Memorial Day Statement by Division Director David Bourne

Airline Division Director Captain David Bourne has released the following statement today:

“Today is a special day in our nation. It is the day that we are all asked to stop and reflect on the service and sacrifices of our fellow citizens who have answered the call of service and put on the uniform of our nation to protect the rights and freedoms we all hold so dear.

Many of those men and women paid the ultimate sacrifice on battlefields far away from our shores to allow us this day we celebrate with cookouts and other activities. Many returned home to their families and jobs and many returned carrying the scars of battles fought.

Today, on this day of such significance, I hope that you will join with me and the rest of the Airline Division as we pause on this Memorial Day 2013 to honor the fallen and those who have returned home. Take a moment to shake a hand and say thank you. Stand and offer them a salute. We as Teamsters have much to be thankful for, on this of all days, let us share that with our veterans.”

Division Director’s Statement in Recognition of National AMT Day

In recognition of National AMT day May 24^th, Airline Division Director David Bourne released the following:

“On this day, I urge everyone to take a moment to recognize the hard work and professionalism that our Teamster Aviation Mechanics whose dedication to professionalism and excellence are the cornerstone of our industry. Day in and day out, you are the front line when it comes to aviation safety.  It is your vigilance and attention to detail that keeps passengers and crews safe when they travel. As part of the TAMC you continue to expose the dangers of outsourcing maintenance and fight to bring work back in house and. I commend you for a job well done”.

ExpressJet Negotiations Update

Contract negotiations were resumed on May 21^st through 23^rd with the federal mediator in Washington, D.C. at the offices of the National Mediation Board.

The session was productive, with agreement reached on a universal call out process that will be incorporated into the contract Section on Overtime. Very constructive discussions and exchanged proposals on Vacation and while not concluded, progress was made in improving the vacation process.

The mediator set dates for the upcoming months and negotiations will resume on June 6^th and 7^th in Philadelphia.

Cape Air Announces New CAO, President, adds Additional Aircraft to Fleet

The recent appointment of Linda Markham as the new Chief Administrative Officer and President of Cape Air has brought further focus to the New England based carrier. Taking the reins of the carrier who was recently singled out as one of the eight “Best Small Airlines” in North America by smartertravel.com, Markham is bringing her years of experience at the airline to bear in all aspects of the operation.

“I’m look forward to good things for Cape Air under her leadership,” said Captain Marilyn Rhude, ExCo President of the Cape Air pilots; who are members of Local 1224. “She is open minded and we have a very amicable working relationship.”

Other good news for the carrier and its pilots came with the announcement of new airplanes joining the fleet. Three new twin engined, nine passenger Britten-Norman Islanders have been added to supplement the carriers Caribbean operations. The unique capabilities of the aircraft will be apparent as the carrier begins service to both Virgin Gorda and Culebra in December, timed for their busy counter seasonal Caribbean service.

This Week in Air Safety

Earlier this month, Teamsters Local 1224 conducted “Go-Team” training at IBT headquarters in Washington, D.C. Nearly forty members from across Local 1224 and the Airline Division attended this session.

Day one of training began with NTSB Board member Dr. Mark Rosekind welcoming the class with a one hour presentation on how the NTSB and union employee groups work cooperatively following an aircraft accident, with a focus on how our members participate in an accident investigation.

Following a question and answer session with Dr. Rosekind; a session on blood borne pathogens was presented by IBT Industrial Hygienist, Enjoli DeGrasse. Students were all given the information required to guide them in protecting themselves from blood-borne pathogens during the course of an investigation. Day one concluded with former NTSB Investigator, Greg Feith, who provided a very dynamic presentation on how aircraft accidents are investigated.

Day two of training opened with Local 1224 President, Captain Daniel Wells, and Vice President, Captain Mark Niles, welcoming students to this year’s Go-Team Initial Training. Members attending from other locals took the opportunity to thank Dan and Mark for making the session to other locals. After the opening remarks; John Delisi, Director of the NTSB Office of Aviation Safety, spoke with students for more than an hour on a variety of aviation safety subjects.

Kalitta Air pilot and Local 1224 Go-Team Chairman, Captain Daniel Garner next presented a focused briefing on the Kalitta accidents in Brussels, Belgium and Bogota, Columbia.  Both incidents showed the group real-world examples of the type of investigation in which IBT members could end up participating in. Following the presentation, Greg Feith returned to finish up the initial training session with varied discussions on the many different situations that can occur in the course of a union member participating in an NTSB investigation.

The training was viewed as a complete success by those involved. The students were given the tools necessary to participate in an NTSB investigation and thanks go out to all who helped make the session a reality. An advanced Go-Team training class is currently under consideration and will possibly be scheduled for November. 

Airline Industry News

Governmental and Regulatory

Anthony Foxx, President Barack Obama's nominee for transportation secretary, is scheduled to go before lawmakers to respond to questions before his nomination can be approved and voted upon. He is the mayor of Charlotte, N.C., and formerly served as a lawyer in the Justice Department and was a House Judiciary Committee staffer. His confirmation hearing will begin Wednesday.

Airlines, Labor and Industry

USAirways is offering enhanced equipment trust certificates for about $100 million.

Boeing CEO Jim McNerney said the aircraft manufacturer is back to work on two new versions of its 777X.

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