President:
All,
The transition to this newly elected term in office has been relatively simple since, for the first time in recent history, the entire executive board was re-elected, with one exception: another executive board officer was added due to increased headcount at the base. Linda Dill, who has years of experience in several Local and TWU International roles, was elected to that position. VP Marla Johnson and I discussed splitting up representational duties in the AO hangars. The Officer assignments will be as follows;
Joe Brown M&R, Jim Holt Facilities/GSE, BJ Rackers MLS, Jason Best MCT, George Albano Hanger 3, Daron Morgan Hangar 1 & 2, Don McCormick Hangar 6, TCC, cleaners, and painters, Linda Dill Hangar 5, Terminal and Planners, Tracy Hardin AERO, Gene Chapin Components( Cam Bldg, Turbine South End, CRC, WBC), Jay Potter Inspection, Track outsourcing, headcount and Job Bids. Marla Johnson and I will handle the MTS group as needed.
We had meetings this week to discuss Executive Stewards. Marla Johnson will work with the officers to notify those who will be selected.
The Company did not offer to compromise on its position regarding the “Dodgeball” grievance. The Union’s position is that they are violating our agreement. I have notified our International Rep, Rollie Reaves, that I would prefer to go to Arbitration. We have a tentative date to put the case on with our attorneys in December.
I attended the Tulsa base town hall for the day shift and thought the information regarding the future of the Tulsa base was promising. It is imperative that we strive to put out our work on time with zero aircraft damage. If you are not certain an aircraft can clear a door, dock, ladder, or piece of equipment, please do your best to halt the movement. I also heard a red flag from MD Sangricco; they are looking for sleepers and people in the gym during work hours. Please be aware of what others are doing around you, because if they come looking for a sleeper or audit gate times for one person, sometimes you can get caught up in other people’s BS.
As always, I’m available 24/7 at 918-636-6089
Don’t forget to put in for Labor Day holiday comps or other options.
Take care
Vice President:
Membership meetings are on Monday, August 25, 2025
- 7:15 am
- 11:45 am
- 3:45 pm
I will be in Dallas next week for the GRB. On Monday, we will meet with the leaders from the different locals and districts to discuss the grievances before presenting them to the company on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Labor Day is Monday, September 1, 2025. Work notices should be posted on the electronic bulletin board. Sunday, August 24th, is the deadline for selecting how you would like to take the holiday.
Chairman of Maintenance:
PPE Review
Jim Holt and I will be attending the PPE review meeting this week. During the meeting, we’ll be evaluating both new and existing PPE to determine what needs updating or replacement.
WER (Work Experience Review)
We continue to face challenges with the WER process. The most critical part of this process is ensuring that all required information is submitted correctly the first time. The system does not allow for resubmissions after the review has taken place. Incomplete or incorrect submissions can result in significant delays—potentially months or even years—in obtaining your desired bid. To avoid this, please meet with a board member or the manager of the area you’re bidding into to review your information before submission.
Shift Bid
When submitting your global shift preferences, please pay close attention to how you mark locations. It has come to our attention that some individuals are selecting the “don’t want” option for certain locations. Please be aware that choosing “don’t want” can negatively affect your overall bid placement.
Joe Brown
(918) 284-9666
JBrown@twumail.org
Chairman of Material Logistics Specialist:
September Bid
This was our second electronic bid. It seems we had more problems this time in stores. I have received emails, been called, and texted about changes. All bids are final. I know we have jobs being posted this weekend. I will ask management to offer shift betterments in those areas.
Transfer and Bids
Bid areas with openings: 206S 1 CC, 206S 1 MLS, 022S 2 MLS, 034S 4 MLS, 026S 1 MLS, 031S 1 MLS. At this time, I do not know what shift the openings will be on.
Headcount
We currently have 489 MLS on Base with 18 on LOA.
Shift Swap
You can receive a point on a shift swap for calling in sick. Please read both paragraphs.
Article 15
B. An employee who fails to report or is tardy on the day/shift involved will not be charged for the occurrence under the Company’s Attendance Control Policy; however, they may be restricted from utilizing these provisions as follows:
- First Offense – Written Warning
- Second Offense – one hundred eighty (180) day suspension of privileges from the date of the absence or tardiness.
After a warning/suspension with no other violations for the next twelve (12) months, the warning/suspension process will reset.
M. If an employee agrees to work a double shift as a result of a swap and later calls in sick, he will be charged with sick leave for both shifts missed.
