TWU Dispatchers Reach Long-Awaited Agreement

After 25 months of contract talks, including 18 months of Federal Mediation, TWU dispatchers and PSA Airlines reached an agreement late last night for a first contract. The 5-year agreement, the first-ever contract for flight dispatchers at PSA, includes wage increases, a retention bonus, an improvement in holiday pay, a grievance procedure and other contract protections.

“This is a proud moment for our union and the PSA dispatchers,” said John Conley, Director of TWU Air Transport Division. “The commercial aviation industry has been hit especially hard in this economic downturn and this solid agreement provides a ray of hope for the other airline workers seeking a fair contract through the federal mediation process.”

Dispatchers at PSA voted in March of 2007 to join TWU and negotiations began in July of the same year. Contract ratification is scheduled for early next week. TWU represents a majority of dispatchers at U.S. carriers.

PSA Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group and flies under the US Airways Express brand.

TWU Dispatchers Reach Long-Awaited Agreement

After 25 months of contract talks, including 18 months of Federal Mediation, TWU dispatchers and PSA Airlines reached an agreement late last night for a first contract. The 5-year agreement, the first-ever contract for flight dispatchers at PSA, includes wage increases, a retention bonus, an improvement in holiday pay, a grievance procedure and other contract protections.

“This is a proud moment for our union and the PSA dispatchers,” said John Conley, Director of TWU Air Transport Division. “The commercial aviation industry has been hit especially hard in this economic downturn and this solid agreement provides a ray of hope for the other airline workers seeking a fair contract through the federal mediation process.”
Dispatchers at PSA voted in March of 2007 to join TWU and negotiations began in July of the same year. Contract ratification is scheduled for early next week. TWU represents a majority of dispatchers at U.S. carriers.
PSA Airlines is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group and flies under the US Airways Express brand.

President Little Elected to Transportation Learning Center Board of Directors

TWU Int’l President James C. Little has been elected to the position of Executive Vice Chair of the Transportation Learning Center’s Board of Directors. The Center’s top officers, ATU President Warren S. George and APTA President William W. Millar, nominated President Little for his transportation leadership experience and dedication to improving the industry.

The Transportation Learning Center is a “nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public transportation and the national level and within communities,” as its mission statement explains.

“Jim is very aware of the potential that training partnerships can bring to his membership in other industries, such as railroading,” said Warren S. George, ATU President who nominated President Little, with the support of APTA’s President and the Center’s Treasurer.

The TWU has been involved with the Center ever since its early development began nearly ten years ago. President Emeritus Sonny Hall formerly served as the Center’s Board Chair. Warren George succeeded him when he retired which left George’s position of Executive Vice Chair vacant and the right position for Little to fill. A number of TWU transit local unions have been active in the Center’s Transit Career Ladder Partnership program, including Local 234, Local 100 and Local 250-A.

President Little is honored by his election to this position and looks forward to working with the Center and the other unions involved. “As I always say, if we do not evolve, we will dissolve,” Little said. “Participating with the Center and the other union leaders involved is a great way to help the labor movement evolve. I’ve always promoted training for members and am excited to be involved with an organization that works to improve and collaborate on training.”

Labor’s Voice is Loud on Health Care

“Don’t give in, don’t retreat. Public option’s what we need!”

Unionists showed their support for health care reform, and specifically for the “public option,” government-run alternative to the health insurance companies that the legislation would create, in demonstrations in D.C. and Florida earlier this week.

The Del Ray, Fla. Rally drew 700 people inside a hall and another 700 outside, according to the AFL-CIO. The D.C. rally drew hundreds more and all but a few were unionists. They lined the sidewalks near Democratic National Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill with signs and several chants promoting a public option.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama mobilized religious leaders and members of his massive presidential campaign e-mail list all for health care reform in successive huge conference calls on August 19-20.

Obama told the religious leaders in the first conference call that health insurance reform -- he recently switched from calling it “health care reform” -- “is part of our moral and ethical obligation to look out for one another.”

“I want everyone to know what is involved,” he added. The religious leaders are on a 40-day campaign to promote health care reform.

The key issue for the D.C. health care demonstrators, and for unionists, is the “public option,” the government-run alternative to the health insurance companies and their price gouging, statewide monopolies and oligopolies, high premiums and co-pays, denial of care and resulting deaths.

The public option has also drawn the most fire from the insurers, business and the GOP. Top Senate negotiators appear to be on the verge of dumping it, and even Obama has said his goals for health care reform are universality and cost controls and that he isn’t wedded to specific ways of getting to them.

The D.C. demonstrators made it clear with their chants and signs that they would not stand for the exclusion of a public option plan. Other chants, in addition to the one at the start of this article were general: “What do we want? Health care! When do we want it? Now!” and similar statements. But several at the end had subtle warnings for politicians: “1, 2, 3, 4, This is what we voted for! 5, 6, 7, 8, Health care reform cannot wait!”

And, finally, “Barack Obama, take a stand! Public option, yes we can!”

Similar chants were heard at the Health Care for America Now! rally held on June 25 where TWU members joined thousands of other unionists to make our message clear: no taxation of health care benefits. The TWU is working hard to ensure the reformed health care plan incorporates working families’ best interests, and “this will certainly be a main topic of discussion for the delegates at the 23rd Constitutional Convention this September,” said TWU Int’l President James C. Little.

You can read more about the HCAN! rally and TWU’s position on health care reform in the next issue of the TWU Express.

TWU Southwest Flight Attendants to Boston: “Feeling Good” About Flying Southwest

TWU Southwest flight attendants are launching an ad campaign today in the Boston Radio market with the message, “feel good” about flying Southwest. They want to promote their airline by informing the public that Southwest is not only the most profitable but the most unionized airline in the United States.

“Many people confuse discount carrier with non-union airline,” said TWU 556 President Thom McDaniel. “Southwest Airlines is the most successful airline in this country, the most profitable and the most unionized.”

Eighty-eight percent of the employees at Southwest Airlines belong to unions. In addition to representing 9,600 flight attendants, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) represents ground operation workers, dispatchers, and flight instructors. Other unions represent Southwest’s pilots, mechanics, and customer service and reservation agents in addition to other work groups.

