German Verdi Trade Union Stands in Solidarity with IAM Union Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico Workers Amid Stalled Contract Talks
As Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico workers continue their fight for a fair first contract, international support is growing. The German service-sector union Verdi has called on Deutsche Lufthansa AG to intervene and support its Puerto Rican subsidiary in resolving long-standing contract disputes with the IAM Union. “Negotiations are proving very difficult, particularly with regard to
The post German Verdi Trade Union Stands in Solidarity with IAM Union Lufthansa Technik Puerto Rico Workers Amid Stalled Contract Talks appeared first on IAM Union.
About the Human Relations Department
May 19, 2025Human Relations Director Daleo Freeman provides an overview of services offered by the Human Relations Department.
magazineHuman RelationsDaleo Freeman
There is more to being a progressive union than achieving and enforcing a contract — and that is where the Human Relations Department comes in. Our programs and benefits inspire members to become active participants of the APWU, and give them a sense of inclusion, contribution, and ownership.
Training
We have successfully trained over 5,500 members, activists, stewards, and officers.
This year, the Human Relations Department aims to continue training sessions for locals and states and provide a Regional Resource Assistant to assist locals and states with their issues.
Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a resource for postal employees and their family members designed to help them with on-the-job, personal, or family problems. EAP is a counseling and referral service staffed with mental health professionals. It is a formal, non-disciplinary program that is free and voluntary.
To learn more about EAP services, visit: apwu.org/eap
Veterans’ Rights and Benefits
The APWU continuously coordinates efforts to support union members and their loved ones who have, or who are actively serving in the military. We have started a coalition across the country to mobilize around the issues that affect our service members.
The APWU believes in a society where all members are treated equally, with respect and dignity. The struggle for equal rights, equal opportunity, and justice extends beyond the workplace into our neighborhoods and communities. It is a priority of the department to remain active around our civil rights.
In 2025, we will continue to strive for equality for all and to protect the rights and benefits of those we serve, mobilize and continue to secure assistance for all who are in need. For more information, visit: apwu.org/veterans
Postal Employee Relief Fund
The Postal Employees’ Relief Fund (PERF) exists to help active and retired postal employees – management and craft – whose homes are destroyed or left uninhabitable because of a natural disaster, displacing postal employees and their families for an extended period of time.
The fund provides small relief grants to help qualifying victims of such circumstances reestablish residences and help replenish necessities in the aftermath of a devastating loss.
For more information, visit: www.postalrelief.com
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
In 2025, we will soon provide our members with much needed guidance on how the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) works, as well as a handbook for the EEOC process.
We know how tedious the process can be, so it is the intent of the Human Relations Department to provide an informative manual, formulated specifically by your union on the EEOC rules, process, and general guidelines.
At this time, we are not providing representation, but it is important that we provide a resource and tool that can be readily accessible.
Please remain informed of the upcoming issuance of the new EEOC booklet that will be shared with our members.
Your questions and concerns are essential. They help us understand your needs and shape the direction of our department. Please, don’t hesitate to ask. Your input is invaluable in guiding our efforts.
We encourage all locals to have someone in attendance for the upcoming Human Relations Assembly in Houston, TX from June 12-15. We will focus on all the subjects listed above and will provide extensive training sessions and presentations on subjects that will touch every member. To register, visit: apwu.org/events/2025- human-relations-assembly. Thank you! ■
About the Human Relations Department0
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APWU POWER: The Women’s Committee Within Our Union
May 19, 2025Research & Education Director Joyce B. Robinson provides a brief history of APWU POWER (Post Office Women for Equal Rights), and invites members to attend the APWU POWER 22nd Biennial National Convention taking place in August.
magazinePOWERResearch and EducationJoyce B. Robinson
APWU Post Office Women for Equal Rights (POWER) is the women’s committee within our union. POWER was founded in St. Louis, MO on April 28, 1979 and incorporated into the APWU National Constitution, (Article 13, Section 7), in Detroit, MI in August 1980. The APWU POWER Steering Committee consists of five coordinators, one from each region, who are elected during the Biennial National Convention and assist POWER committees at the local and state levels.
Why APWU POWER Is Still Necessary
In the United States, women make up nearly 47% of the workforce and hold approximately 45% of jobs at the USPS. Although women make up a larger percentage of the APWU membership, and thus pay more dues than men, they hold fewer elected offices at the local, state, and national levels. There are only 28 national officers that are women, compared to 55 that are men.
