Mr. Richard Fronzak has retired today from AA. Rich has been employed with American for 30 years. A true gentleman he will be missed. From the executive board and all the people who he has work with. All the best to him and his family in this new and exciting chapter in his life. Fraternally,
James Colbert
Recording Secretary
TWU Local 561
MIA-TPA-FLL
(954)558-6701
Uniform Pickup/Return
6/24/2009
Uniforms: 6/22/2009 Pick up your uniforms at the Hangar, see Vanessa, or Richie Rivera, we will be updating this information once a week. See this link for names of Employees to pick-up uniforms.
Changes in the number of American Airlines and American Eagle flights at Dallas/Fort Worth and other airports.
The flight reductions will reduce American’s daily, nonstop departures from Lambert to 83 from 101 and take place in two phases, one this summer and one this fall.
Fort Worth, Texas-based parent AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR) will cut American Eagle regional carrier flights as of Aug. 25 from St. Louis to Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Charlotte, N.C.; Philadelphia; Springfield, Mo.; and Tulsa, Okla., said Mary Frances Fagan, an airline spokeswoman.
Then on Nov. 19, American Airlines will cancel flights to Las Vegas and San Diego, limit flights to Fort Meyers, Fla., to weekend service and cut a flight each to Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Los Angeles, she said.
Service to Tampa is also being cut this winter.
“We have had to take steps to deal with this very difficult financial environment that we face,” Fagan said.
Last week, American said it was cutting 1,600 workers companywide. Fagan said she couldn’t provide a number for how many employees at Lambert will be affected.
By number of flights, American still edges out No. 2 Southwest Airlines for top carrier at Lambert, said Jeff Lea, an airport spokesman.
But American flies both big and smaller jets, and Southwest flies larger jets exclusively, meaning that Southwest could become top carrier in terms of passengers this winter, Lea said.
“The flights cut by American were not about empty seats,” he said. “They were filled jets. Southwest may step up and offer service (where American pulls back). Other airlines may be able to take advantage.”
Fitch Ratings, which downgraded Lambert’s credit rating last week as the airport prepares to sell bonds to finance renovations, said Thursday it would monitor the effect of American’s cuts in St. Louis.
Airport management told Fitch that it plans to raise parking rates, freeze hiring for non-essential positions and cut back on non-essential purchases to offset the impact of the flight cuts on its financial margins
These are the changes in the number of American Airlines and American eagle flights at Dallas/Fort Worth and other airports.
Here are charts that show the changes for American's bigger airports:
D/FW Airport
American
American Eagle
Total
Now
492
276
768
This winter
476
273
749
Last winter
480
251
731
Change from last winter
-0.8%
8.8%
2.5%
Change from last winter
-4
22
18
Chicago O'Hare
American
American Eagle
Total
Now
191
242
433
This winter
180
247
427
Last winter
194
235
429
Change from last winter
-7.2%
5.1%
-0.5%
Change from last winter
-14
12
-2
Miami
American
American Eagle
Total
Now
214
46
260
This winter
222
52
274
Last winter
213
47
260
Change from last winter
4.2%
10.6%
5.4%
Change from last winter
9
5
14
St. Louis
American
American Eagle
Total
Now
42
59
101
This winter
34
49
83
Last winter
44
68
112
Change from last winter
-22.7%
-27.9%
-25.9%
Change from last winter
-10
-19
-29
New York LaGuardia
American
American Eagle
Total
Now
53
47
100
This winter
47
52
99
Last winter
54
46
100
Change from last winter
-13.0%
13.0%
-1.0%
Change from last winter
-7
6
-1
New York Kennedy
American
American Eagle
Total
Now
60
33
93
This winter
59
31
90
Last winter
59
31
90
Change from last winter
0.0%
0.0%
0.0%
Change from last winter
0
0
0
TWU Supports American's bid for Anti Trust Immunity
6/18/2009
While a lot of labor groups are urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to delay or reject American Airlines' application for antitrust immunity, the Transport Workers Union asked DOT officials Thursday to okay the alliance.
John Conley, head of the TWU's air transport division, said in his letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that the deal would be good for workers by strengthening their companies.
Wrote Conley:
"Unhealthy carriers fail to produce, let alone sustain long-term job security. International agreements, antitrust exemptions and airline regulations should not be used to give one airline or airline alliance an advantage over another. "In the fragile, unforgiving and highly competitive U.S. airline industry we should strive to maintain an even playing field not only to balance fairness between corporate players, but as a means of protecting the livelihoods of the workers, their families and communities dependent on their incomes."
