Res2Res

GIVE THANKS

2008-11-29T20:14:00.000-08:00

‘Tis the season to reflect and be thankful for our blessings. Can you believe it’s the holiday season already? I remember when I was younger; I always wanted to be much older. For instance, I couldn’t wait to be 16, because in Illinois at that age I could get my drivers license and also get a job. My Mom always said not to wish my life away, because the older you get, the faster time goes. My mother was correct in more ways than one. I’m thankful for her wisdom, more so since she is no longer alive.

I’m thankful for the many opportunities that my union has afforded me. While it may seem corny, it’s true. By having a job that paid me a livable wage and guaranteed wage increases, I have been able to buy new cars, electronics, and furniture, live in an apartment in a great area, and travel the world. I also have been able to travel the world because of my guaranteed, paid vacation accrual.

I’m thankful for the medical insurance that I have as the result of being negotiated in a collective bargaining agreement. I am adopted and have no family medical history, so when I have been diagnosed with a potentially serious issue, I am put through the gamut of tests. Without my health insurance, I wouldn’t be able to afford those tests. In addition, I don’t have a lifetime cap on my insurance. These days with the price of medical, health, hospital, and prescription expenses, a serious illness or accident can take a big bite out of say if I had a million dollar lifetime cap. If I do have to be out sick or have an on the job injury (OJI), I accrue 8 hours of sick and OJI time each month, and there is no limit to the accrual amount of either one. Thankfully, that is the result of my collective bargaining agreement.

I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a union representative. All the training I’ve received as a result, has not only prepared me to be the best I can be on the job, but also in life. I have been able to help save someone from a wrongful termination, pointed out extenuating circumstances that kept an agent from being disciplined for their absences, been able to help get someone on FMLA when they didn’t understand the policy, and many more things. I wouldn’t be able to do that without a collective bargaining agreement that allows me to investigate those situations, speak up about them, and right the wrongs without repercussions. Being a union rep has also given me the opportunity to become involved in organizing and I have met great people in the cities I have traveled-Salt Lake City, Atlanta, and Cincinnati.

I’m thankful I live in a country that believes in democracy and where I get to vote on who I want to represent me. Whether it’s a local, state, federal, or union election, my vote is my voice.

While my blessings are many and I’m thankful for each one, I’m most thankful for my family and friends. Every day I wake up, I get the chance to make to world better for them.

So this holiday season and throughout the year, my wish for you is good health, an abundance of wealth, and may your blessings be endless. Also let us remember those less fortunate.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Diane K. Tomevi
Seattle Reservations (23 yrs)

DELTA FLIGHT ATTENDANT SPEAKS ON SOCIAL SECURITY OFFSET

2008-11-24T20:33:00.000-08:00

Says Anderson has no clue or is misleading

In order to change the social security offset, Delta would have to do two things:

1. Ask the IRS to revoke Delta's election of the Pension Protection Act

2. Fund the plan up to the levels that are acceptable to the IRS--which is a percentage of the benefits that will be paid in the future and are being paid currently.

Then Delta can reduce the social security offset or eliminate it entirely. Until it is funded properly, Delta can't do a thing. To fund it properly and fully as it should be is a choice that Delta executives alone make. They must put a certain amount in according to the Pension Protection Act. However, they were suppose to put a certain amount in (minimum funding) before and didn't.

The plan was first voluntarily frozen by the company to stop benefits from accruing under it. After the company (under Jerry Grinstein) went to Congress and encouraged unsuspecting employees to lobby on behalf of the company, the PPA was passed and Delta immediately sought protection under it. This set in motion the lie "that once it is elected, you can not change it." You can change it, you just have to put the money in it that should have been there in the first place and then ask the IRS to release you from your election. The IRS (with the PBGC's blessing) would never deny a revocation if it were properly funded. They would have no grounds to deny it if funded properly.

Of note here is the astounding discrepancy in the past numbers (benefit assumptions and funding). The numbers don't add up. However, I don't have the full expertise to analyze them, nor do I have full access to them. If we had a union, we would have or could hire experts and actuaries to make a full accounting.

Frankly, I think Richard Anderson either doesn't know exactly how the social security offset at Delta works (this is a long shot since he is an executive/lawyer) or he intentionally is misleading the worker who asked the question. This is more likely the case. In 12-18 months of waiting for him to "look" at it, then their window of opportunity for representation has closed. Also, note that Anderson only said to give them a chance to "look" at it--hardly worth getting your hope up for a change to it.

Northwest/Delta: What's Next?

