In January, a new President, Barack Obama, will be sworn in to office. The challenges he faces are formidable: wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, turmoil in the Middle East, possible nuclear weapons in Iran and North Korea, a newly belligerent Russia and, of course, the economy.

As important as the other issues are, it is the economy that’s on everyone’s mind. The federal government has taken extraordinary steps – including a $700 billion bailout package passed in Congress – to keep the economy from slipping into a deep recession. Unemployment is rising and Americans have seen steep losses in their retirement accounts and home values.

Shortly before Congress passed the bailout legislation, billionaire investor Warren Buffet appeared on the Charlie Rose show to argue the need for the rescue package. While I agreed with Buffet on the need for the legislation, I really didn’t like using taxpayer money to bail out some of the same folks who got us into this mess.

What really caught my attention, however, were some of the other things Buffet said, which were pretty remarkable coming from the world’s richest man. His sympathy for the plight of the average working family told me the so-called “Oracle of Omaha” really does get it.

It would be easy for a smart guy like Buffet to look down at everyone caught in the real estate bubble, but he was sympathetic to people whose only sin was trying to get a decent place to live for their families. Fearing they would be priced out of the market, they were easy prey for those offering mortgage deals.

For a numbers guy, Buffet is good at understanding the real pain and suffering those numbers represent. While warning that there would be no quick fix to the economy, he argued that it would be unconscionable for slow action to allow the unemployment rate to go up even further because those percentage points add up to millions of real workers. “Just think of what it’s like to go home (after losing your job) with a mortgage payment and kids and everything else,” he told Rose. “My dad had that happen to him in the early 1930s.”

Buffet is most surprising when he advocates raising taxes on people like himself. “I’ve never had it so good in terms of taxes,” he said. “I am paying the lowest tax rate that I’ve ever paid in my life. Now, that’s crazy. And if you look at the Forbes 400, they are paying a lower rate, counting payroll taxes, than their secretary or whoever around their office.”

Buffet also thinks executive compensation in the U.S. is scandalous because it’s so out of line with what ordinary workers make, and believes tax cuts should go to lower-income households who will spend the money and stimulate the economy.

The straight talking financier has made his reputation in business, but these comments show Buffet has a lot of common sense on public policy as well. He was a supporter and advisor to Senator Obama during the campaign. Senator McCain, who lost the Presidential race, admires him as well.

Let’s hope President Obama continues to listen to the Oracle from Omaha, especially when it comes to understanding the personal pain behind the financial numbers.
 

TWU International and Local 514 officers and members were saddened this month by the passing of retired International Vice President and former Local 514 President Paul Gaynor on Oct. 5, 2008. He was 74 and had been plagued for years by rheumatoid arthritis.

Paul, a life-long resident of Oklahoma, came to TWU in 1964 with American Airlines as an Aircraft Mechanic in Tulsa after serving in the U.S. Air Force. He began representing his fellow workers in 1965. He was elected to the Local 514 Executive Board in 1969 and President in 1971.

He was elevated to the International staff in 1973 where his dynamic personality eventually translated into major organizing successes for the union. He was named Director of Organizing and International Vice President in 1984 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1994.

Tim Grandfield, who later served as Organizing Director after Paul’s retirement, recalls with great fondness his years of working with Paul. He told the Express: “Paul was an outstanding organizer, he was personable, highly intelligent and was sharp as nails during contract negotiations.”

Paul’s first major organizing victory was among the Flight Attendants at Southwest Airlines. TWU now represents more than 50 percent of the nonmanagement employees at Southwest, including the Flight Attendants, Ramp, Operations, Provisioning and Freight, and just this month, Flight Dispatchers.

That was followed by impressive victories among Fleet Service and Maintenance among the seven regional carriers that subsequently became a single carrier under American Eagle. “It was never easy,” recalls Grandfield. “We had to beat out the Teamsters and the IAM at most of the Eagle elections.”

The Southwest Flight Attendant Local 556, in 1998, named a scholarship in Paul’s name, which is presented annually to a Local member based on his/her capacity for leadership, growth, active union involvement, and commitment to the labor movement.”

Paul is survived by his wife, Yosie, a son and a daughter.

TWU mourned the passing on Sept. 11, 2008 of Local 100 stalwart Peter G. “Pete” Lynch, who served TWU Local 100 for 30 years as a member and officer prior to his retirement in 1995. He was 73 and died of complications from heart surgery.

Lynch, a tough-on-the-outside tattooed veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and a no nonsense representative for workers in the Line Equipment and Signal Division of Local 100, was at heart an engaging, witty sweetheart of a man beloved by the Local 100 office staff.

He served as a member of the Local 100 Executive Board, Chairman of Line Equipment and Signal Division, Staff Representative and Assistant to the President of Local 100 during the stewardships of Sonny Hall and Damaso Seda.

