District lodge 141 news

We Say....Make It Count!

Even if you are among the thousand eligible voters whom the company is trying to unfairly exclude, it is important that you DO VOTE. And vote now.

January 31, 2012 — Members and employees of the PCE group (Public Contact Employees) have about three weeks remaining to vote in the ongoing representation election for United, Continental, and Continental Micronesia employees. On February 21, 2012 the National Mediation Board will determine, after tallying all considered votes, whether PCE employees will be represented by the IAM or not.

Complicating this basic, straightforward vote is the position United Airlines has taken with the National Mediation Board. The company is claiming that almost 1,000 actively employed United Members should not have their votes counted on February 21. They are seeking to have the NMB deny voting rights to line station CSR's that work the ramp, and the entire classification of SOR. The IAM will be presenting evidence and arguments to the NMB to make sure these long time IAM Members' votes are counted. Ultimately, it is a decision that must be made by the NMB.

The company's position—that the identified people should not count—is different than the position the company has taken in the past regarding these same employees. In 1998, the year of the successful representation election that brought all the PCE classifications into the IAM, the company believed line station CSR's working the ramp should be permitted to vote. In fact, many of the current individuals the company is now seeking to bar voted in the 1998 election. A few short months ago United did not include any of these employees in the eligibility list they provided to the NMB during the Ramp/Fleet Service representation election. In addition, United agreed with the Teamsters, and denied some SOR's that appeared on the Ramp/Fleet Service eligibility lists a vote in that election, recognizing they were in a different classification.

What is clear is the company is doing everything they can to limit the number of Option #1 votes from being counted. What they cannot stop is those votes from being cast. We are requesting that all PCE members, whether you are on the challenged list or not, to exercise your right to vote right away. The arguments between the Union and the company, and the decision of the NMB, will be over whether votes should be counted. If the vote is never cast, it can never be counted.

We ask you to protect your co-workers from being disenfranchised by the company's position, and recognize how important your vote has become. Your vote is not only about your future; it is about helping your co-workers' voices be heard. Make it count. Let your vote count for the democratic idea that everyone should have the right to vote. Make it count to tell the company that legal tricks should not be a part of the new culture. Make it count so all PCE voters determine the outcome. Print...

District lodge 141 news

Golden Parachutes Reduce Profit Being Shared

January 26, 2012 — United Airlines announced their annual profit statement this morning and established the level of Profit Sharing that is to be distributed among employees. The IAM/United Collective Bargaining Agreements contain provisions, under our Wage Rules, that define the bonus payments our Members are entitled to. As we have done in the past, we are going to have our financial and legal advisers review the company's announcement and financial statement to insure that our contract was followed and that IAM Members are correctly rewarded for the work they performed throughout 2011 that created this profit. We are pleased that our Members will share in the declared $265 Million dollars of profit sharing money but very discouraged to read that almost half a Billion dollars of profit has been excluded from the calculations as one time "merger related" expenses. A majority of that excluded profit was given to individual executives of both United and Continental as parting gifts when they left their airlines. There are many questions that have been raised regarding this year's Profit Sharing distribution and we are using the full resources of our Union to find the correct answers. Print...

District lodge 141 news

Did You Vote?

January 21, 2012 — Public Contact Employees have begun receiving their necessary voting instructions for the representation election at their homes. They have also begun receiving almost daily information from United Airlines begging them to vote against the IAM. Most United employees can remember that the only letters received from United previously were sent to satisfy some legal requirement of notification of the bankruptcy court or the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation.

Now their videos and letters highlight how they would love to work directly with each and every employee. That is a strange approach for both airlines management to take, especially Continental. They do not do that now, even though they can. There is no "direct relationship" with individual employees, unless you count disciplinary action; there is a company controlled EIT system that tries to deal with employer/ employee issues in a managed way. The difference between that system and our representative process is that ours is sanctioned and recognized by the laws of the United States. While the IAM sees this election as an historic opportunity to bring all PCE's together so they may shape their future through legally binding negotiations, the company also sees this election as a once in a lifetime chance – to rid themselves of the IAM. The outside lawyers and union busters hired by the company for this campaign have no interest in improving the culture, working together, or even flying to win with PCE's. Their job is to convince a majority of voters to reject the IAM. They do it by putting messages on computer screens, hanging posters everywhere, and telling people which option to choose. If these lawyers are successful, they will increase their fees to the next company willing to hire them, but they will not remain with United to make sure the PCE's are taken care of in the future.

