TWU Honors Memorial Day

In recognition of this Memorial Day holiday President James C. Little asks all members to take a moment this weekend to remember the men and women who have sacrificed for our country and our freedom. "We have many TWU members who have sacrificed and fought for this country and a dedicated Vetrans Committee that helps take care of our soldiers as they return home," said President Little, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. "I urge members to get involved with the Veterans Committee or start their own in their locals. It is the least we can do for the men and women who give up so much for our freedom."

Memorial Day was originally known as "decoration day," a day to honor the war dead by placing flowers on their graves. Over the years, it has evolved into a holiday that recognizes all of our soldiers and their bravery.

This Memorial Day, the TWU will be honoring all of our lost soldiers and sends thoughts and prayers to our wounded warriors and to the tens of thousands of active military members and their families.

Tentative Agreement Reached for Fleet Service Workers at American Airlines

Statement by Tim Gillespie of TWU’s Air Transport Division on New Agreement Reached for 11,000 Fleet Service Workers at American Airlines
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) reached a tentative agreement late last night with AMR for fleet service workers who handle baggage, clean aircraft, deice and fuel planes, move freight and are charged with other responsibilities on the ground at American Airlines. This tentative agreement follows on the heels of other agreements reached by TWU and AMR for aircraft mechanics and technicians, facility mechanics and automotive mechanics, workers who handle materials and technical specialists earlier this month.

Today’s announcement will begin a process where members of the union will evaluate the tentative agreement and determine whether the new money, increased vacation time and prohibitions against outside contracting are enough for members to vote for ratification.

It became clear during our meetings with the National Mediation Board that our union would not be granted release from mediation unless the members of the union are first permitted to vote on the company’s offer. Members will have to carefully look at the state of the economy, look at what they gave up in 2003 and think about what this contract delivers before voting in July.

This tentative contract agreement, like the previously announced agreements for other TWU members, calls for a signing bonus and structural salary increases, it preserves our defined-benefit pension plan for all of our current members, as well as continuing retiree healthcare benefits for workers over 50. Further details will be released after members of the bargaining unit have the opportunity to review the negotiated items.

For further information contact:
Jamie Horwitz 202/549-4921
jhdcpr@starpower.net

Transit workers target Alabama’s U.S. Sen. Shelby in radio ads

Transit workers' unions have targeted U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby in statewide radio ads pegged to the holiday weekend traffic, urging him to support $2 billion in emergency funding for public transit systems around the country.

The money, if approved by Congress, would help transit systems reverse fare increases or cuts in service since January 2009 and prevent them through 2011. Democratic senators may try to add the transit money to the war and disaster funding bill pending on the Senate floor, and advocates are looking for Republican support.

Alabama's share would be $13.9 million, according to the office of U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., a lead sponsor. The Amalgamated Transit Union and the Transport Workers Union of America also are running similar ads in Ohio and Massachusetts targeting GOP senators in those states, where transit systems have had severe budget cuts during the economic downturn.

Shelby, a longtime advocate of transit programs for the Birmingham metro area, is a focus because he is the top Republican on the Senate committee that oversees transit issues. But the Alabama Republican also has been a critic of government stimulus programs that borrow money to prop up state budgets.

Through a spokesman, Shelby declined to comment on the $2 billion transit funding proposal offered by northeastern Democratic senators.

The Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority has struggled financially and has made cuts in some bus routes. The legislation would allow those systems that have not had fare increases or budget cuts to use the money to improve infrastructure, according to Dodd.

The American Public Transportation Association says that since 2009, 84 percent of public transit systems have either raised fares, cut service or are considering doing so.

"If we want to get the American economy really moving again, we need to keep people moving," said Transport Workers Union of America President James Little. "The last thing we need is more layoffs and more service cuts, which will make it harder for working people to get to work, and harder for businesses to have a steady flow of customers and employees."

This article is from Mary Orndorff -- The Birmingham News and can be found here

President Little’s Letter to Sen. Schumer on Emergency Transportation Funding

President James C. Little's Letter to the Senator Charles Schumer Regarding the Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010 S. 3412

Senator Schumer,

On behalf of the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) and our some 200,000 working and retired union membership, I applaud your efforts and the leadership of Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) in introducing the “Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010” (S. 3412). The proposed funding of $2 billion greatly helps in relieving many of the issues faced by local transit agencies across the country. We wholeheartedly ask for your support to help pass this important provision.

