August 19, 2017
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I have a couple items to share with you.
First, a station visit by International President John Samuelsen, International Vice President Sean Doyle, and Air Division Director Mike Mayes will take place on Sunday, August 20, 2017. They will be walking the ramp and speaking to our members. We will try to get them to as many places as possible.
Secondly, we were informed late yesterday that a pay rate issue was discovered and that the company was changing the pay rates of over 200 Fleet Service Clerks effective immediately. Those affected will receive a communication directly from the company explaining the issue. The disturbing issues that arise from this announcement include the following:
- The negotiating committees were in Washington D.C. all week with top management and the company chose to say absolutely nothing about this issue until the end of the day on Friday when most everyone had already gone home.
- The company is well aware of the issues that they have with the payroll system when it comes to pay seniority. They know that the system is flawed because of the 29(d) grievance that I filed well over a year ago on behalf of the entire TWU membership. The antiquated payroll system does not correctly update pay seniority, yet, the company refuses to update the programming because they plan on replacing the system when we get a new Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (JCBA).
- Although the company spent countless man hours auditing the payroll records of the entire TWU membership as a result the 29(d) grievance, and eventually paid hundreds of thousands of dollars of back pay to TWU members across the system, they waited over a year to do so. We have refused to settle the grievance because the vacation payouts of our membership are still being paid incorrectly today.
- It is pathetic that the company immediately changes our memberships pay rates when it suits their purpose, yet when they know that they owe our membership money, they drag their feet in making those payments for months at a time.
Finally, as many of you know, there is a protest scheduled in Miami this coming Thursday, August 24, 2017 over the slow pace of contract negotiations. We understand the frustration of the membership and expect that the support of the event will be widespread. Unfortunately, one of the Facebook “experts” posted an incorrect date for the rally on an unofficial Facebook page. We have received complaints from Local 512 members that have CSO’d to go to MIA to participate in the protest because they have been financially harmed because of that error. While we appreciate that our membership is willing to take a day off without pay and travel to MIA to attend this event, Local 512 has no ability to help those members recover their financial losses that resulted from that incorrect post. Local 512 only posts correct and verifiable information on our website and social media. That being said, we suggest that you trust only official and verifiable social media pages. For those that have been financially harmed as result of the post, we suggest that you complain directly to the person(s) responsible for the post.
Fraternally,
Tim Murphy
President TWU Local 512
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