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June 10, 2022
RE: AFL-CIO 2022 Convention Appeal/Petition
To the Association M&R and MLS Members:
On May 12, 2022 we three TWU Presidents of Locals 514, 567, and 591, with the support of our Executive Boards, sent the AFL-CIO Convention resolution/appeal proposal site a formal appeal letter, drafted and approved by our collective three Executive Boards. The purpose of this appeal letter was to call upon the AFL-CIO to assist us in solving the vexing problem of the dual-unions within the current TWU-IAM Association. This was explained in much greater detail in the two podcasts which we three TWU Local Presidents posted on our websites. Please take the time to listen to them.
Some have inquired, and there has been much misinformation by a select few on social media, along with some in the IAM, regarding what the response from the AFL-CIO was to those appeal letters. We are posting that AFL-CIO response to our websites. We also want to explain what we saw in that response.
The AFL-CIO declined to enter the appeal letters sent from the Locals onto the official AFL-CIO Convention agenda because Locals within a Union do not have standing at the Convention, only the parent-Union does. That said, in their response, the AFL-CIO acknowledged the issues that we raised, and frankly that was the primary goal and what we wanted in order to set the stage for moving forward. We have also responded to the AFL-CIO to further clarify the problem that was partly their doing because of their persuasion to create the Association.
When we discussed the goals of the appeal letter with all three Executive Boards in person, it was quite clear we all really had no expectations from the AFL-CIO Convention, except to highlight this specific need of our Membership and to get the AFL-CIO to acknowledge our existence and the problem that they helped create in 2013. That the AFL-CIO did acknowledge, and this early collective action is really helping to set the stage for a much bigger discussion this summer when we have not just the majority, but an overwhelming majority, of the blue cards we are collecting.
Some have asked, and some in social media are claiming that in their apparent silence the International Unions are somehow not in agreement with this effort. Let’s clear that falsehood up. TWU President John Samuelsen has made clear time and again that he, unlike some of his predecessors, respects Local Autonomy, and that he will not force his will upon the Membership but will instead listen to that Membership and their elected TWU Local leaders for guidance. Regarding where we are since the TWU Convention request, when asked to just vote this out, IAM President Bob Martinez is reported as saying that he doesn’t see why anything in the Association should change because he’s not hearing any issues from the Members on the floor.
These Blue “WE WANT A VOTE” Cards are your opportunity as Members, in a clear and unified voice, to tell your respective International Union President that YOU WANT A VOTE!
We need your help in providing AFL-CIO President Shuler, TWU President Samuelsen, and IAM President Bob Martinez the clear and unambiguous statement and guidance that the Association MUST be fixed.
Hopefully that clears up the confusion, and that absolutely no decision has been made on the blue cards, because no cards have been presented and no formal discussions have taken place with the AFL-CIO yet. All that was sent was an appeal to their Convention, and we are quite pleased that they both recognized our appeal and are formally aware of the problem.
Don’t be distracted from the goal of demanding the long overdue Membership vote by the few rogue voices in the IAM, or some on social media, who seek to tell us all how to think and/or act. We need to join together as one and use this Blue “WE WANT A VOTE” Card effort to demand the vote that will bring about the necessary change to the Association.
Fraternally,
Please see attachment for signaturs
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