As you know, many transit authorities have been forced, due to funding gaps, to increase fares, lay-off workers, remove routes, and eliminate some special services. Recently, The American Public Transportation Association reported that 80 percent of U.S. transit systems have either authorized service cuts, raised fares, or are considering them. With the Nation’s bus, rail, ferryboat and paratransit systems providing over 33 million passenger trips, and over the last decade, transit ridership having grown over 20 percent, legislation is imperative in preventing our transit systems and workforce from falling to the wayside. We are encouraged that this proposed amendment is aimed at beginning to address these concerns not just for now, but for potential budgetary concerns in 2011 as well as past cuts in 2009.

More and more, people are relying heavily on transit options to operate in their daily lives. As new initiatives begin to be formulated through the Administration’s livable and sustainable community efforts, and new energy policies, transit must remain at the forefront. The funding under this bill makes that statement and ultimately saves jobs, and maintains services for all Americans.

Thank you for your leadership and experience in pressing for this emergency transit allocation. TWU ask for you support in passage of this effort and we look forward to working with you in preserving jobs and passing this important amendment.


Sincerely,

James C. Little
International President


Click here to view the letter.

Save Our Ride: Detroit

The Transport Workers Union, Amalgamated Transit Union and the Reverend Jesse Jackson have formed Save Our Ride, a coalition representing more than 300,000 transit employees across the country, community groups and environmentalists. Save Our Ride aims to raise public awareness about the transit crisis plaguing major American cities from coast to coast by rallying for flexibility in stimulus funds. Watch the video above that covers a Save Our Ride rally in Detroit on May 21.

Transit agencies are suffering and federal aid offered to systems in cash-strapped cities with populations larger than 200,000 is restricted; the funds are allocated only for capital expenses. Save Our Ride is fighting for the passage of Rep. Russ Carnahan's bill, H.R.2746, and its Senate version, Sen. Brown's bill, S3189. The bills allow local transit agencies the flexibility to use federal funds for operating costs based on local and community needs.

"The fight for quality transit isn't just about transit workers. It's about all of us. It's about our cities and our communities," said TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo at the Atlanta rally in May.

Proper preservation and restoration of mass transit systems is essential for our country's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to create good green jobs, and to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Local transit workers know how best to allocated need stimulus funds in their systems, and "buying new buses with no money to pay operators makes no sense," said ATU President Warren George at a Save Our Ride rally.

"We cannot and will not allow our transit systems to crumble from financial neglect," said TWU International President James C. Little.

Save Our Ride rallies have been held in Atlanta, Ga., Birmingham, Al., Detroit, Mi., and Cleveland, Oh. and are planned for this summer in San Francisco, Ca., Oakland, Ca., Sacramento, Ca., Houston, Tx., Miami, Fl., and New York, NY.

TWU Railroad Members (JCC) Ratify 5-Year Agreement on Amtrak

TWU Railroad Division (JCC) members have ratified a new 5-year agreement with Amtrak. The agreement covers wages, health care benefits and rules.

The total vote of the Joint Council of Carmen, Coach Cleaners, and Helpers (JCC) was 493 in favor, and 431 opposed. The JCC is comprised of TWU Railroad Division members and TCU Carmen members.

Members will receive their first wage increase, 1.5%, on July 1, 2010. Over the term of the agreement members will receive 15% in wage increases. The agreement also puts caps on future health care contributions and freezes copays and deductibles.

Once again, Railroad Division Director Gary Maslanka stated that it was an excellent agreement:
"Unlike in past agreements, our members are not going to have to wait for years for their wage increases. Under this agreement, they receive solid wage increases now."

Save Our Ride: Birmingham, Al.

In the second of a series of rallies held across the country to ask for flexibility in federal stimulus funds for transit, the TWU, ATU and Reverend Jesse Jackson addressed a crowd of transit workers, the riding public and community groups in Birmingham, Al. on May 12. The rally was held at Linn Park, where U.S. Rep Artur Davis (D-AL) and Birmingham Mayor William Bell joined the crowd.

Save Our Ride, the TWU, ATU and Jackson coalition, is fighting for the passage of H.R. 2746 and S3189, Rep. Carnahan's and Sen. Brown's bills, that would allow transit agencies to use federal stimulus money, currently allocated for capital expenses only, for operating costs as needed. Mayor Bell said that this would make about $2-2.5 million available for paying expenses and possibly even for paying debt service on bonds that could help to start building a light rail or rapid transit system.

