Twu Spreading Lies At To Nwa F/a's

[AMFAMAN]

AMFAMAN, with today’s choices for union representation anyone is better off without any union representation. I know that you see this. Not a single one of you guys gave wings an alternative to the two unions she asked about and you bashed both unions she asked about. It is apparent that the best vote is no to both.

No, I believe my response was why change unions if they aint got the guts to strike with the mechanics. Sure we can argue that a judge would of put them back to work, but the bottom line was the vote to strike was rejected. Simply put, if you're not willing to act as unionist, changing unions will not help. Now if given the choice of the 3, the twu would be a distant 3rd, one step above non-union.

 

[Wings]

To Byron:
I see you seem to think that you are qualified to tell people who I am and what motivates me.

Do I know you?

Have we met?

At any time feel free to challange anything I've written about the TWU.

Since I do not recall ever meeting you I have to wonder who told you these things about me?

Some are true. I was elected to the position of Treasurer of Local 562 both times I ran for the position, by wide margins I might add.

I did take an oath and as far as I’m concerned I did not violate the oath. Maybe you should read the Constitution, especially the first couple of pages Article II (B) in particular. You do have a copy right? You see contrary to what you were told I was removed because I opposed what the International was doing to workers in order to make themselves rich. A union is supposed to make things better for the members; the TWU just makes things better for the International.

Did the people who told you who I was inform you of how I was trying to make the TWU more Democratic? Did they inform you how I sent E-mails to all the Presidents in the system urging them to try and bring electronic voting to the TWU Convention? Electronic voting would enable members to see exactly how their representatives voted at the Convention, it would give the member’s access and accountability. Those are two things the TWU International does not want the members to have.

Did the people who told you who I was inform you that I was working with Local 100 and several leaders from Local 234 to bring about reforms to the TWU?

The fact is that the International removed me from office in an attempt to silence me.

During my “trial†I testified that when it comes between siding with the International and the members I would choose the members. The International said, “this admission constitutes a violation of his oathâ€. However the TWU International claims, “the members are the ultimate authorityâ€. At least thats what the members are told, and I have no doubt they are telling the NWA FAs the same thing. Dont believe it, its a lie.

One of the other things the TWU International spun during my trial was my effort to see AFL-CIO unions consolidate airline workers into one powerful union. I brought this forward very early in my tenure as an officer. In fact I have several letters between Sonny Hall and myself on the subject. Talking about merging unions is not dual unionism. Sonny Hall even claimed that he favored the idea, so did every other TWU official that I spoke to about it including Mike Baklava, Jim Little and Bobby Gless. None of them claimed that what I was saying amounted to dual unionism. Dual unionism was not mentioned until I was charged, over three years after I first brought it up and only weeks after Sonny and I met in May of 2003 and once again discussed the idea. (In fact at that meeting Sonny spoke about his attempts to bring about a merger between the TWU and ATU.) Despite all the evidence as to what my intentions were Sonny's hand picked panel said “since no such union exists Brother Owens could only have meant AMFAâ€.

The fact is as a TWU officer my intentions were to change the TWU into a real union that fights for its members. That’s unacceptable. In fact the trial committee, the voice of the International says that elected Local officers have to be loyal to the International, not to the members that elected them. So as a TWU member you do not get a union, you get another Boss, the International. If the leaders you elect offend the International, who the members do not elect and cannot remove, the International will remove them.

I do not deny that what I said was offensive to the International. I said that Jim Little should be removed from office. I said that Bobby Gless should be removed from office. I told Sonny that he was no longer fit to run a labor union and that for the sake of the movement he should step down and allow a younger person with a little more energy to run the TWU before its too late. I said that’s its wrong for the workers at AA to have someone in charge of their contracts that was appointed, not elected, someone who is not accountable to the members who work under the agreement. I said that the TWUs lack of democracy and accountabity was the prime motive for members wanting to leave the TWU.