“Travelers have many options when it comes to flying,” said McDaniel. “New Southwest flights from Logan are an attractive option for those who didn’t want to travel to Providence, Manchester or Hartford. Having well-paid, highly professional flight attendants, confident that they can be advocates for passengers should be attractive to flyers as well.” Southwest flight attendants are among the highest-paid flight attendants in the industry. Their counter-parts at some competing airlines, such as Jet Blue, are lower paid and lack union protections.

The ads will run through early next week on news stations such as WBZ along with sponsorship messages on NPR affiliate WBUR.

Click to play

"(ding) Now serving Logan International Airport. The hard-working Flight Attendants at Southwest are excited to launch service to Boston. As members of the Transport Worker's Union--Local 556--they are over 9,600 strong. And the Flight Attendants at Southwest-- are proud to be part of the nation's most unionized and most profitable carrier. Yes, that's right: most unionized AND most profitable airline. With new daily service to Boston's Logan Airport...you can feel good about flying with them!"

Health Care Reform: The Rematch

As I write this, former President Bill Clinton is back in the spotlight after a special mission to North Korea where he won the release of two American journalists. It made me think back on the Clinton years and the good work he did on the economy. It’s easy to get nostalgic about the Clinton presidency, especially when we’re living through a recession brought on by the excesses of the Bush years.


Aside from his moral lapses, Clinton had one major failure: the inability to reform our health care system. Bill and Hillary (who led the health care fight) are two smart cookies; tough too. But they underestimated the forces arrayed against them. Remember those Harry and Louise ads put out by the insurance industry?


Now, Barack Obama steps into the ring for his heavyweight fight to win health care reform. Like any heavyweight bout it won’t be easy because there’s a lot of money involved.


As the battle played out in Congress this summer, it seemed that the forces blocking reform were subtler than they were 15 years ago. Most people agreed reform was needed – our economy can’t keep spending more and more on health care, as we do now. We spend much more than other industrialized countries, such as Western Europe and Japan, yet score lower on common yardsticks of overall health.


Recently, the debate on health care turned nasty. Phony grassroots groups, spurred on by the right-wing radio talkers, are waging a campaign of disruption and misinformation.


I think President Obama understands this is no longer a polite law school debate. To fight back, he has been hitting the stump to counter the lies opponents have been spreading about health care reform.


“If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan,” the President told a gathering in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. “You will not be waiting in any lines. This is not about putting the government in charge of your health insurance.”


While the labor movement supports Obama’s efforts, we must make sure that he and Congress do not back down on key reform principles, such as:


Bill Clinton never got a second chance on health care reform, and I don’t know if Obama will either. It’s up to us to stand behind the President and make sure reform gets done right this time around.


We have an important role to play in this crucial debate. If we stand on the sidelines, the politics of disruption, dissension and misinformation will determine the outcome of healthcare reform. Or, we can get in the game by educating, mobilizing and encouraging our members, neighbors, friends and community to ensure that they have all of the facts. The health of our nation is at stake!


A Take Home Education

In just three weeks the summer round of Legislative and Political interns learned enough in TWU’s Washington D.C. office to lead to significant change for members across the country. 


Interns are trained to network, lobby, research and maneuver around the political world of Washington D.C., in order to return to and teach members of their locals how to do the same in their home communities. On June 18, the three summer interns were still hard at work on their second-to-last day of the internship, but anticipating the opportunity to take their experience home. 


Intern Angela Cox, a Shop Steward from Local 555 in Virginia, said she plans to work harder to get legislative information out to members once the internship is over. 


“Being close by (in Virginia) helps,” she said. “Members from my work are going to be excited to hear that congressmen are approachable and we can actually talk to them about issues we have at work, at the airport.”


The program is an intense, quick-paced training program. At the beginning of the three weeks, interns learn the tools and information they need to become a part of the Department of Legislative and Political Affairs (DLPA) and part of the political processes of Washington, and then takes his or her own direction with the DLPA staff’s support.


“It’s more than what I expected,” said intern Steven Hamm, Vice President of Local 229 in New Jersey. “I didn’t realize all the group work I would be doing here but it has been a beautiful experience and the whole office is very helpful.” 


“One of our goals is to help our interns understand that they can take the basic skills they are learning here back to their locals,” says DLPA Director Portia Reddick-White. “It takes time, stamina and effort, which is worth it because it can help us achieve positive changes.”


In addition to learning political skills that can be used in their own communities, interns gain a thorough understanding of how the Legislative and Political office functions and its importance to the TWU. Hamm feels that the internship has strengthened his relationship with TWU now that he has an understanding of the work the International puts into winning legislation that affects his, and all members, daily lives. “Everybody should try it if you can,” said Hamm and both Cox and Hall agree.


The program is truly designed for any and every member, whether you want the training to help your local become more politically involved, or are already interested in national or local politics, labor issues, or the DLPA and want to learn more. 


“I’m not politically motivated, but I am people motivated,” said intern Dennis Hall, an Executive Board member of Local 514 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “I’m concerned with people being treated fairly and I can only see things like that getting done with politics. If you are going to play in that arena you need to learn the rules of engagement to be political and do it to represent your membership.”


You can apply for the Internship online at http://www.twu.org, by calling the DLPA at 202-638-6154, or asking your Local officers for an application. The deadline for the next session is August 31, so apply now!

TWU Says: Health Care Can’t Wait

On June 25, the Health Care Can’t Wait Rally sponsored by Health Care for America Now! (HCAN) in Washington D.C. drew 10,000 union, community and health advocates, medical professionals and high profile members of Congress. Everyone carried the same message: this country needs affordable, high-quality healthcare for all, and we can’t or won’t wait any longer.


TWU’s Department of Political and Legislative Affairs (DPLA) was well prepared for the eventful day. Legislative assistants Maureen Abboud and Jonathan Levin greeted buses of Local 100 and Local 568 members in the morning and provided them with DLPA packets that included detailed information on health care issues and the legislators that TWU members would be lobbying. 


Participants rallied outside of the Capitol for about two hours and heard from speakers including: Edie Falco, HCAN National Director Richard Kirsch, CWA President Larry Cohen, AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, SEIU Secretary Treasurer Anna Burger, Senators Chuck Schumer, Kirstin Gillibrand and Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee Charles Rangel, among other labor leaders and legislators. 


Rangel told the enthusiastic crowd, “We have to have a health care system that works for everyone, not just the politically connected, not just the moneyed. Congress must expand health care to the 45 million individuals who still lack coverage. We must do the same for our nation’s children and working population.”