As Assistant to the President, Lynch served as a liason for the Local with the Mayor’s office, the City Council and Albany. Also, he was largely responsible for the formation of the Coalition of MTA Employee Unions and served as its first Treasurer. The Coalition, for the first time, brought together all the unions representing workers at NYC Transit, MABSTOA, Metro North, Long Island Railroad, Long Island Bus and the Triboro Bridge and Tunnel Authority to deal in strength with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

After retirement, he embarked on a second career as a charter boat Captain out of Bay Harbor Islands, Florida and, to no one’s surprise who knew him, politician.

In 2002, the TWU Express ran an article about Pete’s post-retirement exploits under the headline, “Unlike Old Soldiers, Retired TWU Officers Don’t Fade Away, They Continue to Shake Things Up.”

He told the Express at the time that he had fulfilled a life-long dream with the charter business. He quipped at the time: “As a union rep, I was a fisher of men. Now I’m just a fisher of fish.”

During that same time, however, he and fellow residents of Bay Harbor Islands (near Miami) opposed plans for high-rise developments in their community. Lynch, relying on his union background, successfully marshaled the community against the plan, and was elected in 2002 to the five-member Bay Harbor Islands governing council. He was named Vice Mayor in 2004 and Mayor in 2005.

As Mayor, Lynch drew upon his union negotiating skills to forge an agreement between the Town and the Police Department that was widely credited with improving police officer relations and morale. He also secured a Police Patrol Boat for the department to improve security on the community’s waterways.

The Bay Harbor Islands “NewsWaves” publication said in its obituary on Pete: “It was through his concerted efforts that he brought Bay Harbor Islands to the forefront of the Miami Dade League of Cities, setting an example of how government can work with the majority of its constituents and Council in harmony.”

Pete is survived by his wife, Iris, son Kevin, daughter, Tara, and four grandsons.
 

New Reauthorization Bill Doubles Funds to Cash-Starved Railroad

With more riders flocking to Amtrak, the nation’s passenger railroad is poised to get an infusion of cash as well.

In early October, Congress passed a reauthorization bill that would give Amtrak nearly double the subsistence budget it has limped along on in recent years. It is the first reauthorization since 1997.

Rep. James Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, said the railroad has had a dozen years of “just barely survival budgets,” including two years in which the Bush Administration asked for a zero appropriation.

The White House announced on October 16 that President Bush signed the Amtrak reauthorization and companion rail safety legislation. A separate bill is needed to actually appropriate the money for Amtrak.

Rail labor generally applauded the long-overdue reauthorization, but is critical of some of its failings, most notably a lack of labor protections. TWU Rail Division Director Gary Maslanka said labor was also disappointed that certification for Carmen and Onboard Service Workers didn’t make it to the final bill.

The passenger rail legislation authorizes $13.1 billion in fiscal years 2009-2013, including $5.3 billion for capital grants to Amtrak, $2.9 billion for operating grants and $1.4 billion to retire debt.

The bill also authorizes $1.5 billion over the five years for grants to states and/or Amtrak to develop high-speed rail lines and requires a plan to restore Northeast corridor infrastructure to good repair.

Among various safety provisions, the bill will require positive train control technology by 2015 on major stretches of track that carry both passengers and freight cargo that could create toxic gases in an accident. The technology can sense an impending collision and stop the train.

Maslanka praised some of the other safety provisions, including an increase in the number of rail safety inspectors. He also said railroads would no longer be able to delay first aid treatment to workers and that the legislation sets minimum training standards.

Maslanka is also hopeful that a utilization study of maintenance and repair facilities will be a steppingstone to insourcing additional work.

Local 241 members and officers got together recently to celebrate the retirement of Leonor Bath, an employee of Columbia University for the past 28 years. Leonor, shown above with her co-workers from custodial, and below receiving parting gifts from the Union, “was a great lady to work with,” according to Local President Enso Rodriguez, at right in photo below. Also shown is Secretary Treasurer Dino Centrone.
 

TWU Local 291 Kills Massive Service Cuts, Prevents Layoff of 700 Workers, But Braces for Ongoing Assault on Public Transit Funding

With huge service cuts and layoffs hanging in the balance, TWU Local 291 mobilized community leaders and the riding public to fend off the attack on mass transit in Miami-Dade County—for now. Local officers are mounting an ongoing campaign to make sure the county lives up to the promises of the “People’s Transportation Plan,” passed in 2002, which was supposed to add and improve service, not cut it.

The first bullet was dodged last month when the County Commissioners narrowly voted to raise bus fares and thus put off the draconian cuts and layoffs. The action came after Local 291 alerted the public to the threat to mass transit. Extensive leafleting, phone banking, talk show appearances, newspaper ads and even a mock “funeral for transit” resulted in riders and the tax-paying public inundating the Commissioners with angry phone calls.

Local 291 President Wessell Clark heaped praise for the successful campaign on his activist membership base. “The membership deserves so much credit for this victory. Many of their jobs were on the line; they were the ones who heard it from the public everyday, and they were the ones who did the heavy lifting in this campaign. Their work, and the work we all did here at the Local, makes us all better prepared to face the next challenge.”