I did not become a TWU officer in order to start a new career but to save the career I had. I figured that my peers had the same expectations, all of them in every department. I felt I worked for them, not the guys pulling down up to $200,000 a year plus the kickbacks from companies where they “represent†people and the insurance companies that sell coverage to replace what the TWU gives away at the bargaining table.

Do I have a beef with the TWU International? YOU BET I DO!!! They destroyed this industry for airline workers and made themselves rich in the process. The last thing that NWA Flight Attendants want is to be represented by the TWU, you would be better off with no union at all than the TWU. Clearly, if you are determined to leave the PFAA and desire AFL-CIO affiliation then you should join a union that is run by and for airline workers, the AFA. If you vote for the TWU you will get a school bus driver from suburban Pennsylvania who never worked in the airline industry who was hand picked by Sonny Hall, the corrupt union official who was found guilty of violating workers rights, as your President, and someone who spent many years in American Airlines management, Jim Little, as the next in line. Jim Little is already head of the ATD, despite the fact that he has led the industry in concessions to benefit American Airlines, where he and his father in law were both in management. Little has seen a dramatic rise in his income over the last few years, while airline workers have seen the opposite. And that’s only the part we see that comes from the union dues, who knows how much he gets from the airlines? The first class seats for his family to Hawaii that were reported on chat sights, if true, probably are only the tip of the iceberg.

As an addition to the TWU/ATD you would be just a small sattlite local, everything about the TWU/ATD revolves around American Airlines, its where Jim Little was in management and most of the International ATD officers come from. The TWU/ATD even moved their headquarters to Dallas to be near AAs headquarters instead of in NYC like the rest of the International.

By the way the TWU is currently under investigation by the DOL for accepting payments of around $3.1 million a year from American Airlines. The airline threatened to discontinue these payments if the TWU did not get concessions of at least 25% per member. Neither party filed the required financial disclosure forms with the government. In other words TWU officials were paid off for the largest concessions package ever, AA competes with NWA in the lucrative Pacific market and more than likely had a big part in NWAs difficulties. Would you really want to join the union that helped put NWA in the position it’s in? The PFAA and the AFA have their problems but the TWUs problems make them look very minor in comparasion.
Since you felt free to charecterize me allow me the opportunity to do the same to you.

Why would an FA want to join a union that is too small to have the resources but too big to make positve changes to?

The TWU has around 115,000 members. 38,000 are in LOCAL 100. LOCAL 100 represents Transit workers in NYC. So that leaves around 80,000 members spread out from NYC to Hawaii in scores of Industries in hundreds of Locals, many so tiny that they can not afford to bring cases to arbitration or have any full time staff. Casino card dealers in Vegas, school bus drivers in Mississippi, government workers in Florida etc, in other words they have no special interest in Flight attendants or their issues, you are simply another source of dues, and with the pay perks and pensions that the TWU International lavishes on themselves they need all the dues they can get.

Is that what drew you to the TWU, a chance to get on the International gravy train?

The TWU has all the drawbacks of the IBT without any of the positives, unless of course you become an International officer that is.

Are you being paid for your organizing eforts Byron?

Who pays for the PFAAWATCH website?

The "Coalition"? If so who funds this coalition?

Have you recieved any money from the TWU?

As a flight atendant why do you feel that your profession is better off to be in a small fractured union (the TWU) that collects dues from anyone in any industry, in other words a business union, instead of a union that specializes in flight attendant issues?

Come on now Byron of all the unions out there why would you pick the industry leader in concessions? Could it be the fact that despite its small size (less than 10% of the IBT) that the TWU offers union officers top pay, somtimes subsidized by the companies, while screwing over the members?


Bob:

I can't thank you or your coworkers enough for taking the time to post your thoughts and opinions regarding the TWU!

I have one other request .... the TWU does not have their constitution or bylaws posted at www.twu.org.

