TWU LOCAL 576 STATION MEETING
                                                                   04/08/09
ATTENDEES: 
Gary Hill, President
Barry Arbelius, 1st Vice President
Matt Smith, Treasurer
Pam Nowell, Recording Secretary
David Ortiz, Board Member at Large
Keith Carpenter, Board Member at Large
Andre Lafabregue, Board Member at Large

I. MEDIATION  UPDATE:

 First mediation last month:

1. Met with mediator first day.  We expressed to him what we wanted.  2nd day we met with the company and mediator.
2. Got to Article 10 – we submitted proposal  to the company, waited for a rebuttal from company.  We told Jose we have not received a rebuttal  in writing.  Mediator asked the company if they were prepared to submit a written rebuttal.  Mediator was not happy with company response.   Mediator was able to witness how the company has acted during negotiations. Mediator told the company to submit their rebuttal;  took the company 5 hours.
3. Company decided they no longer want to eliminate the tech crew chief;  they do still want to combine  coordinator and crew chiefs.
4. 04/14 union will meet, 04/15 union will meet with company and try to TA Article 10.
5. Last week of April union, company and mediator will meet.
6. (Gary went to training for TWU Presidents to organize their informational displays.)
7. 04/14 TWU will picket at headquarters.
8. (Gary will find out what time.)   04/15 all executives will get all their bonuses. 

II. GENERAL DISCUSSION:

Meeting with Mike T:

• Gary and Jose  met with Mike T to discuss management practices at DFW.   “The Camels Back is   about to break from stress level at DFW”.  6 months Otis gave us a list of all the things he was going to change at DFW.  Only changes Otis has made to date have been policy changes to make things harder for the workers and beat down morale.  
• Mike T called for a meeting with Gary,  Otis, Barry.  Doc was supposed to be there; he did not show up.  Mike T gave Gary written response to issues discussed.
• We were the only base where management has been having trouble trying to convert sick time to vacation.  
• Discussed people being able to swap vacation slots.  Jimmy has been denying vacation swaps.  Gary said we need to get a witness and  get in writing when Jimmy denies anything. 
• Parts, tooling and manpower needs to be fixed.   
• 3 minute rule;  there is no 3 minute rule across the system.  Regardless, DFW base has had  the 3 minute rule for years.  (Past practice)  Company and union agreed workers should not abuse the 3 minute rule by swiping in 3 minutes late every day.   (3 minute rule started with ramp.)  
• Workers being sent home before investigation is started;  get sent home and then company does not communicate with the person daily.  Was agreed with union and company the person who had been sent home would be contacted daily.
• Process being done incorrectly;  i.e. confidentiality statements being given to workers to sign a week or 2 after investigation has started. 
• Question was asked what recourse do we have when the company does not follow procedure?  Grievances should be filed.
•  Gary told Mike T they keep giving us more responsibilities without giving us the resources to do  the job.   (Very bad for morale)
• Mike T wants Gary and Barry to go to the meeting with all the supervisors.

Shift Bids:

• We  are going to have pre-bid boxes for pre-bids to be put in.  Jimmy will be responsible for pre-bids. 
• Jimmy has been taking the pre-bids out of the box  and repositioning to his office.  Pre-bids were witnessed on Jimmys’ desk 04/07/09.
• Gary suggested to Mike T to make Kim a level 3 and let her do Jimmys’ job.

Schedule

Mike T told Otis to put everybody on 5/2 , (for headcount coverage.)   Gary told Mike T if they go 5/2 we are not going to help them with bid.   Company agreed to 4/3 schedule.

• Parts:

Gary has asked repeatedly for a ratio of parts clerks to mechanics. Mike T is not over parts, but he should share the parts needs with his equal.  Parts management is supposed to participate in future meetings.  (Pam has been asking for Parts management to participate in Round Table since the meetings  started.)   Mtx has people to oversee and try to improve “daily” operations.  Parts does not have this input.  CI events are started, but the daily operational needs are not recognized.

• Pam is scheduled to meet with KP 04/09 to discuss TDY policy.

Round Tables:  Starting tomorrow, 04/09, we will be having Round Table meetings every 2 weeks.

• Tomorrow we will be discussing pay issues.
• Parts management will not be at Round Table tomorrow, but they will be at the Round Table in 2 weeks.  (04/23/09)

LAX:  we have a new station chairman from ORD.  (He used to be Recording Secretary).

• Arbitration case June 10th over taxi/run.  LAX saying you have to have taxi/run to bid day shift.

Company disregarding contract more and more.   Jose sent email to Mike T.

• GSE:   Their management is not allowing workers to go to other bases if they do not have a badge for that base.
• When they go on road trips and turn in expenses, it takes 3-4 weeks for them to get their money back.   We are working on verbiage in contract negotiations for per diem for road  trips.

• SGF:  They are taking verbiage out of the road trip policy in reference to oncoming shift getting priority for road trips.

• MTX Road Trip Policy:  We have given the company our proposal.  Jimmy has been given the task of submitting counter.

• Rumor of Union Agreement:   Gary said if management says the union has agreed to something, if it’s not posted in the union board then he did not agree to it.

• Minutes:  Round Table minutes will be posted in the union board.

• Pins and portfolios  given to shop stewards.