For over 50 years the TWU has recieved a check from American Airlines. The funds for that check are supplied by the thousands of workers who are forced to pay dues to the TWU as a condition of employment. Over the years the TWU has learned that the best way to make their check from American Airlines bigger is to cooperate with American Airlines. The members be damned.
Over the years the TWU has made it so that the members can not hold them accountable. They removed recall and set up the union in such a way that its nearly impossible to change it from within. As Stanley Aronowitz observed with such corrupt unions like the TWU the only way these leaders are removed is "by death or indictment". Our best hope of a regime change at this point hinges upon the findings of the SEC.
Serving the members did not really matter because whether they served them or not, they still had to pay, and they didnt even have to go after the money, the company automatically sent it to them. They sent them OUR money with their name on it.
There is little doubt that this union has a closer relationship to management than they do to their members. It all revolves around that ever growing check that American Airlines sends to the TWU. This relationship was clearly exposed at Ed Koziateks retirement party. There were more members of management, some in tears, at this party than rank and file members. In fact other than elected union officials I didnt see any rank and file members. One of the "highlights" of the party was where Don Carty stood up and announced that his retirement gift to Ed Koziatek was "7000 new dues paying members".
Over the last fifty years members have come and gone, however that check from American Airlines continues to come, and it continues to get bigger, in direct contrast to our real wages and benifits.
We need to send this union a message. They are supposed to work for us. Whether or not its a parting shot as we show them the door or not, we need to make it clear that its OUR money that American Airlines puts its name on as they give it to the TWU. We need to get on Hand Pay so that the union has to come to us to get their money, not the company. We need to show them that it is OUR money that they are taking and that they should have put our futures first over the last twenty years of sellouts instead of just focusing on making their check from American Airlines bigger. They should have focused on making OUR checks bigger!
We cant force the TWU to earn the money they take from us but we can force them to come to us for that money.
Get on HAND PAY now.
Its your MONEY!
Its one of the few rights you have with this union.
Hand Pay- Its the right way.
Make your Valentine to the TWU a certified letter reminding them of who really pays the dues by going to Hand Pay.