Labor Day
Don’t forget to make your holiday selection.
B.J. Rackers
(918) 346-8918
bjracker@twumail.org
Executive Board Members at Large:
George Albano:
- Attended the midnight and day shift town hall meetings.
- I attended the monthly benefits meeting via Zoom. We discussed the Annual Enrollment dates and Benefit statistics. Accolade will no longer be the go-between the member and AA. Members will be able to contact UMR.
- I attended the Welfare and Entertainment meeting. Topics discussed included Trunk or Treat and the Adult Party.
- Attended Pre-GRB meeting with Josh Voss.
- I attended two grievance meetings this month in August. I continued preparing several grievances for the August GRB.
- Continue helping members with their retirement and benefit questions daily.
George Albano
918-378-1947
GAlbano@twumail.org
Gene Chapin:
- Continue covering the midnight shift on base at 5:00 am.
- Continue working at the grievance office and walking the base daily.
- Continue working on new and old grievances.
- Attended several 32 J’s on attendance.
- Grievance meeting with management, Thursday, agreed to pay four grievances and withdraw one.
- AA/TWU Red Cross blood drive starting September 15 through September 23.
- As always, if anyone knows of any retirements, please contact an Officer or Union Rep.
- There have been several members that have their Global Selection selected incorrectly. Please get with Admin or Officer if you have questions.
Gene
918-640-2097
GChapin@twumail.org
Linda Dill:
TWU Working Women’s Committee School Drive
Our School Drive for Emerson Elementary is still underway! We gratefully accept any and all school supply donations. To arrange a pickup at the base, please contact Betty Palmer (betty.palmer@aa.com) or Lisa Prince (Lisa.Prince@aa.com). You can also drop off donations directly at the Union Hall.
New Shop Stewards
I am excited to announce that two new shop stewards will be joining TWU514 SS in HGR5 beginning 9/1/25! We have more members interested in becoming stewards, and there’s plenty of time to fulfill the meeting requirements by the end of the year for those who need to get their meetings in. The rules for becoming a Shop Steward are outlined in our TWU By-Laws.
If you are a Shop Steward, please remember to go to the TWU website, sign in to check and make sure your information is correct with your days off, shift and location of work. This lets us know who we can contact when a Shop Steward is needed.
Union Meeting – Monday, August 25th
I encourage you to attend our upcoming Union Meeting on Monday, August 25th (7:15 AM, 11:34 PM, and 3:45 PM). Your presence is vital to the strength of our union. We’ve updated the meeting format to be more concise, typically lasting about an hour. While there might be occasional slight extensions, our goal is to keep meetings at an hour or less, allowing members ample time to attend and manage other commitments. Please come and check out the new time-frame! If you’re new to the Union and haven’t been sworn in yet, please come to this meeting – it’s a quick and easy process.
**Check out a video this week on an educational piece regarding our TWU INTL Convention!
LTA’s
If you are called over to go into a meeting with an LTA, please take a shop steward with you. The meeting could be nothing and that’s great but it could turn into something. Our stewards know what to look and listen for. Please let a steward know, and if one is not available, call the union hall, and they can find you a union rep.
Retirement Information
If you are planning to retire, please inform your Shop Steward or contact the Union Hall directly at 918-437-4300.
Linda
(918) 954-4709
LDill@twumail.org
Tracy Hardin:
AAERO:
With the new GEN X engine in house, if you want to get that experience to work it, contact your management.
There has been a concern about some of the certification with the new machines that have been installed. Continue to work with your crew chief and supervisor to address the issues.
The FAA audit has been pushed back a few weeks, but don’t let your guard down. Keep doing the great job as always.
If you missed the ASAP Road show, please contact our ASAP team with questions or concerns. Brad Brugger 918-855-7825
BENEFITS:
With so many changes to medical coverage and cost increases, consider the Staywell option. This program reduces or illuminates the cost of some daily medical expenses. Look for Staywell RX on JetNet.
NEOKCLC:
Remember, Labor Day is September 1st. This is the day that celebrates labor across the country. Stand proud, and if you can, come to Henryetta, Oklahoma, for the all-day celebration.
The Tulsa United Way is having a kickoff event for the 2025 fundraiser goal. There is no cost to you; they just need your body and face. On Saturday, August 23rd, come to downtown Tulsa between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. and help the United Way raise money for the 2025 campaign. There will be free food, music, and entertainment.
FYI!!!!!!
WATCH YOUR TIME OUTSIDE OF THE GATE!