2008-11-09T18:46:00.000-08:00

From the IAM's Merger Watch, October 31, 2008

Now that the Department of Justice has approved the merger and the corporate papers have been signed, what happens to both carriers’ workers?Superficial changes – new employee numbers, new signage, management changes – have already begun or will be underway soon. For the time being, however, important issues will remain unchanged. IAM members’ collective bargaining agreements, including wage guarantees, seniority protection, secure benefits, stable defined benefit pension plans, job security language and grievance procedures remain in full force and effect. Delta workers’ employment terms will continue to be at the whim of Delta management.There is no specific timeline for when union representation issues for the combined group will be resolved. The process, however, is well established. Once a Union files an application requesting a determination of single carrier status, the National Mediation Board (NMB) will investigate and determine whether the combined carriers constitute a single transportation system. Some of the criteria the NMB uses in determining single carrier status are the combination of published schedules, standardized uniforms and aircraft markings, centralized labor relations and management, overlapping ownership and a single Board of Directors. This process could take several months or longer. It is likely that the pilots will file relatively quickly. However, a single transportation system determination must be made for each craft or class. Therefore, this process will happen repeatedly at different times for different job classifications.After the IAM files its applications and the NMB rules that the merged carriers are a single transportation system, the NMB will give the parties 14 days to make a showing of interest to order an election. Before the NMB will order an election the IAM must provide a showing of interest from at least 35% of the combined classification for which we are filing. The 35% threshold can be met through adding signed election authorization cards from Delta employees with our current membership at Northwest.When the election takes place, 50%+1 of the combined classification must vote for the election to be valid. Each craft or class has separate elections, and they are not required to take place at the same time.Seniority integration will not be resolved until after union representation is decided. IAM policy states that seniority will be integrated by an employee’s date of hire into the classification, regardless of which airline they worked for pre-merger. Under federal law, without a collective bargaining agreement Delta may try to integrate seniority several ways, including methods that eliminate decades of earned seniority, and still argue it is “fair and equitable.”Preparations for the merger began many months ago, but it is now moving into its final stages.

Visit the District 143 website, www.iam143.org, for the latest news on the merger.

DOJ APPROVES NW/DL MERGER

2008-10-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. today issued the following statement in response to the United States Department of Justice's approval of the Northwest Airlines-Delta Airlines merger.

"After eight years of disastrous economic decisions by the Bush Administration, this comes as no surprise. It is another opportunity for executives to stuff their pockets at the expense of working-class Americans.

Delta and Northwest management have separately bankrupted their individual airlines. Together, they will have more than $28.8 billion in combined debt and $15.6 billion in unfunded pension liabilities that could be forced onto the American taxpayer if the airline defaults.

The Machinists Union will fight to ensure that workers at the combined airline will be protected by the guarantees that can only be found in a union contract. The days when Delta could ride roughshod over their employees is coming to an end. Delta is creating the world's largest airline. The Machinists Union will Northwest and Delta employees make it the world's largest unionized airline."

The Machinists Union is the largest airline union in North America and represents 12,500 Northwest Airlines ground employees. More information about the Machinists Union is available at www.goiam.org/mergers.

RESERVATION AGENT EMPLOYEES WORKING AT HOME!

2008-09-20T23:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know that within the District 143 membership, Reservation Agents of Alaska Airlines work from their home location? Imagine the opportunity to avoid the commute to the office in all kinds of weather. Think about the money savings and wear and tear on your family car!

On days when you would have perhaps been tardy or had the beginnings of the cold or the flu, or everyone in the office is coming to work sick, you can work quietly from your own home office...

What would you be willing to trade for this opportunity, or what would you be willing to give up? NOTHING IF YOU ARE AN IAM MEMBER AT ALASKA!

After a year long investigation, the Alaska Management Group agreed that the IAM was right when it demanded...that the RESERVATION AGENT WORKING FROM THEIR HOME IS AS VALUABLE AS THE ONE WORKING IN THE OFFICE AND THEREFORE WILL BE TREATED AS THOUGH THEY ARE IN THE OFFICE!! IN EVERY WAY!!

Yes, this means that the salary, holiday release, overtime, insurance, and even the trade day policy is identical to the employee who prefers to work in the office. WHY SHOULDN'T IT BE SO??

An interested employee need only put their name on a list to express their desire to work at their residence. Part time or full time, it is not restricted to one group. There is a percentage at each office that works from home, selected by seniority.

