News

Putting Health and Safety First in the COVID-19 Era

It’s been a year since the global COVID-19 pandemic began turning our industry and our lives upside down, and CWA airline agents have been on the front lines at stations across the country. Recently we had a chance to talk to some American and Piedmont agents who have been in the trenches, dealing with COVID-19 and other health and safety issues.

Education Scholarships for 250 Airline Agents

A total of 250 passenger service agents received scholarships from the CWA National Education and Training Trust CWA/NETT) in the past few months. The agents took advantage of the funds to pursue new knowledge and brush up on valuable skills.

Tell Your Senators: EXTEND PSP NOW!

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the American Rescue Plan, which includes extension of the Payroll Support Program (PSP) through September 30, 2021. It's now time to make sure the Senate passes the bill to maintain our jobs before PSP expires in mid-March!

An Envoy Steward's Story: Supporting Members at ORD

Delvorie Meighan has been a passenger service agent for Envoy Airlines at ORD in Chicago for five years and is now a steward. She has shared a story about a successful grievance procedure for a member at O’Hare who was disciplined for failing an aircraft search.

"We Wear the Same Uniform. Let's Stand Up for Each Other."

“We work for the same corporation, and we wear the same uniform, so let's stand up for each other,” says Carolyn Marsalek, a thirty-year veteran of the busy American Airlines ORD station and vice president of CWA Local 4201.

Agents at Below the Wing Stations Stay Strong

As you may have heard, Envoy management is taking the position that below the wing employees (Station Agents and Cabin Appearance Agents) at four stations are no longer eligible to be part of the CWA/agent bargaining unit. The stations are CLE, MEM, RSW and SMF. Agents at these stations continue to work on the ramp, aircraft and in the BSO, as they did at the time of the union organizing and election, but have lost the ticket counter and gate work. Envoy is using this change to try to narrow the union’s coverage to just the BSO staff at these four stations.

Envoy Air Bargaining Update, January 12, 2017

For the first bargaining session of 2017, the CWA Bargaining Team met with the Envoy Bargaining Committee on January 11, 12, and 13. The meeting moved quickly to address substantive proposals.

Assaulting an airport gate agent can now lead to major prison time

From the LA Times on our victory against Agent assaults: As airlines report increased violent incidents caused by unruly passengers, the federal government has ruled that anyone who assaults an airport ticket agent will face the same fines and prison time as if they had attacked a Transportation Security Administration agent or other law enforcement officer.

"This is a huge victory... something we've done for all airport employees!"

Our voice was heard! The Department of Justice and the Department of Transportation agree with our interpretation of the original intent of the statute regarding passenger rage in airports. CWA originally brought this issue to then Senator Kerry in 2002 with clear language that should have applied to all airport employees with security duties. The language was subsequently interpreted to only apply to law enforcement personnel and TSA employees.

Envoy Agents Join Historic Fight for $15 Conference

On the weekend of August 13-14, Kala Saxon (LAW) and Marie Gage (ORD) attended the historic first Fight for $15 Convention in Richmond, Virginia. Kala and Marie joined thousands of hard-working men and women in calling for a fair wage and an economy that works for everyone, not just the 1 percent. The workers marched through the former Confederate capital to emphasize that the fight for economic and racial justice are forever linked.  

Envoy Agents Update: More Stewards Trained and Bargaining Progresses

Over the past few months the Envoy bargaining team has seen some steady progress in working toward a first contract for agents. At the most recent meeting, September 14-15, CWA and the company agreed on the System Board of Adjustment to make sure cases unresolved through the Grievance Procedure are sent to a neutral party for resolution. Full details of the meeting are here. The bargaining team will be back at the table October 20-21.