In the coming year, we will have pressing issues at District 141 including the United Airlines contract and the upcoming US Airways and Philippine Airlines contract negotiations. The representation vote at the new United Airlines will create a great opportunity — One Airline, One Union, 55,000 Members. Research, strategy, and planning are complete. Soon it will be time to build our future, together. In the meantime, remember what ’s really important in life — family, friends, love, and solidarity. With that, the District 141 Executive Board and Staff wishes you the very best of the holiday season.
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Official Publication of District 141, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Union values and principles
Editor-in-Chief – Rich Delaney Executive Editor – Dave Atkinson Managing Editor – Mike Mancini
John Kretzschmar — author, speaker, Director University of Nebraska, and labor leader — at the 2010 District 141 Convention The American Labor Movement is, at its core, a humane institution. It is guided by core values and ideals that set it apart from many other institutions active in our political economy.
District 141 Communication Director – Mike Mancini District 141 Communication Coordinator – Dave Lehive Layout & Design – Mike Mancini Send Address Changes To: District Lodge 141, P.O. Box 1149, Redwood City, CA 94064-1149 Main Phone: (847) 640-2222
Contents Member Talk – In a tangled series of past mergers, senior Members talk about losing their union altogether and working in a subsequent non-union airline. Promises were made and broken at executive whim. Page 4 Decades Of Employee Assistance – District EAP, Page 6 Award Winning Communication – Locals sweep it! Page 8 Safety – Voluntary, cooperative, and non punitive reporting of incident-related safety concerns
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You Won’t See This in Teamster Newsletters – “Newly Elected Representatives”
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Unions and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Allies
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At the same time, unions are institutions run by humans and have not always “lived” their ideals. But when unions adhere to union values, it helps the labor movement be all it can be. Do union members know and understand these union values? Should they? How can they find out about the values at the heart of the labor movement? Here is an incomplete list – in no particular order. Unions that embody these values inspire greater member commitment, ownership, and participation. When it comes to these values, unions and members cannot pick and choose. It’s a package deal. • Collective action; solidarity coming from an understanding that our fates as workers are linked together, and collectively we can achieve what we cannot individually. • Member involvement and an understanding that an informed and involved membership is the strength of any union
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• Honesty • Unbiased representation; fair and equal treatment of all • Caring for all, looking out for each other, pushing for the common good • Integrity • Sacrifice; put the greater good above individual interests • Problem solving • Safety and security • Charity and community service • Craftsmanship and pride in a job well done • Organize the unorganized and unionize the organized • Dignity in the workplace • Democracy within the workplace and union • Training, education, and sharing knowledge, on and off duty • Optimism • Teamwork, on and off duty • Human rights; the inalienable kind mentioned in the Declaration of Independence and Universal Declaration of Human Rights • Economic and social justice • Collective bargaining and written contracts • Job security, limiting arbitrary and capricious executive decisions • Seniority; recognizing loyalty to an employer • Abuse free work environment – free of drugs, alcohol, physical threats • Reasonable accommodation. • Consistency and no favoritism • Fair and equal pay; equality of treatment regardless of race, gender, nationality, religion, disability, age, or sexual orientation
Here’s how it was, before unions 1. Unilaterally set and reset wages 2. Unilaterally set and reset hours 3. Unilaterally set and reset production standards 4. Discharged without just cause 5. Pitted worker against worker, race against race, and nationality against nationality 6. Laid off, promoted, transferred, and recalled as they wished. Practiced favoritism toward relatives, friends and informers 7. Disciplined and coerced employees as they wished 8. Permitted no seniority rights 9. Regulated the workers’ lives away from work 10. Set their own working standards 11. Individual employee “yellow dog” contracts rather than union contracts; permitted no grievance procedure, no right to see recourse for any grievance; no health or safety measures; no rest periods; no premium, vacation, holiday or severance pay; no insurance or pension benefits Workers had no right of any kind to participate in decisions that affected them in their working lives.
Pretty, from above Below, all fifty states are ‘at will’
Rights that employers exercised before there were unions Many of which are still exercised in non-Union workplaces
John Kretzschmar — at the 2010 District 141 Convention Unionism is the central means by which workers achieve dignity, self-respect, influence, protection, advancement, and job security. The primary job of the union is to protect and advance the conditions of the bargaining unit and those of other workers. To do so, the union needs power, and the power of any union lies in the number of informed and organized members it has at any moment. Union efforts to improve the quality of working life, increase workers’ control over their jobs and democratize the workplace and the entire economy should be supported.
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In all fifty U.S. states, if you do not have a union contract, you work “at-will.” You can be laid off, with or without an Employee Handbook, for any reason without just cause or grievance. No wonder company bosses wouldn’t think of working without a contract. Funny how many of the same bosses want you to do just the opposite. That’s not so pretty.
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MEMBER TALK
Mark Baskett NOW: US Airways Grievance Committee Chairman, Charlotte PRE-MERGER: Piedmont Airlines Ramp Engineer
Turbulent industry, stable union We asked several senior Members to share memories of past mergers and what workers could possibly expect in the near future.
Mary Reed
“We learned our lesson the hard way at Piedmont,” Baskett said. “We learned we needed the protection of a union contract.” The situation was different when US Airways merged with America West in 2005 because both carriers were already unionized, he said.