Clark said it is important to understand that in 2002 voters approved a 1/2 cent sales tax surcharge. In return for this money, the county promised dramatic improvements and expansion of the transit system. The Miami Herald, in a series of articles on the crisis, charged the transit agency with inept and blatant misuse of the extra funds. Citing the promise of expanded transit in Citing the promise of expanded transit in exchange for the sales tax money, the newspaper said that cutting bus service and  whole routes was “a betrayal to riders.”

The proposed cuts would have reduced service by more than 5 million miles and resulted in a layoff of 700 to 800 transit employees.

Commenting on TWU’s initial victory in defeating the cuts, International Vice President J.W. Johnson said “the verdict is in, but the jury is still out.” He said the fragile majority of support on the Miami-Dade Board of Commissioners makes it likely that the threat of cuts will resurface.

With assistance from TWU International, Local 291 will continue to build a coalition of civic leaders and the riding public. A lawsuit has been filed to compel the county to live up to the promises of the People’s Transportation Plan and the local will also fight against efforts to repeal the sales tax surcharge. “Riders and taxpayers must demand that they get what they were promised and are still paying for,” Johnson said.
 

International Vice President Dennis Burchette (right) did the honors last month in administering the oath of office to the newly elected Local 565 team in Bedford, TX. International Representative Don Videtich (3rd from right) was also on hand. The officers include: President William Zimmerman; Treasurer/ Recording Secretary Mike Hatfield; Vice President Gary Schaible and Executive Board members Ken MacTiernan, Jerry Mishak and Mike Bush.
 
 

The Air Transport Division’s Working Womens’ Committee held its meeting last month at ATD headquarters in Hurst, TX. Photo at left shows the group during break in their discussions on issues affecting working women.
 
 

New York Newsday recently carried an article on the new security challenges faced by today’s flight attendants as opposed to “back in the day.”

The piece focused on a former coworker of mine at Eastern who started, like me, “lured by the excitement of travel and the opportunities to meet new people.”

What she and I had in common some 35 years ago was that we both liked the style of uniforms that Eastern Airlines had. And of course, the prestige and attraction of being a “stewardess” beckoned us.

Our primary purpose for being on board, even then, was for safety reasons.

Eastern’s east coast route structure made us vulnerable to “hijacking” by Cuban nationals. Air Marshals were put on board with guns. Flight attendant “terrorist” training back then consisted of “putting ourselves between the hijacker and the cockpit door!” But none of us in the airline industry could have foreseen the changes that would occur in homeland security some 30 years later.

At one time, we were required to wear nail polish, now you are required to carry restraint tape! Now on the TWU Local 556 (Southwest flight attendants) Safety Team’s website, you can see a little box in orange that states, “Threat Advisory-high risk of terrorists attacks.”

The President of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants for American Airlines, Laura Glading, said, “Everything about flight attendant life has changed since 9/11, becoming more of a high stress job. You are learning to defend yourself, how to attack, how to hurt a passenger with what you have. It’s a whole new way to use a coffee pot.”

On December 13, 2003, President Bush signed the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act into law. This measure, part of the FAA Reauthorization Bill, was designed to strengthen America’s aviation sector and enhance the safety of the traveling public. The Act further requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to develop and make available to flight and cabin crew members an advanced self-defense training program that includes appropriate and effective responses for defending against an attacker.

However, on May 13, 2004 Rep. Peter DeFazio, ranking member on the House Transportation Aviation Subcommittee, began collecting signatures on a letter to the TSA Acting Administrator David Stone, asking him to improve flight attendant security training. Senators Barbara Boxer and Joe Lieberman, ranking members on Governmental Affairs, joined forces with DeFazio.

Flight attendants continue “reporting that they are not receiving comprehensive basic security training and that the air carriers’ training programs vary drastically throughout the industry,” DeFazio noted in his letter. It is troubling that TSA has not yet addressed these large discrepancies among the air carrier flight attendant security training programs, especially since it was given the express authority in Section 603 of “Vision 100” to establish minimum standards for such programs.

Finally, “Vision 100” required air carriers providing passenger air transportation to conduct basic security training for their flight and cabin crews in order to prepare them for potential threat conditions that may occur onboard an aircraft. Crew members are given a DVD and student manual designed to familiarize themselves with self defense concepts and techniques. After completing the review, the crewmember schedules a one-day “hands-on” training program conducted at participating colleges.

We never would have thought airlines would ban smoking on board, pilots now carry guns, and flight attendants are now using “suitcases as a weapon.”
 

What went wrong. What needs to be done.

The Economy – it’s like getting hit by a truck. In your living room. Nothing you could do to stop it.

If I can stretch the analogy a little more, Wall Street is driving the truck. And the U.S. government is the bartender who got him drunk and sent him out on the street.

So what happened? What can we expect? And what can we do about it?

What Happened?

Think about those chain letters you get: send it on to 10 people and when your name comes to the top you’ll get rich. They work great for the people who start them, then they don’t. The first guys in get rich, everyone else gets hosed.

That’s the stock market for the past decade. Not just one, but three bubbles: dot.com, Enron and now housing. In each case the guys who started it skimmed billions of dollars off the top before the whole thing collapsed.

