IAM Journal Feature: Flying High

This article was featured in the Summer 2025 IAM Journal and was written by IAM Communications Representative John Lett.

For decades, the IAM Air Transport Territory has been the backbone of the IAM. It weathered the airline bankruptcies of the 2000s resulting from the 9/11 terrorist attacks. IAM Air Transport fought for its members and preserved contracts, pensions and a quality way of life for thousands of working-class families across the United States.

But about a decade ago, labor in general was stagnant, with mini­ mal growth and an uncertain future.

“There was a time when people thought unions would go extinct, but J think we are changing that,” said Richie Johnsen, who has ser­ ved as IAM Air Transport Terri­ tory General Vice President for the past three years.

Under Johnsen’s leadership, IAM Air Trans­ port has experienced a resurgence. The territory has become the largest airline labor conglomerate in the AFL-CIO, representing more than 65,000 active members and 40,000 retirees at airlines across the country, including Puerto Rico and Guam. The territory, which represents mechanics, customer service agents, ramp workers and more, is divided into two large groups-District 141 with 42,000 members, from United, American, Spirit and other carriers and District 142, with 25,000 members, who pri­marily work for Southwest, Alaska, Hawaiian and American.

“My exposure to the union came as far back as I can remem­ber. My father was a Machinist member. He was a shop steward. His father was an officer with the Longshoremen,” said Johnsen, who joined the IAM in I988 as an airline mechanic with United Air­ lines in San Francisco. “When J talk to my father, and he sees how the union has evolved, I think he’s fired up by seeing how we continue to grow.”

Johnsen credits his territory’s ascension with an influx of new leadership from top to bottom, nego­tiating industry leading contracts, a fresh approach to labor activism, and a renewed hunger for organizing workers.

“It’s very personal to me. What they’ve done is incredible. It has set the standard for what I believe union representation should look like,” said Johnsen. “In recent years, their wages have increased almost $8 an hour. For someone that was making $32 an hour, they’re making $40 now. Those are massive increases that we haven’t seen in decades.”

Assisting General Vice Pre­sident Johnsen is Air Transport Chief of Staff Edison Fraser, a member since 2002, who originally hired on at Southwest Airli­nes in Baltimore. Fraser says he’s excited about the direction of the territory.

“As a leader in the Air Transport Territory I am extremely proud of the work that Districts 141 and 142 have done,” said Fraser. ‘The leaders of those districts have embraced the growth of the districts and put the members first. With our help, from Headquarters, we’ve been able to support them 100%.”

Recent union victories include organizing wins at Qantas Airlines, PSA Airlines, multiple Swissport locations, Atlantic Aviation and Unifi Aviation, wins that have uplifted the lives of hundreds of workers. A large-scale victory of note took place in 2020 when the IAM negotiated a new contract for I0,000 union members at American Airlines, including Kenny Geis, a member and grievance committee chair at Local 1903M at Charlotte International Airport in North Carolina. Geis, who helped negotiate the contract, has been in the airline industry for 40 years, raised a family with three kids and says !AM Air Transport is enhancing lives across the country.

“It was an industry-leading contract in pay, but more importantly in benefits. By far, the IAM gave us the best contract for work rules and scope of lan­ guage. Just recently, the company did a percentage rate increase to bring us back to the top of the industry as far as pay, and we keep all of our bene­ fits. That was huge,” said Geis, who works at American as a line aircraft inspector, testing for cra­ cks and corrosion in planes. “Not only are we the highest paid in the industry, we have the best benefits. That helps me and my family on a daily basis. As far as our medical, dental and eye coverage, I believe it’s the best in the industry and it’s all because of the IAM and the negotiating it did.”

DISTRICT 141: A POWERHOUSE FOR AIRLINE WORKERS

A decade ago, IAM District 141 had 23,000 members. Now, under the guidance of President and Directing Chairman Mike Klemm, it has increased in size to 41,000 members, 14 con­ tracts, and a budget that has tripled over IO years. Klemm, who became an IAM member in 1992, while working on the ramp for United Airlines at JFK Airport in New York, credits the district’s success to organizing, building relationships with members, rolling out an award-winning website, increasing safety standards on the shop floor, and updated training for members and shop stewards.

“I feel very lucky. I couldn’t have done it without the support of the incredible members, especially at JFK Airport where 1 got my start, and the Executive Board,” said Klemm, who says his IAM membership has helped him provide a good life for his wife and two daughters. “If I didn’t have a strong team, I wouldn’t be able to be here. I never forget that, and I always make sure I keep in touch with my membership. I always work on improving their lives through the collective bar­ gaining agreements that I negotiate.”

Growth at District 141 is also contributing to the communities it serves by supporting non-profit organizations at the local and national level.