You and others have said that officers at the international level are appointed for life. Do you still have a copy of TWU's constitution? If so, could you post the section and language in the constitution that states that these officers are appointed for life?

It seems that whenever this fact is mentioned in our debate over here, some supporters of the TWU say it is not true.

If we had the actual language to post - it would definitely be hard to dispute. And it sure seems odd that TWU wants our dues but we have no way of reading their constitution or bylaws anywhere on their website or in their literature. Some have suggested that we call TWU and ASK for the information .... I figure if they aren't willing to post it for all to see on the TWU website, I'm not too impressed with the organization at this point!

Thanks again for your time ....

 

[PlayTheOdds]

Wings, I am sorry to say but under the current circumstances that you describe it is a "no-brainer" to tell the TWU to take a hike. If the people you are debating can't see this then they are simply blind fools that have no clue. I am a very common-sense kind of guy and have no sympathy at all for blatant ignorance.

 

[local 12 proud]

Wings, I am sorry to say but under the current circumstances that you describe it is a "no-brainer" to tell the TWU to take a hike. If the people you are debating can't see this then they are simply blind fools that have no clue. I am a very common-sense kind of guy and have no sympathy at all for blatant ignorance.

Probably the best advice you have given to date! of course it goes without saying that advice from a SCAB is like asking a drunk how much is too much!

 

[AMFAMAN]

Wings,

TWU Constitution

http://www.twu565.org/bulletinboard/const_2001.pdf


The Intl officers are selected by those at the convention every four years at the booze and prostitute fest in Las Vegas. It is just a formality to a pre-determined result. If you read "Mike Quill-Himself" written by his widow, she goes into details about the convention and how it's a joke. Don't ever expect to get an unedited copy of the convention minutes or even an edited copy for that matter. Happy reading

 

[AMFAMAN]

More from the twu sposored board:

Does anyone know who this Bob Owens is? I just did a GOOGLE on him, and I’m afraid I wouldn’t believe everything he has to say. You remember AMFA right? Apparently he is a disgruntled employee at American Airlines and an AMFA supporter. Did the same thing Danny Campbell did and that was not fend off a raid by another organization. He was therefore ousted from his post in the TWU leadership and charged. AMFA/ PFAA are synonymous with each other. We have listened to those people long enough. It’s time to move on to a more seasoned and secure group namly the TWU.

BTW… I received my TWU packet today. It wasn’t real flashy, no T-shirts, bag tags, nor a pin. Yet it supplied me valuable information in order to make a comparative analysis and final decision. I don’t need the flash that AFA supplies, all I want is a solid foundation. I therefore filled out my TWU card and sent it in. My AFA card I used to for a book mark.

We are in this peculiar position because of Danny Campbell. If he had taken his oath of office seriously when he was President of local 2000 and fought off the PFAA instead of collaborating with them we would not be in this forum discussing these issues. I can’t believe many of you are following this man. He hasn’t changed and if the afa wins, in 2 years we will be doing this all over again.

I choose TWU. They make the most sense.

Dou-garium

nwawings,

First of all I do not comment on “what if’s†and “hypotheticalsâ€. What I will say is that whatever the case, all deserve the right to vote when their destiny is involved. Let the members self direct.

As for Owens, his inaction, the same with Campbell, proved his loyalty to AMFA not the TWU.

Your last statement regarding lifetime appointments shows your ignorance and lack of reason.

Have a nice day! Remember to VOTE TWU

Dou-garium

Now this has to be Kirk Wells, what a joke.

VOTE TWU...for a Future with Respect!

 

[TWU informer]

Whats this?

Kirk the Felon Wells organizing NWA Flight Attendants?

We must attend the informational meetings they will have and blast the idiots.

 

[Bob Owens]

Reply to Wings post;
I have one other request .... the TWU does not have their constitution or bylaws posted at www.twu.org.

I see that someone has already given you a link. You can also get Union Constitutions from the DOL.