TWU members participated in the rally to voice their concerns over the current broken health care system and that special interests are attempting to hijack the process of health care reform. They were also there to let their lawmakers know that the labor movement will not stand for the taxation of health benefits.
 Service Employees Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger, whose union is one of the nation’s largest for health care workers, said her members see the impact of lack of health care coverage in the nation’s emergency rooms daily.


“People are more worried about their medical bills than about the illnesses they have to treat,” Burger added. The insurers “have bean-counters and paper-pushers telling people what they can’t get,” she said. “We know our health care system is broken,” added SEIU Vice President Diane Palmer, RN, head of its Nurse Alliance.
 In their lobbying after the rally, TWU members and other unionists warned lawmakers that if workers must pay taxes on their present health benefits, they and the labor movement will turn against the health care legislation. 


“Our country needs major health care reform in Washington,” says TWU International President James C. Little. “We will not support any bill that proposes to tax health care benefits and we cannot allow special interests to stall and manipulate this process.”


The Company Rulebook

It’s your first day with the company and you are sitting at orientation. You are handed all sorts of forms to fill out – a W-2, I-9 – and then you are handed a 70-page book that you have to sign for. It has something to do with company policies and rules and you sign a receipt and hand it in with all the other paperwork. You bring it home, throw it in the corner and forget about it.


A year later, you are called into the manager’s office and charged with a rule violation. The manager pulls out that very-same signed receipt and asks if you ever read the book you signed for. That begins your personal experience with the process of rule enforcement. 


The employer will always argue they have the right to establish rules and that right is often supported by the language of the management rights clause in the labor-management contract. We don’t deny that right. But we will always reserve the right to challenge that rule on a number of levels. That challenge usually will occur when one of our members is charged with the rule violation. Let’s look at how the rules can be challenged: 


1 Is the rule worded in a clear manner? “Excessive absences will not be tolerated” is open to wide interpretation. Most contracts and rulebooks spell out the attendance policy in detail. It includes an explanation of the policy, what is expected of the employee, and what the penalties will be for violating the rule. The bottom line is the employee has to be clear as to what the rule means.


2 Was there proper notification of the new or revised rule? Did the company notify its employees that there was a new rule, revised rule, or reinstitution of a lapsed rule? When the company handed out new safety vests to its employees, it should have specified under what circumstances the vests should be worn. The rule could have announced when the vests were distributed, handed out with the vest, posted for everyone to see and then added to the rulebook. That would have fulfilled the proper notification requirement. 


3 Does the rule cause undue hardship for some workers? Rules cannot be issued in the abstract. They must have reasonable application in the specific workplace. A 15-minute break may be fine but when it takes 10 minutes to walk each way to the bathroom or canteen for workers in the paint shop who are in a different part of the facility than other workers, the rule can be penalizing for those workers.


4 Is the rule applied in an even-handed manner? The rule applies to everyone and cannot be enforced selectively with certain groups of workers and not others. If there is a no smoking rule in the facility, it must be applied to everyone on all shifts. Also, if one member is given a written warning while another is given a 3-day suspension for the same infraction and both have similar work records, the union might be able to charge the company with disparate treatment. 


5 Did the company speak with the union before imposing or changing the rule? The issue goes beyond courtesy. Even if some rules are not subject to mandatory bargaining, the union must get notification and have some input because the rule could affect negotiated working conditions. You won’t know unless the union is notified of the rule or rule change and gets a chance to talk about it. 


6 When the company charged the emplo-yee with the rule violation, did the company follow due process? Was the member given a fair hearing, access to a steward, and treated innocent of the alleged infraction until the hearing process was finished? 


7 When discipline was assessed (in a non-major charge), was it progressive in nature? Was the member, for example, given a verbal warning followed by a written warning, suspension, and finally discharge? There are exceptions to this process such as if the member is charged with theft or violence. Also, the union and company may have negotiated their own disciplinary procedure including penalties. The key is whether the procedure is followed. 


8 Did the company actually prove that the member was guilty of the alleged infraction? This part of the hearing is crucial since the company controls the process. It is not enough for the company to say the employee did what he/she was charged with. It must be proved with evidence. Hearsay evidence is not admissible and you should object to its use. Insist that the supervisor who submitted the written statement be brought in for questioning. 


9 Are there mitigating or extenuating circumstances? Even though the member has admitted breaking the rule, does she have family problems that caused it? A good work record or years of service can lessen the penalty. 


10 Is the rule even needed? Arbitrators have used the expression, “Is the rule reasonably related to the efficient conduct of the employer’s business?” An outdated appearance rule – no mustaches or beards – should be dropped if it no longer has any bearing on the business. When a member is charged with an outdated rule, you should argue that it no longer has any bearing on the conduct of the business. 
 Again, the company can issue rules, but there are ways the union can challenge them through the enforcement process.


Local 527 Members Recognized for Political Action

On June 18, 2009 COPE Director Hubert Snead presented plaques to Local 527 members who were active in the grassroots efforts to elect Barack Obama for president. From September 2009 through Election Day these members enthusiastically stuffed envelopes, made phone calls, walked neighborhoods, knocked on doors and handed out leaflets. They were not being paid but helped do this work on their own time even though some lived far from the staging locations. Several members even had their children come help out. The hard work paid off!

The NAACP Celebrates 100 Years of Service

The NAACP held its 100th Annual Convention in New York City on July 11-16, 2009 with the theme “Bold Dream, Big Victories.” The theme exemplifies the important victories and accomplishments of the NAACP and the challenges ahead.


The NAACP’s greatest victory, the election of the first black president of the United States, was celebrated at the Convention and President Barack Obama spoke to the delegates at the Freedom Fund Awards Presentation Dinner. 


TWU Civil and Human Rights Director Sandra Burleson, and President of Local 100 Roger Toussaint attended the Convention. Burleson said it was inspiring to celebrate an organization that has come so far and helped to make so many historic and important changes in this country.

Local 252 Makes a Difference at Empire State Games

In late May, Local 252 members and officers donated hundreds of hours of their time to volunteer at the Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged. They’ve volunteered at the Games for more than 20 years. 


Local 252 members and officers help with many aspects of the games, especially with transporting the special athletes from their dorms at Hofstra University to the games sites at the Mitchel Athletic Complex and Nassau County Community College. More than 1,2000 children compete in the games each year. This year’s three-day event took place May 28-30.