When the IAM is successful in earning the support of the majority, we immediately begin the work of improving and securing the conditions under which PCE's work. We don't go away, we stay. Past election results show what happens after an IAM win – local elections for Stewards and Committee members, training of those representatives to give them the tools to help their coworkers, the calling for contract proposals and establishing negotiations teams to begin the direct relationship with the company to reach an agreement over the wages and benefits of all members. Employees of both carriers have been aware of this election and have formed their opinion of what they should do for a long time. There is little, if anything, either the company or Union could say now that would change that opinion. The IAM believes that our members, both current and future, are smart people that are keenly aware of what can happen in the airline industry and how they are impacted by those changes. The need for job security and proper compensation didn't become an issue on January 17th. We encourage all members to vote and to vote promptly. Delays in voting create the risk of not voting. If you have already voted we ask you to talk with your coworkers and get them to vote now.Print...

District lodge 141 news

Dates Announced! 17JAN; Results 21FEB

December 30, 2011— District 141 is pleased with today's announcement by the National Mediation Board that the long awaited election for representation of Public Contact Employees at the new United Airlines will finally be conducted. Our current members, and our future members, have been anxiously waiting for the opportunity to cast their vote.

As this historic election process unfolds, District 141 will work hard to provide all eligible voters the information they may need to make an educated decision. Officers and representatives are available to answer any questions. Our websites, www.iam141.org and www.voteiam.com have useful comparisons and explanations of what our Union is and how it works. We encourage you to visit these sites often, as information is continually updated.

The National Mediation Board will be sending voting instructions directly to each eligible voter. If you have not received voting information from the NMB by January 24, 2012 please contact District 141 at (847) 640-2222 to assist you in obtaining duplicate information as soon as possible.

We look forward to the day that all 16,500 members of the Public Contact Employees classifications – Customer Service, Reservations, Station Operations, and those furloughed members waiting to return to work – join with their brothers and sisters of District 141 and all other organized workers of United to experience the benefits of Union representation. Print...

District lodge 141 news

The 'New' United will not be United Until we get a contract and retro

November 30, 2011— PDGC Rich Delaney's recuperation at home is going well, and District 141 continues to move forward. His follow-up therapy is progressing on schedule. Rich is on track for a normal, strong recovery. Rich and family are very appreciative for all the support during his surgery and recovery.

United negotiations in Chicago were postponed this week. Talks will continue on December 12, 2011.

Air Tran negotiations, and seniority integration talks with the TWU continue. In the near future, a more detailed report will appear on the web site.

US Airways negotiations will continue in Phoenix in the week of November 28, 2011.

Philippine Airlines contract negotiations have slowed. The carrier contracted out more than 2,600 PALEA union workers in Manila. A protest by local Union leaders and Filipino Community Groups supporting the PALEA Workers took place at the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco. The Public Contact Employees (PCE) representation election should take place in the next couple of months, but the decision to call the vote lies completely with the National Mediation Board.

The "new" United executives have strayed from their friendly buzzwords. No longer do they talk about allowing employees to make the decision. United executives have sent out flyers, handouts and have held captive audience meetings. Their sole purpose is to convince people that they don't need a Union Contract.

The IAM has a commitment to you to provide accurate information. You and your families are entitled to make an educated decision. If the "new" United wants to act like the same "old' United—if it believes our Members don't deserve a raise, after the sacrifices the Members and their families have made to save this company—then we will deal with them in negotiations.

The "new" United will not be united until we get a contract, with retro pay. Stick that on a company flyer! Print...