NOW: US Airways Ramp Lead, Kansas City PRE-MERGER: America West, Customer Service, Transportation Workers Union When America West merged, Reed and her co-workers had mixed feelings. “There were many unknowns,” Reed recalled. As the merger progressed and the workers chose the IAM to represent them, she started to see changes for the better. The representation was better and communication from the union was more direct. “Now, when someone asks me who I work for, I say US Airways, but it took a while to get used to that,” she said. “It takes a long time to come together as a group, but we’re much better off in the IAM.”
Chris Lenzi NOW: US Airways Fleet Service Agent, Phoenix PRE-MERGER: America West, TWU Officer
Baskett tells younger workers and others who haven’t previously belonged to a union that union representation is absolutely necessary. “You always hear that ‘you don’t need a union,’ ” he said, “but especially in merger situations you have to have a voice, and a union fighting for you.”
Jack Beairsto NOW: MNPL Director, US Airways, Philadelphia PRE-MERGER: Part-time, Teamster “If there is a clash of cultures with different sets of workers, that’s where the union comes in handy,” he said. “You have protection, and that in itself is worth being a union member.” The industry is so turbulent, Beairsto said, that changes are inevitable and it is important for workers to have their protections in writing.
Chris Lenzi described the difficult early days of that union at America West. “At first, we had no representation and no voice, and the company had a lot of leeway,” he remembered. “It took years to get the union established and make a difference, but once we did, things were much better.”
Joe Pinto
“Everything needs to flow from the membership up,” he said. “Members need to fill out surveys and leadership needs to canvass to find out what members want so there is no split among the membership that could hurt our solidarity.”
Bob Mullins NOW: US Airways Ramp Service, Pittsburgh PRE-MERGER: Nonunion, Ramp worker, Allegheny Airlines (later USAir)
NOW: US Airways Catering Agent, Philadelphia PRE-MERGER: Piedmont, Teamsters Soon after Joe Pinto began working for US Airways in 1989, his company merged with Piedmont Airlines and managers began showing anti-union videos to the workers. Pinto’s Teamsters union lost a certification vote that followed.
“A merger can mean a lot of job losses that work to a company’s advantage,” he said.
“Those were bad times from 1993 to 1995 with no union representation,” he recalled. “We were all working ‘at will’ and we could get fired if we looked at someone funny.”
Mullins said he knows from experience how easily a non union company can take away wages, holidays and vacation time from workers. This is especially true during mergers, when management gets bonuses while workers are forced to suffer cutbacks.
“The IAM is the only solid thing we’ve had at times,” he said. “We know it will be there for us in good times and in times of absolute tragedy.”
“But with a union, you can secure your future during a merger,” he said. “Your status won’t change. “A union contract can eliminate the fear of not knowing what will happen.”
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Tony D’Aloiso
Dennis Spencer
NOW: 141 Safety Director, US Airways PRE-MERGER: Fleet Service, Teamster
NOW: US Airways Fleet Service, Philadelphia PRE-MERGER: Teamster
Despite a Teamster contract, workers voted not to have union representation following a merger with Piedmont. The workers then had to endure a period of takeaways until they brought in the IAM. “Consolidation in the industry can ruin lives,” said D’Aloiso, “and members can feel as if nothing is secure. The way to fight back is through union representation.” D’Aloiso said his father was a Machinist and that union membership is “in my heart. When it’s not, I’ll step down because I’m hurting the membership.” He said that members should be more active with the IAM. “Get involved with your union and the education process,” he said. “You have to sacrifice your time, but to help someone else is the right thing to do.”
Mike White
“Rules changed every day,” he recalled. “We’d walk into the break room and up on the wall was a new set of rules and regulations, but then they would change the next day.” Once the IAM represented the US Airways work force in 1995, Spencer could tell there was something special and different about the organization. “I’m proud the IAM represents us today,” he said. “We have so many resources at our disposal and we continue to build on that. We’re growing bigger and better.” He continued, “I saw a change in the IAM right off the bat a few years ago and that’s when I got involved. It’s been a pleasure ever since.”
NOW: US Airways Fleet Service, Newark PRE-MERGER: Non-union, Piedmont The main difference between the Piedmont merger and the merger between US Airways and America West in 2005, White said, was that contracts were already in place at both airlines in 2005. That meant less uncertainty for the workers, although there was still an adjustment period while management learned the ropes. “To new Members who haven’t experienced a merger yet, I say to be open to new things, but closed-minded when it comes to the contract,” White said. “I know that it can be frustrating, but there are pros and cons in a merger.”
Sam Zingo NOW: US Airways Catering Agent, Philadelphia PRE-MERGER: Non-union Allegheny, USAir Teamster After merging with Piedmont and decertifying the Teamsters, Zingo said, the workers tried to do things “the Piedmont way,” but it was far from ideal. “Everything was rough,” he said. “No structure, no protection, no idea of what might close the next day or what might be in your shop. “Then the IAM came in and everything changed. It’s hard today to get new folks on the same page,” he said. “They have to learn that we didn’t get all we have by doing nothing — it took years of work. All the benefits we have are because of the union.” “We’ve all got to fight together to keep what we have, and improve on that, so those who work in this industry after us can make a good living.”
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After the company merged with Piedmont Airlines in 1989, the workers voted not to certify his union. This, he said, gave the company too much power and caused a lot of finger-pointing among workers at different stations.