It’s Better In A Union
Tracy
(918) 409-5962
THardin@twumail.org
Don McCormick:
GRIEVANCES – Resolved 214 YTD
- July – Resolved 25 with 9 paid, 1 disciplinary action reduced, and 15 W/D
- August – Resolved 37 with 25 Paid 12 W/D
213 Total Grievances
- 58 Active Grievances
- 78 Known Outage (Awaiting Arbitration)
- 52 Shift Swap (2018/2019, Awaiting Arbitration)
- 20 Qualifications (Awaiting Arbitration)
- 2 Termination
- 3 Pre JCBA
John Hollihan is working with me to clear up the backlog of grievances.
We will be meeting again on August 26th to resolve the next batch.
Article 18 Par W 5b – Late Call proffer under 12 hours
If the proffer of full shift or ECI overtime is less than twelve (12) hours in advance of the start of the overtime shift, such a proffer shall be made by phone or by positive contact if the employee is on shift working at the time of the overtime Proffer.
- Staff Admin may call you. If you answer, then you can accept or deny
- If no answer, they will send an email to the supervisor to tap you on the shoulder.
- The OT proffer will be halted until the Supervisors find the people on shift.
- Supervisors will now go directly to the Crew Chiefs and then go find you, if they find you the offer will be presented. If they don’t find you “in your work area” they will continue to look and then take appropriate actions as to why you weren’t in your work area.
- This could lead to an APS entry or a level.
- If you are not in your work area, there will be no grievance filed or paid unless there is a viable reason! (Management is starting to crack down on this practice)
September Shift Bids – If you are having issues or just want clarification, get with a Union Steward or E-Board member to help walk you through the process.
- Live Bid takes Priority – Pick the open slot in your 5-minute window.
- Scheduled bid picks next – if you want S/S Days, then you need to select all the S/S days, 22 of them in bid unit 257 and 263. Or do the easy thing and select one in the global pick
- Global Picks – easiest selection to get the shift and day off pattern you want.
Welfare and Entertainment
Tulsa Drillers Baseball – Next homestand Aug 26th through 31st. This is the next-to-last homestand.
Tulsa Oilers Hockey – Starts October 24th
Tickets available at the Union Hall M-F 7 am-11 am and 12 pm-4 pm
Trunk or Treat will be on October 18th at the Union Hall
The TWU Local 514 Adult Party will be on November 22 at the Hard Rock Casino
Don
(918) 378-5823
DMcCormick@twumail.org
Daron Morgan:
- Continue covering the Grievance office daily
- Continue working on Grievances
- Settled/closed 3 OT bypass and 1 Ft bypass grievances this week.. These all were pending pay letters. Now that they have been paid, I have closed them out.
- George, Gene, and I have a Grievance review meeting with HGR 1,2,3 Leadership on Thursday afternoon to discuss more grievances.
- I’ve been in multiple 32J’s this week
- Continue to check your workbrain daily for correct coding
- We’ve been assisting people with their WER’s when they come to us. After the 2020 agreement, the Company owns the WER process; however, we can assist members and guide them through the process
- We were hoping for fewer hiccups on the September re-bid, but there still seems to be a lot of confusion out there over the Global selection process.
- The next Tulsa Driller’s Baseball Homestand will be Tuesday, August 26th, through Sunday, August 31st
Daron
918-402-0089
DMorgan@twumail.org
Jay Potter:
Scope – Base Outsourcing Report, Aug 22, 2025
In-house Base Maintenance – Four (4) Stations
- 24 Aircraft
- 11 of these aircraft are check aircraft (MBV, CC, C11, or EIS).
- CTO – Charlotte, NC
- A320 – 1
- A321 – 3 (1 – C11, 2 – DMG)
- DWH – Dallas, TX
- A321 – 1
- B737NG – 4
- B787 – 3 (1 – DMG)
- PTO -Pittsburgh, PA
- A321 – 2 (1 – C11, 1 – 2S)
- TLE – Tulsa, OK
- B737MX – 1 (1 – DMG)
- B737NG – 9 (3 – MBV04, 5 – MBV08)
- CTO – Charlotte, NC
Outsourced Base Maintenance – Three (3) Stations
- 25 Aircraft.
