Local 512

Weekly Update

September 5, 2026

My fellow 512 family,

As we celebrate Labor Day, I want to take a moment to reflect on what this day truly means to all of us, not just as workers, but as members of the TWU Local 512 family.

Labor Day is more than a day off. It reminds us of the sacrifices made by working men and women who came before us. They stood together, organized, and fought for fair wages, safe working conditions, dignity, respect, and a voice in the workplace. Those rights were not simply handed to us. They were earned through solidarity and struggle.

For TWU Local 512, Labor Day represents 80 years of standing together and fighting for our members here in Chicago. Since our Local was established in 1046, generations of members have built the foundation we stand on today.

Every contract we have, every benefit we protect, every safety improvement we fight for, and every member we represent is part of the legacy.

Our strength has never come from one person. Our strength comes from all of us standing together.

Whether you are working the ramp, in the bag room, cargo, facilities maintenance, or any other operation we represent, your work matters. The operation does not move without you. American Airlines does not operate without our union family, who show up every day and get the job done.

AI WILL NOT REPLACE US!

As we look toward the future and prepare for another round of negotiations, we must remember the lessons of our past. We may not always agree on everything, but when it matters, we must stand together as TWU Local 512.

This Labor Day, I want to thank every member for the work you do, the sacrifices you make, and the commitment you show to your coworkers and your families.

Enjoy the holiday, stay safe, and take a moment to appreciate what being part of a union truly means.

80 years of TWU Local 512.

80 years of solidarity.

80 years of fighting for working people.

And we are not done yet.

In our weekly meeting with management, we discussed several issues. One important issue was the lightning detection system. It seems like we have a bit of a conflict between T5 and the ramp area, which we’re trying to resolve. We asked the company to audit the system to identify which lights aren't working and to add additional sirens so our members can be actively alerted when there is lightning on the field.

We also raised concerns regarding the structure of training for the tow team. We asked management to take another look at how this training is organized to ensure employees receive the proper instruction, preparation, and support they need before being expected to perform the job independently.

At the request of several Crew Chiefs, we also asked management to restart regular Crew Chief meetings.

We believe our front-line CC have a valuable perspective that needs to be heard. They are the people directly involved in the operation every day, and they often see problems and potential solutions before anyone in an office does.

With so many new CSM’s coming into the operation, we believe there is an opportunity to improve communication between management and our experienced CC. Our Crew Chiefs should have a direct avenue to provide input, identify operational problems, and offer solutions.

The people working the operation every day are often the best people to tell us what is working, what isn’t working, and what needs to change. This helps us stop needlessly moving crews around and stop them from trying to skirt the system by cutting crew man-power.

Your union is listening. Your union is at the table. And we will continue to speak up for our members.

Happy Labor Day to my 512 Union Family.

Sincerely and fraternally,

Juan Elvira

President – TWU Local 512

TWU Local 512 is proud to announce the Local 512 app for your smartphone is available for download in the Apple store and the Google play store.
 click the iTunes or Google Play logos below to download the app today!