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Union 101
TWU Local 556 Committees
TWU Local 556 has a number of Committees in place that are intended to benefit our Membership. Some of these Committees are mandated by our International Constitution (COPE, MOB-ORG, Education, etc.) and others are outlined specifically in our Local’s Bylaws (Communications, etc.). There are two different types of Committees: Standing (permanent) and Special (as needed).
STANDING COMMITTEES
After taking office, our Executive Board is tasked with reviewing current Committee Chairperson(s), as well as letters of interest from our Membership. They will then appoint Chairperson/Co-Chairperson(s)/Vice-Chairperson(s) for all our Standing Committees (as outlined in our Local’s Bylaws) for a 3-year term. These Standing Committees are permanent tools established for the betterment of our Membership.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Our Executive Board can approve the addition of a Special Committee as needed. A few examples of more recent Special Committees are the Emergency Sick Call Procedures (ESCP) Committee, Reschedule, Research and Analysis Committee (RAC), and Future Leaders Organizing Committee (FLOC).
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
Each Committee is structured a little differently based on their specific needs. The Chairperson oversees the Committee and is essentially the point person to our Executive Board. If needed, the Committee may have a singular or multiple Co-Chairpersons or Vice Chairpersons, who (along with the Chairperson) will formulate a strategic plan of what they’d like to accomplish during their 3-year term, compose a budget to be presented to our Executive Board for approval, contribute to Union publications (such as Unity Magazine) as needed, and provide our Board a monthly recap of all Committee happenings via their Executive Board liaison. While certain Committees have a fixed number of Members and conduct open calls and scheduled trainings (CISM, Professional Standards, etc.), others are Member-driven and welcome all that are interested in participating (Working Women’s, Civil and Human Rights, etc.). If you are interested in becoming a Member of a certain Committee, please reach out to the Chairperson(s) and submit a letter of interest.
COMMITTEE BUDGETING
Every fiscal year, our Executive Board discusses and approves a budget for the Local, including all Committee budgets. It is the responsibility of the Chairperson, Co-Chairperson(s) and Vice Chairperson(s) to propose a budget for all planned activities, including (but not limited to) lost time pay, printed and take-away materials, and any necessary travel expenses. The approved budget must be maintained throughout the fiscal year by both the Committee and our Treasurer. Some Committees require a large budget (i.e. Grievance and Communications), while others require less money throughout the fiscal year (i.e. Uniform and New Hire).
APPLICATION PROCESS
During the first Board Meeting after our new Executive Board takes office, the appointment of all Chairperson, Co-Chairperson(s) and Vice Chairperson(s) takes place. Prior to the meeting in May, Members that are interested in chairing a Committee may be asked to submit a letter of interest. These letters should contain: the Committee that you are interested in, whether you are applying for the Chairperson, Co-Chairperson, or Vice Chairperson position, and some of your ideas that you’d like the Committee to accomplish over the next 3-year term.
Are you wondering what each Committee does? On www.TWU556.org there is an entire section designated to Standing Committees. It includes a list of all the Committees, an introduction of the current Chairperson, Co-Chairperson(s) and Vice Chairperson(s), and important contact information. The next few pages will cover some of the more well-known Committees and their responsibilities.
CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT (CISM)
CISM is a confidential peer-to-peer Committee that is jointly funded by Southwest Airlines and TWU Local 556. The mission for CISM is to provide support to Flight Attendants that have experienced a personal or work-related traumatic event. Whether it be a death in flight, or you perform CPR on a relative at a family picnic, CISM is there to help.
When an event occurs, CISM may be contacted by the Union, NOC Manager on Duty, Crew Scheduling, or directly by the Flight Attendant. There is someone available to answer your calls – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
CISM: (214) 640-4380
FLIGHT ATTENDANT DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAM (FADAP)
FADAP is a confidential program that is jointly funded by Southwest Airlines and TWU Local 556. If you, or another Flight Attendant that you know, is struggling with depression, or drug or alcohol addiction, FADAP is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The FADAP Team is comprised of Flight Attendants from all over the world who assist Co-hearts, family, and friends with getting the help that they need. FADAP also provides support and assistance to the family members of the alcoholic and addict. All TWU Local 556 Members on FADAP are required to have 2 years of continuous sobriety.
