Chairpersons Conference
DL 141 plans for negotiations and beyond
Local and District leaders assembled to address the challenges of 2009 at the District Lodge 141 Chairpersons Conference in New Orleans, January 27–30, 2009.
The participants’ primary task was to develop strategies for upcoming contract negotiations with United Airlines.
“This meeting about communication,” President Rich Delaney said in his opening address. “It’s about getting you and our membership ready to face United and fight for the best contract possible.
“We’re going to work together to succeed, and it starts right here.”
Delaney outlined a comprehensive communications plan that encourages members to talk to their shop stewards and AGCs and to visit the District’s website, www.iam141.org, for surveys about pressing issues that should be brought to the bargaining table.
“We are creating strong lines of communication to ensure that all members can express their wants and needs for the new contract,” he said.
He also described an intensive effort to collect members’ email addresses to provide updates as the talks progress. “We want to let people know what’s going on in negotiations,” he said.
In addition, improvements on the website will make it easier for members to get information about the negotiations, Delaney said.
International General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr., described the Grand Lodge’s continued commitment to work with District Lodge 141 and to provide the support it needs to succeed in negotiations. This support will include services by the IAM’s Strategic Resources Department and the legal team that fought for members during bankruptcy.
Reflecting on the anti-labor policies of the Bush Administration, Roach said: “Take heart that President Barack Obama represents us now and that George W. Bush is back in Texas. Our new president is a friend to labor and is assembling a union-friendly administration.”
The IAM will call on members to push for pro-labor appointments to the National Mediation Board and for passage of pro-worker legislation like the Employee Free Choice Act, GVP Roach said.
“Now is the time to stand and deliver on your experience,” he said. “Take advantage of the tools available to you and your members, become educated and get the best contract possible. We’ll be there to back you up.”
IAM Airline Coordinator Tom Brickner also addressed the difficult road ahead to a new contract with United.
“The airline industry has always looked to United Airlines agreements to establish a standard for the industry,” Brickner said, “and in the midst of the current economic crisis that is no less the case.
“To say the very least, bargaining in this environment will be challenging — but then, when hasn’t bargaining in the airline industry been challenging? We have been tested before.”
Brickner told the committee chairpersons that they should take advantage of the heightened awareness of union members during negotiations.
“We need to see each negotiation as an opportunity to demonstrate the wisdom of our beliefs, and to win member support,” he said. “Never lose sight of the fact that negotiations cannot be truly successful without such support.”
Despite the tough bargaining environment, Brickner said members should have confidence in the union’s negotiating abilities.
“In my personal experience, we have persevered through more than 30 years of deregulation, strikes and difficult negotiations, mergers and acquisitions, and the loss of some carriers,” he said. “But we are still standing and representing the very best traditions of District Lodge 141 and the fighting Machinists.”
Union attorney Ira Gottlieb addressed several historic court decisions that affect the airline industry. He also urged the committee chairpersons to become more familiar with the Railway Labor Act, which determines the rules of negotiations in the airline industry.
“As always, we look forward to working with you in the coming months to find the path to a fair contact,” he said.
Safety Coordinator Bill Salo joined representatives from United and the Federal Aviation Administration to talk about the Station Operations Safety Awareness Program. A joint effort by the three organizations, SOSAP’s goal is to improve safety by encouraging members to report safety-related incidents on the ramp without fear of disciplinary action.
“We’re finding solutions to safety problems by emphasizing that we just want information about safety issues,” Salo said. “The centralized reporting process mirrors similar programs in place for pilots and mechanics. It focuses on “the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of an incident, rather than the ‘who’ and ‘what.’”
SOSAP is designed to remove the “guilty until innocent assumption” and to change the perception that “nothing ever happens when I give input on a safety issue,” Salo said. However, he emphasized that SOSAP does not replace vigilance on the job or remove all accountability for safety violations and accidents.
Lou Raymond of National Group Protection provided information about the union’s insurance options. He also described the nationwide enrollment process and answered questions about eligibility and coverage.
The committee chairpersons met in airline-specific work sessions throughout the conference to discuss union challenges and strategies at each carrier.