APWU POWER has assisted women in obtaining the knowledge and skills needed to level the playing field in our union and has opened doors to opportunities for women across the country through educational seminars, workshops, and regional conferences. As a result, POWER sisters have become actively involved in their local and state unions and the political process, contributing over $200,000 to the APWU’s non-partisan Committee on Political Action (COPA) fund to assist in protecting employment benefits, improving working conditions, and ensuring job security.
What About Community Involvement?
APWU POWER’s involvement in community activities includes:
Adopting postal union families left unhoused due to natural disasters.
Making annual monetary contributions to domestic violence agencies.
Contributing gift bags to the female troops, unable to travel home for the holidays.
Providing coats and clothing to the unhoused.
Donating books, toiletries, and more to schools, homeless shelters, and senior citizens.
Contributing to the Postal Employees Relief Fund (PERF) to aid postal families who are victims of natural disasters.
APWU POWER ‘Sisters Helping Sisters’ Fund
APWU POWER’s “Sisters Helping Sisters Fund” was established in 2005 to help women and children who were left unhoused following Hurricane Katrina. It was expanded in 2006 to give hope and encouragement to women and children fleeing domestic violence. Since its inception, the fund has donated over $100,000 to families, charities, and domestic violence agencies, including $25,000 to PERF. If you would like to donate to this worthy cause, make checks payable to “Sisters Helping Sisters” and mail them to Joyce B. Robinson, Director Research and Education, 1300 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20005.
Attend APWU POWER 22nd Biennial National Convention
When: Arrive at the hotel on Wednesday, August 6. Workshops begin on Thursday, August 7. There is no convention on Sunday.
Where: Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, 811 7th Ave. 53rd St., New York, NY.
Call 1-888-627-7067 before the cut-off date of Friday, July 11, 2025, to secure the negotiated rate of $237 per night (single/double occupancy), plus 14.75% room tax, plus $3.50 per room night occupancy tax. Identify yourself as attending the POWER Convention.
Register Online: Delegates must register online at APWU POWER 22nd Biennial National Convention. The registration fee is $150.00 for delegates and guests and includes an Installation Dinner ticket and a T-shirt. To register a guest, contact Joyce B. Robinson at (202) 842-4225, prior to the Friday, July 25, 2025 deadline. The guest must attend with an APWU member.
For additional information, contact the Research and Education Department at (202) 842-4225.
APWU POWER: The Women’s Committee Within Our Union0
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Organizing Is Not Passive: Why Union Building Means Reaching Out, Not Waiting Around
May 19, 2025“Organizing is about talking to people and building relationships. It is about having hard conversations and asking others to stand with you.” – Organizing Director Anna Smith encourages members to organize their non-member coworkers.
magazineOrganizationAnna Smith
When people think about union organizing, many might imagine a moment of inspiration, maybe a spark or some event that sets off a wave of collective action. But the truth is, organizing requires a lot of consistent and demanding work, and long-term commitments. Organizing requires setting goals and putting together needed steps to achieve those goals. Union organizing requires action, and if you are sitting around waiting for people to come to you, you are not organizing — you are hoping.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with hoping the non-members will come to you and ask how to join. Hope has its place, but not when it comes to organizing our non-members. Organizing our non-members cannot be about wishful thinking, but about each one of us taking action to build worker power. Organizing is about talking to people and building relationships. It is about having hard conversations and asking others to stand with you. Most importantly, it is about taking the initiative to build our union and worker power in our installations and communities.
For those who make the decision to stand with us, we have made joining very easy with the ability to join online. While the “online join” process does bring in thousands of our coworkers into the APWU, most people will not automatically join simply because they stumbled across the ability to join online. Most often, our coworkers will join because someone they trust and relate to asked them to and they felt invited to be a part of something. They might join because someone listened to their concerns and then asked them to take a stand.
That someone must be you!
If you care about changes in your workplace, if you are tired of being disrespected by management, if you are tired of management violating our collective bargaining agreement every day, then you have to be reaching out to non-members. You must make the first move, because most non-members… they will not be coming to you.
We all must have conversations with the non-members and ask them to stand with us and be a part of something bigger. We need to stop letting our nonmember coworkers come to work and feel like they work in a non-union environment. We need to be persistent about standing with APWU and being bold about it.
