MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

February 5, 2010

Dear Brothers and Sisters:                                          

The Fleet Service and Ground Service Negotiations Committee met with the company on Tuesday February 2, 2010. During this session, the Company passed a comprehensive proposal to your committee. After careful review, your Negotiations Committee determined the proposal did not meet our member's expectations.  Competitive cost controls sought by the company were the primary reason for rejection by the full Negotiations Committee. 

We then prepared a counter proposal that would fulfill the immediate needs of our members. Our counter proposal contained enhancements that the members had requested from their negotiations team. We presented our comprehensive counter proposal to the company on Thursday morning, February 4.  After lunch, we were informed by Federal Mediator Terri Brown, that the company wanted to make a counter proposal in the afternoon.  Their counter provided some movement towards the TWU’s position, but contained cost controls that could be considered concessionary.  The Negotiations Committee rejected the counter proposal (See attachment for that proposal) because it did not meet the basic needs of our members.

After the mediated session adjourned, the TWU Negotiations Committee met with mediator Brown to discuss our next meeting date and location. Mediator Brown informed both sides that our next session would be held March 6 -8 in Washington, D.C. at the offices of the NMB.

The TWU Negotiation Committees agreed to meet the week prior, to formulate counter proposals to the company’s last table position. Your Negotiations Committee agreed that we would post AA's last table position on the website for our members to review. You can find this proposal and all the history of our Negotiations at the TWU Negotiations web site; http://www.twu.org/international/air 
Your Fleet Service and Ground Service committee members would like to thank you, the members, for your continued patience and support during these challenging times. I strongly encourage you to attend your next Union General Membership Meeting to get a complete and real understanding of exactly where we stand with the Company in our Negotiations.

Fraternally, 

Donald F. Tyndall