Equal pay and benefits for all reservation members. Brought to them by the IAM officers of District 143. The union officials who fought for these conditions had over 60 years of reservation seniority between them!! They knew this could work!! They knew first hand how stressful being a reservation agent is, taking call after call, irregardless of where you service your passengers.

Whether you are in the office with your colleagues or in your home, please come join us so that we may preserve, defend, and secure proper compensation and benefits for your hard work.

A MESSAGE TO ALL OUR FUTURE UNION SISTERS AND BROTHERS ON DELTA AIR LINES

2008-09-20T23:26:00.000-07:00

The IAM union organizing drive on Delta Airlines has proceeded amazingly well. Employees of Delta Airlines have received our literature with great enthusiasm. They have also expressed to us repeatedly how they need a union on that property and how happy they were to see us handbilling their work site(s).

We have disseminated information to all classifications with a few exceptions – the clerical, office, and administrative support groups. The majority of those people are stationed in Atlanta. We have been unable to secure permits to handbill the buildings where we believe most of the clerical groups work due to state and local ordinances and Delta management not allowing us to do so.

Regardless of obstacles facing us to date, we are determined to extend our union message to those employees as well.

We need your assistance towards that goal.

We are asking any Delta employee who has a spouse, partner, friend or co-worker who works in those related areas at ANY location to contact those individuals and ask them if they would like to receive IAM literature for themselves or their co-workers. (They can contact us by email or phone shown below.) Additionally, any NWA IAM clerical employees can help us as well by directing Delta clerical to our IAM District 143 contact email and phone numbers.

alwojcik@iamdl143.org
734-637-2224
1-800-544-1461, extension 348

Thank you all for your help towards a more secure future by making Delta another IAM union airline.

Al Wojcik
General Chair
IAM Air Transport District 143

WHAT WE KNOW, YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BROKEN PROMISES

2008-09-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

At both Delta and Northwest, we are proud employees, especially for the work we do in spite of many obstacles we face on a day-to-day basis. However at Northwest, we are not so proud of those who have run our company. We have great experience with promises being made and deliberately broken. We voluntarily voted to save our airline in 1993. In exchange for the gamble, we were promised stock in Northwest by none other than Richard Anderson. When it came time to pay up, guess what? Richard reneged. Fortunately, we had the IAM and were able to use our collective strength to go to Federal Court to force payment. The Court ordered NWA to honor their obligation. Northwest then tried to use the bankruptcy system to wipe out their promise and once again with the help of the IAM, we were able to get money paid out of the bankruptcy settlement.

Now, something alarming to Northwest employees has happened. Richard Anderson, the guy in charge of broken promises at NWA, has landed the job of CEO of Delta Air Lines. Worse, he is busy recruiting many from his old Northwest team to come join him to make all the same decisions at Delta. Let’s take a look at Richard’s “Corporate Leadership Team” as five of these decision makers hand selected by him have ties to Northwest; Ben Hirst (SVP-General Counsel), Steve Gorman (EVP-Operations), Mike Becker (EVP & COO-Northwest), Laura Liu (SVP-International), and Theresa Wise (SVP-Chief Information Officer). Plus, how many of the fifty-one (51) additional officers that have been named in the organizational charts are from the Northwest broken promise team? Richard’s mantra, “Let’s Keep Delta Our Delta” is a farce. What you are seeing is the creation of something we have lived with in the past. The difference? We now recognize a wolf in sheep’s clothing and we know when Richard is trying to pull the wool over our eyes. The Delta management team is hoping, planning, and plotting that the employees do not have the benefit of a unified voice. They want us with no defense. They want a world of promises with no consequences…and broken promises that cannot be fixed. Don’t be fooled by Mr. Anderson’s charisma, allure, and silver tongue. There is one agenda and it’s not pretty. The bottom line, he’s only interested in his well being, not yours.

Some may think that Delta taking over Northwest would be a fresh start, and that can be exciting. But we know the “Dream Team” and exactly what they are capable of. They can paint a rosy picture and we have seen that before. But don’t be fooled. Delta has made several pay and benefit improvements since the IAM effort has started. They saw what all the unionized employees at the other carriers got after bankruptcy and have started to float back up to that level. There will be more. They have started to add pay back and have craftily called it a raise, when in reality it is still less than pre-bankruptcy. Remember it’s not a raise as management has stated. It’s part of what Delta took from you in bankruptcy. A raise would be if they gave back everything they took from you, plus more. They have made promises of more, all in hopes no one will notice that those promises are not in writing, not in a contract. Again, don’t be sucked in by the rosy picture.