Organizing is a skill, and like everything we do, it gets easier the more we do it. The core principles of organizing never change; it is about having conversations, building trust, giving our coworkers a sense of solidarity, and moving together in the same direction, with similar goals – I do not know of anyone who does not want to secure livable wages, reasonable work hours and better working conditions.
As an organizer, you will have setbacks, there will be some coworkers who, no matter how many times you ask them to stand with you, will refuse, but that does not mean you stop asking. Be brave enough to ask someone to stand with you — and strong enough to keep asking until they do. No matter what, do not let any setback discourage you, because as an organizer you will have victories too, and those victories, the ones who say “yes” to standing with you, will be empowering.
So do not wait for the perfect moment to ask that nonmember coworker to stand with you. Do not wait for them to come to you. Start organizing now. Talk to your coworkers. Ask questions, listen, build trust, and ask them if they are ready to stand with you. When we stand together, we win. ■
Organizing Is Not Passive: Why Union Building Means Reaching Out, Not Waiting Around0
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Protecting Our Labor Union and the Public Postal Service
May 19, 2025Legislative & Political Director Judy Beard urges members to call on Congress to to continue to fight privatization, and informs readers about new anti-union bills to watch.
magazineLegislative and PoliticalJudy Beard
The threat of postal privatization has never been more real. From the report of an executive order that would absorb the USPS into the Commerce Department, to the Wells Fargo report highlighting the financial benefits of selling off the USPS to corporations, our public Postal Service is at a pivotal moment in the fight against privatization.
Amid these threats, we have engaged with lawmakers in a bipartisan fight to protect the independence of the Postal Service. With post offices and APWU members in every ZIP code across the country, we are building a strong coalition in Congress to send the message that the U.S. Mail is NOT for Sale.
On Jan. 28, 2025, a bipartisan group in the House of Representatives led by Representatives Lynch (D-MA-08), LaLota (R-NY-01), Connolly (D-VA-11), and Garbarino (R-NY-02) introduced House Resolution (H.Res.) 70, which expresses the “sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should take all appropriate measures to ensure that the United States Postal Service remains an independent establishment of the Federal Government and is not subject to privatization.” At the time this issue of The American Postal Worker went to press, H. Res 70 had 202 cosponsors.
On March 27, a bipartisan group in the Senate, led by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Thom Tillis (R-NC), introduced Senate Resolution (S.Res.) 147, which serves as the companion resolution to H.Res 70. At the time this magazine was sent to press, S.Res 147 had seven cosponsors.
While resolutions are not binding like laws, they help us gain congressional support for the issues that most matter to us as postal workers and retirees. Millions of Americans rely on the Postal Service and members of Congress must be reminded that our work has value.
For ways you can take action to protect our public Postal Service, visit apwu.org/action.
Anti-Union Bills to Watch
On March 25, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform advanced several anti-union bills out of committee, including:
Protecting Taxpayers’ Wallets Act (H.R. 1210): This bill would charge federal unions for official time (“union time”) and for the use of agency resources.
Preserving Presidential Management Authority Act (H.R. 2249): This bill would give the U.S. president the ability to negotiate or terminate federal union collective bargaining agreements (CBAs).
The Paycheck Protection Act (H.R. 2174): This bill would restrict all federal and postal unions from deducting dues from employee paychecks. In addition to union dues, this bill would restrict deductions for “fees or political contributions,” which may mean all other deductions, such as the APWU Committee on Political Action (COPA) and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
The Paycheck Protection Act specifically calls out postal unions in the bill text and would have devastating impacts on our union if Congress passes the bill and it gets signed into law. The Legislative Department is closely monitoring H.R. 2174, and we are meeting with both Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill to fight against this bill moving forward. ■
Anti-Union Bills: APWU Solidarity Actions
Protecting Our Labor Union and the Public Postal Service0
Read More....Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: Boilermakers
Get to Know AFL-CIO’s Affiliates: Boilermakers
This is the next post in our series that will take a deeper look at each of our affiliates. The series will run weekly until we’ve covered all 63 of our affiliates. Next up are the Boilermakers (IBB).