You and others have said that officers at the international level are appointed for life. Do you still have a copy of TWU's constitution? If so, could you post the section and language in the constitution that states that these officers are appointed for life?

For the most part officers are not appointed (however Obrien was apointed to the position of President following Sonny Halls retirement) but reps and directors are. Reps and directors have a lot of power. At AA/twu all contractual issues brought forward by the Locals are subordinate to the directives of the ATD Director Jim Little and his subordinate reps. None of these people are elected to those positions by anyone from AA. They are appointed by the President of the TWU, who is also not elected by the members. The fact is that Local 100, Transit workers from NYC have more of a say as to who controls our contract than we do. While officers are "elected" the process is not one that we as Americans would consider to be a legitimate Democracy, in fact its nearly identical to the process in the former USSRs Politboro. Stalin always claimed that he was elected, so did Hitler and Mussolini and going by the TWU standard, they were. Members can not participate nor are they privy to the process where top officers are elected to the head of the TWU.


It seems that whenever this fact is mentioned in our debate over here, some supporters of the TWU say it is not true.

Well like I just said, Stalin, Hitler and Mussolini all claimed that they were elected too. The TWU is very similar in many ways to those regimes.


If we had the actual language to post - it would definitely be hard to dispute. And it sure seems odd that TWU wants our dues but we have no way of reading their constitution or bylaws anywhere on their website or in their literature. Some have suggested that we call TWU and ASK for the information .... I figure if they aren't willing to post it for all to see on the TWU website, I'm not too impressed with the organization at this point!

They are reluctant to put things in writing because then people have documented proof of their lies. I think I already covered why the TWU wants your dues-to maintain their exhorbatant compensation and pension plans. Pat Friend makes around $105,000/year, the President of the TWU makes over $200,000, in fact the Secretary for the President of the TWU makes more than the President of the AFA. The only way the TWU can maintian the compensation packages they have for themselves is to get more dues payers.

Thanks again for your time ....

No problem, willing to help after all "In Injury to one is an injury to all". By the way if you need clarification on the Constitution get the TWU's answer then ask us, in many cases we can get you proof that how they tell you they interpret the Constitution is a lie and prove it through court documents. In fact the TWU went to court to try and prevent me from posting excerpts from depositions taken from TWU officials.

 

[AMFAMAN]

User name ThomMc556 is reading, I wonder who that is. Could it be the SWA twu President? Will he defend the twu on this board?

 

[ThomMc556]

Thom McDaniel here…

I just joined this site today when one of our Members emailed me some of the running dialogue regarding the Wright Amendment. Imagine how surprised I was to read all these things that I have supposedly said, done, or will do.

I’d like to clear up a few things…

I don’t consider myself a radical, but I do consider myself a Union leader who believes in strong (AFL-CIO affiliated) Unions, Member rights, and standing up for working people.

I never threatened to pull SWA Flight Attendants out of TWU. I hope never to have the ego or support to blame Membership problems on the International. I have always advocated change from within if your Union was not meeting the Membership needs – that is precisely the reason I ran for office.

When we chose to run a Membership Driven Strategic Campaign, I did tell our International that if they did not support our Members to achieve the Contract we deserved, I believed that our Members would no longer support TWU. Although it was a different kind of campaign than our Membership or our International was used to, it was effective and we received tremendous support from International and many other TWU Locals.

I did write a letter in support of AFA. I also wrote a letter in support of Teamsters when PFAA was trying to decert them. I believe in strong Unions who are AFL-CIO affiliates.
For those of you who believe that I have become a shill for the International, please note that I was not even aware of the discussions to organized NWA Flight Attendants. When I was notified of the effort, I wrote a letter supporting TWU for NWA Flight Attendants.

This may sound contradictory, but please realize that I have been steadfast in my support of the AFL-CIO. I supported Teamsters and AFA, however when I became aware that TWU was in the race, I supported my Union. This decision was based on my experience with TWU as well as my experience with NWA Flight Attendants. Their main critcism of Teamsters was that they did not get to run their own Union. I believe that they local autonomy offered by TWU would be more conducive to their needs.