Save Our Ride
The Transport Workers Union, Amalgamated Transit Union and the Reverend Jesse Jackson have formed Save Our Ride, a coalition representing more than 300,000 transit employees across the country, community groups and environmentalists. Save Our Ride aims to raise public awareness about the transit crisis plaguing major American cities from coast to coast by rallying for flexibility in stimulus funds.

Transit agencies are suffering and the millions of stimulus dollars offered to systems in cash-strapped cities with populations larger than 200,000 are restricted; the funds are allocated only for capital expenses. Save Our Ride is fighting for the passage of Rep. Russ Carnahan's bill, H.R.2746, and its Senate version, Sen. Brown's bill, S3189. The bills allow local transit agencies the flexibility to use the stimulus funds for operating costs based on local and community needs.

"The fight for quality transit isn't just about transit workers. It's about all of us. It's about our cities and our communities," said TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo at the Atlanta rally in May.

Proper preservation and restoration of mass transit systems is essential for our country's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to create good green jobs, and to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Local transit workers know how best to allocated need stimulus funds in their systems, and "buying new buses with no money to pay operators makes no sense," said ATU President Warren George at a Save Our Ride rally.

"We cannot and will not allow our transit systems to crumble from financial neglect," said TWU International President James C. Little.

Save Our Ride rallies have been held in Atlanta, Ga., Birmingham, Al., Detroit, Mi., and Cleveland, Oh. and are planned for this summer in San Francisco, Ca., Oakland, Ca., Sacramento, Ca., Houston, Tx., Miami, Fl., and New York, NY.

ASWC CONTRACT DETAILS RATIFICATION PACKETS IN THE MAIL - VOTING DEADLINE JUNE 18

Ratification packets, which include a detailed explanation of the tentative agreement between the Amtrak Service Workers Council (ASWC) and Amtrak are in the mail to TWU ASWC members. In addition to the ratification packets, TWU Officers will be visiting crew bases over the next several weeks to explain the agreement and answer questions that members may have.

Click here to view contract details.

BALLOTS MUST BE RETURNED BY JUNE 18

"This is an excellent agreement that provides our members what they deserve: solid wage increases, without delay," commented Railroad Division Director Gary Maslanka. Maslanka added that the agreement also provides for significant health insurance cost controls, including a five-year freeze on health insurance co-pays and deductibles, dollar caps on employee insurance contributions, and it holds the line on the 15% insurance contribution formula. This is an excellent agreement by any standard.

ASWC members' votes on this agreement is very important. This agreement provides a window of opportunity to secure solid wage increases and extremely important benefit protections now. Given the many factors that relate to Amtrak there is no guarantee that this agreement will be available in the future.

LOUISIANA LABOR LEADERS: OIL SPILL ‘WORSE THAN KATRINA’

NEW ORLEANS (PAI)--Labor leaders in New Orleans say the oil spill will be worse for workers in this region than Hurricane Katrina was almost five years ago and that the major media, both locally and nationally, are actually downplaying its significance.

"First they said it was a thousand barrels a day, then 5,000, now 200,000 and the oil is getting closer every day," said Robert "Tiger" Hammond, president of the Greater New Orleans AFL-CIO and leader of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in the city. "And once it gets into the marshland it will become a bigger catastrophe than Katrina," he predicted.

"Tiger," as he is known in the labor movement and on job sites all over New Orleans, fully expects workers here to be hit with a "double whammy" on top of Katrina: “Even if they succeed in building a side-by-side well” to divert the oil from the exploded well, “that would mean at least 75-90 days more of oil gushing into the Gulf.” And “that brings us to hurricane season and very possibly oil washing up all over this region."

Hurricane Katrina literally smashed New Orleans and displaced hundreds of thousands of people all along the Gulf Coast. It also exposed rescue workers -- including union volunteers who rushed to the stricken city from all over the nation -- to hazardous waste and disease threats. In an interview with the World, Hammond says he’s starting to hear the same thing from local workers about the oil’s impact.

"I'm hearing already about people with strange rashes, and there are whole stretches near the shores and elsewhere where you can already smell the oil. Fish, animals and sea gulls are dying and there is not enough publicity about it. It's a matter of the people's health and of their lives.