Wall Street pundits are blaming the lastest collapse on people who bought houses they couldn’t afford. That makes as much sense as saying an avalanche is caused by the last snowflake to fall on it. The snowflake was only the trigger, the cause was the layers of instability that had built up under the snow.

Although housing foreclosures triggered the latest crisis, the cause was huge layers of instability created by 40-1 leverage: you buy a $1 million investment with $25,000 and borrow the rest. A stock or bond that pays 2.5%, pays this leveraged investor 100% return on his money. Of course when the market turns around, a 2.5% decline in his investment wipes out 100% of his capital.

And once again, the Wall Street bankers walked away with the billions they took up front and their golden parachutes. And, once again, shareholders and taxpayers are left picking up the pieces.

Why Do Wall Street’s Problems Affect Us?

The system runs on debt. From the large corporation to the corner store, businesses borrow short-term to meet their payroll or stock their shelves. When the credit markets collapse, businesses can’t borrow and the economy freezes up.

We needed to stop the credit crisis even if it meant rewarding the bad guys and punishing the taxpayer. Think 1929. President Hoover didn’t do anything, counting on the “free market” to solve the credit crunch. The result was a decade-long Depression with unemployment reaching 30%. What the government has done so far with $3 trillion in taxpayer money (probably…hopefully) is prevented another Great Depression, in other words staved off only the very worst of possible outcomes.

So What Can We Expect?

Although it seems like this recession has been going on for a long time (and it has for those of us down in the middle class), it’s probably only just getting started. The fallout from the recent credit crisis and middle class families stretched to their debt limit hasn’t hit yet. It is reasonable to expect the worst recession in the lifetime of any active member – deeper and longer than 1982, for example, or the 1970’s.

So What Do We Do?

Individually: hunker down. Put off discretionary spending, save a little if you can, pay down debt.

As a union: fight for policies that will fight the economic downturn and protect the middle class from its impact.

What policies are those?

Put money in the hands of those who will spend it.

The very best way is government spending on things that will create jobs immediately while serving as investments in our economic future. Spending on developing our transportation systems is a great example. Education is another.

Tax cuts for those who will spend it, like the middle class, is another way to fight recession. Tax cuts for the wealthy are not, as they have more money than they can spend already.

How Do We Stop This From Happening Again?

There is no sure-fire way to stop greed. But the engine for the crisis was a two-decades long push to end all government regulation and let the markets run wild. It was driven by right-wing and Wall Street ideologues, but it captured support from both parties. Never forget that the so-called banking reform that undid the protections passed after the Great Depression was passed during a Democratic Administration (1999).

We need to:

Re-regulate the financial markets, putting limits on leverage (how much people can borrow to buy financial assets) and mandating transparency (every investment is on the books and out in the open).

Reverse the trend to favor corporations and the wealthy over middle class workers. Reverse tax and trade policies that encourage companies to ship jobs overseas. Reverse tax policies that reward investments and punish work.

Pass the Employee Free Choice Act to allow those who want to join a union to do so without fear of being fired. Nothing improves families’ standard of living like belonging to a union.
 

TWU Air Transport Division Director John Conley (right) administers oath of office to the newly elected officers of Local 576 (American Eagle). From the left are: Jose Galarza, ATD staff, Alan Treadwell,ATD staff; David Ortiz, Executive Board member; Layne Rasmussen, 2nd Vice President; Pam Nowell, Recording Secretary; Keith Carpenter, Executive Board member; Matt Smith, Secretary Treasurer; Barry Arbelius, 1st Vice President; and Gary Hill, President. 

 

The International Union conducted its fourth grassroots training class for Local activists last month. This program was hosted at the International Union’s headquarters in New York and was attended by 17 Local 100 activists. Attending for the local were Glenn O’Sullivan, Kendra Hill, Bruce Sabb, Gail Lee, Michael Morales, A.Jenkins Jr, Eze Chisholm, Rudy Marquis II, Wendell Marlin, Luciano Cipriano, Whitfield Gibson, Tracy Moore, Raymond Miranda, Romain McLean, E.C. Turnbull Jr, Paul King and Jerry Archer.

TWU Legislative Director Roger Tauss (right in photo below) and Int’l Education and Research Director Bob Wechsler (left in photo) participated. The class was taught by Walter Pearson. The union conducts a bi-annual grassroots program at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, MD, but in recent months began taking the show on the road to assist Local unions wishing to expand member mobilization skills. In addition to the New York event, the union has conducted programs for Locals in San Francisco, Tulsa and Cleveland.

The International Union and Local 229 recognized three Local 229 members for their heroic and humanitarian actions after a brutal stabbing of a passenger near the Hudson Bergen Light Rail station at Liberty State Park in Jersey City, NJ.

The horrific incident took place during an early September morning rush hour. A knife wielding man, police later described as a person with a history of mental disease, stabbed a commuter without warning and took off. The three TWU maintainers were working nearby and heard people screaming.

Local 229 member Kevin Wendolowski, a 24-year old Jersey City native who hopes for a career in law enforcement, took off after the perpetrator, jumped a fence and cornered him nearby.

