The IAM Union Air Transport Territory recently took part in an exchange trip to build international worker solidarity. General Vice President Richie Johnsen and Chief of Staff Edison Fraser, joined by IAM District 142 General Chair Lorraine Fraser, traveled to Panama to meet with the country’s pilots and ground service unions.
The exchange initiative is fostered by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), and the IAM’s Air Transport leaders met with Emiliano Addisi, ITF Americas Regional Vice Secretary, and Iraida Osorio, ITF RS Executive Assistant and Governance.
UNPAC Secretary of Finance, Capt. Fernando Benedito represented for the Panamanian pilots union, and SIELAS Secretary of Defense Fernando Parfait, Secretary of Finance Javier Tovares, and Secretary of Organization Cristóbal Souza attended for the Panamanian ground services workers union.
“Having meetings like this prevents companies from dividing us,” said Johnsen. “When we’re talking to each other and sharing strategies, they know we’re united. That makes all of us stronger.”
Throughout the visit, Johnsen and Fraser participated in discussions about the shared challenges air transport industry workers face worldwide — from contract enforcement issues to corporate strategies aimed at weakening labor standards across borders.
“After hours of discussion, it was clear that we share the same issues no matter where you are,” said Fraser. “Companies will often try to violate agreements until unions push back. That is not unique to one country — it’s happening everywhere, and the only way to combat these actions are through union discussion and solidarity. ”
The exchange highlighted how multinational airline companies exploit differences in labor laws and union power. By building relationships among international air transport unions, workers can combat those tactics together and share knowledge.
We talked about how we can stand together — whether it’s during a strike or an informational picket,” Johnsen said. “Developing this global alliance among unions in the same industry will help air transport workers support each other across borders and equip air transport unions to protect and strengthen workers’ rights, improve working conditions, and hold employers accountable.”
Through our connection with the ITF, we see how powerful solidarity can be, because it brings together workers and their unions from all over the world.”
A key takeaway from the visit is the importance of staying in communication and working together to prevent companies from pitting workers of different countries against each other.
The IAM Air Transport Territory plans to build on this exchange’s success by expanding it to include more countries in the coming years.
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