“And then, if the oil reaches those marshes, more than 100,000 people will be almost immediately out of work -- This, on top of Katrina, and on top of the economic depression already going on, is a lot for workers to have to handle," he said.

David Magee, International Longshoremen’s Association Local 3000 vice president, said environmentalists and others the union consulted warn that all major commerce here is in imminent danger, and a lot more people could be thrown out of jobs. "We have a ‘heads up’ that this spill will affect our industry adversely in the next
two or three weeks,” Magee explained. “We have spoken to the membership and we are all trying to do our best to be prepared."

Union workers are already a key to the effort to minimize environmental damage and keep ships flowing through the mouth of the Mississippi River, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. "There are cleaning stations where our members are already cleaning the oil off the hulls of ships before they enter and pollute the river," Magee said. Despite this effort, "It won't be long before major shippers take their cargo elsewhere. That will devastate us and hurt the entire national economy by driving up prices," he added.

Magee and Chris Hammond, the local's secretary treasurer, said they were both "first responders" after Katrina. They returned to work on the docks within three weeks after the storm to begin the work of rebuilding the port.

"I was lucky," Chris Hammond said, "because I could live with family 35 miles north of here. Other workers didn't have a place to live and even today some of our guys have their families living as far away as Texas." Both were visibly shaken as they discussed the potential impact of the oil spill on dock workers here.

"The labor movement is working, through the Central Labor Council, with community and environmental groups to try to deal with this," Magee said. "We are going to push hard to expand our influence in the elections this year," Tiger Hammond, the AFL-CIO leader, said. "Candidates backed by labor won most of the elections in the southern part of the state last time around and we will push hard to elect more who come out strong for tougher regulations on the oil industry."

Magee said he hoped people "will learn from this the importance of regulating these big companies. There is already reliable information that in a worst-case scenario we could be looking at a total evacuation of New Orleans.

“Something so terrible as that would be the result of BP's cutting corners and not wanting to pay the $250,000 it would have cost them to put shut-off valves underneath the oil platforms," Magee added. And Tiger Hammond reminded reporters it was GOP President George W. Bush who let BP off the hook when the company complained that spending the extra money was unnecessary because there would be no accidents.

Hammond and Magee said a broad-based movement to fight BP and go after other abusive corporations would be bigger and stronger than it is now if the media were not doing such a poor job of explaining "just how serious this crisis is." Hammond asked: "Why does the media not demand BP provide pictures or actual footage of the leaks? The company has submarines and all kinds of sophisticated technology down there. They've come forth with nothing…President Obama was down here and offered all kinds of resources. Why aren't they taking advantage of them?"

TWU, ATU, Rev. Jackson – Rallies in Atlanta with MARTA CEO

The Transport Workers Union, Amalgamated Transit Union, along with other labor leaders, civil rights and environmental leaders joined local transit workers and Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authorization (MARTA) management at a rally on May 11. At the Five Points Station rally they called for a shift in federal stimulus funding from purchasing equipment to defraying operating costs for financially troubled transit systems such as MARTA.

"The fight for quality public transit isn't just about transit workers," said TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo at the rally. "It's about all of us. It's about our cities. It's about our communities."

Lombardo was joined by ATU President Warren George, Rev. Jesse Jackson, MARTA CEO Bev Scott, ATU Local 732 President Benita West and other labor and community leaders. Rev. Jackson, TWU President James C. Little, and ATU President Warren George have created a coalition that will fight to raise awareness of the need for transportation funding, American made equipment, and the power that proper transit funding will have to create green jobs, aid economic recovery and clean up the environment.

"It makes no sense to have a brand new bus sit in the garage, if you have nobody to drive it," said ATU President George at the rally.

Public transit advocates won new state aid from the Georgia legislature last month, but MARTA still faces a significant funding gaps. Without additional support, buses and trains that were marked with “red Xs” on April 20th to indicate looming service cuts will soon be eliminated, increasing traffic congestion and compromising air quality in a metro area that is already ranked as one of the most 25 polluted cities in America by the American Lung Association. http://www.stateoftheair.org/2010/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities.html

Current federal aid for municipal public transit comes with significant strings attached; local officials in large cities can only use these funds for capital projects and are prevented from using resources to meet local needs and priorities.

The rally yesterday was in support of HB 2746 http://web1.ctaa.org/webmodules/webarticles/articlefiles/HR_fact_sheet.pdf , which will allow local control of federal transit funds. The legislation will allow MARTA and other municipal transit systems to keep buses and trains rolling when and where they are most needed.