Shown on the right: Local 252 President Pat Bowden and VP Juanita Samuels helped transport children to the games. Shown above: Bowden, Samuels, Local 252 member Danny Busa and Int’l Representative Jerome Lafragola with children who competed in the games and their chaperones.

Local 557 Receives Charter

Local 557 Flight Crew Training Instructors were issued their new charter on May 26. Shown here from left to right: Int’l Secretary Treasurer Joe Gordon, International Representative Gary Shults, Int’l President James C. Little, Local 557 President Don Dozier, Local 557 VP Mike Lucy, Director of ATD John Conley, Local 557 Secretary Treasurer Ron Sparks, and Int’l Vice President Garry Drummond.

First Volunteer Member Organizing Sessions A Success

International Organizers will be traveling to locals across the country to train volunteers who would like to become a part of TWU organizing. The Organizing Department held its first VMO session on August 11 at Local 252 on Long Island. Director of Organizing Frank McCann said, “It is important to mobilize our membership to get involved with organizing and also to be more involved with their locals.”


The Department hopes to hold a VMO session at a different local at least once a month. Volunteers are trained to organize workers at companies similar to theirs or within their communities. To get involved look for more information on twu.org/VMO or call 1-888-JOIN-TWU to help other people gain the same rights that the TWU helps to provide for our members.

State 
Conferences 
Seeing Fast Success

On June 19 and August 12, Local 1400 hosted the first meetings of the New Jersey State Conference in Edgewater, New Jersey. The meetings are the next in a series of State Conferences being organized and spread throughout the country by the COPE Field Program. Legislative and Political Field Representative Alex Garcia, Field Service Assistant Terry Daniels and TWU Int’l Transit Director Susan Resch helped to get the program started in New Jersey. 


“I am extremely pleased with our turnout and progress of this first New Jersey meeting,” said Daniels. 


Garcia said he has seen a very positive response from attendees and a strong desire to move forward. He hopes for the New Jersey State Conference to see the same success as the Florida State Conference which held its first meeting about a year ago. 


On August 6 the Florida State Conference hosted Fl. State Senator and Congressional Candidate Charlie Justice. Justice contacted Todd Woodward, President of Local 561, after the Conference’s first lobby and introduction day in April in Tallahassee. The event was hosted by Mike Cernosek, who is Local 555’s District One Representative and Legislative Coordinator for the Southwest Airlines local. 


COPE Dollars Protect TWU Benefits

Health care reform has been on the front burner this summer, but as of this writing Congress is not yet ready to put the final touches on this important legislation. While we in TWU support the need for health care reform, it’s important that it be done right. We want it to be a plus for America’s workers, not a step backward.


As lawmakers continue to struggle to find a way to pay for health reform that could cost $1 trillion or more over the next decade, it seems they are trying to open the door a little wider to an approach that President Obama soundly rejected when John McCain proposed it during last year’s presidential campaign: taxing the health benefits that employers provide their workers. The labor movement remains firmly opposed to taxing these vital benefits. 


During the campaign, President Obama had been scathing in his criticism of McCain’s plan. One of his ads noted that the GOP nominee advocated “taxing health benefits for the first time ever...taxing health care instead of fixing it. We can’t afford John McCain.” 


The President says he still wouldn’t go as far as McCain proposed and completely eliminate the current exclusion on taxation of employer-provided health benefits. (McCain would have offset that with a tax credit of up to $5,000.) But many of Obama’s aides and some Congressional leaders have implied that he would consider the idea. We can’t let the Congress turn against us in this fight. We need to let our representatives know that we will not just let this happen. 


When they asked Willie Sutton why he robbed banks, he famously replied: “That’s where the money is.” And that’s the major reason lawmakers are considering taxing these benefits for the first time: a lot of money is involved. Depending on how it is structured, a tax on the most expensive benefits could bring in hundreds of billions of dollars over the next 10 years, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated. But it would be a politically treacherous move that would not affect only the wealthy, but dues paying TWU members as well. Many of those generous health plans are also part of TWU contracts — and in many cases were negotiated in lieu of higher wages. 


As I have said before, sometimes we have to make our friends stand up for us, and this will be an issue where we need our friends in the Congress to stand strong on this issue. A lot of our COPE dollars have supported members of Congress in the past, and whether this tax on our members is in the final bill will be in their hands (vote). Now is the time to let them know we will not take this assault on our hard earned wages. 


Join COPE now and help us stop this blatant attempt to finance health care reform on the backs of TWU members and other union workers. 


Your COPE dollars will be used to stop this assault on your wages. We need to donate to COPE now more then ever to make sure our benefits are not taxed. Make your donation to COPE today and help us in our fight to make Congress responsive to our concerns. 


JUNE IEC MEETING 
Weighs Plans to Strengthen TWU’s Future

TWU’s International Executive Council, meeting June 23-24 in Las Vegas, Nevada, reviewed some of the recent developments designed to put TWU on a strong footing as it heads into its second 75 years.


International President James C. Little, who chaired the two-day session, also reported on plans for the 23rd Constitutional Convention in September. Convention delegates will celebrate the union’s 75th anniversary while setting TWU’s course for the coming four years.


In his report, President Little described ongoing strategic planning sessions, which he views as a top priority for the union in a rapidly changing political and economic environment. He praised TWU local presidents who have participated in the sessions. The most recent meeting focused on two main topics: Organizing/membership growth, which included passage of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) and capitalizing on the addition of “green jobs;” and maximizing the benefit to TWU members from FAA reauthorization, stimulus spending and transit funding.


Little announced the addition of two new offices to the International: Organizational Development and Strategic Resources. Organizational Development is focused on creating synergies between our International departments that work collaboratively. The main goal is to increase information sharing, knowledge and best practices to help individuals, as well as the organization, grow. 


Strategic Resources, assigned to the Education and Research Department, will provide analytical data, analysis and information to support the International and locals in collective bargaining.


The union’s finances were reviewed by International Secretary-Treasurer Joseph C. Gordon who said the union’s bottom line had been impacted by the loss of Local 100’s dues check-off (now reinstated) and investment losses, as well as financial commitments to the 2008 elections and the 2009 campaign for EFCA.


Administrative Vice President Susan Resch, Director of the Transit, Utility, University and Services Division, reported on several staff changes which will enhance service to the division locals, as well as dozens of contract negotiations completed or in process. She also noted several organizing gains, particularly in California. Resch said that some locals had been impacted by budget cuts due to the sour economy, while others had gained from stimulus funds earmarked for transit.