Spencer makes a point to educate his co-workers about the benefits of union membership and how the union is about much more than paying dues. “It’s about protection and fighting to better the lives of everyone in the industry,” he said. He is encouraged that more than fifty new delegates attended this year’s annual District Lodge 141 convention. “It is everyone’s responsibility to steer the union in the right direction,” Spencer said.
Michele Ozoroski NOW: US Airways Ramp Lead, Philadelphia PRE-MERGER: Nonunion Piedmont Following Piedmont’s merger with US Airways in 1989, representatives from the Teamsters tried to organize the workers. They wrongly assumed former Piedmont workers were anti-union, Ozoroski said. “We knew we needed a union,” said Ozoroski, who was raised in a union family. “We just didn’t care for the way they made us feel.” Many perceived that the Teamsters blamed the former Piedmont workers for the loss of a union, she said. Since the IAM began representing US Airways workers, however, the worker-union relationship has improved, she added, and the new direction of District 141 in recent years inspired Ozoroski to get involved. “I became a Shop Steward,” she said. “Our union is about helping everybody. I believe in solidarity. The power to believe in yourself is growing among us in the union.”
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IAM EAP
EAP: Four decades of helping Members Rudy Asuncion, Director of District 141 Employee Assistance Program, understands the importance of a program that helps Members with substance abuse and other significant personal problems. “I’m a product of the program myself,” Asuncion said, “so I know how it can help Members get their lives back on track.” The EAP program began during the tumultuous days of the late 1960s, when Harold Mamola, an AGC in San Francisco, and Bill Combs, a DL 141 member, observed that many Members had alcohol or drug problems but did not know where to go for help. “Bill approached the state of California and got a grant,” Asuncion recalled. “That enabled us to train Members on how to speak with their peers who have addiction problems, as well as how to get them to the services they needed.” Asuncion said these are still among the goals of the EAP, but the program has evolved to deal with other issues as well. “After a period of time, it became evident that people needed help with other problems in their lives,” Asuncion said. “We adapted to where we could help people with any issue that prevents them from doing their jobs, whether it’s marital problems, depression, financial issues, etc.” The program has grown over the years. It now has some 100 volunteer peer coordinators throughout the country. United Airlines has six regional EAP coordinators for members who work for the company. “We provide our volunteers with quarterly training sessions,” he said, “and United has an annual training program it provides for its coordinators.” “In addition, DL 141 offers training every two years,” Asuncion continued. “We want to make sure that our coordinators are up to date on the latest issues related to addiction.” “We also discuss how to be an effective listener and how to avoid being judgmental, among other topics.” “Our program has been so successful that the Grand Lodge has started regular annual EAP training classes at the Winpisinger Center based on our model,” Asuncion said. “The IAM plans to start a similar program throughout the country.” Asuncion is grateful for the help he received from the EAP. “The program was there for me when I needed it in 1982,” he said. “It changed my life and that’s why I feel privileged to be able to give something back.” For information on how to contact the program, visit the DL 141 website, IAM141.org. All communications with EAP are strictly confidential.
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Rudy Asuncion, who began working with the EAP as a volunteer coordinator, estimates that the program has helped tens of thousands of members over the years.
HELPING HANDS
District 141’s online EAP newsletter Each month, a new edition appears on iam141.org. Main Menu > Member Services > Employee Assistance Program > Helping Hands News letter | Below – December, 2010
Checking Email Again No one knows the exact financial loss of chronic email checking, but it may extend greatly beyond the time used to take a peek. Interrupted concentration, dealing with nonurgent emails, a sudden impulse to surf the Web about unrelated matters, and lost ideas all get thrown into the cost mix. Gain better control over email checking by closing out of your email program, turning off the mail’s “in” sounds, using a computer disconnected from the Internet, choosing only specific times of day to check email, and considering whether you need more help, or even professional counseling, to stop obsessive checking.
Debt Collectors Knocking? Debt relief services, credit repair, and advance fee loans flourish in a tough economy, often with the help of slick and compassionate advertising. Many companies lure consumers, only to take more money from them after initial marketing.
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The Federal Trade Commission gets the most complaints about debt collectors. Many violate the law. Know your rights. Did you know that it is illegal for a debt collector to phone you again immediately after you hang up on them? They can’t call before 8 a.m. either, or phone your workplace if they know it is inconvenient. Source: http://www.ftc.gov/debtcollection
Complementary & Alternative Medicine You don’t have to go to a health food store to learn about complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). The federal government runs one of the largest websites on the subject, with discussions on hundreds of therapy and treatment options. From “aromatherapy” to “yohimbe bark,” you will find it discussed at www.nccam.nih.gov, even if no scientific evidence exists to support the use of an unusual medicine or therapy. You will find helpful discussions about the science, risks, and controversies associated with many complementary and alternative medicines, some which you may not easily learn any other way
Stress Takes a Holiday If you begin feeling pressured and frazzled this holiday season because of too many obligations and high expectations for what must occur, take a moment and decide (if it is not too late) what the holidays really mean to you.
ing” alcohol sooner by drinking less. The one with the highest tolerance could have the highest BAC in the group, despite appearing unaffected. Never drive after drinking.
