Local 512

Weekly Update

October 17, 2026

My fellow 512 family,

I want to take a moment to address attendance. Whether you are a new hire still completing your probationary period or a longtime member with years of service, maintaining good attendance and understanding the company’s attendance policies are important responsibilities.

We understand that life happens. People get sick, family emergencies arise, and unexpected circumstances can affect anyone. No one should feel they must risk their health or safety to maintain a perfect attendance record. At the same time, it is important to understand the attendance policy, follow the proper call-in procedures, and communicate appropriately when an unexpected situation occurs.

For our newer members, especially those in their first 100 days, please understand that this is an important period in your employment. Learn the rules, ask questions, and take the time to understand your responsibilities. For our longtime members, keep protecting the careers you have worked so hard to build by staying informed and following the applicable procedures.

I don't mean to lecture anyone or downplay the challenges people face outside of work. Rather, it is to encourage everyone to be informed, prepared, and responsible. Too often, problems become more serious simply because someone didn't understand the policy or know what steps to take, and always have a steward with you when you must meet a lost-time manager.

We can encourage good attendance while recognizing that genuine illness and emergencies are part of life. As a union, we are responsible for educating, supporting, and representing our members while helping everyone make informed decisions.

Breaks have been a longstanding issue here in Chicago and, most likely, at other stations throughout the system. Historically, breaks have been assigned through the allocator at Control, and the process has not always worked effectively for our members.

Through continued pressure and advocacy from Local 512, the company has agreed to let Crew Chiefs self-manage breaks.

Beginning on the first day of the new bid, October 26, 2026, Crew Chiefs will manage their own breaks and coordinate their crews' breaks. The company is expected to send an official communication soon with additional details about this change.

We believe this is a positive step toward improving the break process, giving Crew Chiefs greater responsibility for coordinating their crews, and addressing an issue that has affected our members for a long time.

If you have any questions or need clarification, please reach out to your TWU Local 512 officers and stewards.

Open enrollment for American Airlines health benefits begins October 26, 2026, and runs through November 13, 2026. 

Please take the time to review your benefits and coverage options, even if you do not anticipate making any changes. It is important to understand your current coverage and ensure that your elections continue to meet your needs for the upcoming year. We will be available during open enrollment to guide you through this process at the field office.

Important reminder: If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA), be sure to review and address your HSA elections for the new plan year, as applicable. 

Beginning January 1, 2027, TWU Union benefits plans will introduce a three-year rate lock, providing members with greater cost stability. The upcoming changes will also include several improvements to existing benefits:

Lincoln STD will have a 10% Decrease in cost, and accident coverage will have a 2% rate decrease. LTD benefit will increase by $10,000; for Hospital Indemnity, you can file three (3) claims per year, up from one (1). These changes are intended to provide TWU members with more predictable benefit costs. While improving access to important supplemental insurance protections.

Improvements to the Lincoln STD claims process: We're streamlining the Short-Term Disability claims process to make filing a claim easier and reduce delays.

Additionally, when transitioning from STD to LTD, members will no longer need to submit an additional claim form to Lincoln for that transition. The previous requirement for an additional form was contributing to processing delays, so this change is intended to simplify the process.

Please take advantage of this enrollment period to review your coverage and make informed decisions for yourself and your family.

TWU Local 512 will continue to encourage our members to file GSAP reports whenever management fails to provide the required third person and expects a two-person crew to perform aircraft offloads or loads.

We believe this practice raises serious safety concerns and is unwarranted when the proper staffing is required. Our members should not be put in a position where they are expected to perform work without the appropriate staffing and support.

Stop by this Monday, October 19^th, to pick up your 80^th Anniversary duffel bag at the field office.

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!