With Air Transport Division Director John Conley at an international solidarity meeting in Brussels, Assistant Director Robert Gless gave a brief report on divisional developments, supplemented by other ATD staffers and local presidents. While negotiations at American Airlines are in mediation, a bright spot has been Southwest, with the addition of two new locals, 550 and 557, and the signing of contracts for Locals 555 and 556.


Railroad Division Director Gary Maslanka reported on the second backpay installment for Amtrak JCC members and the job creation at Bear, Delaware and Beech Grove, Indiana related to stimulus funding. He noted that volume on the freight lines had suffered due to the economic slowdown, especially in the auto industry.


Others reporting included Administrative Vice President Hubert Snead, COPE Director, Political & Legislative Director Portia Reddick White, Gaming Division Director Joe Carbon, Organizing Director Frank McCann, Civil & Human Rights Director Sandra Burleson, General Counsel David Rosen, Education and Research Director Bob Wechsler, Communications Director Liz Giegerich, IT Director David Moses, Assistant Communications Director Jeff Rae on the web site, Organizational Development Director Tonya Gordon and Administrative Assistant to the President Michael Bakalo, who chairs the Appeals Committee.

The 23rd Constitutional Convention

Delegates to TWU’s 23rd Constitutional Convention will chart the course for our union for the next four years the week of September 14, 2009 at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.


International President James C. Little will chair the event alongside Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo, Secretary Treasurer Joseph C. Gordon, and Administrative Vice Presidents Hubert Snead and Susan Resch.


The theme of the 23rd Convention is “Building on Our Legacy,” to honor the 75th Anniversary of the TWU. The focus will be on building our union in today’s world with the same strong principles and passion the TWU was founded upon decades ago.


“Michael Quill and the other people in the beginning had an impressive dedication to equal rights, uncommon those days, and an obvious passion for the working people and their rights,” said International President James C. Little. “We want to recognize that and celebrate the 75 strong years that TWU has thrived. At the same time we are going to focus on the future and on how we can use our strong foundation to continue to thrive in an unstable economic climate and uncertain tomorrow.”


The event will focus on the current troubled economy and its effect on our members and how we are going to rise above the hard times; the importance of civil and human rights, and the right for employees to choose a union; and energy, the environment and transportation.


Four different workshops will be held on the second day of the Convention, Tuesday, September 15, at 3 p.m. Each will focus on one of four topics: Power and Politics, Enhancing our Technological Capacities, Union Building During Economic Crisis and Building Community Power. Delegates are encouraged to sign up for one of the workshops at the registration booth on Sunday or Monday.
 Speakers at the Convention will be announced in early September on our website, http://www.twu.org. 


During the Convention you will find daily photo, video and written updates from the event on our website and after the Convention we will have stories and photographs in the following issue of the Express.


Stimulating Success


The old saying “It’s an ill wind that blows no one any good” seems appropriate to TWU members who are benefiting from government stimulus spending to offset the recession. So far, this has been particularly true for Amtrak members, reports Railroad Division Director Gary Maslanka. (In future issues, the Express will take a further look at how stimulus money is benefitting TWU members in all divisions.) 


Less than six months after President Obama signed H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) on February 17, 2009, which included funding for Amtrak capital projects, the benefits of this legislation are beginning to show up on the shop floor. This has been the case at Amtrak’s Bear, Delaware and Beech Grove, Indiana maintenance facilities. The skills and dedication of TWU Carmen were on display in two separate events celebrating the completion of overhauls on equipment being refurbished with Recovery act (ARRA) funding. 


On July 13, during an event at the Bear facility attended by local and federal politicians, Amtrak rolled out Amfleet II coach 25103 for revenue service. Coach 25103, which had been damaged in a yard accident a few years ago, was completely restored with the help of Recovery Act funding.


Just weeks later, on August 6, during an event at Amtrak’s Beech Grove maintenance facility Amtrak rolled out Superliner Sightseer Lounge 33016 for revenue service. The Lounge Car, completely restored with Recovery Act funding, is being returned to service on Amtrak’s Midwest and Western routes.


The economic benefits of Amtrak stimulus projects at Bear and Beech Grove go well beyond the return to service of idled equipment and meeting customer demand and needs. At Bear, Amtrak hired 52 employees in the mechanical department to work on these projects. Of the 52, 25 were hired as Carmen and have become members of Railroad Division Local 2015. At Beech Grove, Amtrak hired an additional 108 employees in the mechanical department to work on these projects. Of the 108, 50 were hired as Carmen and have become members of Railroad Division Local 2003. In addition to the jobs at Amtrak it was pointed out that numerous other companies that supply various components for these projects have realized a shot in the arm for their business.

San Francisco

The United States’ first municipally owned transit system started operating in 1912 as The San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni). Over the next three years the Muni system grew considerably. In 1918 the Muni pioneered the use of motor buses for feeder service in areas where tracks had not yet been constructed. By 1929, Muni had 20 miles of track, 20 miles of motor coach routes and ten miles of trolley coach routes. It merged with the Market Street Railway in 1944, which consolidated transportation of San Francisco’s railway and motor-coach lines. 


The Market Street and Muni merger led to a difficult dispute that the Transport Workers Union finally solved in 1949. With the merger came a clash of union representation. Muni railway workers were represented by the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electrical Railway Workers, AFL, Division 508. Market Street Railway workers were also members of AFL, but in Division 1004.


Market workers were now considered government employees and had to be blanketed into civil service status. The two companies also would have to find a way to create seniority tables. Both sides stubbornly refused to give in to several attempts at a compromise. 


Almost 800 Market employees were deemed ineligible for employment under the city charter that prohibited employment of people over 70 years of age, aliens, or those not residing within its boundaries, and those with less than one year of service. 


San Francisco Mayor Roger D. Lapham suspended these charter requirements in order to utilize all man power because of competition that came from the military and war industries. But the mayor’s proclamation also granted equal pay and equal seniority rights, such as preference in hours and runs based on lengths of service, regardless on which line the service had been worked.


Because the Civil Service Commission regarded Market Street carmen as new city employees, it decided to pay them the beginner’s rate. 


Division 508 challenged the seniority proposal, since many of the Market men had seniority for years before the Muni started operation in 1912. Division 508 suggested creating a man-for-man list with alternate names from each Division.