Forget the Easy Addiction Cures As long as the Internet exists, there will be no shortage of scams to sell everything from books to pills promising people their addictions can be “cured.” Many scams promise a return to controlled behavior, not abstinence. This is a dead giveaway to the scam. To keep billing your credit card is mission #1, which could be for expensive super-vitamins, etc. This business principle is called “continuity income.” Most successful scams employ it. Initially, you may be enticed only to request a free pamphlet or inexpensive book that discusses the “cure.” This is your entrance into a sales “funnel.” These companies rely on desperate customers. Addictions are not shortcomings requiring a secret formula, but are associated with complex, physically caused, and neurologically explained phenomena. Recovery programs and techniques that are time-tested, though more complex than a pill, do work best for most and are highly teachable. Contact a medical doctor, professional counselor, or employee assistance professional to learn about effective ways to treat addictions.
Responding to Rudeness
What made past years special? See if you can include those things on your “must haves” list while limiting some less significant events. Choose specific times during the holiday season when you find personal time to relax and do what you want to do. Check your reflexes and watch the urge to ask, “Quick! What’s next on the list?” every time things quiet down.
Holiday Alcohol Use & You If you drink alcohol, stay safe this holiday season by following a few guidelines:
Rudeness is prompted by a state of agitation, disappointment, or anger.
The customer who displays rudeness is usually in more pain than the recipient of the rude behavior. If you work with customers, you have likely been confronted by rudeness periodically. Learning to view rudeness from this “person in pain” perspective is a key to better coping with it. There may be short-term relief for acting rudely, but there is usually a rebound, which leaves the customer feeling worse. Understanding rudeness can help you detach from it personally, permit you to be more empathetic toward your customer, and help you appreciate the influence and value of your customer-service role.
1) Eat food to slow the absorption of alcohol. Foods high in protein, like cheese, work best, but any food in your system will help. 2) Steer clear of carbonated alcoholic beverages and “shots” to avoid rapid absorption of alcohol. Carbonization increases pressure in your stomach. This speeds the absorption rate of alcohol. 3) Understand your body’s reaction to alcohol. Don’t be fooled into believing that not “feeling it” after you’ve been drinking means that you are “okay to drive.” Not “feeling it” leads many people with a high tolerance to drink more alcohol than their peers. This leads to higher blood alcohol content (BAC) than for those in the group who react to “feel-
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COMMUNICATION
R. Thomas Buffenbarger, International President, upon announcing 2010 IAM Award winners.
Member locals scoop awards
Local 1781–San Francisco, California, Local 141–Detroit, Michigan, Local 2319–Tampa, Florida, and Local 1759–Washington/Alexandria, took the honors for District 141.
“In an era where communications are vital to our union’s success, the IAM is fortunate to have so many dedicated editors and web stewards who produce the many newsletters and websites that keep our Members informed,” says
District 141 itself also won First Place awards for web site design, and newsletter cover. District 141’s award-winning short video, Stand By Me / You Get What You Give, was screened at the 2010 and 2009 District 141 Conventions.
Local 1781, SFO: Best Newsletter
Local 141, Detroit: Best Web
Trade Winds, Local 1781, San Francisco, dominated Newsletter Awards, taking three separate awards in First Place for General Excellence, Best Layout & Design, and Best Feature from a local lodge.
Washington, Tampa take honors
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Detroit Local Lodge 141’s web site swept both First Place web awards for web General Excellence and Best Layout & Design from a local lodge. Congratulations to locallodge141.com and its Members!
District 141: Best web, news, video
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Three words you won’t see in a Teamster newsletter: ‘ Newly elected representatives ’ IAM Members in District 141 chose AGC’s in the 2010 election. Below, current Executive Board Members are sworn in at the
District 141 Convention. back two rows — Laura Stone, Shawn Humpherys, Joe Bartz, Kris Hannah, Mike Quartuccio, John Medieros, Arthur Croker, Mike Fairbanks, Danny Lebron, Mike, Crowell, Nick Handlow, Alex Gerulis, Erik Stenberg, Frank O’Donnell, Mike Klemm, Ray Wallis; front row — Bob Worthman, Sandy Olmos, Richie Chu, Rose BradyCohen, Mickey Hughes
SAFETY
District 141 committed to keeping the flying public safe District 141’s longstanding commitment to safety took a giant step forward when United Airlines adopted the Station Operations Safety Awareness Program (SOSAP) in June 2008. SOSAP is a voluntary, cooperative and non punitive program for reporting incident-related safety concerns. Bill Salo, DL 141 Safety Coordinator at UAL, said the program improves safety while reducing the fear of retribution that accompanied the reporting of inadvertent errors in the past. “You know how some states have ‘no-fault’ auto insurance?” Salo said. “We now have our own ‘no-fault’ system. The main goal is to correct any problem and prevent it from happening in the future.” Salo has a long history of involvement with safety-related concerns. He began at United in 1984 after three years as a helicopter crew chief in the U.S. Army. He served on Local Lodge 1487’s Safety Committee prior to assuming his current post upon Bob Anderson’s retirement in 2000. “I handle all of UAL’s safety concerns,” he said. “Tony D’Aloiso does the same thing at USAirways and Bob Winner at Hawaiian Airlines. We are working at getting the SOSAP program going at both of those carriers as well.” Salo explained how the program works. “We have a safety coordinator at each of UAL’s five hubs (IAD, ORD, DEN, SFO and LAX) whose sole responsibility is
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Salo said he is proud of the IAM’s role in instituting SOSAP at United, the first of the legacy carriers to adopt the plan.