FADAP HOTLINE: (855) 333-2327 or (214) 640-4307
Please Note: While these two helpful jointly sponsored resources are incredibly useful for our Flight Attendants, please don’t forget the other Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available to each of us. Clear Skies is a no-cost resource intended to help all employees deal with life’s challenges. Confidential services are available for many personal and work-related issues, such as anxiety, anger management, depression, marital concerns, work-life balance, and more! You can find more information on SWALife on the Employee Services page.
Interested in helping co-workers deal with conflict? Want to represent your Union Family in Fact-Finding Meetings? If the answer is “yes”, these Committees might be of interest to you!
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
The key to better Crew coordination is communication… but sometimes that is difficult. That’s where Professional Standards comes in! If you have a duty related conflict with a fellow Flight Attendant or Pilot, instead of getting Management involved, reach out to Professional Standards who will act as a confidential mediator to assist in resolving the issue.
You can contact Professional Standards through the hotline, or via email (which is checked every 48 hours).
Hotline: (888) 322-3735
Email: professionalstandards@staging1.twu556.org
SHOP STEWARD
Shop Stewards are elected by peers in their respective Domiciles every 3 years. Duties for a Shop Steward include (but are not limited to): accompanying Members into Fact Finding Meetings with Management to ensure the Contract is correctly interpreted and unjust discipline is not given, provide Union education and assistance, and be a steady, respected Leader within their Domicile. To be a Member of the Shop Steward Committee, you must be nominated and elected in your Domicile at the first Membership Meeting of our new Executive Board. This process is outlined in Article VIII of the TWU Local 556 Bylaws.
The Shop Steward Chairperson(s) is/are responsible for developing and holding an efficient and effective Shop Steward training. A monthly newsletter is published to ensure everyone is up-to-speed on current disciplinary trends. The newsletter also provides instruction and guidance to the large Shop Steward group across all domiciles.
Like puzzles and curious how our lines are constructed? Are you a good communicator with excellent writing skills? Do you know your Contract and have a passion for education? Let me introduce you to the Scheduling, Communications, and Education Committees.
SCHEDULING COMMITTEE
After Crew Planning builds the actual trips that we fly every month, they place them on Bid Lines and then send them to our Scheduling Committee. This Committee is comprised of line-flying Flight Attendants from around the system that come to DAL twice a month to write the actual lines we bid on in Primary and Secondary Bidding (within the parameters agreed upon between SWA and TWU).
schedulingcommittee@staging1.twu556.org
COMMUNICATIONS
Our Communications Committee is responsible for all Local communications to the Membership, including Unity Magazine, email, and social media (Facebook page, Instagram, Twitter). They work closely with our Executive Board, Negotiating Team, and other Committees to ensure our Membership is kept apprised of pertinent Local information.
communications@staging1.twu556.org
EDUCATION
Our Education Committee’s primary focus is providing educational resources to the Membership to assist in Contract, Local, and Labor knowledge. They also provide assistance as needed to our Executive Board, Negotiating Team, other Committees and on special projects as needed.
education@staging1.twu556.org
Activist: A person who promotes and works toward social, political, economic, or environmental reform with the desire to make improvements in society. Do you have a passion for making a difference? These Committees are ALWAYS looking for more Members! So, if you don’t want to be a Chairperson, you can follow your passion and become active in making this world a better place.
COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION (COPE)
The goal of COPE is to promote legislation and political changes that will provide improvements for our Local’s Members, the Inflight family, and Labor as a whole. Some fights that COPE has taken on over the last few years include (but are definitely not limited to): No Knives on Planes, Right to Work, and Janus -vs- AFSCME. Per the International Constitution, our Chairperson of COPE must be our TWU Local 556 President.
COPE@staging1.twu556.org
CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Civil and Human Rights and Workers’ Rights are intertwined and have been for centuries. The Civil and Human Rights Committee both fights for and supports improvements for every Member of our Local, and society as a whole. Participation in multiple Pride Parades, advocating for diversity training, and education on human trafficking are just a few of the things the Civil and Human Rights Committee has worked on ferociously.
civilandhumanrights@staging1.twu556.org
The Working Women’s Committee strives to promote and educate on issues that directly involve women. The goal is to empower women through education and perform service within the communities in which we live.
wwc@staging1.twu556.org
These are considered “open” committees, meaning Members are more than welcome to join… and individual participation is very much needed. If you are interested in being an advocate for all human and worker’s rights, these committees are always looking for new faces! No experience is required.