Aloha,
Here is a letter from the IAMs'' President O''Driscoll:
September 13, 2002IAM FLIGHT ATTENDANT COALITION UPDATEIn January 2001, it was announced that TWA would be merged into American Airlines. When American announced that it intended to purchase TWA, the IAM repeatedly tried to meet with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) to discuss the fair and equitable treatment of TWA Flight Attendants. Long before the sale, General Vice President of Transportation Robert Roach, Jr., traveled to California to attend an APFA Board Meeting in an effort to work out a smooth integration. Our representatives made numerous phone calls and sent several letters to John Ward, President of the APFA. Mr. Ward failed to respond to any of our requests. Further, the IAM offered assistance to APFA when it was in contract negotiations; sent IAM-represented members to participate in APFA’s informational picketing; and offered to make the Winpinsinger Educational facility available to them for training seminars. APFA, an independent organization not affiliated with the AFL-CIO, never responded. The IAM met with all the labor groups at American Airlines to protect the bidding seniority rights of our members. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) refused to enter into any discussions with the IAM concerning Flight Attendant seniority. Subsequently, APFA entered into an agreement with American Airlines while the IAM was still the certified collective bargaining representative for the TWA, LLC employees that put the TWA Flight Attendants, many of whom had over 25 years of seniority, on the bottom of the seniority list. Previously, the APFA did the same thing to the Reno Air Flight Attendants when they were merged into American Airlines. This agreement gave American Airlines cheaper labor.This is a primary example of how independent organizations destroy what organized labor has fought for and achieved over many years. As in past mergers, it is the IAM’s position that whenever a merger takes place, seniority should be integrated by the date of entry into the classification, regardless of which airline is the survivor. In today’s environment, when industry consolidation is a foregone conclusion and Continental Airlines could be a merger partner, APFA has put your seniority at risk by establishing a dangerous precedent for seniority integration. The IAM has taken the following action to protect the seniority of our former TWA members now working at American Airlines. On June 14, 2002, the IAM filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in the Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn). American Airlines, TWA, LLC, and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants were named as Defendants. As part of the nine-count lawsuit, the IAM has alleged that APFA failed in its obligation to the TWA, LLC Flight Attendants when it sought to represent the former TWA employees prior to entering into an Agreement with American that stapled the Flight Attendants to the bottom of the seniority list. Since September 11, 2001, forty-eight (48%) percent of the TWA, LLC Flight Attendants have been furloughed as compared to less than two (2%) percent of the American Airlines Flight Attendant workforce. The lawsuit is set for a conference with the Judge in October. In addition, another lawsuit is in the process of being filed in federal court in St. Louis by the St. Louis domiciled former TWA, LLC Flight Attendants against the APFA for a breach of the duty of fair representation and for denying the right of elected representative(s) to attend and participate in APFA meetings. In fact, at a recent meeting the APFA leadership ejected the St. Louis domiciled elected representative(s). The former TWA Flight Attendants pay their union dues to the APFA even though they are the victims of discrimination by the APFA. Their questions go unanswered and their grievances are denied.Currently, the IAM belongs to a Flight Attendant Coalition, of which APFA is a member. We have a duty to you and the trade union movement, to refuse to participate in any activities with a renegade organization that disregards Labor Protective Provisions, that denies the seniority rights of working men and women. The IAM has advised the other Unions in the Flight Attendant Coalition of their intent to withdraw from the Coalition.Flight Attendants need one voice to represent them in the Halls of Congress. Only an AFL-CIO Flight Attendant Coalition can provide that voice and leadership. We have requested the AFL-CIO establish such a Coalition of affiliated unions. The purpose of sending you this information is to make you aware of the damage an independent organization can do so that you may fully understand why an AFL-CIO established Flight Attendant Coalition is so vitally important. If someone were to ask you to join or sign a card for an independent organization, remember the TWA Flight Attendants who are furloughed with up to 25 years of seniority as a result of the actions of a dictatorial independent organization, APFA.In solidarity,William O''Driscoll
President/Directing
General Chairma