safety,” Salo said. “Anyone who works with ramp service, customer service, or in any other area can report a concern.” SOSAP applies to all safety related reports except those that involve intentional or criminal activities, alcohol abuse, or intentional falsification. To access SOSAP, members can use a company or home computer to access Skynet, United’s computer network, Salo said. An Event Review Committee consisting of representatives from the union, the company, and the FAA examines each reported incident and deliberates to reach a consensus on recommendations to correct it. “Our goal is to get to the root cause and take corrective action on any safety issue,” Salo said. “There is no discipline involved. We aren’t worried about the ‘who and what’ but rather the ‘how and why.’ ”
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LABOR HISTORY
Joyous celebration turns tragic for striking miners and their families On Christmas Eve 1913, some 500 miners and their families gathered for a Christmas party on the second floor of a social hall in Calumet, Michigan. The miners were members of the Western Federation of Miners who had been on strike for five months against C&H, the largest copper mining company in Michigan’s copper country. The strike was called to achieve the goals of shorter work days, higher wages, and union recognition. In spite of the hardships caused by the work stoppage, the miners and their families looked forward to a joyous event. Then tragedy struck. It began when someone yelled “fire!” But there was no fire. Who cried “fire” and why has been the subject of debate ever since the tragedy. The most common theory is that someone from C&H infiltrated the party in an attempt to disrupt it. People started to panic and rushed for the only narrow stairway. At the bottom of the stairs were two doors that some would later claim opened only inward. Others claimed they opened outward but were held shut by company thugs. Photos from the scene show double doors that opened outward. The doors were not mentioned as a contributing factor at the December 1913 coroner’s inquest or in any of the newspaper stories of the time. As the partygoers attempted to flee, 73 people — including 59 children — were crushed to death. The deaths spurred a public outcry against a group called the Citizens Alliance, an organization that was funded by mine management and actively opposed the union and the strike. In reaction to the outcry, the Citizens Alliance offered money to the union’s leaders, telling them to spend it as they wished. But the offer was not unconditional. The Alliance insisted that Charles Moyer, president of the Western Federation of Miners, publicly exonerate the Alliance of all fault in the tragedy.
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Moyer refused. Instead, he charged an Alliance agent yelled the word “fire.”
In the past, unions agreed to multi-tiered systems mostly at companies already in trouble. Those arrangements were
Soon after his statement, Moyer was shot and kidnapped by Alliance members. He survived and later returned to continue the work of the WFM. The great American folksinger Woody Guthrie memorialized the event in his song, “1913 Massacre.” The WFM strike lasted more than nine months. It ended with the union being effectively disbanded. Nevertheless, the strike is considered a turning point in the history of Michigan’s copper industry, leading to the eventual unionization of the mines in the early 1940s by the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers.
Shift of U.S. jobs overseas hurts young Americans’ prospects
designed to expire in a few years. Today, companies are attempting to make these concessions permanent. Among the union companies with multi-tier systems are General Motors and Chrysler. Delphi, Caterpillar, HarleyDavidson, Mercury Marine and Kohler. Blue-collar workers have been affected the most.
Employers worried about worker health care costs Employers nationwide are devising new ways to shift health care costs to their workers. According to The Kiplinger Letter, health care premiums
While there are no accurate figures of how many U.S. jobs have moved overseas, new figures released by the AFL-CIO estimates that 3 million manufacturing jobs and 850,000 professional service and information jobs have been lost since 2001.
have increased 27 percent over the past five years. But while
The Federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Act provides aid to employees who have lost their jobs to outsourcing. That assistance increased by 20 percent for the six months that ended Sept. 30.
each year.
Commerce Department figures show that U.S. multinational firms employed about 730,000 more workers overseas in 2008 than they did in 2006.
HSAs are “tax-favorable” accounts that are accessible in times
The AFL-CIO believes that threat of moving jobs overseas has helped keep a lid on wages at home. Inflation-adjusted average weekly earnings have been down or stagnant since the last recession began in December 2007.
ee premiums and another with a low deductibles and higher
Unions Yield on Wage Scales to Preserve Jobs
lower-paid employees.
More unions are agreeing to multi-tiered wage systems in an effort to save jobs.
ums), discouraging unhealthy behavior by lowering premiums
costs have increased 47 percent. The trend is continuing, with the employees’ share of overall costs climbing by 14 percent Many employers are forcing their employees to rely on health savings accounts (HSAs). Not to be confused with employer-funded health reimbursement accounts (HRAs), of catastrophic medical need. Companies frequently offer two account styles, one with high deductibles and lower employemployee premiums. Some employers are requiring better-paid employees to pay higher premiums and co-pays to subsidize costs for Other methods used by employers include setting premiums based on dependents (larger families pay higher premi-
The arrangement, which creates two or more levels of pay, usually lower for newly hired workers, was a fairly common practice in the recession of the early 1980s. Unions agreed to the concessions because many manufacturing companies have had significant layoffs and they believe that guaranteeing jobs during the recession is more important than holding the line on pay and benefits.
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wages have risen only 18 percent, employee-paid health care
for employees who begin and complete health care programs to lose weight, stop smoking or lower cholesterol, and charging higher copays for visits to medical specialists and out-ofnetwork providers. In the most extreme cases, companies have decreased or eliminated health benefits for spouses, cut vision and dental benefits completely, and frozen or eliminated health care for retirees.