- 24 of these aircraft are check aircraft (MBV, CC, C11, S, or EIS)
- HKG_HAECO_Hong Kong – 1
- B777 – 1 (1 – MBV04)
- SLO_Aeroman, El Salvador – 18 Aircraft
- A319 – 10 (1 – 2S, 9 – 4S)
- A320 – 1 (1 – 4S)
- A321 – 6 (2 – 2S, 4 – 4S)
- B777 – 1 (1 – MBV09)
- VQQ_Flightstar, Jacksonville, FL – 6 Aircraft
- A321 – 3 (2 – 1S)
- B737NG – 3 (1 – MBV03, 2 – MBV05)
- HKG_HAECO_Hong Kong – 1
- Livery aircraft do not count toward the outsourced man-hours (stations include AMA, GUS, and ROW).
- If you have questions regarding Contractual Scope Language, you can reach me at (918) 845-8059 or jpotter@twumail.org. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Tulsa Aviation Maintenance Group (AMG) Headcount
| August 22, 2025 | January 23, 2020 | VAR | |||||
| TCC | 71 | TCC | 79 | TCC | -8 | ||
| CC AMT | 274 | CC AMT | 245 | CC AMT | 29 | ||
| AMT | 2391 | AMT | 2681 | AMT | -290 | ||
| OSM | 473 | OSM | 425 | OSM | 48 | ||
| INSP | 247 | INSP | 263 | INSP | -16 | ||
| CC CL | 17 | CC CL | 16 | CC CL | 1 | ||
| CL | 130 | CL | 130 | CL | 0 | ||
| TOTAL | 3603 | TOTAL | 3839 | TOTAL | -236 | ||
Hiring
- For available vacancies in Tech Ops, check jobs.aa.com.
- Plant Maintenance Mechanic – Stationary Operating Engineer
Retirement Committee – Jay Potter, George Albano & Jason Best
- Local 514 website, twu514.org, visit for Retirement Resources
- Presentation from the Retirement Seminar is available
- Retirement checklist available
- Jetnet has Retirement Resources available
- In Jetnet, click Resources at the top of the page
- Under Information and Help, click Team Member Services
- Scroll down and click on Retirement
- There you will find several links:
- Retirement eligibility
- How to access retirement income
- Retirement gift selection
- How to stay connected with American
- Retirement benefits and privileges
- Travel privileges for retirees
- Retirement Gift FAQ
- Signing up for an electronic W-2
- Fidelity has designated a phone number for AA employees
- (800) 354-3412
- Fidelity offers designated Medicare Advisors to answer any questions (this is a free service)
- Call (833) 886-0033 to schedule an appointment
- Schedule an appointment at medicare.fidelity.com
- This website provides an excellent resource for Medicare information
Retirements / New Hires
- Retirements YTD: 79
- New Hires YTD: 95
Worked Grievance Office
Settled Grievances
Attended three 32.J’s
Helped members with their Electronic bids
Helped members with Retirement
Jay
(918) 845-8059
JPotter@twumail.org
Governor Declares August 19 ‘Aviation and Aerospace Awareness Day’ in Oklahoma
Gov. Kevin Stitt has declared Aug. 19, 2025 “Oklahoma Aviation & Aerospace Awareness Day.”
The state’s first Oklahoma Aviation & Aerospace Day was recognized Aug. 19, 2018 after the passage of a measure placing it into state law during the 2017 legislative session.
The date runs concurrent to National Aviation Day which was originally declared Aug. 19, 1939, when President Franklin Roosevelt issued a proclamation encouraging citizens to observe the day with activities that promote interest in aviation.
Passages
“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.”
Suppose you know of a member who has passed and is not listed on our passages page. Send us a note so we can add them. Let Us Know (Click Here)
The Passing of Brother Nathan Shipman
It is with profound regret that we announce the passing of our brother, Nathan Shipman, who left us far too soon on August 20th, 2025. Brother Shipman was a dedicated and proud member of Transport Workers Union Local 514. Nathan began his career with American Airlines in 2024 as a cleaner, but his hard work and …
The Passing of Retired Brother Cecil Horton
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Cecil Horton, a dedicated Aviation Maintenance Technician and valued member of our union family. Cecil passed away on August 17, 2025. Cecil began his career with American Airlines in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1987 and worked for over 26 years before retiring in 2013. During his …
The Passing of Brother David Bradford
We are deeply saddened by the loss of a fellow technician and friend David Bradford on August 15th, 2025. David joined our American Airlines family in 2015 as a Ground Support Equipment Mechanic. Over the past decade he earned a reputation for skill, punctuality, and a steady hand on the shop floor. Colleagues recall his willingness to mentor …