| Welcome to the Local 6001 website for American Airlines and American Eagle Agents seeking union representation on the job. |
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Since the merger of American Airlines and TWA our agent workforce has shrunk over 50%. We are the customers first point of contact. We sell the seats, upgrades, Admirals Club memberships, collect baggage and ticketing fees, and assist our customers during normal and off scheduled operations, yet we are the ONLY front line group at American Airlines without a contract or a voice on the job. Although we are responsible for the revenues that keep the company going, we have lost the largest percentage of employees than any other work group at American Airlines. We have lost jobs to automation and outsourcing, at both the airports and reservations. We have no contractual protections, like agents at many of our competitors, that preserve jobs and offer retraining for the jobs that go along with new technology and automation. We are the only front line group at American Airlines without a voice on the job. We are responsible for more and more duties at every turn. Agents at airports are working flights alone and dealing with long lines every day. Airport agents are reporting that customer service is suffering tremendously because there are not enough agents to handle the amount of customers who are flying, especially during off scheduled operations. Taking a delay to complete ones duties safely, or getting a bad letter for collecting fees or making a customer adhere to carry on baggage rules are resulting in disciplinary action across the system. When this happens we don't have a non-bias means of dealing with grievances like the represented employees in every other work group. Eight reservations offices have closed since our last union election. Agents with "job protection" and "location protection" have been forced to move or have been offered home based jobs only to find that even with 30 years seniority these jobs come with the new pay and benefits or lack of. Reservations offices have cut their hours because more and more customers are booking on-line. We have no contractual protections, like some other airlines, that limit the number of home based low pay, minimal benefit jobs. Without a union the company doesn't have to honor seniority for shifts and vacations. Home Based workers and RWR employees in reservations may never see a raise in pay and benefits without a contract. They already have no set years to reach maximum pay Close to 20% of our jobs in reservations now fall under these categories. As this number increases it could make it harder to organize a union. The most notable problem with our jobs is the fact that we don't have a collective voice. A voice that would result in a legally binding contract that we ourselves would negotiate, with the company and vote on as a group. Delta management, in a recent newspaper story, boasted about how well bankruptcy has worked for them. If American, like the rest of the major carriers have already done, ever files for bankruptcy protection we wouldn't have representation in court without a union. Unions can work just as well in bad times as they can in good times. Agents at unionized airlines have been able to negotiate concessions with the guarantees that some or most of what they gave up will be returned. A collective voice also ensures that we are part of the process and we vote on what works best for the majority of us as a whole. Focus groups, EAC, and AAB are good things, but they certainly aren't platforms for us to negotiate pay, benefits, and wages collectively, in the form of a legally binding contract. Work rules, pay, and benefits can be changed without discussion or negotiating until we have union representation. |
| If you haven't signed a union interest card this year, please do so by clicking on "Union Interest Card" on the Navigation bar on the left. The card will be sent directly to our email. This will ensure that you receive union updates. In order to move forward with another election we need to assess our support and have updated info to keep you in the loop. If you want to fill out a paper card, send us a message by clicking on "Contact Us". |
| Association of Passenger Service Agents C.W.A. Local 6001 |
| This website is maintained by the Association of Passenger Service Agents/CWA Local 6001 and is for passenger service employees at American Airlines who want union representation and collective bargaining rights. This website is not endorsed by American Airlines. Web Hosting by Yahoo! |
| Association of Passenger Service Agents CWA Local 6001 1001 W. Euless Blvd., Suite 204 Euless, TX 76040 cwa4aa@sbcglobal.net 817-868-9933 |
| What's Happening to Our Jobs? |
| Link to our Facebook page by clicking the above logo. Discussion Boards are available to agents on our Facebook page. |
| UPDATES: Industry News (Feb 1) Home Page (Feb 01) American Eagle Page (Feb 1) NMB/Legal News -- (Feb 1) |
| Grievance Note: Remember ONLY the agent is held to time limits on grievance issues. Until you have a union representing you this will NOT change. Some agents have waited over 4 months to meet with management on some grievances. They can be late, you can't. |
You have the right to a witness if you are
meeting with a management member to
discuss anything that could possibly end
up leading to disciplinary action. ALWAYS
take a witness with you.
meeting with a management member to
discuss anything that could possibly end
up leading to disciplinary action. ALWAYS
take a witness with you.
| Find out more about the Procedural Manual Change that has been requested. See the Q & A on NMB Page. CLICK HERE TO SEE Q&A. |
The National Mediation Board completed their public
hearing in Washington, DC for rule changes that will
include YES/NO votes in airline and railroad
employees union elections. The public comment
period is open for a little while longer.
Click on the NMB and Legal news page to sign the
petition, for public comment, that will be forwarded to
the NMB.
If we want a fair chance at winning our union election
we need to ensure the proposed changes are
adopted by the NMB.