ALOHA, 007
Here is a letter from the IAMs'' President O''Driscoll:
September 13, 2002IAM FLIGHT ATTENDANT COALITION UPDATEIn January 2001, it was announced that TWA would be merged into American Airlines. When American announced that it intended to purchase TWA, the IAM repeatedly tried to meet with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) to discuss the fair and equitable treatment of TWA Flight Attendants. Long before the sale, General Vice President of Transportation Robert Roach, Jr., traveled to California to attend an APFA Board Meeting in an effort to work out a smooth integration. Our representatives made numerous phone calls and sent several letters to John Ward, President of the APFA. Mr. Ward failed to respond to any of our requests. Further, the IAM offered assistance to APFA when it was in contract negotiations; sent IAM-represented members to participate in APFA’s informational picketing; and offered to make the Winpinsinger Educational facility available to them for training seminars. APFA, an independent organization not affiliated with the AFL-CIO, never responded. The IAM met with all the labor groups at American Airlines to protect the bidding seniority rights of our members. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) refused to enter into any discussions with the IAM concerning Flight Attendant seniority. Subsequently, APFA entered into an agreement with American Airlines while the IAM was still the certified collective bargaining representative for the TWA, LLC employees that put the TWA Flight Attendants, many of whom had over 25 years of seniority, on the bottom of the seniority list. Previously, the APFA did the same thing to the Reno Air Flight Attendants when they were merged into American Airlines. This agreement gave American Airlines cheaper labor.This is a primary example of how independent organizations destroy what organized labor has fought for and achieved over many years. As in past mergers, it is the IAM’s position that whenever a merger takes place, seniority should be integrated by the date of entry into the classification, regardless of which airline is the survivor. In today’s environment, when industry consolidation is a foregone conclusion and Continental Airlines could be a merger partner, APFA has put your seniority at risk by establishing a dangerous precedent for seniority integration. The IAM has taken the following action to protect the seniority of our former TWA members now working at American Airlines. On June 14, 2002, the IAM filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in the Eastern District of New York (Brooklyn). American Airlines, TWA, LLC, and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants were named as Defendants. As part of the nine-count lawsuit, the IAM has alleged that APFA failed in its obligation to the TWA, LLC Flight Attendants when it sought to represent the former TWA employees prior to entering into an Agreement with American that stapled the Flight Attendants to the bottom of the seniority list. Since September 11, 2001, forty-eight (48%) percent of the TWA, LLC Flight Attendants have been furloughed as compared to less than two (2%) percent of the American Airlines Flight Attendant workforce. The lawsuit is set for a conference with the Judge in October. In addition, another lawsuit is in the process of being filed in federal court in St. Louis by the St. Louis domiciled former TWA, LLC Flight Attendants against the APFA for a breach of the duty of fair representation and for denying the right of elected representative(s) to attend and participate in APFA meetings. In fact, at a recent meeting the APFA leadership ejected the St. Louis domiciled elected representative(s). The former TWA Flight Attendants pay their union dues to the APFA even though they are the victims of discrimination by the APFA. Their questions go unanswered and their grievances are denied.Currently, the IAM belongs to a Flight Attendant Coalition, of which APFA is a member. We have a duty to you and the trade union movement, to refuse to participate in any activities with a renegade organization that disregards Labor Protective Provisions, that denies the seniority rights of working men and women. The IAM has advised the other Unions in the Flight Attendant Coalition of their intent to withdraw from the Coalition.Flight Attendants need one voice to represent them in the Halls of Congress. Only an AFL-CIO Flight Attendant Coalition can provide that voice and leadership. We have requested the AFL-CIO establish such a Coalition of affiliated unions. The purpose of sending you this information is to make you aware of the damage an independent organization can do so that you may fully understand why an AFL-CIO established Flight Attendant Coalition is so vitally important. If someone were to ask you to join or sign a card for an independent organization, remember the TWA Flight Attendants who are furloughed with up to 25 years of seniority as a result of the actions of a dictatorial independent organization, APFA.In solidarity,William O''Driscoll
President/Directing
General Chairma
ALOHA, 007
