As of now, we have not been notified of any such request for American Eagle.

Fraternally,

Robert Gless
Deputy Director Air Transport Division
AA System Coordinator

2012_January_25 AMR BK Update

DALLAS – Representatives of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and executives from AMR subsidiary American Eagle were notified Wednesday evening that the National Mediation Board (NMB) remains committed to helping unions at American Airlines and American Eagle reach labor agreements with parent company AMR – despite the company’s November bankruptcy filing. TWU represents ground workers, dispatchers, ground school instructors and mechanics at American Eagle.

Harry Hoglander, Member of the National Mediation Board (NMB), joined by Larry Gibbons, Director of Mediation Services for the agency, told union and company representatives at a Dallas meeting that the agency “intends to be engaged and active throughout the process.” “Further, that the bankruptcy filing does not immediately impact the NMB’s function or status of cases.” A similar meeting has been scheduled by the NMB for today where representatives from American Airlines and TWU will be joined by union leaders from American’s other unions, The Allied Pilots Association and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants. Today’s meeting will be at American Airlines’ headquarters in Fort Worth.

The National Mediation Board’s role under the Railway Labor Act is to mediate and assist labor and management at railroads and airlines reach agreements and settle disputes.

Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) represents 200,000 workers and retirees, primarily in commercial aviation, public transportation and passenger railroads, including 22,000 workers at AMR. TWU represents more workers at AMR than any other labor organization. The union is an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

TWU News Release 1-12-2012 -In PDF

The National Mediation Board wants to talk to American Airlines and its three unions – the Allied Pilots Association, Association of Professional Flight Attendants and Transport Workers Union – about the state of their negotiations.

We learn this from the APFA’s hotline update Tuesday, which said that “the NMB has requested that APA, APFA, TWU and the company meet for a negotiations status conference” on Thursday.

The TWU told its members Monday that it will meet with NMB board member Harry Hoglander and Larry Gibbons, the NMB’s director of mediation services, at American’s offices Thursday morning. They’ll discuss the status of talks with four of TWU’s units: fleet service clerks, stock clerks, technicians and mechanics and related employees.

On Wednesday afternoon, TWU and American Eagle officials will meet with Hoglander, Gibbons, senior mediator Patricia Sims and mediator John Livingood for a status update on two sets of talks with American Eagle employees represented by the TWU.

“The NMB asked to meet for an update on our status and, as always, we are happy to cooperate with the board,” American spokeswoman Missy Cousino said Tuesday.

Except for a few small TWU units, American and its unions have failed to work out new contracts in talks that began with pilots in September 2006, with the big TWU units in November 2007 and with the flight attendants in June 2008.

On Nov. 29, American, parent AMR, American Eagle and various subsidiaries filed bankruptcy papers. Now, the labor talks fall under Section 1113 of the federal bankruptcy code. However, that doesn’t mean the NMB won’t continue to assist in reaching agreements, if possible.

The TWU, Association of Professional Flight Attendants and APA have all gotten seats on the committee of unsecured creditors.

American hasn’t stated publicly what changes it will seek in labor talks, but made it pretty clear in pre-Chapter 11 talks what it wanted to do – reduce retirement costs (pensions and medical insurance); get more hours each month from pilots and flight attendants; have employees pay a greater share of medical costs; farm out less-skilled ground jobs like cabin cleaning; use commuter carriers for more flying; and other changes that it thought would make it more competitive with other major carriers that have already gone through bankruptcy proceedings.

View the notices below:

Meeting Notice – NMB Case Numbers A-13472 A-13491 in PDF

Subject: NMB Case Numbers: A-13472 & A-13491
American Eagle Airlines, Inc. & TWU
Board Member Harry Hoglander and Director of Mediation Services Larry
Gibbons will hold a status conference with the parties at 3:00PM on Wednesday,
January 11, 2012. The meeting will be held at the offices of American Eagle,
4333 Amon Carter Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

• cc: Harry Hoglander, Board Member, NMB
• Patricia Sims, Sr. Mediator, NMB
• John Livingood, Mediator, NM

Meeting Notice – NMB Case Numbers A-13473 A-13485-86 A-13495 in PDF

Subject: American Airlines-TWU
NMB Case Numbers:

• A-13473 – Fleet Services
• A-13485 – Stock Clerks
• A-13486 – Technicians
• A-13495 – Mechanics & Related

Board Member Harry Hoglander and Director of Mediation Services Larry Gibbons will hold a status conference with the parties at 9:00AM on Thursday, January 12, 2012. The meeting will be held at the offices of American Airlines, 4333 Amon Carter Boulevard, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

cc: Harry Hoglander, Board Member, NMB
Terri Brown, Sr. Mediator, NMB
Jack Kane, Mediator, NMB

We were notified by the Company earlier this week, that they wanted to postpone the November supposal discussions. They stated this was due to the uncertainty of both where the pilot discussions were, along with the fact that the AMR board is currently reviewing American’s strategic position. They did suggest that we schedule the week of December 12, 2011 to meet.

We will follow up on the specific meeting dates for that week and send out an update when the actual dates are confirmed.

We appreciate your patience as we work to achieve a fair agreement for our members.

We wish you and your families a happy and blessed Thanksgiving holiday.

You’re TWU M&R Negotiating Committee

2011 November 18 MR Update in PDF