Division 1004 refused the proposal as well as 508’s suggestion to move to arbitration. Both divisions filed lawsuits; the Muni employees filed against the seniority proposals and the Market workers filed against the pay action. 


On April 1, 1945 the Amalgamated International ruled against 508, ordered both divisions’ charters revoked and issued a charter for 1380 to cover both divisions. Unhappy with the ruling, 508 refused to submit to arbitrary action and constituted themselves as the Municipal Carmen’s Union. 


The Transport Workers Union saw an opportunity to help the Muni workers and offered for them to affiliate with the TWU. The Municipal Carmen’s Union agreed and was issued a TWU charter on August 2, 1945. 


For the next four years a dispute raged over which organization should represent all Municipal Railway employees. Finally, in May 1949 a rank-and-file election committee, with members of each union, was named to conduct a winner-take-all election.


The AFL union instructed their members not to vote but most platform employees cast votes anyway and an unofficial tally showed TWU Local 250 to be the winner. 


Today, the TWU has three locals in San Francisco, 200, 210 and 250-A, whose members work at Muni, various city agencies and Mobility Plus Transportation.


Philadelphia

At the start of the 20th Century, labor relations in Philadelphia were hardly reflective of the meaning of the city’s name, brotherly love. 


In 1910, a six-week trolley carmen’s strike against the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company (PRT) turned into a citywide general strike when 100,000 Philadelphia workers walked off their jobs in sympathy with the carmen. A decade later, one of the most pitiful scams played out by Mitten Management, then in control of the PRT, employed a network of spies to prevent independent unionization on its property and conned employees with a phony stock ownership plan which ended in bankruptcy during the Great Depression.


TWU chartered a local in 1937 but the newly regenerated Philadelphia Transportation Company (PTC) fought hard to keep TWU from succeeding for seven years. With the help of Philadelphia’s conniving mayor, John E. Reyburn, the PTC took advantage of drawn out litigation processes, organized its own workers and refused to recognize that the people had chosen TWU. 


On February 22, 1943 TWU rechartered the PTC group as Local 234. Organizer J.J. Fitzsimon got 1,000 company union members to resign and join TWU in only three days. By June, almost 4,000 PTC employees had signed up with the TWU and the union filed for an election that month. But the PTC held up the procedure through court litigation for almost an entire year.


On November 1, 1943, the company threatened to fire any employees who wore a TWU button on company premises. Employees refused to remove the buttons, prompting a stoppage that spread throughout the Philadelphia system, a threat to the war effort in the middle of World War II. The federal government pressured both sides to negotiate which led to arbitration and to a scheduled TWU election for March 1944. 


Threatened by the obvious support TWU had gained by standing up to the PTC on behalf of workers, the PTC tried to incite a racist backlash by exploiting the issue of the government- ordered promotions of black workers to operating jobs on the trolley train. The PTC accused TWU’s strong commitment to racial equality of being subversive and radical and hired sound trucks to drive around with a message accusing TWU of forcing “Negro supremacy on the company.” They put racist notices on the company bulletin board and allowed Ku Klux Klan stickers on vehicles.


“When we first came to Philadelphia, it was the red issue. Now it’s the black issue. From red to black, no matter what the issue, our only issue is wages, hours, pay and working conditions,” TWU President Mike Quill said in response to the attacks. 


The PTC promoted a wildcat strike in August, 1944, a few months after TWU won representation, to protest the Union’s defense of African-Americans’ right to job promotions. TWU officers encouraged PTC employees to continue working, but the strike was clearly a company strategy to destroy the TWU agreement. The strike had major effects on the city; it tied up Philadelphia transit system for five days, violated the labor’s no-strike pledge taken for the duration of World War II, and, because Philadelphia was at the center of the country’s war production, jeopardized America’s military effort.


President Franklin Roosevelt sent in federal troops and with the help of the TWU full service was restored to Philadelphia on August 6. A federal grand jury indicted 30 of the phony strike leaders and condemned the company for its role in the wildcat strike, but neither the PTC President nor any other company official was ever punished.


On August 9, 1944 PTC finally signed its first contract with the TWU enabling Local 234 to begin building and consolidating its organization. J.B. Dougherty, a bus operator and chairman of the successful organizing drive, was elected the Local’s first president. In spite of wartime government wage controls, TWU secured important fringe benefits and cash bonuses.


By the end of 1950, Local 234 had engaged in two strikes, three near strikes, secured two contracts for its members, including the first ever two-year agreement under the TWU banner, and won a crucial union shop agreement requiring membership in the union as a condition of employment. 


Today, TWU has several locals with thousands of members in Philadelphia who run and maintain the S.E.P.T.A. city and commuter operations, as well as several parking companies around the city.

Quill Scholarship Winners Spotlight on 2009

1 Cassandra Colon
The daughter of an American Eagle Fleet Service Clerk, Cassandra Colon was born and raised in Chicago. Her dad, John Colon, is a member of Local 571. A member of the National Honor Society and Vice President of her senior class at JFK High School, Cassandra was also the co-captain of the varsity volleyball team. She will attend Perdue Calumet College in Indiana to study elementary education.



2 Zachery decker
The son of a Local 514 member, Zachery Decker hails from Tulsa, Oklahoma. His dad, Timothy Decker, is an Overhaul Support Mechanic at American Airlines’ maintenance base. One of seven children, Zachery enjoys camping and other outdoor activities. He is awaiting certification as an Eagle Scout. At Harding University he will study for the ministry. Through his church and Scouting, Zachery has participated in a number of charitable activities, including helping the poor in the Dominican Republic and the victims of Hurricane Katrina.



3 Harvey Doleyres
A graduate of Martin Luther King High School, Harvey Doleyres is the son of Guy Doleyres, a Signal Maintainer for New York City Transit and Local 100 Member. He will attend Berkeley College in the fall to study accounting. 



4 Amanda Gutierrez
The daughter of an Aircraft Mechanic, Amanda Gutierrez was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her father, Jose Gutierrez, works for American Airlines and 
is a member of Local 514. Amanda enjoys singing in the church choir. She will attend Tulsa Community College to pursue a career in the medical field.


5 Brendan Heinz
A life-long resident of Staten Island, Brendan Heinz finished second in that New York City borough’s 2008 Academic Olympics. His father, Michael Heinz, retired this February as a Customer Service Rep. for National Grid where he had been a member of Local 101. A member of the National Honor Society, Brendan enjoys sports and video games. He will attend SUNY Albany to study business.