The Chamber of Commerce and Delta Airlines
showed up to fight the changes. In addition the other
airlines sent the Air Transportation Association to fight
the proposed changes. It is time to have our voice
heard. Tell the NMB that you want a fair election
process.
Click here to sign the petition:
http://www.apsa6001.org/NMBandLegalNews.html
hearing in Washington, DC for rule changes that will
include YES/NO votes in airline and railroad
employees union elections. The public comment
period is open for a little while longer.
Click on the NMB and Legal news page to sign the
petition, for public comment, that will be forwarded to
the NMB.
If we want a fair chance at winning our union election
we need to ensure the proposed changes are
adopted by the NMB.
The Chamber of Commerce and Delta Airlines
showed up to fight the changes. In addition the other
airlines sent the Air Transportation Association to fight
the proposed changes. It is time to have our voice
heard. Tell the NMB that you want a fair election
process.
Click here to sign the petition:
http://www.apsa6001.org/NMBandLegalNews.html
| National Mediation Board Completes Public Hearings on December 7th. |
| The following videos provide information about the proposed changes to NMB rules for a YES/NO ballot and a fair union election process for airline employees. |
| Time is running out Have you signed the petition to the national mediation board supporting a yes/no ballot? If not, go to the NMB/LEGAL NEWS page and sign the petition today! |
| Click below to read letters of support from Washington. |
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Go to the NMB and Legal news page to read
the letter, signed by officers of Local 6001,
that was sent to the National Mediation
Board along with over 650 letters and
petition signatures in favor of the proposed
fair union election process to include a
YES/NO ballot.
Thanks to the agents who signed the
petitions and sent letters with short notice.
Thousands of agents at American Airlines
and American Eagle want a fair chance at
securing a voice on the job and union
representation. If you haven't yet signed a
petition, please do so on the NMB/Legal
News link to the left.
A decision by the National Mediation Board
is expected early February.
Check back for updates.
the letter, signed by officers of Local 6001,
that was sent to the National Mediation
Board along with over 650 letters and
petition signatures in favor of the proposed
fair union election process to include a
YES/NO ballot.
Thanks to the agents who signed the
petitions and sent letters with short notice.
Thousands of agents at American Airlines
and American Eagle want a fair chance at
securing a voice on the job and union
representation. If you haven't yet signed a
petition, please do so on the NMB/Legal
News link to the left.
A decision by the National Mediation Board
is expected early February.
Check back for updates.
| MANDATORY OVERTIME |
Of course with the company using computer programs to
staff airports for the perfect operation, more and more
mandatory overtime and PTE's are being used.
Mandatory overtime is handled in many different fashions
around the system and this is one more area that is
heavily affected by "Local Procedures."
The company can do what they want and use the "Local
Procedure" excuse for anything as long as it doesn't
conflict with Federal or Local Labor Laws.
Recently we heard from agents at LAX that in some cases
on the night shift, management has gone to the extent of
forcing overtime by calling employee buses, with agents
who have signed out from their shifts, back to the terminal
before reaching the employee parking lot. Once the bus
returns to the terminal, management forces overtime to
cover off scheduled operations.
Mandatory overtime is a contractual item. With a union
contract we can and will negotiate terms of mandatory
overtime. Contractual agreements can include forcing
overtime by juniority, and rotating the list so it doesn't hit
the same employees each time. In addition, penalty pay
can be negotiated. For example, if we negotiate a 2 hour
notice and you don't receive it, a penalty hour of work free
time would be paid in addition to the overtime.
If contracts are not adhered to by the company, the
grievance procedure is available and could lead to a
neutral third party arbitration.
staff airports for the perfect operation, more and more
mandatory overtime and PTE's are being used.
Mandatory overtime is handled in many different fashions
around the system and this is one more area that is
heavily affected by "Local Procedures."
The company can do what they want and use the "Local
Procedure" excuse for anything as long as it doesn't
conflict with Federal or Local Labor Laws.
Recently we heard from agents at LAX that in some cases
on the night shift, management has gone to the extent of
forcing overtime by calling employee buses, with agents
who have signed out from their shifts, back to the terminal
before reaching the employee parking lot. Once the bus
returns to the terminal, management forces overtime to
cover off scheduled operations.
Mandatory overtime is a contractual item. With a union
contract we can and will negotiate terms of mandatory
overtime. Contractual agreements can include forcing
overtime by juniority, and rotating the list so it doesn't hit
the same employees each time. In addition, penalty pay
can be negotiated. For example, if we negotiate a 2 hour
notice and you don't receive it, a penalty hour of work free
time would be paid in addition to the overtime.
If contracts are not adhered to by the company, the
grievance procedure is available and could lead to a
neutral third party arbitration.
| LINK TO NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD TO READ UP ON THE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING CHANGES |