September 24th, 2020

IAM CALLS ON REPUBLIC AIRWAYS MANAGEMENT TO RESTORE MECHANICS 40 HOUR WORK WEEK

The IAM today calls on Republic Airways management to do the right thing and restore AMTs’ 40 hour work week. Republic management accepted nearly $206 million of federal aid in May. Even though the terms and conditions of the CARES Act explicitly mandated that airline workers’ employment, pay and benefits not be cut, Republic management exploited a loophole and cut AMT hours. Any way you slice it, this amounted to a pay and benefit cut (401k programs are tied to earnings).

The IAM fought against these hours cuts on Capitol Hill and in federal court, and airlines in which IAM members are employed all backed down from any plans to cut employee hours. Republic management, however, received funds based on employee earnings from 4/1/19 to 9/30/19 and then cut AMT’s pay. This was and remains a dirty deal at the expense of Republic AMTs and other Republic workers.

The IAM informed key elected officials months ago regarding what we believe was a perversion of the intent of the CARES Act. The IAM is leading the push for an extension of the Payroll Support Program (PSP) component of the CARES Act to March 31, 2021. The PSP will be part of any pandemic relief legislation and the IAM, as well as other airline unions, are pressing Congress to act before next Thursday. Negotiations are heating up again and the PSP is a real possibility to be re-upped.

The IAM will keep fighting for what’s right and Republic Airways management needs to get in compliance and restore AMT’s 40 hour work week.

PRINT AND DISTRIBUTE THE FLYER.
 

---