Name of Union: International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and HelpersMission: Uniting members across multiple industries and occupations in the union’s common endeavor of improving each other’s lives and lifestyles through union representation.Current Leadership of Union: Timothy Simmons serves as international president. He began his Boilermaker career on a boiler outage in 1999, working out of Boilermakers Local 108, in Birmingham, Alabama, at the Alabama Power Miller Steam Plant. He has served as a Local 108 business agent/secretary treasurer, District Lodge 3 officer, director of National Recruitment Services, director of Construction Division Services and assistant to the international president. In October 2022, the International Executive Council voted unanimously to elect Simmons to fill the international vice president Southeast vacancy, effective Feb. 1, 2023, upon the retirement of Warren Fairley. Fairley briefly came out of retirement to serve the union as international president during a time of transition. Upon his final retirement in August 2024, the International Executive Council elected Simmons to serve as international president.Clinton Penny serves as international secretary-treasurer, and the Boilermakers have five international vice presidents: J. Tom Baca (Western States), John Fultz (Northeast), Arnie Stadnick (Canada), Dan Sulivan (Great Lakes) and Jeff Campbell (Southeast).Current Number of Members: More than 60,000Members Work in: Constructing and repairing electric power plants, refineries, and pulp, paper and steel mills; building naval ships and commercial tankers; repairing locomotives; making cement; mining coal, gypsum and talc; forging tools for industry; and making consumer goods.Industries Represented: Heavy industry, shipbuilding, manufacturing, railroads, cement, mining and others.History: The Boilermakers are one of the oldest unions in the country, rising out of the Industrial Revolution’s demand for steam power in 1880. The Boilermakers have been a part of many major events in American history, helping to build structural sections of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis; the machinery to make the Panama Canal; the world’s first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus; the USS New York amphibious transport dock (which includes steel from the Twin Towers); military ships and various submarines; nuclear, gas-fired and advanced coal-fired power plants; and the aluminum-based fuel for the space shuttle’s solid rocket boosters. The Boilermakers had been headquartered in Kansas City, Kansas, since 1893, and moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 2024. There are now more than 200 Boilermaker local lodges across North America.Current Campaigns/Community Efforts: The Boilermaker Reporter provides news and information useful to workers in the industry. The Boilermakers have established national funds for pensions, health and welfare, and an annuity trust. They also provide education and training, including one of the best apprentice programs in the country, and are partners in an award-winning alliance with construction industry contractors and owners, resulting in innovations for improved safety, manpower availability, training and cost savings.Learn More: Website, Facebook, X, YouTube
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/19/2025 – 14:33
Negotiations Update Support Services (May 2025)
May 19, 2025Support Services Director Arrion Brown provides an update on the current and recently completed negotiations for workers covered in the Support Services Division.
magazineSupport Services DivisionArrion Brown
Greetings Support Services Division members, I hope that you are enjoying the early days of summer. The Support Services Division has been hard at work this year continuing contract negotiations on multiple collective bargaining agreements. For general information, the Support Services Division represents and negotiates for 13 current and prospective collective bargaining agreements. Below is an update on our current and recently completed negotiations.
We are proud to say that one of our newest units of 10 Roads Express drivers based in Richmond, VA ratified their first collective bargaining agreement on Feb. 24, 2025. The workers organized and fought a valiant fight against their company to achieve collective bargaining. The drivers were very proud to ratify their first contract that secures bank holidays, gives them job bidding and bumping rights by seniority, gives them the rights to the grievance arbitration process to settle disputes with their employer, and offers protection against subcontracting.
One of our newer units of 10 Roads Express drivers, based in Capitol Heights, MD, has also recently achieved a tentative agreement with the company. The Capitol Heights agreement is very similar to the Richmond agreements, but the Capitol Heights drivers did hold out a little longer to achieve a few additional contractual demands. We were not able to achieve those demands, but we were proud to stand with and represent them as we fought for them.
The drivers of the Great Lakes Area Mail Haulers recently came to a tentative agreement with B&B Trucking, Inc. based in Kalamazoo, MI. These negotiations were very difficult. The company resisted improvements that the employees deserved. A significant improvement we won was an increase in hourly wages for drivers who perform freight work. B&B Trucking historically has been a mail-haul company that did very little freight work. Although the collective bargaining agreement with B&B has a wage chart for freight work, increases in that wage chart had not been negotiated since 2017. The union had concentrated on other issues, since there was either no freight or very little freight work done. However, since 2024, there has been a notable increase in freight work. The tentative agreement is in the process of being sent out for ratification by the members.
We are still in negotiations for the APWU and USPS agreement. While negotiations have slowed on this agreement, negotiating for Article 40 Operating Services and Article 41 Material Support Crafts has ended. As usual, management has refused to agree to changes for these two craft articles of the agreement. The employees under these two articles will benefit from the broader economic improvements of the agreement. It is very disappointing that, in yet another round of negotiations, management has refused to agree to minor changes in these two articles that would give them the same protections that are offered to other craft articles in the agreement. We will strategize for the next round of negotiations to continue our efforts to bring the Support Services crafts up to the same standards as the Clerk, Motor Vehicle, and Maintenance crafts.