Delta will say employees are empowered by a “Direct Relationship” with management. What they truly want is a one sided relationship; one where they hold all the cards, make all the decisions, and make any promises they want but cannot be held to because there is no collective bargaining agreement. WE should have a vote. Delta’s promises should mean something more than mere words. Those promises should be in writing. That way, if they are broken, they can be fixed.

WE ALL BENEFIT WHEN WE SAY UNION YES!!

"UNIONS DIG IN FOR DELTA FIGHT"

2008-08-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to the aforementioned article published in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit http://www.ajc.com/business/content/business/delta/stories/2008/08/05/delta_labor.html to read the entire story.

As Delta Air Lines works toward its proposed merger with Northwest Airlines, labor unions at the highly unionized Northwest are ramping up efforts to organize employees at the largely non-union Delta.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents about 12,000 employees at Northwest Airlines has opened an office in Atlanta across the street from Delta's headquarters for its ongoing campaign.

A MERGER OF ADDITION, NOT SUBTRACTION (MUST BE "NEW MATH")

2008-08-08T23:42:00.000-07:00

This seems to be the motto of the merger used by Delta Air Line executives, because they say it so often. You have to wonder if they are saying it so much to convince themselves or us. Delta Vice President Robert Kight repeated it again several times on July 30, 2008 at a pension hearing held by The House Education and Labor Committee in Washington, DC. Each and every time it is said, we hear the bulls**t cough. Who do they think they are fooling?

The proposed merger of Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines will create the largest carrier, thus resulting in more rank and file employees, more airplanes, more routes, more managers, more pension liability, more debt and the need for more fuel. This must be the addition they are talking about. And, they say this will reduce the need for fuel and there will be no layoffs of frontline employees. Can you hear that cough again? Once the price of fuel started to skyrocket, the talk of layoffs began, not because of the new Delta, but because of the fuel price…how convenient. Any way you look at it, a layoff is a layoff. So now there is a subtraction.

Northwest and Delta fly many of the same routes, so are they going to keep the same amount of flights in those markets? Bet not! What happens when they reduce the number of flights into a city? Are they going to keep the same amount of passenger service agents/customer service agents in that city when they no longer need them? What if they decide to close a reservation office? Remember, there will be no layoffs of frontline employees. If that’s true, will we be told in order to keep our jobs we will have to transfer to another city? What if we cannot move, what then? Will we get a handshake, thanks for all your years of service, and a quick push towards the unemployment line?

So what kind of protection will we as employees have when the much denied subtraction begins? Examples exist in every IAM negotiated contract. In the collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the IAM and Northwest Airlines there are protections and here are some of them:

·Exercising of Seniority: There is access to a system wide seniority list and within 10 days from date of issuance of notice of reduction in force or date of displacement, an employee shall file written notice of intent to exercise seniority. The employee then has 15 days in which to exercise seniority…to any location their seniority can hold.
·Layoff: Can stay on layoff status up to 60 months with their seniority intact.
·Layoff Pay: An employee, who has completed 1 year of compensated service and depending on conditions of layoff, shall be eligible for layoff pay. This covers both fulltime and part-time employees. Amount of pay is determined by years of service.
·Recall: Employees laid off or displaced from positions shall have a right of recall in seniority order to their former job function and classification from which they were laid off or displaced, provided the employee timely submits and continues to maintain a completed request for recall form on file. An employee can also return to work from layoff at another location through a bid procedure.

Management can say all they want about this being a merger of addition, but they will try to make it a merger of division by pitting non-union Delta employees against unionized Northwest employees. Delta management will say and do anything to keep Delta non-union. We just don't accept what management says as the gospel. They will giveth and then they will taketh away after you vote the union down. Don’t be fooled by the rhetoric. With a contract, all employees will get to vote on their futures. Remember, we all benefit when we say union yes!!!

PENSION..TO HAVE OR NOT

2008-07-28T17:41:00.000-07:00

At Delta Air Lines, pensions were frozen NEVER TO GROW AGAIN. Many employees didn't even vest any pension at all. Most Delta employees don't know that their frozen, under funded pension has SOCIAL SECURITY OFF-SETS. Social Security off-sets mean at retirement age when you get a check from Social Security, Delta takes from your pension up to HALF OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY MONEY!

At IAM represented Union carriers, THERE ARE NO SOCIAL SECURITY OFF-SETS. At Northwest Airlines, the pre-bankruptcy retirement is still in effect. On top of that, the IAM negotiated a second defined benefit pension, the IAM National Pension Plan. This is a guaranteed retirement that is paid for by the employer and not subject to the volatility of the company and its business. The IAM has negotiated this replacement pension for many of the carriers they represent. The National Pension Plan is growing and independent from the carriers. It is protected and fully funded. In fact it is over funded!

