Local 512

July 18, 2026

My fellow 512 family,

John Dietrich was recently elected to American Airlines’ Board after serving as CFO of FedEx and previously as CEO, President, and General Counsel of Atlas Air. He has more than 35 years of aviation and cargo experience and has been appointed to the Board’s Audit and Finance Committees, where his primary focus will likely be financial oversight, capital allocation, and long-term business performance.

For our work groups, there are both potential opportunities and concerns.

As a former CFO, he is also known for financial discipline and cost management. That could translate into continued pressure to reduce operating costs and increase productivity. If the company emphasizes cost control, we can expect continued scrutiny of staffing levels, operational efficiency, and capital spending. If it emphasizes investment, we may see improvements in equipment, technology, and facilities.

AA’s decision to add John Dietrich to its Board of Directors reflects the company’s focus on financial oversight and operational leadership. Whether this ultimately benefits frontline employees will depend on the decisions the Board makes in the months and years ahead. Board members may influence the company’s direction, but our strength continues to come from an informed and united membership.

American Airlines continues to take a hard-line approach to attendance across the system. Our members have experienced this firsthand, and now we’re seeing similar. Concerns raised by another work group.

According to the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), the company blocked more than 1,100 days of work for flight attendants in Dallas in a single month while investigating a wide range of issues, including first-time lateness, attendance concerns, and even reports of missing crew devices.

While every company has the right to enforce its attendance policy, there comes a point where an overemphasis on discipline can create unintended consequences. Taking employees off the schedule for extended investigations can place additional strain on the operation, increase overtime, and create staffing challenges that ultimately affect both employees and customers.

Rather than relying primarily on punitive measures, American Airlines should also recognize and reward employees who consistently show up and do the right thing. Positive reinforcement has proven to be an effective way to encourage reliability and build morale.

In the past, the company offered incentives such as non-revenue travel passes to recognize excellent attendance. Programs like those should be revisited. AA could consider meaningful rewards for employees with outstanding attendance records, such as enhanced non-rev travel privileges, confirmed or guaranteed flight benefits, or other incentives that recognize the dedication of employees who report to work every day and keep the operation running.

Our members work through extreme weather, operational disruptions, holidays, and demanding schedules. Recognizing that commitment, not just disciplining those who fall short, would send a stronger message that the company values the employees who make its operation successful.

Fidelity data breach settlement information: The incident involving Fidelity was not a hack of customers’ investment accounts or 401(K) funds. Instead, it was a data breach that was exposed. The personal information of more than 155,000 customers during a 2024 cybersecurity incident.

Individuals whose information was affected should have received a notification letter from Fidelity that included a unique ID and PIN explaining their eligibility. Eligible individuals have until July 27, 2026, to submit. Claim under the 2.5 million class action settlement.

Claimants may receive a pro-rated cash payment, Reimbursement of up to $ 5,000 for out-of-pocket losses, or two years of complimentary credit monitoring. 

During the recent stretch of extreme heat, several employee shuttle buses experienced air-conditioning issues. To keep the service operating and provide a more comfortable AC ride, ABM temporarily replaced some of those buses with vehicles that are typically reserved for emergency aircraft passenger transportation.

We understand this created some inconvenience for our members. However, we also recognize that traveling in buses without air. Conditioning during this heat would not have been an acceptable option. ABM has apologized for the inconvenience and has advised that they are working to return the regular shuttle fleet to service as quickly as repairs are completed.

The recent smoke from the Canadian wildfires created extremely poor air quality across the Chicago area, resulting in unhealthy working conditions for many of our members.

During this event, TWU Local 512 worked closely with the company to obtain and distribute N95 respirator masks as quickly as possible to help protect employees working outdoors. While supplies took some time to secure, we were able to have them in the field office and several areas of the ramp.

If you experienced symptoms such as difficulty breathing, persistent coughing, throat irritation, eye irritation, dizziness, or any other health concerns that you believe were related to the poor air quality, we encourage you to report the incident and complete an injury report. Having documentation is important should any health-related issues arise in the future.

If you have any other concerns, contact the field office or a safety steward.

Lastly, we want to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who joined us for the TWU Local 512 80^thAnniversary Picnic. It was wonderful to see so many of our members, retirees, former Local 512 presidents, and their families come together for a day of fun and celebration. 

Your support and participation made the event a tremendous success, and we truly appreciate everyone who helped make it such a memorable day.

As one event wraps up, another is just around the corner! This is the final week to register for our TWU Local 512 Golf Outing. If you’ve been thinking about participating, now is the time to sign up. We look forward to another great day with our members, both on and off the course.

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!