Congratulations to Robert Gless for earning the prestigious Genius of the Week award !
We knew you could do it ! http://representationnow.com/
Robert Gless 9/2/11Paid $182,886.00
Another profile in courage by the TWU leadership. One Labor's greatest moments was when the TWU's Mike Quill told a judge to "drop dead." Now we have the unelected/unaccountable Bob Gless basically telling the membership to drop dead; ". . . urgent matter that may seriously affect the ability of both your Local and your International Union to effectively represent you." I think Gless is trying to get votes for the worst TWU-ATD officer ever.
This is the letter from Robert Gless to the membership to get himself off the liability hook:
"Dear TWU Members Who Are American Airlines Fleet Service Employees:
We are writing to you about an urgent matter that may seriously affect the ability of both your Local and your International Union to effectively represent you in collective bargaining with American Airlines. In the last day or so, it has been brought to our attention that certain individuals at certain TWU Locals have been circulating a message that TWU members working in American Fleet Service should refuse overtime and D1, and that they should work strictly "to book."
Please be informed that any such campaign is directly contrary to TWU directives. TWU and the Locals affected have instructed TWU-represented Fleet Service employees that they should continue to work in accord with routine, and that there should be no action to disrupt American operations. Through this writing, we are providing this same directive to all American Fleet Service employees.
As a TWU member, you should recognize that a job action such as what appears to be sought in the referenced campaign may well be found to violate both our contract and the Railway Labor Act, and could subject your Local and the International to court injunctions and--in the event those orders are not appropriately obeyed--serious financial penalties. This would seriously weakening the ability of the union to make the gains that you are hoping for at the bargaining table: the union's energies and resources would be diverted into court actions and fighting against possible financial penalties, rather than being focused on making collective bargaining gains.
Remember: anyone who participates in a job action would more likely be playing the role of someone who weakens TWU rather than supports it. DO NOT participate in any job action; instead participate in supporting your union. We strongly urge you to continue to work in your usual way and not to engage in any refusal to work overtime or D1 or any slowdown.
This message on the eve of Labor Day weekend is aimed at assuring that we strengthen our union, not through job actions that will merely result in court actions, but through appropriate unifying actions to obtain the best agreement we can.
Fraternally,
Robert Gless
Deputy Director
AA System Coordinator"
"Weaken the union abilities to make gains", what gains are those Bobby? We are going backwards!!!