I was recently elected as a TWU International Vice President but am NOT an International Rep. I accepted the position because I felt that since Local 556 is the largest Local in the ATD, we should have a position in the upper leadership of TWU as we did several years ago. I also accepted only under the condition that I continue my elected office of Local 556 President. I don’t now, never have, and never will receive a dime in compensation from TWU International. In fact, I have not even made the decision to run for office next year when my term is up. Under our Contract, you can actually make a pretty good living as a flight attendant with a lot more time off and fewer attacks on your character. This is another reason that I retain my right to speak out on common sense issues like repeal of the Wright Amendment. I can do that as Local 556 President, but could not as an International Rep. because I’m not on the International payroll.

I don’t know what your relationship is with International because I make a point not to get involved in the politics if I can help it. If you feel that Jim Little or anyone else in the International has done something illegal or in violation of our Constitution, press charges, but the corrupt Union boss line is harmful to all of us and especially to out our Members.

I hope I cleared up some things for people. I’ll try to check in her more often, but unfortunately I will not be able to post on here as often as some due to my full time job as Local 556 President. I did feel that it was important to speak for myself and hopefully put some rumors to rest.

In Solidarity,

Thom McDaniel
TWU Local 556 President

 

[AMFAMAN]

Tom,

Glad to see your answer, now one question. If the SWA AMFA represented mechanics were forced to strike just as the NWA mechanics, would you honor the strike?

 

[ThomMc556]

I could never cross a picket line.

In fact, the NWA Mechanic strike and the media portrayal bothered me so much I wrote this letter to USA Today last week. I only wish it had be published.

"Dear Editor:

As a union president at a major airline, I disagree with Jewel Gopwani's assessment in her story "Northwest vote provides glimpse of union's future" (October 18, 2004), but not for the the most obvious reasons.

The future of Northwest Airlines is shaky at best. Reasonable union leaders and reasonable managers should be working together to protect their company and ultimately their jobs. Reasonable union leaders and reasonable managers understand the importance of compromise and partnership during difficult financial times.

At Northwest Airlines, the management is neither reasonable nor realistic. With threats of outsourcing the jobs of their mechanics and recently their flight attendants, they have chosen to try to bust their unions and the result has been that they have busted their own company.

Other airlines have recognized that collaboration and cooperation between companies and unions can produce positive results have given their companies the competitive edge that they need to survive this turbulent industry. Good examples that good labor relations produce better balance sheets exist at Continental, American, and of course good old Southwest.

The very least that Northwest Airlines could do is to fire the scabs who if allowed to stay will remain constant reminders of the worst possible betrayal to workers. If, and only if Northwest executives do the right thing to guarantee as many union jobs as possible, their workers will have hope for the future and a reason to save their company. If Northwest turns their back on the good union employees who built their company and protects the scabs, the unions will have no choice and Northwest will have no future.

In Solidarity,
Thom McDaniel

President, TWU Local 556 representing Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants"

 

[AMFAMAN]

Tom,

I would have to disagree about American labor relations from a workers view, but I do respect the fact that you have come out against the union-busting at NWA. I only wish the rest the the International shared that view. For one, the TWU represents workers at NWA that cross a picket line everyday to go to work. As this article shows, the TWU is an active in the NWA plan of eliminating AMFA at NWA by not taking a stand like Guy Meeks.

http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsu...cs/12962357.htm

 

[Hackman]

Thom,

I disagree with your statement on "change from within", "member rights", and "standing up for working people" as far as the twu and afl-cio are concerned. The twu I have known doesn't allow change, it has continued to violate workers rights (Sonny Hall was convicted of it), and it has not stood up for the working people.