“I pretended my cell phone was a gun and ordered him to lay face down,” he said. Kevin then held the stabber on the ground until police arrived.

His two co-workers, Karen Stoute and Michael Dickens, rushed to aid the victim, a 36-year old man. The two tried to stem the bleeding and comfort him until paramedics arrived. Unfortunately, the father of three young children died on the way to the hospital.

TWU Transit Division Director Hubert Snead, who presented the awards of recognition at a ceremony on the company property in Jersey City, said: “It was an honor presenting these awards to these great people. This was action above and beyond. We’re all very proud of the way these heroic people conducted themselves under great stress and danger.”

TWU and Brick Township, NJ have reached impasse in contract talks and are awaiting the appointment of a State Mediator. But the business of the union goes on, as members held nominations and election of section officers recently.

 

A huge crowd of Local 513 members and their families turned out for the Local’s annual picnic. This year’s event featured all kinds of food and refreshments, and lots of stuff for the kids, including hay rides, pony rides, face painting and much more. The event was held at the Ranch of the Lonesome Dove not far from the union hall in Southlake, Texas.

 

Making a Difference in 2008 Election

In January 1961, John F. Kennedy proclaimed in his inaugural address to the nation that “the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans.” Now nearly a half century later, those profound words are ringing true again. While Barack Obama’s appeal to voters crossed all racial, ethnic and gender lines, his ace in the hole from day one was an energetic army of younger Americans willing not only to go to the polls for him, but to become the foot soldiers of his campaign.

The Obama candidacy had similar results inside TWU, where younger members and first time volunteers infused some high octane gas into TWU’s solid core of activists.

One such new-to-the-scene advocateis Angie Cox, a young Operations Agent for Southwest  Airlines at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. Angie, who is also the Station Rep for Local 555 at the small SWA base there, came to the airlines at the suggestion of her father, who had worked for United. “I hated my cubicle job doing data entry,” recalls Angie. “My dad said ‘try the airlines,’ so I did.”

And soon after she got there, she also found another calling, union work.

“It’s really not a big base for Southwest here,” she said. “I used to speak up for my co-workers, and finally they told me to run for office, so I did.” Her successful election also put her in touch with Local 555 District Rep Mike Cernosek, who eventually asked her to cover a hearing important to Southwest workers on Capitol Hill. “I met Portia Reddick White (TWU’s Assistant Political and Legislative Director) at the hearing, and one thing led to another and here I am.”

Where Angie “is” is working full time for the AFL-CIO’s Labor 2008 campaign working out of the Northern Virginia Labor Council for Obama and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner.

“We do everything here, phone banking, labor walks, recruiting, leafleting, get-out-the-vote activities, press relations, the works,” said Angie.

Why did she get involved, we asked. “This is such an historic election,” said Angie. “I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be out there helping instead of just sitting around hoping he wins.”

When asked which is more difficult, her real job for Southwest or her campaign work, Angie didn’t hesitate. “Oh, definitely my job at the airport is harder. This is fun.”

Chester and Debi

Chester Zermeno and Debi Lammers met in college, fell in love, got married and now both work as Flight Attendants for Southwest Airlines. The two are avid skiers, hikers and bikers living an hour’s drive north of Denver, Colorado. When they commute to work, it’s not a few miles from home, but all the way to Chicago. With that kind of busy lifestyle, neither had time to commit to union or political work.

But then the Democratic National Convention came to town in Denver this past summer. “There’s not too many Southwest employees living in Colorado,” said Chester. “We got a call from the union saying there were a couple of tickets available for Sen. Obama’s acceptance speech. We liked Obama so we went.”

“We were really taken by the event, and we both decided to try to help.”

For the past couple of months the two have been helping big time for the AFL-CIO’s Labor 2008 campaign in their state. “We’ve done all kinds of stuff for Obama, Mark Udall (Senate candidate) and Betsy Markey (House candidate).”

“We want our candidates to win,” said Chester. “But even if they don’t, I think we accomplished something.”

Transit Division Local 208 formally opened new contract talks with the Central Ohio Transit Authority in early October. Photo shows the Local’s top officers caucusing prior to meeting with management. From left around table are: Local President Theotis James; Transit Division Director Hubert Snead; Secretary Treasurer Duane Marbury and Vice President Kenny Rauls. The contract expires on Nov 30, 2008. The union and COTA have met numerous times during October.
 

Batman forgot to bring Robin and the Batmobile. As a result, “Batman” aka Tony Leroy Cleveland, a dangerous ex-con who served 10 years in the state pen for armed robbery, is awaiting trial on new charges of armed robbery, assault with intent to kill, illegal gun possession, and wearing a mask in the commission of a felony.

The only reason Cleveland is not still on the streets committing other crimes is Local 514 member Craig Stutzman who disarmed the gun-wielding thug andheld him for Tulsa police after a wild fist-flying struggle that started in a local Tulsa grocery store and spilled out onto the street.

The dramatic incident, captured on video tape by store cameras, took place last August on a warm summer evening after Stutzman had put in a full day at the American Airlines maintenance base.

