Machinists Express Serious Safety Concerns at House Aviation Hearing – March 22, 2007 - International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. today testified before the Aviation Sub-Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on the subject of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operational and safety programs.  “Since 9-11, airline workers have sacrificed their wages, pensions, work rules and thousands of jobs in order to rescue the airline industry,” said Roach. “Industry conditions have imposed great burdens on workers as carriers compete to reduce costs. Such an extraordinary focus on the bottom line demands more, not less, government oversight.”  Roach urged the Committee to resolve jurisdictional conflicts between the National Mediation Board and the National Labor Relations Board; address Flight Attendant fatigue and self-defense training issues and correct the lack of Flight Attendant workplace health and safety regulations. Roach also called for improved oversight of overseas aircraft repair stations and urged lawmakers to reject proposals to allow increased foreign ownership and control of U.S. airlines.  The IAM is the largest airline union in North America, representing more than 100,000 airline employees in almost every classification, including Flight Attendant, Mechanic & Related, Fleet Service, Customer Service and Reservation Agents.

IAM To Sponsor Second Flight Attendant Conference – After the positive response to last year’s first-ever Flight Attendant Conference, the IAM has announced that it will sponsor a second conference April 10^th through April 13^th, 2007, at the IAM William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in Hollywood, MD.  Participants will include your Local Lodge Officers and Grievance Committee Members as well as any flight attendant members who want to attend on a voluntary basis.  Transportation to and from the conference will be provided along with meals and lodging.  Topics at the conference will include contract familiarization, the Family Medical Leave Act and the history of the Union movement in America.  If you would like to attend please contact your Local Lodge President as soon as possible so we can plan for the number of interested participants.  We look forward to seeing you!

Local Lodge 2339G has requested and been granted permission to change their normal meeting date for March due to a scheduling conflict involving their meeting room at the Guam International Airport.  The meeting date for March will be Wednesday, March 28^th, at 4:00 pm in the Airport Conference Room.  LL2339G represents the Flight Attendants at Continental Micronesia.

Local Lodge 2339N has been granted permission to change their April business meeting date to April 3^rd, from April 10^th, due to a scheduling conflict with the Flight Attendant Conference being held April 10^th through 13^th, 2007.  The business meeting information has been up-dated at the end of this message to reflect the change.

Local Lodge 2339C has been granted permission to change their April business meeting date to April 19^th, from April 12^th, due to a scheduling conflict with the Flight Attendant Conference being held April 10^th through 13^th, 2007.  The business meeting information has been up-dated at the end of this message to reflect the change.

Get Ready for the Day of Action – The IAM Transportation Department is preparing for a major March and Rally on May 17, 2007, in Washington, DC. Thousands of working men and women from every state of the Union will join us on that day to say “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”  For more information, visit 17may07.org

Continental Has No Plans To Merge, CEO Says – Continental Airlines has no plans to merge with another airline as long as the industry remains in its current state, CEO Larry Kellner said Wednesday.  "My general belief is that if the industry stays as it is, we don't see huge benefits in consolidation for us," Kellner said.  "We are very well-positioned competitively."

UAL CFO: Airline Still Supports Industry Consolidation – United Airlines is still a proponent of airline industry consolidation, says Chief Financial Officer Jake Brace.  However, he said it remains to be seen whether any U.S. airlines will move to merge as early as this year.

Carriers Employ Fewer Workers In January – Fewer people worked for U.S. airlines in January compared with the same month in 2006, according to government statistics.  The carriers employed 403,300 workers in January, down from 405,500 last year.  The decline is the smallest since December 2004.