Did you support the exclusion of AMFA at SWA in the SWA Labor Coalition because AMFA doesn't belong to the afl-cio? Is it still that way now at SWA?

The afl-cio, like the twu, does not allow "change from with", and this is why many member unions have left the afl-cio. The afl-cio has sat by while the workers of this country are assaulted on all fronts. Apparently, as long as the union leaders keep the CEO-type compensation and benefits, the workers suffering will go unnoticed. Strong afl-cio unions are a thing of the past in my opinion. It won't change with the out-of-touch old white guys still running it from their rocking chairs.

You must be in a different twu than I know. We have been sold out at AA with continuous concessions with the twu since 1983. We have a person named Jim Little in the International that was in AA management for six years.

There are many reasons why the twu was ousted by the AA F/A's, and failed to be elected by Delta and Continental workers.

I would almost rather have no union than the twu.

I congradulate you Mr. McDaniel if you are a legitimate (uncorrupted) leader in the twu. You would be one of the first I have heard of, but your not yet in for a lifetime position in the corrupt and unaccountable twu International.

 

[Bob Owens]

I could never cross a picket line.

In fact, the NWA Mechanic strike and the media portrayal bothered me so much I wrote this letter to USA Today last week. I only wish it had be published.

"Dear Editor:

As a union president at a major airline, I disagree with Jewel Gopwani's assessment in her story "Northwest vote provides glimpse of union's future" (October 18, 2004), but not for the the most obvious reasons.

The future of Northwest Airlines is shaky at best. Reasonable union leaders and reasonable managers should be working together to protect their company and ultimately their jobs. Reasonable union leaders and reasonable managers understand the importance of compromise and partnership during difficult financial times.

At Northwest Airlines, the management is neither reasonable nor realistic. With threats of outsourcing the jobs of their mechanics and recently their flight attendants, they have chosen to try to bust their unions and the result has been that they have busted their own company.

Other airlines have recognized that collaboration and cooperation between companies and unions can produce positive results have given their companies the competitive edge that they need to survive this turbulent industry. Good examples that good labor relations produce better balance sheets exist at Continental, American, and of course good old Southwest.

The very least that Northwest Airlines could do is to fire the scabs who if allowed to stay will remain constant reminders of the worst possible betrayal to workers. If, and only if Northwest executives do the right thing to guarantee as many union jobs as possible, their workers will have hope for the future and a reason to save their company. If Northwest turns their back on the good union employees who built their company and protects the scabs, the unions will have no choice and Northwest will have no future.

In Solidarity,
Thom McDaniel

President, TWU Local 556 representing Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants"

Thom;

Do you think that reasonable union leaders should gut their members contract while retaining company paid union business to the tune of $3.1 million a year? Gut their members contracts and then accept raises for themselves?

Instead of cutting out these illegal payments to themselves we took deeper cuts, have you ever compared the Internationals pay to other unions?

Keep in mind that International reps recieve this pay from the company in addition to their Union paycheck. The DOL is currently investigating these payments.

A while back you sent me an E-mail saying that we should share our ideas, I was up front with you and you chose to make no further contact. No doubt you have heard Jims spin.

What you must realize is that your relationship with the TWU is completely different than ours. You have control over your Local and your contract. You are the only Local that is party to your contract. Thats not the case at AA where the membership is split up between 21 Locals and all dealings between top management and the membership is done through unelected International reps. With us none of the locals are party to the contract, the contract is with the International, not any or even all the locals.

Jim will tell you "Everything has to be approved by the Presidents council". Thats false. The fact is that the Presidents coucil has no power and that was established by the TWU International when despite the fact that the Presidents council rejected the formation of seperate locals the Internatioinal put it in place anyway. All you need to do is read the TWUs arguements in court.

Even if that was the case (that everything has to be approved by the Presidents council) what gives the President of any Local the right to approve things without it being brought back to the E-boards and the membership?