6 Blaze Hewitt
Born in Philadelphia and raised in nearby Huntingdon Valley, Blaze Hewitt is the son of Bus Operator Mark Hewitt, who is a member of Local 234. In addition to several academic awards, Blaze is an accomplished musician, playing the trumpet in the school band and other venues. He also enjoys playing the guitar. He will attend Holy Family University to attain a B.S. degree in nursing.



7 Taylor Hill
The daughter of an American Airlines’ Fleet Service Clerk, Taylor Hill was born in Kansas City and raised in nearby Parkville, Missouri. Her dad, Charles Hill, is a member of Local 512. Taylor was the student body vice president and winner of this year’s citizenship award. A softball player, she was named to several regional and district teams, as well as the Missouri All-Star Team. She will attend the University of Missouri-KC to study education.



8 Morgan Hinton
Born in Tulsa and raised in nearby Sand Spring, Oklahoma, Morgan Hinton is the daughter of Cynthia Hinton, an Overhaul Support Mechanic for American Airlines and member of Local 514. She was a Student Council officer in high school, where she also enjoyed photography and skiing. She will prepare for a career in photography at Tulsa Community College.



9 Colton Kaiser
Raised in Round Rock, Texas, Colton Kaiser is the son of Steven Kaiser, who works in Fleet Service for American Airlines and is a member of Local 513. Colton graduated as a Texas Scholar and garnered several other academic awards. He enjoys hockey and playing the tuba and guitar. He will attend the University of Texas at Austin to study business.



10 Audrey LeCompte
A Tulsa, Oklahoma native, Audrey LeCompte is the daughter of Ronney LeCompte, a Line AMT for American Airlines and Local 514 member. Her mother, Chong Sun, also works in aviation. Audrey graduated with honors and her volleyball team took 3rd place in the championships. She enjoys art, reading and surfing the Internet and will attend the University of Tulsa to study engineering.



11 Amanda 
Mataczynski
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Aman-da Mataczynski now lives with her family in New Richmond, Wisconsin. She is the daughter of Randel Mataczynski, an Aircraft Maintainer for American Airlines and member of Local 563. A member of the National Honor Society, Amanda was also captain of her track team. She enjoys photography, singing and painting and plans to pursue a career in medicine at the University of Minnesota.



12 Nicole Rocco
The daughter of Local 100 member George Rocco, Nicole Rocco graduated this spring from Mahopac High School. Her father is a Stock Handler for MaBSTOA. In addition to the National Honor Society, Nicole garnered several other academic honors. She will attend Fordham University to pursue a career in law.



13 Danniel Staves
The son of Local 567 member Michael Staves, Danniel prefers his middle name, Blake. His father is an AMT for American Airlines in Texas. An athlete in high school, Blake enjoys “working on cars and working out.” He will enter Cisco Junior College in the fall and plans to become a pharmacist.



14 Samantha Tirado
A graduate of Preston High School in the Bronx, Samantha Tirado is the daughter of Local 100 member Raymond Tirado, a Property Protection Agent for New York Transit. Samantha won awards in marketing and art and is an accomplished practitioner of kung fu. Hobbies include drawing, writing, digital art and painting. She will attend SUNY Maritime to study marine environmental science.



15 Jaclyn Wilson
The daughter of a deceased Local 100 member, Jaclyn Wilson lives with her family in Holbrook, New York. Her father, Ronald Wilson, passed away in April 2006. On top of a lengthy list of academic achievements, Jaclyn was also captain of her bowling team and a member of the varsity golf and volleyball teams. She enjoys crossword and Sudoku puzzles. She is heading to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to pursue a career in environmental engineering.


The Doctor is In at Local 526

“If you build it they will come.” Robert Payne, President of Local 526, thought those words to himself when he ventured to take problematic rising health care costs into his own hands. 


In late 2008, Payne was looking to gain some control over his local’s burgeoning health care costs to benefit his members when his broker Will Montoya told him of a company called WeCare that specializes in exactly that. WeCare helps mostly companies, but in this case Local 526, maintain wellness centers built at the workplace. WeCare Centers help to reduce health care costs, increase worker productivity, and provide quality and attentive health care for members – benefits that regular doctors and clinics rarely offer these days. In the fall of 2008, Payne, with the support of the Executive Board, presented the Wellness Center idea to Local 526 members and the company, the Local’s lawyers and the Department of Labor, and “got everyone’s blessing.” By January 2009 the Center was built inside the Local’s Union Hall, located just off work grounds.


“We didn’t have any data saying this would do what we thought it would do, but I felt very strongly that it would be successful,” said Payne. And it is, as the center is operating under budget. “We can run the entire clinic 28 hours a week for one year for less than one month’s insurance premium,” said Payne.


Local 526, located in St. Mary’s, Georgia, represents a wide range of workers that play a vital role in national security at the Kings Bay Naval Base, homeport to the United States Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet, the Trident. The base is understandably a highly secured area and covers 16,000 acres. Until the Center opened, a trip to the doctor for Local 526 members could cost the patient and the company anywhere from two to four hours of work and pay. 


Today, members who work for V.T. Griffin, the Local’s largest contractor, can get health care on their lunch break, plus the Center has lowered their medical costs, as well as those of the Local, the company and Blue Cross Blue Shield, their insurance provider. In August, Blue Cross actually gave the Local a 4.4 percent reduction on their premium. “This is unheard of in the industry right now where medical inflation rates are running up to nine percent,” said Payne.


The center operates Monday through Friday, and every other Saturday, and offers free primary, pediatric, women’s and preventative health care for those covered and their families. Through the Local’s broker, WeCare pays the doctor and nurses a flat rate so billing is simple for the doctor and the Local. The Local saves further because the medical staff never orders unnecessary testing and works closely with specialists when patients require outside care. Because the medical staff only serves about 70% of the small Local’s 400 members (members are not required to use the Center, but most do) they have the time to form relationships and to thoroughly care for every patient. All medical records are stored electronically, which saves space and ensures that the union does not have access to members’ personal information.


Payne hopes that his center can become a model for other TWU locals and unions around the country. In addition to the health and cost-saving benefits, local Wellness Centers can also be used as bargaining tools. Because you can save your company money, “maybe you could get other things by freeing up that money – put it somewhere else in the form of pay raises or pension benefits, guarantees, or other things,” explains Payne. 