The transit coalition – TWU, ATU and Rev. Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition – will be holding similar rallies throughout the country over the next several weeks. They held a similar rally in Birmingham, Alabama the day after Atlanta's rally and will be in Detroit and Cleveland this week.

TWU, ATU, Rev. Jackson Rally in Major Transit Cities Around the Country

The Transport Workers Union, Amalgamated Transit Union, along with other labor leaders, civil rights and environmental leaders joined local transit workers and Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authorization (MARTA) management at a rally last week. At the Five Points Station rally they called for a shift in federal stimulus funding from purchasing equipment to defraying operating costs for financially troubled transit systems such as MARTA.

"The fight for quality public transit isn't just about transit workers," said TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo at the rally. "It's about all of us. It's about our cities. It's about our communities."

Lombardo was joined by ATU President Warren George, Rev. Jesse Jackson, MARTA CEO Bev Scott, ATU Local 732 President Benita West and other labor and community leaders. Rev. Jackson, TWU President James C. Little, and ATU President Warren George have created a coalition that will fight to raise awareness of the need for transportation funding, American made equipment, and the power that proper transit funding will have to create green jobs, aid economic recovery and clean up the environment.

"It makes no sense to have a brand new bus sit in the garage, if you have nobody to drive it," said ATU President George at the rally.

Public transit advocates won new state aid from the Georgia legislature last month, but MARTA still faces a significant funding gaps. Without additional support, buses and trains that were marked with "red Xs" on April 20th to indicate looming service cuts will soon be eliminated, increasing traffic congestion and compromising air quality in a metro area that is already ranked as one of the most 25 polluted cities in America by the American Lung Association.

Current federal aid for municipal public transit comes with significant strings attached; local officials in large cities can only use these funds for capital projects and are prevented from using resources to meet local needs and priorities.

The rally last week was in support of HB 2746, which will allow local control of federal transit funds. The legislation will allow MARTA and other municipal transit systems to keep buses and trains rolling when and where they are most needed.

The transit coalition – TWU, ATU and Rev. Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition – will be holding similar rallies throughout the country over the next several weeks. They held a similar rally in Birmingham, Alabama the day after the Atlanta rally, and will be in Detroit and Cleveland this week.

Watch an interview with Rev. Jesse Jackson on the Birmingham rally and work of the coalition here.

TWU REACHES TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WITH AMTRAK FOR ASWC MEMBERSHIP

TWU's Railroad Division is pleased to announce that it has reached a tentative agreement with Amtrak for its ASWC (On-Board Service) members on Amtrak. The agreement was bargained jointly with ASWC member Unions TCU and HERE.

Commenting on the agreement, TWU Railroad Division Director Gary Maslanka stated:
"It is an excellent 5-year agreement that brings our ASWC members what they deserve: solid wage increases without delay."

Less than a month ago the Railroad Division reached a tentative agreement that entails the same economic elements as the ASWC tentative agreement. That agreement is currently out before the membership for a ratification vote.

Later this week the TWU will be releasing more details on the ASWC agreement.

TWU RAILROAD DIVISION MEMBERS VOTING ON NEW 5-YEAR AGREEMENT ON AMTRAK

The ratification process to vote on a new 5-year agreement for TWU Railroad Division members (JCC) employed on Amtrak is well underway.

Click here to View a Summary of the Tentative Agreement

Railroad Division Director Gary Maslanka statement on the Agreement:
“This is an excellent Agreement that brings our JCC members what they deserve: solid wage increases, caps on health care contributions and a 5-year freeze on heath care co-pays and deductibles. Likewise, there are no major work rule changes in this Agreement.”

As pointed out in the summary, this Agreement compares favorably to any agreements currently being reached throughout the United States.

The ratification deadline is May 26.

Taking Charge of Political Change

Following the 2010 TWU COPE Legislative Conference's theme, "Take Charge of Political Change: Stay Connected," nearly 200 TWU members traveled to Washington D.C. and took charge of their time there by lobbying their representatives and senators on behalf of working families and hearing from key legislators.

The TWU activists who participated in the conference heard from several high-profile legislators and keynote speaker, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood. They also participated in workshops and panel discussions on issues such as operating funds for mass transit, FAA reauthorization, unemployment, NASA funding and high-speed rail opportunities, to name a few.