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Unions make nonmembers happy? In countries with high union membership even nonunion workers are happier and enjoy better benefits A new study finds that people are happier when they live in countries where union membership is high, whether they belong to a union or not. Benjamin Radcliff, a professor of political science at Notre Dame University, conducted the study. Radcliff measured life-satisfaction data in 14 countries, including several in Europe as well as Japan, Australia, and the United States. He found that happiness with one’s life is linked increasingly with his or her happiness at work and that unions were a major reason for a worker’s happiness. “There’s a direct effect of being a member and an indirect effect,” Radcliff explained. He said that while union members generally have better job security, as well as higher salaries and benefits, nonunion workers in the surveyed countries also enjoy better benefits than they would have had in countries where union jobs are not as prevalent. “People who have union jobs like their jobs better,” Radcliff said. “And that puts pressure on other employers to extend similar benefits and wages to compete with the union shops.” Radcliff said there is “a causal relationship” between happiness and the density of unions. Denmark, with a large number of union jobs, ranks highest in worker happiness. The United States by contrast, ranks in the bottom third among the countries studied — a result, Radcliff believes, of a 50-year decline in union membership.
Senate kills paycheck fairness By almost a strict party-line vote, 41 senators blocked debate on the Paycheck Fairness Act, legislation to help women workers achieve more equal pay with men. The vote effectively ends chances for passage in the current session of Congress. Fifty-six Democratic senators and both independents voted to debate the legislation, which would have opened the way to final passage. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) joined 40 Republicans who threatened a filibuster to block it. Advocates for pay equity include the AFL-CIO, the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Association of University Women, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, 9to5, the National Women’s Law Center and the National Partnership for Women and Families The Paycheck Fairness Act would deter wage discrimination by closing loopholes in the Equal Pay Act and bar retaliation against workers who disclose their wages. It also allows women to receive the same remedies for sex-based pay discrimination currently available to those subject to discrimination based on race and national origin. left — Westminster Abbey detail, London England, statue in tribute to the late Martin Luther King, Jr.
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“What good is it to sit at a lunch counter if you can’t afford a hamburger?” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Labor Unions and Martin Luther King, Jr. : Allies in the Struggle for Civil Rights
Fighting for working people
As Americans celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., few are aware of the intensity of his support for Organized Labor, a cause he felt was interlinked with the struggle for civil rights.
When Dr. King was stabbed while signing copies of his book, A. Philip Randolph paid his hospital bills. As Dr. King wrote his famous “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” the United Auto Workers were busy gathering funds to pay his exorbitant bail.
The AFL-CIO sponsored many of Dr. King’s public appearances. The Packing House Workers of Chicago and New York District 65 of the Distributive Workers of America contributed to Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference on a regular basis.
“What good is it to sit at a lunch counter if you can’t afford a hamburger?” he asked. King outlined his thoughts in greater detail in a letter to the Amalgamated Laundry Workers in 1962: “As I have said many times, and believe with all my heart, the coalition that can have the greatest impact in the struggle for human dignity here in America is that of the Negro and the forces of labor, because their fortunes are so closely intertwined.” Dr. King was surrounded by labor leaders and activists throughout his career as a leader of the Civil Rights Movement. The National Broadcast of his “I Have a Dream” speech was made possible because technical assistance was provided by the United Auto Workers. In fact, the UAW and AfricanAmerican labor leader, A. Philip Randolph, organized the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom at which Dr. King made his famous address. Randolph was one of Dr. King’s role models. As the founder and president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, he fought hard for twelve years to organize one of the most fiercely anti-union industries in the nation: the railroads. As a result of his work, the first black union in the United States dramatically improved the pay and working conditions of railroad porters nationwide. In the 1930s, Randolph’s threat to march on Washington spurred President Franklin D. Roosevelt to create the Fair Employment Practices Commission. Rosa Parks, whose refusal to surrender her bus seat sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, attended the Highlander Folk School, which was a Southern center for training labor organizers. E.D. Nixon, who organized the boycott, was a member of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
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“Negroes are almost entirely a working people,” Dr. King told the AFL-CIO in 1961. “Our needs are identical with labor’s needs: decent wages, fair working conditions, affordable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures, conditions in which families can grow, have education for their children, and respect in the community. That is why Negroes support labor’s demands and fight laws which curb labor.” On the day of his assassination, April 4, 1968, Dr. King was in Memphis to support 1,300 city sanitation workers, members of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, who were on strike to demand higher wages and better working conditions.
Side by Side with Workers Marching under signs that read, “I Am a Man,” the workers had brought Memphis public sanitation system to a standstill. The police responded with tear gas and nightsticks. A local court issued an injunction, that made any further demonstrations illegal and the mayor of Memphis threatened to fire every worker who continued to strike. Dr. King came immediately to the workers’ aid, but before he could join the strikers at a rally, he was shot to death on the balcony of his motel room. Reacting to the public grief that followed, the Memphis city officials quickly granted the striking sanitation workers almost every union right they had demanded, including a collective bargaining agreement, paid holidays and vacations, substantial wage hikes, and a seniority system that guaranteed promotions without regard to race. Dr. King remains a model in the struggle for equality and justice for all people. Labor unions will continue to perform a crucial role in this struggle.