“We raised and donated at least $250,000 to the IAM Disaster Relief Fund. We felt like we were in a good monetary situation where we could contribute to the IAM and its members in need. We are certainly proud of that,” said Klemm. “We also give to Guide Dogs of America I Tender Loving Canines and even schools with kids that are less fortunate who have trouble finding school supplies. We also do Santa Clause gift runs during Christmas.”

Members on a local level have high praises for the leadership and direction within IAM District 141. Marcello Serrao, IAM Local 1322 Commit­ tee Chair, who’s worked as a ramp serviceman at busy New York area airports for decades, says it’s refreshing to see top district representatives rou­tinely communicate with members and listen to their concerns.

“It ‘s a great experience. It ‘s so necessary to have that relationship with the members,” said Serrao, a resident of Long Island. “There’s been such a change, more transparency, and what an improvement. It’s really good to see. In the past, you felt like you didn’t get a lot of information. It was very stagnant. But now there ‘s more updates on the website, more emails and people can keep track of what’s going on.”

DISTRICT 142: RISING RAPIDLY TO SERVE IAM MEMBERS

IAM District 142 has also experienced a rapid rise, increasing its membership in recent years from 16,000 to 20,000, with 36 contracts at 20 companies. District President and Directing Chairman John Coveny took over in 2022, after rising through the union ranks for years, with stops in Upstate New York, Pittsburgh and now Arizona.

“The union is where I truly belong. Once I got involved with the union, that became my passion, and my desire,” said Coveny. “It’s a 24/7, 365 job. I love what I do. I live, eat and sleep this union because I believe in it that much.”

After his installation, Coveny immediately moved district headquarters from Kansas City to Phoenix, where more IAM members resided. He and his staff also utilized social media with Facebook, X (For­mally known as Twitter), lnstagram and TikTok. Coveny and his staff reenergized organizing cam­paigns, streamlined technology and promoted diver­sity within the ranks.

“We’ve established an organizing committee, a women’s committee, a young workers committee,” said Coveny. “We also put in place new dues processing software.”

Coveny, who joined the union in 1988 as a mechanic at US Airways in Buffalo, N.Y., is passio­nate about the TAM because it has given him and his family a better quality of life. Strong union contracts and salaries over the years gave Coveny the ability to pay college tuition for his three children, and also hike, bike and enjoy time off with his wife of 37 years.

“The purpose of the union is to provide a reaso­nable living for the members. I truly stand by every contract that we’ve negotiated,” said Coveny. “We lead the industry in almost every contract we’ve negotiated.”

Coveny is also committed to mentoring a new generation of IAM leaders at the district. Nearing retirement, Coveny says he’s excited about a new generation of District 142 representatives who can build on the foundation, he and his staff, have laid.

“It’s very important to me, that people who are younger and help push them forward, so when folks who are in office today leave, somebody is ready to fill that role,” said Coveny.

Steve Oheme is a member of IAM Local 1976 in Pittsburgh who joined the union in 1986 as a mechanic at United Airlines. He says new district leadership has boosted communication with mem­bership, fought for lucrative collective bargaining agreements and pressured airlines to protect IAM mechanics by maintaining stricter safety standards in aircraft hangers.

‘They’re doing a fantastic job. They keep us up to date. We are better than we were. It’s amazing. And it’s a great deal,” said Oheme, who works as a crew chief and supervisor of 16 mechanics. ‘There is a big push for safety that wasn’t there before. They make sure we get all the tools, supplies and anything we need, like eyewear and hearing protection. The district pushes the company to supply that stuff. It’s good knowing that they fought for us. I feel secure. It’s awesome.”

Industry-leading IAM contracts, negotiated by District 142, have helped members like Oheme to thrive. As his four-decade career winds down, he’s proud of raising two children with his wife of 40 years, and enjoys hobbies like pickleball, skiing, mountain biking and golfing, a way of life that embo­dies the success and mission of the district, and the IAM Air Transport Territory as a whole.

“I want us to continue to grow and I want these Districts to be larger and stronger,” said IAM Air Transport Territory Chief of Staff Edison Fraser.

IAM Air Transport has set ambitious goals for 2025 and beyond. The union is gaining ground in two large organizing campaigns, 20,000 ramp and cargo workers at Delta Air Lines, and 3,000 ramp workers at JetBlue Airways, and is aggressively organizing the ground handling sector across the United Sta­tes. Leadership believes it will win those campaigns, grow the territory and continue to boost the quality of life for aviation workers, and their families, across the country.

“I feel like we set the standard. No one does what we do. I feel like we lead the way and it’s our job to lead the way. Were big, we’re progressive and we’re diverse,” said General Vice President Johnsen. “We move people and cargo. Without air transportation, the economy stops. It shuts down. There is no eco­nomy without us taking care of the passengers and the cargo This 1s an exciting time “

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