On May 17, Raise Your Voice For Change – The 2007 IAMAW Day of Action, on May 17 in Washington, D.C., will be a historic opportunity for transportation workers to deliver a loud and clear message to our government and our nation: “Enough is enough!”  Too many pensions have been savaged.  Too many jobs have been outsourced.  Too many workers have been threatened and fired for asserting their right to organize.  On May 17, the world will see and feel our pride as trade unionists, and the world will hear our demands for positive change.  I’ll see you there! – Tom Higginbotham, District 142 President and Directing General Chairperson.

Presidential Candidates To Join ‘Day Of Action’ – New York Senator Hillary Clinton, Delaware Senator Joe Biden and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich will address the Transportation Department’s 2007 ‘Day of Action’ rally in Washington, D.C., on May 17, 2007.  The rally is aimed at highlighting the sacrifices and contributions of transportation workers worldwide.  “Our goal is to articulate a clear message, ‘Enough is Enough!’ and to do so at the front end of the 2008 presidential election cycle,” said Transportation GVP Robert Roach, Jr., who is coordinating the event.  “Union members have suffered grievously under the current gang that occupies the White House, but on May 17 our members will make their voices heard.”  The day-long rally will begin at 10 a.m. on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. where more than 100,000 union members and representatives of global unions are expected to attend.  Additional information can be found at www.17may07.org.

Continental’s CEO Welcomes Their Newest Flight Attendants – Larry Kellner welcomed 39 new flight attendants to Continental during their graduation ceremony yesterday in Houston.  CAL is currently seeking flight attendants and plans to hire more than 700 in 2007.

Judge Rules For IAM In US Airways Dispute – A U.S. District Court Judge in Virginia granted the IAM’s motion for an injunction to compel US Airways to arbitrate a grievance over contract language that would require automatic wage adjustments upon change in control of the airline.  In 2005, Districts 141 and 142 filed the grievances claiming the US Airways-America West merger resulted in a change of control of US Airways.  The judge also ruled that US Airways could not use the bankruptcy court to block the arbitration and that the merits of the IAM’s grievance must be determined by a neutral arbitrator.  “The IAM has been prepared to present our case before a neutral arbitrator for months, but US Airways refused to attend the original February 26, 2007 arbitration hearing,” said District 142 President and Directing General Chairman Tom Higginbotham. “Management’s attempt to use the bankruptcy court to shield itself from a fair arbitration hearing has only delayed the inevitable and angered the employees who hold the key to the airline’s success.”

Machinists Prevail In NWA Bankruptcy Case – The Machinists Union scored a major bankruptcy court victory this week when Judge Allan Gropper ruled that IAM members at Northwest Airlines (NWA) are entitled to Series C claims against the bankrupt carrier worth $212 million.  The ruling confirms an earlier state court judgment over the carrier’s refusal to repurchase shares of preferred stock issued to IAM members in exchange for pay cuts in 1993. Judge Gropper said he was bound by law to recognize the state court ruling.  “It is rare that such a pre-bankruptcy claim has any value when a company restructures, but the IAM memberships’ strength and solidarity made this victory possible,” said District 143 President and Directing General Chairman Steve Gordon, who credited the solidarity of IAM members at NWA in addition to the dozens of IAM members who packed Judge Gropper’s courtroom for this week’s hearing.