Al Ball

Everyday guide to using your medical benefits…

Standard Option You take the time to learn the ins and outs when you buy a car, a house or something with a significant investment. You want to make sure you know how to use it right and get your money’s worth. The same is true when it comes to using your medical benefits. The…

Import DOT notice on Recreational Marijuana.

DOT OFFICE OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY AND COMPLIANCE NOTICE Recently, some states passed initiatives to permit use of marijuana for so-called “recreational” purposes. We have had several inquiries about whether these state initiatives will have an impact upon the Department of Transportation’s longstanding regulation about the use of marijuana by safety- sensitive transportation employees…

Reality Check

Ever notice how a slinky leads with momentum, and the rest of it follows only to end up at the bottom with no way back to the top? DON’T BE A SLINKY. Bankrupt airline union memberships who voted out their original union, lost heavy maintenance to foreign outsourcing. None have brought it back.  “Don’t follow…

Shop Stewards Meeting, February 11, 2013

Date: Monday, February 11, 2013 Time: 7:15 AM | 11:45 AM | 3:45 PM Place: TWU Hall 11929 East Pine Street Agenda Regular Order of Business Training Article 1 – Scope  Shop Stewards Meeting Notice, 2-11-13 – In PDF

Q&A regarding the MOU

PAY ISSUES 1.    Was profit sharing eliminated? If so, what was it replaced by? We eliminated profit sharing and replaced with a base pay increase that is substantially more valuable to our members. Profit sharing is a one-time bonus pay conditioned on profitability. It is not base pay which is a permanent part of compensation. We have…

More Details on the MOU with US Airways

From Bobby Gless, February 1, 2013 TO: AA Locals 501 – 568 RE: MOU Dear Brothers & Sisters: I have received a number of calls about the MOU that we posted on the website on Monday. Therefore, I asked the Director of Strategic Research to provide an explanation of how a 4.3% raise compares to…

Reality Check

So you want a new Union because:  The old one could not stop American Airlines from going Bankrupt  The old one negotiated an agreement that saved Jobs  The old one kept your pension frozen rather than GONE  The old one fought and kept 31 maintenance docks / lines working  The old one kept the outsourcing…

The Facts on the 4.3% Raise for TWU Members at American Airlines

There has been a question raised by some members about whether the trade off of profit sharing for the 4.3% base pay increase was a good deal.  It’s been claimed that the  4.3% raise is not worth as much as the so called 5% profit sharing program. No profit sharing program has put a cent…

Chicken Pox, Flu, Pneumonia and Shingles, Too

Many of you have asked us to make it easier for you to get immunizations. It can be difficult to make and keep a doctor’s appointment for a flu shot or other immunization, whether due to work or travel schedules. To meet this need, we have contracted with the prescription drug manager for our medical…

Teamsters Nonsense!

The IBT is again claiming they will reopen our agreement by filing a Section 6 reopener, and that they will magically achieve wage and benefit improvements above what the TWU has negotiated.  This claim is nonsense. The law does not provide for any scenario that would allow the IBT to open and renegotiate our contract…