Stutzman entered the store around midnight to pick up a few items, when he and a few other shoppers were confronted by Cleveland, who police said was wearing a Batman mask and red bandana.

The would-be robber actually took a wild shot at a frightenend shopper who had tried to duck down and hide in one of the isles.

Stutzman’s knowledge of firearms helped in his decision to take action. “As the guy walked past, I noticed that the pistol had not cycled properly or reloaded the next round. The slide was back and the barrel was forward and I knew that the gun was jammed,” he recalled. That’s when Stutzman tackled the career criminal and the frenzied fight was on that saw Stutzman struck twice in the face with the barrel of the weapon.

After the heroic battle that took a predator off the streets the humble TWU member said, “You know, it  just happened. There’s no real big thing about it.”
 

Longtime Local 2017 President Tom Lutton, who for years has quietly but effectively represented his members on the railroad with zeal and professionalism, was honored last month as Labor Person of the Year by the Blair-Bedford Central Labor Council.

The annual event took place in Altoona, PA and coincided with the Labor Council’s 90th anniversary. Chartered in 1918 by Samuel Gompers, it is one of the oldest labor councils in America.

AFL-CIO national Secretary Treasurer Richard Trumka delivered the keynote speech and presented the award. TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo and Railroad Division Director Gary Maslanka  were also on hand.

“It is a great honor to be selected as one of the labor leaders of the council,” Lutton said.

TWU Local 226 members employed by First Student school bus company in Paramus, NJ ratified a new three-year contract last month in near unanimous fashion.

International Vice President Susan Resch, who assisted the Local during bargaining, told the Express that the agreement provides drivers with a 70 cents per hour increase in each year of the 3 years (representing an average 4.6% salary hike) and attendants a 50 cents per hour raise each year, (representing a 5.35% boost annually).

Other details include holiday pay for Martin Luther King’s Birthday, a new procedure for job bidding, COPE check off, method to use personal days for an emergency, and a grandfather clause for company co-pays for those who have health insurance and an open enrollment for those who want to participate in the new health insurance offered by First Student at the employee’s cost.

Photo below shows, from the left: Local President John Bradford, Treasurer Jackie Casado, Resch, and Executive Board member George Ross.
 

TWU Interns Cap Legislative Training With Stint on the Political Battlefield

Legislative success usually follows political activism, so it’s a logical twist that TWU’s latest legislative interns followed their stint in Washington D.C. with active roles in political campaigns back home.

Ron Bigelow of Local 501 is currently working on the campaign of New York City Council Member Michael McMahon for a Congressional seat from Staten Island. Susan Kern of Local 556 is back in Florida where she is working to elect Barack Obama for President as well as local candidates.

The interns spent three weeks in September honing their legislative skills in the union’s popular training program which began last year. Although the TWU local officers are immersed in lobbying on Capitol Hill, they also gain knowledge to advance TWU goals in state and local legislatures.

All interns work closely with Political and Legislative Director Roger Tauss and Assistant Director Portia Reddick White. Reddick White, who coordinates the program, says that the aim is “to develop a program that will be beneficial when they return to their respective locals.”

(The application process for 2009 internships closed October 31. Applications for 2010 will start next June.)

The interns temporarily become part of the Washington staff, which includes Tauss, Reddick White, Political Representative Alex Garcia and Department Secretary Paulette Smith.

Bigelow, who served on the Local 501 Executive Board for six years, has been employed in Fleet Service by American Airlines for 21 years. He credits local leadership for getting him involved in politics and helping him to understand how important elections are to bread-and-butter issues like pensions, outsourcing and safety on the job.

In the current campaign, Bigelow is working with the Central Labor Council to boost McMahon’s profile in the community through labor walks and other grassroots activities. The Congressional seat is seen as an opportunity for Democrats since the incumbent Republican had to drop out of the race after a sex scandal.

Bigelow applied for the TWU internship “to learn more about lobbying for unions; to see exactly what the process is and how bills become laws for our pensions, etc.” He laments that there’s “too much negativity – people giving up on government.” Citing what he learned during the internship, Bigelow says, “There’s a larger picture. I got to see what really goes on in government. Legislators are dealing with so many issues. But, they really are trying to get things done. Sometimes they just don’t have the votes and sometimes elections intervene.

Bigelow admits his own patience was tried in sitting through lengthy Congressional hearings. “They can go on for hours,” he says. “And then the bills will sit until a new Congress comes in.”

Still, he’s quick to recommend the internships to other activists. “It’s a great education about what’s going on in Congress. I’m very thankful for the opportunity.”

Kern, a Domicile Executive Board Member from the Orlando area, has been working with the Space  Central Labor Council on the Obama campaign in Florida, which is likely to be a hard-fought battleground state. The unionists are also supporting Suzanne Kosmas over incumbent Congressman Tom Feeney and in State House races Amy Tidd (District 30) and Tony Sasso (District 32).

In addition to phone banks, canvassing and other get-out-the-vote activities, Local 556’s Kern and the other volunteers have been helping local unions with campaign literature while local officers concentrate on their servicing and negotiation duties. Kern believes increasing voter turnout will be a key to victory, with a large undecided vote up for grabs. Much of the effort for Obama, she says, has been correcting the lies and myths that are being spread.