Watch highlights from the week in the video above and read more from the Conference by clicking here.

TWU, ATU, Rev. Jackson – Rallies in Atlanta with MARTA CEO

The Transport Workers Union, Amalgamated Transit Union, along with other labor leaders, civil rights and environmental leaders joined local transit workers and Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authorization (MARTA) management at a rally yesterday. At the Five Points Station rally they called for a shift in federal stimulus funding from purchasing equipment to defraying operating costs for financially troubled transit systems such as MARTA.

"The fight for quality public transit isn't just about transit workers," said TWU Executive Vice President Harry Lombardo at the rally. "It's about all of us. It's about our cities. It's about our communities."

Lombardo was joined by ATU President Warren George, Rev. Jesse Jackson, MARTA CEO Bev Scott, ATU Local 732 President Benita West and other labor and community leaders. Rev. Jackson, TWU President James C. Little, and ATU President Warren George have created a coalition that will fight to raise awareness of the need for transportation funding, American made equipment, and the power that proper transit funding will have to create green jobs, aid economic recovery and clean up the environment.

"It makes no sense to have a brand new bus sit in the garage, if you have nobody to drive it," said ATU President George at yesterday's rally.

Public transit advocates won new state aid from the Georgia legislature last month, but MARTA still faces a significant funding gaps. Without additional support, buses and trains that were marked with “red Xs” on April 20th to indicate looming service cuts will soon be eliminated, increasing traffic congestion and compromising air quality in a metro area that is already ranked as one of the most 25 polluted cities in America by the American Lung Association.

Current federal aid for municipal public transit comes with significant strings attached; local officials in large cities can only use these funds for capital projects and are prevented from using resources to meet local needs and priorities.

The rally yesterday was in support of HB 2746, which will allow local control of federal transit funds. The legislation will allow MARTA and other municipal transit systems to keep buses and trains rolling when and where they are most needed.

The transit coalition – TWU, ATU and Rev. Jackson's Rainbow PUSH Coalition – will be holding similar rallies throughout the country over the next several weeks. They will be in Birmingham, Alabama at 1 p.m. today.

AFL-CIO Hosts First Young Workers Summit

Young Workers “Next Up” To Lead the Labor Movement
June 10-13 in Washington, DC

To Register visit: www.aflcio.org/nextup

Washington, DC, May 11 - Young activists and union workers who are
“Next Up” to lead the labor movement will meet in Washington for
the first national Young Workers Summit hosted by the AFL-CIO from June
10 - 13. The “Next Up” summit, which is the culmination of a
five-city listening tour, is the kick-off of a long-term outreach
program to working people under the age of 35. Young workers around the
country are urged to visit www.aflcio.org/nextup to register by May 21.

Young labor leaders and activists will have an opportunity to share
their ideas and experiences with each other and learn how to engage
other young working people in their communities. They’ll also be
meeting with AFL-CIO leaders to voice their opinions and provide
feedback on the role of young people in the labor movement. AFL-CIO
leaders hope to create a two-way dialogue in order to listen to the
concerns of young workers and make changes to strengthen and grow the
labor movement.

We’re all experiencing the economic crisis-but young workers have
been hurt disproportionately,” said AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Liz
Shuler. “Young people need the union movement and we need young
workers to be engaged. Participants at the Young Workers Summit are
going to develop an action plan and identify more of what we need to do
to make sure we’re fully integrating and calling upon our young
members.”

This spring AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler met with young
workers in five different cities. She listened to what they had to say
about the issues they face in the workplace and their unions, including
their often creative and passionate ideas about how to address those
issues. Those forums set the stage for the summit and the AFL-CIO’s
long term outreach to young workers.

Last year the AFL-CIO conducted a survey a young workers which found
that only 31 percent of 18- to 35-year-olds make enough money to cover
their bills and put some aside. Almost a third are uninsured and one in
three still lives at home with their parents. The Economic Policy
Institute also released a study last month showing the challenges
facing jobless young workers who lack a safety net and often don’t
qualify for unemployment benefits.

The Young Workers Summit will address those challenges and gather ideas
to continue to make the labor movement more relevant to the next
generation of workers.

NMB Rule Change Brings Democracy to Air and Rail Industry Voting

Statement by James C. Little, President of the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) on
Today’s Announcement of Changes in Voting Requirements Under the Railway Labor Act by the NMB

Today, workers employed by airlines and railroads finally found democracy in the workplace. In America, we usually count votes except if you work in transportation and then we counted people who didn’t vote. TWU lost elections in the past because many supposed voters were on leave or in the hospital or unreachable -- every non-vote counted against our union.

