To all TWU 514 members,
I want to wish everyone a safe and Happy Holiday season.
It would be simple and true to say this but what I would really like to say is this:
We have all endured rough and tough times from the company we work for. We’ve been beat down from them for so long that it’s hard for other people that do not work where we do to realize the sacrifices we’ve made so the company can survive. We are long overdue for better treatment.
As your President I am ready to get negotiations started and bring back a contract to vote on. What I’d like is an industry leading contract we all vote to pass. If it is anything less than acceptable we will have the responsibility to turn it down. But we have to understand that we are in this fight together.
I am an AMT with an A&P license and to do my job I need the support of MLS (stores) to get the parts and tools to me so I can repair the aircraft. I need my brothers and sisters in facilities maintenance to keep the docks I work on safe and in good working condition. If I need training or technical assistance I can call on a Tech Crew Chief to help me. If I need help to put an aircraft back in service from a line station I can call my union brothers and sisters that are Maintenance Control Technicians. We all have our jobs to do to support one another and I think for the most part we do our very best.
But do we support each other during contract times? We come from all walks of life and we are vastly different people which is a great thing and at least makes visiting with each other more interesting.
My desire would be that all of us stand as one voice and one vote during this contract negotiation and then we can say we have had as much impact as possible on our careers.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone.
Dale