Just received my "ballot" today from American Airlines.
It is for the "election" of new officers of the local AA imposed on the TWU for all of line maintenance.
Perhaps it is more accurate to say that I received a "ballot" today from the compAAny union, the TWU, that says' they represent the maintenance and related class and craft at AA but actually have seen fit to split the class and craft of maintenance and related at AA by forcing the Facilities and Automotive TWU subjects back into the Ramp Locals for their dues.
With a stroke of the almighty pen of the TWU: the Separate Locals concept has been undone and the class and craft of maintenance and related has been spread as servants to the needs of other contract groups while also inserting the Presidents of the Ramp Locals as a majority voice in our negotiations.
I'm willing to follow Brother Owens' lead on this one, although I have reservations about some of his selections.
We all know that we do not belong in the TWU, the TWU has made it clear: they only keep us for the dues.
I agree with others on this board that this vote is secondary to removing the TWU as our Bargaining Agent; however, there is no reason that we should not make a showing of strength for the proposition that we are going to change by electing a slate for the Line that represents more rather than less of the direction we need to travel.
Below is the Anti-TWU Ballot:
[font="Times New Roman""]TWU INTERNATIONAL[/font]
[font="Times New Roman""]IMPOSED VOTE[/font]
[font="Times New Roman""]FUTURE TWU-ATD AA LINE LOCAL 591[/font]
[font="Times New Roman""]TEAM ANTI-TWU (ATD) INTERNATIONAL[/font]
President: Gary Peterson
Vice President: Gary Schiable
Secretary Treasurer: Robert Owens
Recording Secretary: Jorge Rojas
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS
Central Region Vice President: [font="Times New Roman""]Brian Friedman - Elected through no other candidate having filed for election[/font]
Northeast Region Vice President: [font="Times New Roman""]Stephen Gukelberger - Elected through no other candidate having filed for election[/font]
Southeast Region Vice President: [font="Times New Roman""]James Knapp[/font]
Southwest Region Vice President: [font="Times New Roman""]Gerald Mishak[/font]
Western Region Vice President: [font="Times New Roman""]John Ruiz[/font]
[font="Times New Roman""]EXECUTIVE BOARD[/font]
Executive Board Title I: [font="Times New Roman""]Jim Filippelli[/font]
Executive Board Title II: [font="Times New Roman""]Eddie Suarez[/font]
Executive Board Title V: [font="Times New Roman""]Joseph Voccola[/font]
[font="Times New Roman""]____________________________________________________________________________________________________[/font]