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REMEMBER
Obituaries United Airlines
Recent retirees United Airlines
Apolo, Carlos Armstrong, John R. Baier, Yvonne Briere, Ronald G. Charles, William L. Clemons, Craig Dantas, Fernando Kang, Laurie L. Lewis, Jerry W. Lymangrover, Michele Macek, Janet C. Marolt, John L. Moore, Shawn E. Nurse, Clifford Quimby, Susan Remboldt, Rick Seaman, Greg S. Stiles, Sandra S. Sullins Naughton, Margaret F. White, John E.
DENCG SEACG DENCG BDLOZ SFOCG ORDCG JFKHO HNL TK JFKCG OAKOZ TPAOZ OKCOZ PDXCG ATLCG HMLRR MCOCG ORDCG IADCS KOAOZ SMFOZ
11 Yrs 6 Mos 34 Yrs 7 Mos 24 Yrs 6 Mos 32 Yrs 8 Mos 34 Yrs 3 Mos 12 Yrs 2 Mos 34 Yrs 3 Mos 29 Yrs 0 Mos 41 Yrs 9 Mos 20 Yrs 7 Mos 26 Yrs 1 Mos 22 Yrs 4 Mos 22 Yrs 8 Mos 22 Yrs 2 Mos 11 Yrs 0 Mos 26 Yrs 5 Mos 35 Yrs 4 Mos 13 Yrs 3 Mos 10 Yrs 2 Mos 40 Yrs 0 Mos
PIT PHX PIT PHX CLT PHX JAX CLT DCA CLT CLT LGA FLL FLL CMH BWI PIT PIT PIT DCA LAS CLT CLT CMH PIT CLT PIT
30-Nov-2010 14-Oct-2010 31-Oct-2010 11-Oct-2010 14-Oct-2010 03-Oct-2010 02-Oct-2010 31-Dec-2010 07-Nov-2010 23-Sep-2010 09-Dec-2010 26-Sep-2010 30-Oct-2010 30-Oct-2010 29-Nov-2010 15-Nov-2010 30-Sep-2010 31-Oct-2010 03-Oct-2010 02-Dec-2010 02-Dec-2010 30-Sep-2010 22-Dec-2010 22-Dec-2010 30-Sep-2010 29-Nov-2010 31-Oct-2010
US Airways
Brash, Ronald Barry Buerger, William A Coleman, G. Thomas Contreras, Robert Dambreville, Fritz Deneen, William T Elswick, Michael C Flanagan, Bernard J Foster, Carolyn L Gibson, John A Harris, Marshall R Holmstrom, Christine Johnson, Sam R Jr Johnson, SAMUEL R Jr Keifer, Donald R Marsheck, Bruce H Matwiejuk, John Edward Mitsch, Robert F Moeller, Gary James Otis, Samuel Jr Otis, Samuel Jr Scott, Barry Shannon, David J Shannon, David J Snyder, Robert T Sottile, Nick Todeschini, Allen Harvey
Philippine Airlines Hawaiian Airlines
IAM141.ORG
Reports no retirees No report received
Andrade, Robert G. retiree Baker, Gertrude retiree Bell, Kenneth C. Berry, Robert E. retiree Brown Jr, Frank T. Brown, Joe L. retiree Bryant, Robert A. retiree Carlentini, Peter J. retiree Carter, Ross L. retiree Cater, Duane B. retiree Coffman, Stanley V. retiree Farrell, John F. retiree Flood, Kathleen T. retiree Fuller, Kimberly S. Gaik, Francis J. retiree Gonzalez, Bibiano c. retiree Guglielmelli, Alfred A. retiree Herkimer, Gary J. retiree Hess, Michael J. Hitt, Vincent L. retiree Jaken, Joseph D. retiree Johnson, David Kennedy, Edward J. retiree Lange, Gladys H. retiree Lopez, Glydis E. retiree Ludeman, Gerald J. retiree Marlin, John M. retiree Mathews, Gerald L. retiree Moore, Shawn E. retiree Napohaku, Isaac K. retiree Parkison, Charles L. retiree Peet, Roger I. retiree Philpott, John P. retiree Ray, Clarence G. retiree Rhea, Lloyd L. retiree Rice, Walter D. retiree Richardson, Joseph H. retiree Rothermund, Douglas K. retiree Schodrow, Paul T. Scott Jr., Edward retiree Sheldon, William B. retiree Shimogawa, Harriet S. retiree Spencer, Hershall I. retiree Spondike, Kenneth E. retiree Stedman, Lora L. Talbott, Roberta retiree Tomlin, Sandra B. retiree Turner, Noble L. retiree Urrehman, Tahir J. Vaughn, Robert D. retiree Weaver, Dorothy A. retiree White Jr, Frank retiree Wilbur, Wesley H. retiree Wilson, Robert L. retiree Wise, Robert J. retiree
SEACG ATLRR DENCG DENTK LAXCG LGACG SEARR OMACG RICOZ MSPCG DENCG LGACS LAXCS ORDCS SFOFF ORDCG JFKFF DTWRR ORDCG DCACG EWRCG ORDCG NYCRR CHIRR LAXHH PDXFF TPACG ORDHL PDXCG LAXCG ORDJJ IADRR BOSlL SFOCS CLECG PDXFF DENTK DENTK DENCG ORDFF ORDCG HNLHH DENFH SFOCS SEAHH SEATO DENRR LAXCS IADCG SFOJZ LASHH IADCG OMACS BOSCS MRYOZ
08/23/10 08/03/10 09/18/10 08/27/10 09/26/10 07/19/10 09/28/10 08/29/10 09/03/10 08/06/10 09/07/10 09/09/10 09/11/10 08/18/10 09/03/10 09/19/10 08/02/10 09/19/10 09/27/10 09/04/10 09/20/10 08/19/10 08/10/10 09/13/10 08/27/10 09/25/10 09/21/10 08/06/10 08/07/10 09/18/10 08/07/10 09/01/10 08/18/10 08/13/10 08/25/10 08/17/10 08/03/10 09/19/10 08/04/10 09/09/10 09/09/10 08/07/ 10 09/23/10 08/05/10 08/28/10 08/29/10 08/11/10 09/25/10 09/09/10 09/29/10 09/18/10 08/09/10 08/17/10 08/17/10 09/02/10
US Airways
Curry, Richard J Goodrich, Michael Joe
PHX CLT
30-Nov-2010 16-Nov-2010
Philippine Airlines Reports no obituaries Hawaiian Airlines No report received
Messenger
14
SCHOLARSHIP
must be placed on the top of the paper. The entrant’s name or identification must appear on each page of the essay paper. Awards One each — $2,000 overall winner
Six each — $1,000 placement winners
2011 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Awards sponsored by District 141 are now open for applicants. Entry form also on iam141.org/scholar Eligibility This essay competition is open to children,