Another perk the Local’s Center offers is that if the reductions offered by BCBS continue, the Local may one day soon be able to offer a plan where members get $200 a month back in pocket. “The union is going to give their own members a raise,” said Payne. 


They built it, members are coming, and now so have the savings.

Transit Division WWC Meeting a Success


The Transit Division Women’s Committee held it’s second meeting this year, hosted by Local 234 on August 7-9 in Philadelphia. More than 50 women from locals across the country attended, some from as far away as Local 250-A in California. Several supportive brothers attended as well, including top officers from Locals 234 and 100 and International Chief of Staff Jeff Brooks.


“The goal is to encourage women to be leaders and to inspire them to be involved in the labor movement and with their locals in general,” said Transit Director Susan Resch who attended the three-day event.


At the meeting, the Committee approved its by-laws to be reviewed by the International Executive Council and heard from several speakers, as well as from Blue Cross Blue Shield about how to plan a health fair that caters to any local’s health needs. 


The presentation explained how health 
fairs benefit members by providing important information about a Local’s or community’s prevalent issues and promoting overall healthy living. Anita Clinton, Chair of Local 100’s Working Women’s Committee, gave a presentation in which she discussed her Local’s upcoming health fair. She also discussed the success of Local 100’s WWC, thanking Local 100 President Roger Toussaint for his support, and its fundraising efforts. 
Get a CLUW: Hundreds of TWU sisters (and some brothers) have been dedicated and active in their local or division’s Working Women’s Committees over the last few years, but there is even more that members can do to become further involved with the TWU, the labor movement and with addressing women’s issues – join CLUW (the Coalition of Labor Union Women). 


CLUW is the only national organization in America for union women and has thousands of members in more than 80 chapters and from more than 60 unions around the country. CLUW’s activists donate time and energy to help their unions and the nation’s political leaders understand the needs and concerns of America’s working families. 


“CLUW has focused on key concerns of working women since 1975 and being a part of CLUW helps women be a part of the decision making that affects their families lives as well as their own,” said Sandra Burleson, Chairperson of the TWU Women’s Committee. Issues that CLUW has focused on are: equal pay, child and elder care benefits, job security, safe workplaces, affordable health care, reproductive rights, protection from sexual harassment and violence at work. Burleson and Susan Resch, TWU Administrative Vice-President, encourage all TWU sisters and brothers to join CLUW. You can find more information at http://www.cluw.org, or by contacting Burleson at s-burleson@twu.org.

Proud Past, Promising Future

This summer has been an eventful and exciting one for the TWU as we have all been preparing for the 23rd Constitutional Convention, which is also a celebration of our 75th Anniversary. During my preparations I have closely considered the nation’s recent political changes and what they mean for the TWU.


The Convention comes at a vital time for our nation. For the first time in U.S. history we have an African-American president, and for the first time in 15 years we have a Democratic majority in Congress. The political atmosphere in Washington D. C. is ripe to make long awaited and much-needed change for working people. However, the recent changes do not mean that greedy special interest groups and corporations have lost all power in Washington, and a Democratic majority does not mean that Republicans are going to give in without a fight.


The TWU is not going to stop its fight either. While we support Obama and his efforts to reform health care, we are fighting to ensure the taxation of employee-based benefits are not included in the plan. TWU, along with the rest of the Labor Movement, is making it clear that the Administration may lose our support on health care if they do not provide a public health insurance option. I urge you to read more about our efforts on this front in the other columns and the health care article in this issue.


While health care stole the headlines all summer, and still does, it became too easy to forget the recent positive changes we have seen in Washington. The historic confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and the certification of Al Franken as a Minnesota Senator were two important victories for working families. 


I am captivated by the achievements of Justice Sotomayor, who rose from humble beginnings to the position she holds today. Sotomayor was the first Supreme Court Justice nominated by a Democratic president in 15 years and I feel that President Obama could not have found a more qualified and deserving person to nominate. Sotomayor has consistently interpreted our labor laws in the manner in which they were intended and has always enforced the rights of all workers to be free of discrimination at work and to receive fair wages and health benefits.


Senator Franken is also a friend of labor and has always been an active voice for working families. On June 30, the Minnesota Supreme Court certified Franken as the winner of the state’s long-running Senate race after it rejected a legal challenge from his Republican opponent Norm Coleman. Franken’s win gives Labor a promising chance at passing the Employee Free Choice Act, but is not a guarantee as other Democratic Senators remain uncommitted.


In politics nothing is guaranteed. That is why we need to stick together as a union to fight for our issues and our members and to celebrate our victories together. I look forward to planning our future together at the Convention, to celebrate our rich history and to reunite with members and their families.

TWU Southwest Flight Attendants to Boston: “Feeling Good” About Flying Southwest

TWU Southwest flight attendants are launching an ad campaign today in the Boston Radio market with the message, “feel good” about flying Southwest. They want to promote their airline by informing the public that Southwest is not only the most profitable but the most unionized airline in the United States.

“Many people confuse discount carrier with non-union airline,” said TWU 556 President Thom McDaniel. “Southwest Airlines is the most successful airline in this country, the most profitable and the most unionized.”

Eighty-eight percent of the employees at Southwest Airlines belong to unions. In addition to representing 9,600 flight attendants, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) represents ground operation workers, dispatchers, and flight instructors. Other unions represent Southwest’s pilots, mechanics, and customer service and reservation agents in addition to other work groups.

“Travelers have many options when it comes to flying,” said McDaniel. “New Southwest flights from Logan are an attractive option for those who didn’t want to travel to Providence, Manchester or Hartford. Having well-paid, highly professional flight attendants, confident that they can be advocates for passengers should be attractive to flyers as well.” Southwest flight attendants are among the highest-paid flight attendants in the industry. Their counter-parts at some competing airlines, such as Jet Blue, are lower paid and lack union protections.

The ads will run through early next week on news stations such as WBZ along with sponsorship messages on NPR affiliate WBUR.

Click to play

"(ding) Now serving Logan International Airport. The hard-working Flight Attendants at Southwest are excited to launch service to Boston. As members of the Transport Worker's Union--Local 556--they are over 9,600 strong. And the Flight Attendants at Southwest-- are proud to be part of the nation's most unionized and most profitable carrier. Yes, that's right: most unionized AND most profitable airline. With new daily service to Boston's Logan Airport...you can feel good about flying with them!"