If the acquisition of Northwest by Delta is approved, the new Delta will be saddled with a crushing $7 billion in debt on just the frozen pension plans it inherits. Even if the merger is not approved, the precarious situation in the airline industry puts all of our employer pensions at risk. But unlike Northwest's IAM represented employees, no one-Northwest flight attendants and pilots nor the employees of Delta-have a secure replacement pension plan as mentioned above.

Even after the Northwest company sponsored pension plan was terminated, IAM members at Northwest are the only employees that still have a defined benefit pension plan. Those of us represented by the IAM are the ONLY employees who are eligible to bargain to be part of the IAM National Pension Plan, a joint union-employer run pension program that is rated at 113% funded.

Soon we may be faced with a choice. The only way we will keep this secure, employer funded and growing pension, and the only way to get it for our potential Delta co-workers, is to be represented by the IAM. If the acquisition is approved, we will be faced with an election to keep our union...and to keep our pension and get it for our Delta co-workers.

WE ALL BENEFIT WHEN WE SAY UNION YES!!!

We Are Just Like You!

2008-06-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

We, Northwest Airlines Reservation Agents decided to establish this blog to help you understand us and vice versa. First and foremost, We are just like you. We have been victims of bankruptcy due to bad management decisions. We are your neighbors, attend the same houses of worship, shop at the same stores, and support the same communities. We are soccer moms and dads. We are single parents trying to make ends meet, juggling schedules, and never having enough time for everything we want to do. We value the time we get to spend with our friends and families. We want to provide our families with a good quality of life so we work hard and take pride in doing the best job we possibly can. And we look forward to the day we can hand over our headset and take on a new job title...retired. We love to travel. After all, why would we work for an airline and put up with all the crap that comes with the job if we didn't want to travel? The days of having a glamorous airline job are over.

There are many other similarities, but the biggest difference between us is that we belong to a union and have a rule book that management has to abide by, and if they do not, we have a grievance process to remedy the situation. There are many rumors and misconceptions about being a member of the Machinist's Union. This blog is the avenues we want you to use to ask us questions and yes, even express your opinions. This will be an honest dialogue between us. You may not always like our answers, but we will do our best to educate you on trade unionism.

For starters, here are some issues we have heard you are concerned about:

·WHO RUNS THE IAM?

The members do. Every level of the IAM operates on the democratic principle of majority rule. IAM members have the right to participate in local lodge meetings, vote for local and international officers and vote on contracts and convention delegates. The Grand Lodge Convention, which is convenes every four years, is the highest government body in the union.Elected delegates set union policy and have the power to amend the IAM Constitution.

HOW MUCH ARE DUES?

Dues rates are approximately two times your hourly rate of pay. The IAM has waived the initiation fee and no Delta Airlines employee will be required to pay union dues until the IAM has negotiated, and the employees have ratified their first contract. There are no back dues or fees. Generally, what it costs a union member in dues is paid back many times over by higher wages and more company-paid benefits than nonunion workers.

HOW ARE MEMBERS' DUES SPENT?

Dues pay for all the operating expenses of the union, including negotiations, grievance handling, and arbitration. In addition, dues cover the cost of union publications, the IAM's William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center, community service programs and many other member services.

· WHAT DOES THE IAM DO?

The IAM's primary role is to negotiate collective bargaining agreements or contracts with employers. Agreements are legal documents that establish wages, shifts, working conditions, and benefits for all workers under its jurisdiction. Once negotiated, the IAM enforces the agreement by representing members having day-to-day problems with management. The IAM also addresses issues such as workplace safety and community services.

· WHAT ABOUT GOING ON STRIKE?

In the IAM, strikes are a last resort, used only when all of the means of reaching an agreement fail. The IAM negotiates more than 99% of its contracts without a strike. In the IAM, you can't go on strike unless you and your fellow members vote to do so. Strike approval requires a two-thirds majority vote of the membership in a secret ballot election.

· DOES THE IAM PRACTICE POLITICS?

Yes. Legislation at the federal and state level has a tremendous impact on our members. The IAM has a very effective Legislative Department that monitors pending legislation in Congress that could affect the lives of our members and their families. The Machinists Non-Partisan Political League (MNPL) raises voluntary contributions to assist pro-worker candidates and defeat those who consistently vote against the interests of our members.