spouses, and dependent grandchildren (as defined by the I.R.S.) of members (as of June 1, 2010) with one year or more of good standing in District 141 who are graduating seniors or who are currently enrolled full time and/or commencing college full time. The competition is also open to any Members (as of June 1, 2010) with one year or more of good standing in District Lodge 141 who are currently enrolled in college with a minimum of six units per semester. District 141 Officers and their families are not eligible. Only one award per family is allowed per year. Applications must be signed by your Local Lodge President or Recording Secretary. A bibliography of sources for essay material must be included. The essay must be the work of the entrant or the entrant will be disqualified. The winners may be interviewed by the Scholarship Chairperson. The application must be filled out completely or the entrant will be disqualified. Essay Rules The subject of the 2011 essay competition
is “Would America Benefit From More Free-Trade Agreements With Developing Economies?”
Awards will be presented at winners’ Local Lodges after confirmation of student enrollment at an accredited college or university (copy of valid registration or class schedule confirmation). Timetable The Essay Competition will be open January
1, 2011, and will end at midnight, July 1, 2011. Winners will be announced by August 1, 2011.
Judging Judging will be done by the impartial Schol-
arship Chairperson who is not a Member of District 141. The decisions of the judge will be final. Disqualification Previous winners and all entrants not con-
forming to the contest rules will be disqualified. Disqualification decisions of the Committee are final. Handling All essays received become the property of
District 141 and may be published in the future using the contestant’s name. Submission All entry forms must be mailed and post-
marked, U.S. regular mail only, no later than midnight, July 1, 2011. The entry form and essay must be placed in an envelope and mailed to the Scholarship Committee Chairperson at the address shown below. The word SCHOLARSHIP must be written in the lower left hand corner of the envelope. If entrants want receipt of their entry acknowledged, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. Also, an electronic version of the essay (as a Microsoft Word document) must be submitted to the email address shown below.
All essays must be submitted as a Microsoft Word docuScholarship Advisory Committee: Daniel Brin, Chairperson; ment and printed on 8 1/2” x 11” white bond paper with District 141 Secretary-Treasurer Dave Atkinson, Vice Chaira minimum of 700 words and a maximum of 1,000 words. person; Frank Casciato, Vice Chairperson; Mike Delano, Vice Please include a recent photograph of the applicant. The title Chairperson. Mail This Portion With Your Essay | Check one: o Member Essay o Student Essay Application for District 141 Adolph Stutz Memorial Scholarship Program 2011 Entrant Information (Print Or Type):
Member / Parent Information (Print Or Type):
Name
Name Address
Address
City
City State
Zip Code
Phone (
)
State
Zip Code
Phone (
Book Number
)
Lodge Number
College Of Choice (Or Attending)
Employer
Title Of Essay
Verification Statement:
Dependents Only Must Complete Below:
The Above Member Of This Lodge Is In Good Standing And A Member Of District Lodge 141.
High School Presently Attending Address And City Graduation Date
15
Classification
Signature And Title: (Signature Of Ll President Or Signature Of LL Recording Secretary)
Date: Send essay and application to Daniel Brin, c/o BCI, P.O. Box 8160, Calabasas, CA 91372-8160 Also email the essay as a Word document to dan@bleicomm.com
WINTER 2010
IAM141.ORG
USPS 000-993
Front Cover – The holidays at airports around the world
INSIDE Members speak candidly about having – and losing – unions when airlines merge Martin Luther King, Jr., labor leader as well?
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2 0 1 0 CITY, STATE, ZIP
Varney Air Transport, itself the product of five mergers, became United Air Lines in 1933. The very next year, the “new” Varney was formed. It was re-branded as Continental Airlines in 1937. A tangled tale of history repeating itself unfolds. Merger, money maneuvering, and bankruptcy all ends with the mother lode of merger. The very same two companies founded by Walter Varney decades before find themselves hitching up again — Continental and United Airlines.