We continue to negotiate the first successor agreement for the Humans Resources Shared Services Center (HRSSC) bargaining unit. At the time this issue of The American Postal Worker went to press, we are very close to a tentative agreement. There were only a few changes the bargaining committee proposed for this round of negotiations. We have met with management numerous times to come to bargaining agreements and have been satisfied with our progress.
Finally, we had our opening day of negotiations for the Information Technology and Accounting Services (IT/ AS) sector on March 4, 2025. We passed several proposals to management on changes we want. Management was very receptive and asked more questions than they have asked in opening sessions for other agreements. That was a good sign. ■
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It Is Always About the Work
May 19, 2025In the ever-expanding world of postal words and jargon, ‘RTO’ and ‘LTO’ are recent additions you may see as a postal worker. These stand for Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) and Local Transportation Optimization (LTO).” MVS Director Michael Foster explains these acronyms in-depth and how they impact the job.
magazineMVS DivisionMichael O. Foster
One of the primary purposes of the trade union movement is to nd work for its members. While unions constantly advocate to improve social injustices, equality, and fairness for their members and society as a whole, it is always about getting work, finding work, and keeping members gainfully employed. As the USPS drastically reduces its workforce, requiring fewer employees to do the same – or more – work in attempts to improve its bottom line, these management tactics and strategies will often have crafts and unions feeling the need to defend and protect their work.
Dispatch Coordinator Step 4
The Clerk Division and the USPS recently held national level arbitration hearings on the creation and assignment of the Dispatch Coordinator position to the MVS Craft. Although the MVS Division has also filed national disputes on the creation of this position and the siphoning of other MVS Craft duties, we still believe this is an MVS position. Please review the job descriptions and qualification standards of this position in your facility to determine if crossing-craft or occupation-group violations are occurring and contact your National Business Agent (NBA) to file the appropriate local grievance.
USPS Acronyms
In the ever-expanding world of postal words and jargon, “RTO” and “LTO” are recent additions you may see. These stand for Regional Transportation Optimization (RTO) and Local Transportation Optimization (LTO). RTO replaced LTO. These are part of the Delivering for America (DFA) plan and USPS efforts to reduce transportation costs and find other savings.
The MVS Craft must continue to monitor and protect the assignment of the transportation of mail in bulk quantities to any category of postal employees other than Motor Vehicle Service employees.
LTO is a part of the DFA plan to save the USPS money by eliminating or reducing transportation costs. This began as a pilot program in a few sites in 2024 when the Postal Service eliminated all afternoon trips outside of a 25 or 50 mile radius from an LTO site, meaning that there would no longer be a closeout trip to pick up that day’s mail from those offices, and that mail would be collected the following morning, thus adding an additional day for delivery. In most cases, the pilot program sites where this change occurred were being served by a Highway Contract Route (HCR) supplier.
RTO is the evolution of the Postal Service’s attempts to further reduce transportation costs for the transportation of mail. “Regional” is the key difference, as this evolution now limits the transportation of mail to one trip per day for offices outside of a 25 or 50 mile radius from an RTO site. This has potential for a much larger impact on, not just the delivery of mail, but also PVS duty assignments, due to the elimination of those afternoon closeout PVS trips, as not all PVS operations are within the 25 or 50 mile radius of an RTO. This change to RTO will most likely trigger management to attempt to make changes to all PVS duty assignments and attempt to repost them in accordance with Article 39.2.A.6 bidding procedures.
However, if unimpacted duty assignments are reposted due to a zero base, other audits, or any other administrative reasons, it would be in violation of the APWU/USPS Step 4 settlement for USPS Case# Q10C-4Q-C 14256865/ APWU# HQTV 20140505, signed and dated on Sept. 30, 2015. This language is also contained in the Joint Contract Interpretation Manual (JCIM) questions and answers in Article 39, question #78. According to Article 39.2.A.6, only the union can request a yearly, or bi-yearly bid.