American has proposed a "joint business agreement" with Oneworld partners British Airways, Iberia, Finnair and Royal Jordanian Airlines, including antitrust immunity that would allow them to coordinate their operations over the North Atlantic. The DOT has until the end of October to make a decision.The position by TWU, which represents about 26,000 American and American Eagle employees, puts it at odds with the Allied Pilots Association, which repeatedly had criticized the proposal.In a May filing with the DOT, the pilots' union stated:"The terms of the JBA do not favor U.S. labor. On the contrary, they restrict the expansion of U.S. flying in the most favorable EU markets and deny to U.S. labor the full benefits of the new opportunities resulting from the U.S. - EU Open Skies Agreement.
"Accordingly, the APA strongly opposes granting anti-trust immunity in this case. It respectfully requests that the Department of Transportation deny the Joint Application or - at the very least - that it require the Joint Applicants to provide stringent protections for U.S. labor."The Association of Professional Flight Attendants has no official comment on file with the DOT, but a number of flight attendants -- particularly former Trans World Airlines flight attendants who have been furloughed by American -- have asked the DOT to reject the application unless American guarantees their jobs or at least their right to be recalled from furlough when jobs open up.
Keep reading for the text of the Conley letter.
Dear Secretary LaHood:
It was good seeing you in Washington earlier this week. As a follow up to our conversation, I want to share the view of the Transport Workers Union of American (TWU) regarding American Airlines' recent Antitrust Immunity application (ATI). TWU represents 26,000 workers at American and their American Eagle subsidiary.Without question the airline industry has been in a distressed state for an extended period. Bankruptcies, restructuring, mergers, liquidations, unstable fuel costs and economic downturns have had devastating effects on families and communities dependent on commercial aviation.In 1989, a rather benign cooperative venture between then Northwest and KLM Airlines set the cornerstone for today's U.S.-EU Open Skies relationship. Various partnerships, alliances and agreements have formed since that time, continuing a transformation, which may very well produce a healthy, efficient and fully integrated globalized business. However, for now, uncertainty and instability remain focal points for our members who have experienced firsthand, a loss of pay and benefits, a reduction in their standard of living and the layoff of thousands of friends and coworkers.
"Unhealthy carriers fail to produce, let alone sustain long-term job security. International agreements, antitrust exemptions and airline regulations should not be used to give one airline or airline alliance an advantage over another. In the fragile, unforgiving and highly competitive U.S. airline industry we should strive to maintain an even playing field not only to balance fairness between corporate players, but as a means of protecting the livelihoods of the workers, their families and communities dependent on their incomes."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "It is always the right time - to do what is right." On behalf of TWU's Air Transport Division, I request that you and your department continue to support the best interests of airline employees by approving the ATI application submitted by American Airlines.
Respectfully submitted,
John M. Conley
American to cut 1,600 jobs
6/13/2009
American to cut 1,600 jobs
American Airlines confirmed Friday morning that 1,600 jobs will be cut in a new round of staffing reductions, 103 of which may be coming from Miami.
American Airlines, a subsidiary of Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR), said 1,200 flight attendant positions, along with 300 airport services staff members and 50 cargo service positions, will be impacted nationwide. Flight attendant cuts will be made on a basis of seniority. As is customary in most layoffs, American said voluntary exit packages will be offered to employees who may want to retire early.
Of those in Miami, 87 flight attendants and 16 airport service workers may be cut.
"That doesn't mean necessarily that those people will be impacted because it depends on employees in that group taking other options, such as retirement or leave,” said Martha Pantin, a local spokeswoman for American Airlines, which has about 9,000 employees based in Miami.
In a letter to employees released Thursday, Jeff Brundage, the company’s senior vice president of human resources, said: “These reductions come as a result of our efforts to 'right-size' our operation and respond to the weaker demand for travel by reducing our schedule, including seasonal changes and addressing lower-than-expected attrition.”
Brundage in his letter added that the cuts coincide with CEO Gerard Arpey’s announcement that the airline will be cutting its capacity by 7.5 percent due to lower consumer travel demands.
American Airline's market share in Miami was 68 percent as of April, the most recent figure available. That's down only slightly from the same time last year, when it was 69 percent. Year to date through April, American Airlines' parent company, has seen a 0.6 percent drop in passengers, said Greg Chin, a spokesman for Miami International Airport.”
American Airlines is the ninth-largest employer in South Florida, according to the South Florida Business Journal's Book of Lists
1 of 22