Beginning now, elections under the RLA will look like every other election in our society where a simple majority prevails. Today’s decision was long overdue. But rather than mourn the injustices of the past, we’re going celebrate justice for workers today and we’re going to organize.

Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) represents 200,000 workers and retirees, primarily in commercial aviation, public transportation and passenger railroads; the union is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. For more information visit www.twu.org

For further information contact:
Jamie Horwitz
202/549-4921
jhdcpr@starpower.net

Union Stops Clock on Booth Closings

Layoffs of 475 Temporarily Halted
Ruling a Victory for Workers, Riders

After hearing from both Local 100 and MTA attorneys Thursday morning at 80 Centre Street, New York State Supreme Court Justice Saliann Scarpulla let a temporary restraining order stopping the MTA from closing token booths remain in effect. She set a court date for argument for 2:15pm this coming Monday, May 10, when the parties will appear again before her to argue the case.

Standing before TV cameras in front of the court building after the ruling, TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen called Scarpulla’s decision “a victory for those who use our system every day and who rightfully expect to ride in safety to and from work.'' Noting that the MTA had first voted to close the booths in December of 2008, and referring to recent terror attacks, he said that “the world has changed a lot in 18 months.”

TWU International President James C. Little added, "The riding public needs our token booth clerks to help keep our subways safe and this is a time for job creation, not layoffs of hundreds of hard working people."

The Union’s attorney, Arthur Schwartz, added that Local 100 believes that a new round of notifications to community board and public hearings is necessary before booth closings can go forward. He intends to argue the point before Judge Scarpulla at the next court date.

Judge Scarpulla’s decision continues the temporary restraining order, first signed last night by Supreme Court Justice Alice Schlesinger, which bars booth closings on the grounds that the MTA did not follow proper community notification and hearing procedures. The decision has temporarily saved the jobs of 475 Station Agents who, instead of going forward with “exit sessions” at the Transit Learning Center were told to report to work as usual. They will continue to staff their regular booth assignments.

In discussion before the bench, Mr. Schwartz urged the court to consider the requirement for public hearings written into the New York State Public Authorities Law. Attorney Florence Dean, representing New York City Transit, argued that not moving forward with the layoffs and closings would be expensive for the MTA. Rejecting that point, Judge Scarpulla said that “Due process always costs money. I don’t see what the issue is. It seems to me that the simple solution is to schedule hearings.” Also present for the conference were the MTA’s General Counsel, James Henly, and New York City Transit Counsel Martin Schnabel.

In later comments to reporters, Mr. Schwartz noted that a previous case brought by Local 100 had established that a booth closing was equivalent to the partial closing of a station and thus required public comment and the notification of community boards in the affected neighborhoods.

Local 100 also held a demonstration yesterday in front of the Duane Street home of MTA Chairman Jay Walder, who has decided not to use $100 million in federal stimulus funding dollars to save jobs and reverse service cuts. Many of the Station Agents who are in job jeopardy rallied to make the point to Mr. Walder’s neighbors (assuming he is not at home) that their safety and security is imperiled by the decision to remove the public’s “eyes and ears” in the transit system.

New Agreement for 1,282 Workers Handling Materials (Stores) at American Airlines-2nd TA this Week

Statement by John Conley, Director of TWU’s Air Transport Division

The Transport Workers Union is pleased to announce that last evening we reached a tentative agreement with AMR for workers who handle materials and parts at American Airlines. This tentative agreement, which covers 1,282 workers at American, follows on the heels of our agreement for 11,500 aircraft mechanics and technicians, facility mechanics and automotive mechanics only a couple of days ago.

Today’s announcement marks a dramatic turn from only a week ago when negotiations were at a standstill and our union was waiting for the NMB to release our union from mediation. Progress is being made with other work groups and we are hoping to have other announcements in the near future.

This tentative contract agreement, like the previously announced agreement for mechanics, calls for a signing bonus and structural salary increases, it preserves our defined-benefit pension plan for all of our current members, as well as continuing retiree healthcare benefits. Further details will be released after members of the bargaining unit have the opportunity to review the negotiated items.

For further information contact:
Jamie Horwitz 202/549-4921
jhdcpr@starpower.net