Voluntary Early Retirement
Of the more than 5,000 MVS Craft employees eligible for the Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) incentive, approximately 550 MVS employees have accepted the offer. The officers of the APWU Motor Vehicle Craft wish you a long and happy retirement. ■
It Is Always About the Work0
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2025 Maintenance Division All-Craft Conference
May 19, 2025Maintenance Craft Director Idowu Balogun highlights the upcoming APWU All-Craft Conference and Bulk Mail Center Conference in October, discusses revisions to the TL-5 MS-47 Handbook, and a planned maintenance operation pilot program.
magazineMaintenance DivisionIdowu Balogun
The 2025 All-Craft Conference will be held in Las Vegas, NV on Oct. 6-8, 2025, followed by the Bulk Mail Center (BMC) Conference on Oct. 9, 2025. We will offer two training courses at the conference: Line H/Eagle Clean, and Article 32 Maintenance Subcontracting, presented by National Business Agents (NBAs). Preparation is already underway for the Maintenance Division Conference book and training materials for all attendees.
Eagle Clean is the postal program that has custodians in the field using Mobile Delivery Device (MDD) scanners in place of a hard copy PS Form 4776 – Preventative Custodial Maintenance Route to record daily tasks. The training will cover:
The genesis of the program from pilot to implementation;
What the scanner and screens look like and require; and
The various reports that can be requested and how to analyze those reports.
Maintenance subcontracting will cover Articles 19 (Administrative Support Manual) and 32 (Subcontracting) and how they tie into defending bargaining unit work from being outsourced to contractors. The training will also cover several national level arbitration decisions that control the subcontracting process from beginning to end.
Another TL-5 MS-47 Handbook Revision
On March 4, 2025, the Postal Service notified the APWU of additional revisions to the TL-5 MS-47 Handbook (Facility Cleaning). Once again, the Postal Service unilaterally imposed changes to the previously negotiated and agreed upon handbook language. According to the notification, the latest revisions “are intended to improve the overall clarity of the handbook and make information and procedures easier to locate. Additionally, changes were made to include necessary safety information.” We are currently in the process of reviewing the latest revisions and have already requested a formal meeting with the Postal Service to discuss the changes. We will continue to fight to maintain the rights that we successfully negotiated into the handbook.
Another Field Maintenance Operation Pilot Program Rolling Out
The Postal Service recently notified the APWU of their plans to test a work order ticketing system application in the Facilities Management Organization (FMO) to enhance the visibility of Area Maintenance Technician (AMT) work orders in the system. Currently, the FMO uses a unique system to enter and track work orders assigned under the FMO and facilities. However, there is very limited communication between the AMT and the maintenance supervisor on how a work order is required. This process results in limited visibility for Postal Service management to track the progress of maintenance requests. In an effort to improve the visibility of maintenance requests from submission to completion, the subject test will automate the submission of the PS Form 4805 – Maintenance Work Order Request, from a hard copy paper form requiring manual entry, to an electronic request (“Help Ticket”) that is entered directly into a web-based platform by the requester and displayed immediately to the AMT’s, thereby removing the need to be given a piece of paper by the supervisor.
The pilot test is scheduled to begin in the WestPac Area starting with California 4 and Arizona and New Mexico districts. The testing will last for 180 days, and it is anticipated that testing will be expanded to additional districts during the 180-day test period. The districts and associated time periods will be provided in advance.
The Maintenance Division continues to have ongoing meetings about FMO-related issues and is keeping a close eye on this new pilot program. We have expressed our concerns about potential violations of Articles 1.6 and 7. Please contact your NBA(s) to provide feedback if you are part of this pilot program. ■
2025 Maintenance Division All-Craft Conference0
Read More....This Is Progress: The Working People Weekly List
This Is Progress: The Working People Weekly List
Every week, we bring you a roundup of the top news and commentary about issues and events important to working families. Here’s the latest edition of the Working People Weekly List.