Kern said her interest in the internship was fanned by attendance at TWU COPE conferences where she had the opportunity to lobby her legislators. “I really enjoyed it and wanted to find out more about what they do in D.C.,” she says. “I knew I could apply some of the lessons to Florida, anything I could do to be more effective.”

She was particularly impressed by a hearing on National Mediation Board rules, a hearing House Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar said he couldn’t hold while the Republicans were the majority.

“I learned so much in Washington,” Kern says. “Portia, Alex and Roger were great to work with. I never felt I was ‘just’ an intern. They always listened to what we had to say. I would go back in a heartbeat.”

She adds, “I always heard how important it was to be involved in politics. But it really came home in Washington. You must pay attention to what has a direct impact on your job.”
 

Succeeding in College with Help from TWU

Thanks to the downturn in the economy and rising tuition costs, it’s getting harder for students to finance a college education. For almost 40 years, TWU’s Quill Scholarships have been making it a bit easier for members’ children.

That’s why a 2005 winner, Terianne Bernal of Florida, wrote recently to thank the union for its support. “I am truly grateful for the opportunities this award has provided for me,” Bernal wrote. “Despite the fact that I’ve had to rely on student loans and independent employment to help finance my education, this scholarship helped reduce financial burdens and provided assistance as I continued pursuing my education.”

(This year’s Quill winners were profiled last issue. Applications for 2009 will be available early next year.)

Bernal, the daughter of Local 561 Executive Board Member Antonio Bernal, has been living at home while she attends Florida International University. She notes that’s she’s the first in her family to attend college and is proud of making the Dean’s List and being a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity.

In a telephone interview, Bernal said her lack of aptitude in the sciences led her to abandon her hopes of being a veterinarian. Her job as a meal plan representative for the campus dining services has led to an interest in the hospitality industry and she plans to become an event coordinator.

International President James C. Little welcomed TWU’s newest members, the Flight Dispatchers at Soutwest Airlines, to the TWU family this month at a Local Charter presentation ceremony in Dallas.

The SWA Dispatchers, formerly part of an independent association (Southwest Airlines Employees Association), voted overwhelmingly to join TWU.

TWU represents more than half of Southwest’s employees under the banner of three Local unions, including Flight Attendants (Local 556), ramp, operations and provisioning (Local 555) and now Disptachers (Local 550).

“TWU offered the right combination of resources and support,” said Mike Connor, first president of the new Local 550.

“We joined because the Transport Workers represent the majority of dispatchers in the industry and majority of employees at Southwest Airlines. BothTWU locals at Southwestoffered solid support in our quest to give our members the best contract and representation they deserve as leaders in the industry.”

Local 250-A President Irwin Lum arranged a special treat for International Council members, staff and delegates to the TWU Civil and Human Rights Department meeting with a visit to San Francisco Muni’s Cable Car powerhouse and car barn as well as a ride on one of the famed cable cars on the Powell/Hyde Street line. President Lum, along with Executive Vice President Walter Scott and Cable Car Division Chair Tony Gonzalez, Jr., hosted the tour and answered questions about the cars and their operation.
 

TWU’s International Executive Council met Oct. 14-15 in San Francisco for its final meeting of 2008. Chaired by International President James C. Little, the Council reviewed the activities of the organization over the past quarter.

President Little announced that the Southwest Airlines Employees Association (Flight Dispatchers) had recently voted overwhelmingly to affiliate with TWU under the banner of newly chartered Local 550. He also praised the successful efforts of Transit Division Local 291 to crush a plan by Miami officials to drastically cut back on transit service and eliminate nearly 700 TWU jobs.

In other actions, Secretary Treasurer Joseph C. Gordon reported that the union’s finances are stable despite the severe economic downturn.

Political and Legislative Director Roger Tauss gave a detailed report on the union’s activities on Capitol Hill, as well as the union’s substantial mobilization efforts to help elect the Obama-Biden team, as well as other candidates well disposed toward working families. He reported that TWU has members “in every battleground state” as part of the AFLCIO’s Labor 2008 action plan. And he said that many of those TWU people “are in positions of real responsibility” in the presidential campaign as well as Senatorial and Congressional races.

Tauss added that the union would be mounting an all out campaign in the new year to win back transit operating assistance as part of any transit funding measure or economic stimulus package

Transit, Utility, Universities and Service Division Director Hubert Snead reported on recent settlements of contracts in the Division, including settlements for Local 226 members at First Student in Paramus, NJ and Local 100 members at Super Trans and Bauman Bus. He further updated the Council on ongoing negotiations, and added his congratulations to Local 291 leaders for their successful job-saving drive.

Air Transport Division Director John Conley gave a detailed report on ongoing negotiations in his Division with special emphasis on the talks at American Airlines, Southwest and American Eagle.

Railroad Division Director Gary Maslanka reported on Congressional passage of two major rail funding and safety bills, and said that he would continue to work with other rail unions to shore up weak outsourcing language in the funding bill.

