Local 512

January 17, 2026

My fellow 512 family,

As we move into Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, it’s important to remember that Dr. King’s legacy is deeply connected to the labor movement and to unions like the Transport Workers Union of America.

Dr. King firmly believed that civil rights and workers’ rights are inseparable. He often said that dignity on the job, fair wages, and safe working conditions were civil rights issues. That belief placed him side by side with organized labor throughout his life.

The Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) was one of the unions that stood publicly and unapologetically for civil rights during a time when doing so carried real risk. From its early years, TWU fought against discrimination in hiring, pay, and promotion, and pushed for integrated locals and leadership when segregation was still the norm across much of the country. TWU understood that an injury to one is an injury to all, on the job and in society.

As we honor Dr. King this Monday, we do more than remember his words; we recommit ourselves to his unfinished work. Every contract fight, every safety issue raised, and every stand taken for dignity and respect at work carries forward the same principles he lived and died for.

Delta announced it will distribute about $1.3 billion in profit sharing to employees in 2025. That payout equates to roughly 8.9% of eligible annual earnings. Three major reasons profit sharing at American has been far lower than at Delta: American earns far less profit as a percentage of revenue, which limits the pool available to share with employees.

American’s formula traditionally allocates a smaller share of profits to the employee pool than Delta’s.

Because American Airlines outsources fewer roles, its profit-sharing pool is divided among more eligible employees, reducing the per-person amount.

The company’s profitability challenges stem from a mix of strategic, operational, and structural issues compared with competitors like Delta and United.

In a recent meeting with Facility Maintenance management, several issues regarding the H15 and H17 jet bridges and the work that needs to be addressed were discussed. At the conclusion of the meeting, management advised that Facility Maintenance will move forward with limited roof patching. However, all other items, including jet bridge carpet replacement and certain paneling repairs, will be tabled and reconsidered at a later date, possibly after the summer season. 

During our weekly meeting, several issues were discussed, including the operations at Chicago O’Hare (ORD). Management outlined an expected increase in flights for the upcoming spring and summer seasons, along with the company’s effort to recapture gates previously lost to United Airlines. 

We raised concerns regarding the current lack of necessary ground equipment, including tractors and carts, and questioned how the company plans to address these shortages in the coming weeks as flight volume increases. Additionally, we expressed concern that the distribution of work appears to be coming full circle, with operational practices reverting to methods that differ from those successfully implemented in years past. These changes continue to impact the efficiency of daily operations.

TWU Local 512 has created it’s own Safety Reporting App and it is in the testing phase and hopefully will be introduced to our members in the beginning of February for a station-wide download.

Sincerely and fraternally,

Juan Elvira 

President – TWU Local 512

TWU Local 512 is proud to announce the Local 512 app for your smartphone is available for download in the Apple store and the Google play store.
 click the iTunes or Google Play logos below to download the app today!