Labor Unions File Lawsuit Against HHS to Restore NIOSH: “The coalition, which includes the AFL-CIO, the United Mine Workers of America and Dentec Safety, filed a petition May 14 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The unions call on Kennedy to ‘resume immediately all activities that NIOSH performed before’ recent cuts to the agency workforce—some of which have recently been reversed.”Kennedy Center Employees Announce Plans to Unionize: “The union, which they’re calling the ‘Kennedy Center United Arts Workers,’ would be in partnership with the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, commonly known as the UAW. It would consist of nonsupervisory employees from artistic programming, education, marketing and development departments, along with administrators of the Washington National Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra. Performers are covered by several different unions.”Divers at Orlando’s Discovery Cove Theme Park Unanimously Vote to Unionize: “A group of divers at SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove theme park in Orlando unanimously voted to unionize last week, forming the first union at the aquatic-themed resort. According to the National Labor Relations Board, which conducts union elections in the private sector, the group of divers and dive technicians unanimously voted (15-0) in favor of unionizing with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 30, in an election that featured 100% voter turnout.”SAG-AFTRA and Nickelodeon Reach Tentative Agreement on Animation Contract: “Nickelodeon has agreed to ‘commonsense’ AI protections for voice actors on animated shows like The Patrick Star Show and Dora the Explorer, according to performers’ union SAG-AFTRA. The union announced on Wednesday that it had reached a tentative deal with Nickelodeon over voice acting on animated programs for basic cable and Paramount+. With covered projects including ‘Rugrats,’ ‘The Loud House,’ ‘Kamp Koral’ and ‘Rock Paper Scissors,’ the three-year provisional contract also brings some rate increases, a new premium and faster payment due dates.”SAG-AFTRA’s New Audio Commercials Contract Revamps Structure, Expands AI Protections: “The audio advertising business is posted to get a significant overhaul for union voiceover talent. Under the tentative 2025 SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contracts deal, a new structure for audio commercials has been introduced—one that simplifies compensation, reflects current media consumption habits, and includes the union’s strongest protections yet against the misuse of artificial intelligence. The agreement covers April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2028. The three-year deal nets out to $218.4 million in new earnings and benefit contributions. It currently awaits ratification by SAG-AFTRA members ahead of a May 21 voting deadline. If adopted, the audio contract will cover about 2,200 union voice talent members.”Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Set Minimum Nurse-to-Patient Ratios: “Two Democratic senators and a representative reintroduced a bill May 12 that would create minimum nurse-to-patient staffing ratios at hospitals across the country. Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Rep. Jan Shakowsky, D-Ill., reintroduced the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act on International Nurses Day. The bill would require hospitals to develop annual staffing plans that meet the minimum staffing ratios set forth in the legislation. Hospitals would also be required to maintain records of RN staffing and post notices of minimum ratios. Additionally, the legislation would provide whistleblower protections for nurses who speak out against unsafe staffing practices. HHS would be tasked with enforcing minimum ratios through civil penalties and administrative complaints.”Protect Federal Incentives for Clean Energy Projects: “Energy demand is rising, and with it, utility bills are getting harder to afford. But we can’t just wring our hands and maintain the status quo. There are good reasons why electricity demand is going up. We’re building 21st-century technologies like AI and data centers. We’re electrifying things like cars and heating systems that have pumped dirty pollutants into our air for too long. This is progress. We need to meet the moment by building affordable clean energy and doing so in a way that creates high-quality union jobs for Washingtonians. Luckily, we have a powerful tool to help us do that: federal tax incentives for clean energy development.”Union for Nearly 1,000 University of Minnesota Resident Physicians Certified by State: “Nearly 1,000 resident physicians at the University of Minnesota are officially unionized with SEIU Committee of Interns and Residents after a state labor board certified on Friday that a majority of residents signed union cards. The certification comes on the heels of more than 200 resident physicians at Hennepin Healthcare achieving certification last month as the first union of resident physicians in Minnesota. ‘We work very hard to take care of people all over the Twin Cities and beyond, and burnout is a real problem,’ said Dr. Kaitlin McLean in a statement released by the union. ‘It’s essential that we have a seat at the table so we can care for ourselves and our patients, and so that we can stay here in Minnesota doing that critical work.’”Tufts Student Released from U.S. Immigration Custody After Judge’s Order: “U.S. District Judge William Sessions during a hearing in Burlington, Vermont, ordered the immediate release of Rumeysa Ozturk, who is at the center of one of the highest-profile cases to emerge from Republican President Donald Trump’s campaign to deport pro-Palestinian activists on American campuses.”Blizzard’s Overwatch Team Just Unionized: ‘What I Want to Protect Most Here Is the People’: “‘Game developers behind Activision Blizzard’s hit franchise Overwatch have joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA), becoming the latest group of video game workers at Microsoft-owned studios to form a wall-to-wall union,’ the CWA announced in a press release shared with Kotaku on Friday. ‘A neutral arbitrator confirmed today that an overwhelming majority of workers have either signed a union authorization card or indicated that they wanted union representation via an online portal.’”
Kenneth Quinnell
Mon, 05/19/2025 – 13:00