What is OUR union doing????
WASHINGTON, July 27 -- Three transportation organizations announced today the creation of a large aviation labor alliance to combine and coordinate lobbying efforts on airline safety and security. The American Aviation Labor Alliance (AALA) is a formal partnership of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and the Coalition of Airline Pilots Association (CAPA), which represent more than 140,000 aviation workers.
"We are leading the fight that workers care about in the airline industry," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa. "As the American Aviation Labor Alliance, we will speak on the most pressing aviation issues facing our membership and the public with one strong voice."
"The airline industry is under intense financial and competitive pressure and as a result, we believe that security and safety standards are being weakened, said TWU President James C. Little. "Combining our lobbying efforts will allow us to push for legislation that will insure both diligence and vigilance."
"The 28,000 pilots of CAPA want to work with all labor organizations to enhance safety and improve the working conditions of airline employees across our industry," said CAPA President Paul Onorato. "CAPA wants to help provide a flight plan for a successful commercial aviation industry in this country."
The first task for the AALA will be passage of the FAA Reauthorization bill that Congress is expected to finish during the current session. This comprehensive aviation bill deals with a range of issues related to the FAA, including security and safety requirements for overseas repair bases, and rules related to pilot training. In addition to the FAA Reauthorization Bill, bankruptcy reform will be a major focus.
The new alliance is significant because the unions are affiliated with different labor federations or are independent, and they are joining forces to influence labor issues that affect their members and the airline industry as a whole. The AALA will continue to build alliances with other labor organizations in the future.
Here’s what I want to know.
Was ALPA invited to join this? If they were, why did we not? It seems to me that this would have been a great opportunity to join forces and show some labor unity in the airline industry?
Or is there some sort of personal political agenda that our President has that is more important than we are?