Civil and Human Rights Department Chair Sandra Burleson reported on activities of her Department and the TWU Working Women’s Committee (see story this issue on the Civil and Human Rights Department meeting).

Other reports were presented by General Counsel David Rosen, Organizing Director Frank McCann; COPE Director Peggy Olstein-Wiedman, Education and Research Director Bob Wechsler, Safety Coordinator Carl Martin, Appeals Committee Chair Michael Bakalo, Gaming Division Director Joe Carbon and Communications Director Jim Gannon.

More than 100 TWU activists from around the country attended the annual Civil and Human Rights Department and TWU Women’s Committee meetings in San Francisco on Oct. 16-17.

Department Chair Sandra Burleson, President of Local 260 in Houston, launched the conference with a report of the Department’s activities in the past year, and gave a briefing on plans for the King Day celebration in January 2009 in New Orleans.

International President James C. Little welcomed delegates to the event, and pledged that TWU would never waver from its historic commitment to equal rights and liberties.

Retired International Vice President Larry Martin, the first chair of the Department, greeted the delegates as well.

Featured speaker at the seminar was Linda Ordonio-Dixon, Senior Trial Attorney for the San Francisco office of the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. She led a discussion on equal pay for women, sexual harassment on the job, age and religious discrimination, retaliation and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The seminar also featured a panel discussion on addressing racism on the job, as well as mobilization tactics to encourage minority workers to register and vote. Panel participants included International Vice President John Bland, Assistant Political and Legislative Director Portia Reddick White, International Vice President Dennis Burchette, International Organizer Linda Dill, and Local 250-A Executive Vice President Raphael Cabrera.

The TWU Women’s Committee meeting featured discussions on jobsite issues affecting women workers in all TWU covered industries. Many participants wore pink in recognition of breast cancer awareness month.

Volunteers from TWU Local 567 were among American Airlines’ employees aiding the carrier’s partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s
largest breast cancer advocate.

On September 12, AA rolled out the largest and last of eight aircraft that display a special AA-Komen pink ribbon motif. The TWU volunteers helped install the giant decal on the Boeing 777 over a weekend. The plane will carry the Komen message to Europe, Asia and Latin America, increasing the impact of the organization on the global fight against breast cancer.

American Airlines said it is symbolic that the decals are displayed on eight planes since one in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer. The airline has pledged to raise a minimum of $1 million annually for eight years to fund a Komen research grant to the University of Texas’ M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and other health and community outreach programs.

As exciting as the election campaign has been, I’m glad it’s finally over. TWU supported Barack Obama, and I believe he will be an excellent President. But, we must do our part, as well. The next step for us is working with the AFLCIO, the Transportation Trades Department, and the other unions to move working family issues forward. Foremost on our agenda are the Employee Free Choice Act, health care, education for our children, and Retirement security.

Despite the much needed change in our national administration we will still need to continue our vigilance within our own political and legislative activities that are important to our members. We are very fortunate to have some outstanding and devoted staff working in our Washington office. Our D.C. intern program has also brought some eager and gifted assistance to our efforts, and I personally want to thank them, and all of you who have devoted your time and talents to the various campaigns this year.

Over the last year all of our Divisional staff and especially our Local Presidents and negotiating committees have been involved in a number of major contract negotiations during the worst economic downturn in our time. Our nation faces challenges most of us have not seen in our lifetime – wars on two fronts, an economic recession threatening to become a depression, a healthcare crisis, energy crisis, a crisis of confidence — all with an economic impact on working families. However, it appears (according to the latest financial analysis) there may be a glimmer of hope on the horizon as the transportation industry rebounds from crippling fuel costs.

This month, in addition to Election Day and Thanksgiving, we also mark Veterans Day. During the Presidential election campaign we had to listen to those who tried to make us believe that there are two Americas. Now that the election is over, hopefully we have heard the end of that kind of nonsense, the politics of division that pits rural America against our cities, blue state against red state, black against white, liberal against conservative, poor against rich, and on and on. The young soldier who dies in Iraq or Afghanistan does not die for the big city or small town. He has given his life for America – one America. Keep our soldiers and their families in your heart.

Everyday Heroes

You really don’t have to look very far to see why America is a great country, or why TWU is a great union.

This edition of the Express carries articles on real life everyday heroes in our society – the stories on the actions of a Local 514 member and three Local 229 members under great duress.

They are all a great credit to their union, their families, their communities and all of America.

Passing of Paul Gaynor, Pete Lynch

Sadly, this edition of the Express carries obituaries on two wonderful people, Paul Gaynor of Local 514 and the International staff and Pete Lynch of Local 100, who dedicated their working lives to the betterment of their fellow workers and the growth and influence of TWU. As we approach our 75th anniversary in 2009, we should never forget those who did so much and performed so brilliantly at their jobs that we are all better for it. All of us here at TWU offer our sincerest condolences to their families.

Happy Thanksgiving

This is our last edition before the beginning of the holiday season. So I wish to take this opportunity to wish all our members, our retirees and your families all the best for a great Thanksgiving and wonderful holiday season. May God bless our country, our union and all associated with it.