Jim will tell you that the membership has the right to reject any changes to the contract, however once again they contradict themselves when members hold them to it in the courtroom. In court the TWU testified that we only have the right to ratify initial contracts, that means in our case the one from 1946 satisfied the Constitution of the TWU.

Jim lies all the time and gets away with it because hes confident that nobody will check as to what they say under oath in court.

Did Jim tell you that AA had hired Eclat to make a presentation to the TWU and other union leaders as to how dire AA financial condition was, in other words to sell us on concessions, and then he hired the same firm to do the same thing for the members? Eclat, the same firm that AA once again hired to put out all that propaganda against repealing the Wright Amendment? Eclat the firm that says whatever AA wants it to say. Do you believe Eclats claim that repealing the Wright Amendment will hurt Dallas?

Did Jim ever mention that he was in management at AA? Not to say that an epiphany is impossible, just not likely in Jims case. He is a salesman. Ask him how the $3.1 million that the compnay gives to the TWU is dispersed. Ask him if any International officers are getting paid by the company while supposedly on Union leave. Ask him how Bobby Gless continued to get paid by the company while working as a full time union rep, accruing credit for his two pensions at the same time. Ask him how come Bobby Gless testified he gets paid $120,000 a year however the LM-2 for 2003 does not list him as an employee and the LM-3 for 2004 only shows $60,000? If he tries to spin about reporting dates ask him why Connellys salary is reported differently.

Clearly Thom, I dont doubt your sincerity and devotion to your membership but your choice to "stay out of the politics" is a cop out, in fact what you have done is chosen sides, the Internationals, you just dont want to get involved in reconciling your position of supporting them while they suppress others. You turned your back on Local 100, did you ever give them the chance to explain their position or did you just take the Internationals word on it? The fact is you have taken a stand to ignore the truth and support Little and company, as long as they leave you alone, the heck with everyone else.

While your members have gone unscathed by all the crap going on in this industry sooner or later it will affect you too. "An injury to one is an injury to all." While you may be the largest Local in the ATD, and combined with Local 555 a sizable chunk of the ATD, SWA as a whole is small compared to the TWU membership of AMR which includes American Airlines and American Eagle. Eagle is the outfit that AMR is going to set against SWA and its also where Jim Little helped lock in long term concessions prior to the current downturn. Eagles attack will be continue to be financed by AA, AMR will use its International revenue to help Eagle attack SWA on the domestic market. SWAs competative advantage to AA will be undermined by the much, much lower labor costs of Eagle.

Jim Little is a friend of AMR management, thats where he came from. He will make sure that AA gets what ever it wants, as long as AMR is funnelling dues, plus and few million here and there to the TWU. I dont know if you were present for Ed Koziateks retirement party. I was, and although you probably would not know it because you dont know the people from AA management I can tell you that at that party there were more members from AMR management there than from the rank and file of the TWU at AMR.

Thom, I dont expect you to make political suicide however I believe I sent you a list of names of people in the TWU that were interested in repairing our badly broken union. And despite what you have seen this union is badly broken. Contacting Local 100 is a must. Surely you remember Sonny Halls reaction to your modest proposals at the 2001 Convention? Knowing the International , they were quick to give you some BS explanation as to why they reacted that way. They will tell you they are in favor of changes but if you really push the issue you will see their real feelings, and even risk being removed.

I applaud you for not submitting to the temptation to draw an International paycheck. But I hope that you do not continue on the path of blaming the unions ills on the members, thats the first sign of slipping into the Internationals trap. Before you know it the natural fustration that comes with leadership will make that safe International position look very appealing. You would not be the first to follow that path. The fact is that the International will not lead and that is the overwhelming reason why the TWU is failing its members. The leadership of the International TWU does not believe in the membership of the TWU, is it any wonder that the membership feels the same way about the International? We dont blame soldiers for losing the battle, we blame Generals, and the reason for that is sound.The fact is Leadership counts. Leadership that is not accountable is not leadership at all.