General Items
This week an issue affecting the GQ and PV shops which has potential systemwide implications was being addressed. The issue is a matter of seniority involving recalls and people who are involved in a current RIF (reduction in force), and who has the superior right the openings. In the January RIF we had twenty eight openings in MM while people were still on furlough. There was no dispute at that time that people in that RIF had the superior rights due to the fact that our members would have been the junior people on the system and would have been immediately displaced upon return. The situation is different in the GQ/PV departments because the recalls would not be the junior people on the system if returned to work. There is nothing to clearly spell out who has the greater rights in the current Contract or in Series 75-2 (the Company's interpretation manual). With that said I have written a letter to the Labor Relations department and we will have a conference call on Tuesday to discuss this matter further.
An e-mail was forwarded to me this week about a pension petition. I won't go into great details about this because I did a write-up on the blog the day after receiving it. Here is a link to that article.
If you don't receive the "Week in Review" from the Airline Division I recommend you read this week's edition. There are many things going on in regards to mechanics issues. Also if you are interested in going to D.C. to lobby let me or Tom Reid know so we can get your info to the right people.
If you haven't read the Arbitration submission for the Panasonic Grievance it can be found here. Also a letter from President Hoffa regarding the TSA Reauthorization can be found here, and a letter from Director Bourne to the Committee on Homeland Security can be found here. Both of these letters of thanks are directly related to the Mechanics and Related Class and Craft and provide insight into what the Union is currently doing on the Hill to preserve our jobs.
I appreciated the overwhelmingly positive response to the Unions opening proposal.
MM
The issue of concern this week continued to be the separate LM classification for the Cabin Crew. For those on the e-mail tree you already know the separate classification part of this issue has been resolved. It was good to see the Teamsters were able to resolve this with the Company. Hopefully the Company will continue working with us so better work schedules can be explored on a local basis.
I talked to Ron B in regards to the grievance answers he owes us and he told me they would be ready this coming week.
One of the members at a briefing this week expressed some displeasure at the process of "do now and grieve later". I share that member's frustration, but we need to realize that even if the Company is dead wrong on a contract interpretation issue, they will proceed no matter what the Union presents to them. I offer for examples the 20%, Station Closing, Panasonic, and the myriad of Discharge cases currently awaiting Arbitration. As you've not doubt already seen the Union is attempting to streamline this process with the elimination of the old third step and its replacement with the System Board of Adjustment. In my opinion this would be a huge step forward by reducing our wait times in the process thereby reducing that frustration we all feel.
GQ
The big issue in the shop was addressed in the general items above.
PV
In addition to the seniority issue, work continued on the outsourcing in the shop. As well as the committee grievance on the Jetway issue many members are filing individual grievances when they see the contractor performing this work. I would also encourage members to file whenever they see vendors doing work we should be doing. As you all know the Company continues to farm out work that is covered by the Contract. The only way to stop this practice is to continue to use the grievance system we have.
That's all for this week,
Bob
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