what might be happening in their lives.
Speaking and acting with integrity will help
us get safely through the workday, which is
what we all want. Thank you for reading. I
look forward to serving my fellow union
brothers and sisters.
Fraternally,
Louie Trevino, EAP Coordinator
eltrevino@comcast.net
Congratulations to Our Retirees!
Nick Abbinante
Napoleon Strickland
Ronald Dubose
Jill Campbell
Cleatus Cole
Donna Wallace
Pedro Martinez
Keith Levi
Joe Wong
Matthew Kolberg
Lawrence Balukiewicz
Milestones
Edison Lagaya
Baltazar Argamaso
Francisco Agumbay
WITH SINCERE SYMPATHY
Local 512 extends sincere condolences to the family and
friends of Fleet Service Clerk retirees Thomas Noble (CC-CMH),
Juan Suarez (CC) and Ron Troxell, and Member John Jeans
(MPMTC). May they
rest in peace.
Ron Troxell
Tom Noble
John Jeans
Former Local 512
President Joy Calloway
1948—
1948—-2014
Robert Fierro
Former TWU Local 512
President Joy Calloway
has passed away after
a long illness. Joy
served from 19972000. Our condolences, thoughts and
prayers go out to her
family and friends at
this difficult time. May
she rest in peace.
Funeral services were
held in Detroit Aug. 29.
Tadeusz Kaminski
Congratulations 2014 TWU Local 512
Scholarship winners Rober Diaz (son
Matthew), Luisa Bolo (son Justin),
Kevin Crowe (son John), Ronald
Landauer (son Jonathan), Kevin
Shiroma (step-daughter Meghan),
and Kathleen DiCianni (daughter
Megan). The alternates selected
were Michael Gentile (daughter
Alexandria), Lawrence Wilson (son
Kevin), Mitchell Bitto (daughter
Jaclyn), Ron Ebbole (son Ronald),
Kathleen DiCianni (son Matthew)
and Rick Schneider (daughter Stefanie). Best wishes in college!
Transport Workers Union
Local 512 — AFL-CIO
650 E. Devon Ave. Suite 170
Itasca, IL 60143
(847) 956-6996
FAX: (630) 250-6077
Web: http://www.twulocal512.org
E-mail: mail@twulocal512.org
Mike Brennan — Editor
Newsletter E-mail: twu512@gmail.com
TWU International - www.twu.org
AFLAFL-CIO Transportation Trades Dept. - www.ttd.org
Illinois AFLAFL-CIO - www.ilaflwww.ilafl-cio.org
National AFLAFL-CIO - www.aflcio.org
Visit TWU Local 512’s Facebook Page and click “Like” — more than 6,000 photos uploaded!