AMT Day – Message from President Dale Danker
Congratulations to all the AMT’s and all the Brothers and Sisters that make our labor a value.
TWU Mobile Billboard and visit by TWU International President John Samuelsen
You may have noticed that this week there has been a Mobile Billboard traveling around the Base, and airport. This was done for all the membership, from the TWU International. Wishing the AMT’s a Happy AMT Day and also showing our pride that the TWU is America’s Fighting Union. Also on the right side of the billboard it stated “We’re fighting to make sure all Airline Maintenance jobs Stay right here in the USA” TWU International President Samuelsen visited the Tulsa base during the Smoke Off event Thursday. There are so many of us I just tried to introduce him to as many people as I could. I also introduced him to AA base VP Emerson where they had a brief conversation about the future of the Tulsa base. Many other International officers and Reps were also in attendance as well as TWU Local 567 President Rollie Reaves, TWU Local 591 President Gary Schaible and 591 VP Pete Caruso. All of them came out to support the membership and our efforts at the Tulsa base.
We are all the Union
Dale
See the pictures of the billboard at the Union Hall HERE
The Gift
By now you may have received your leatherman multi-tool. If not they will be available in the grievance office until everyone has their gift. If you work at an off-site please contact your shop steward and we will work together to get you your leatherman tool. This gift, bought with your union dues, was given to show that ALL members are important and appreciated. Our struggle to fight for our contractual rights against this company, the company that signed the agreement and now at times find that they have amnesia when it comes to the agreed upon language.
Local 514 will continue to fight and make the company stand for all they agreed to, not just what they believe to be convenient to them.
As the group that fights for our contractual rights, We need one thing from this membership, that is to do our work. I know that in AO it is constant confusion and turmoil, but please work with your crew chiefs and do the best you can. It has never been more important to be a solid work force. The company will play our division against us, they always have. We will be entering another season of negotiations soon. The four contracts we represent can be opened up as early as September 2024, Our Labor is our greatest tool.
Thank you for all you do 7 days a week.
Union
Dale
Reporting of Outsourcing
President Rollie Reaves of TWU Local 567(DWH base maintenance) and I have asked TWU 514 member Jay Potter to represent Tulsa and DWH at the yet to be announced outsourcing meeting with American Airlines. Jay held the position for both locals in the previously named JACOW reports.
We need all members help to keep an eye on what work get outsourced.
Today we have implemented a data gathering system that we would like for you to utilize. This should help us keep track of what we have and what goes out. Jay can then start to translate that into a comparison report to determine if the company is violating our work protections under the agreed scope provisions in our contracts.
If you know of any item that is no longer being worked in your area or even a new contractor on the base, anything that looks to be taking work from our hands. Please take a moment to let us know. This is our only means of verification and back checking this information.
Thank you for your help
Dale
2022 UIG Oklahoma Shoot
Local 514 is one of the sponsors of this event and it entitles us to 10 participants.
Women in Nontraditional Workplace Roles:
Malinda Hamm, Local 514
(This article is preview and will appear in the Summer 2022 issue of the TWU Express magazine)
In our latest TWU Express series, “Women in Nontraditional Workplace Roles,” we interview TWU members who are women performing jobs traditionally done by men. Each issue will feature a Q&A with a member. This time it’s Local 514 member Malinda Hamm, an Aircraft Maintenance Technician for American Airlines, working on Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she was recently named one of the very few female Crew Chiefs.
Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA)
Qualified Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA) is basically an insurance that pays if you die before you begin receiving your retirement benefit. The Plan automatically provides a pre-retirement benefit for your spouse as long as you are vested, have been married at least one year at the time of your death, and you have not waived the QSPA coverage.
The QPSA provides your surviving spouse a lifetime monthly benefit equal to the surviving spouse’s portion of a 50% Joint & Survivor Annuity, based on your accrued benefit at the time of your death.
In leiu of the QPSA benefit automatically provided by the Plan, you may elect an enhanced benefit that provides your spouse with up to 100% Joint & Survivor Annuity based on your accrued benefit by filling out the form Enhanced Pre-Retirement Survivor Annuity 01001TWUQPSA at no additional cost.
What is it?
A form that tells the company what to do with your frozen pension plan if you die before retirement.
Do you have a frozen pension plan?
Although the pension plans are frozen, participants retain the full value of their pension benefit accrued in the plans through Oct. 31, 2012.
If you worked at American Airlines before……..then you should have a frozen pension plan.
Are you married?
If not, no worries. You cannot leave this to your kids or family members.
What does the form do?
It allows your spouse to get 100% if you do not have a signed form on file your spouse gets the default 50%,
Is it a big deal?
It is when we get calls saying the widow thought her spouse had it on file and she gets $850 a month instead of $1700.
Why doesn’t the Union tell us this stuff?
I get reports from guys on the floor asking why doesn’t the Union tell us this stuff. We do. Every year during benefit selection time we preach this and yell it from the highest mountain tops. Please if you’re married and you want to leave your spouse 100% of your frozen pension, if you pass before retiring, have a signed QPSA on file.
How do I check?
How do I complete the form?
Call any officer if you need help.
Union
Dale
Brats and Polish Sausage for all
I would like to thank Del Cotton and Gary Olivier for all their help cooking for the membership on Thursday, during the Smoke Off.
I would also like to thank all the officers that spent many hours at the event to help make this a great AMT Day.
Based on the sheer numbers that turned out, I consider this a Great Day for our Union.
In Solidarity,
Travis Scott
Chairman of Facilities Maintenance