TWU USA and Australia join forces on labor issues

The Transport Workers Union of American and the TWU of Australia have created a new partnership to share union practices in the transportation and airline industry.

The two unions signed a formal pact establishing the Trans-Pacific Transport Unions Alliance on Wednesday.

"We're really faced with the same issues," said TWU International president Jim Little said, adding that with multi-national companies and global alliances becoming stronger, "it is a natural effect for unions to create alliances."

With American Airlines and Qantas learning strategies from each other and other Oneworld alliance airlines, it is increasingly important for unions to share information, said Tony Sheldon, national secretary of TWU of Australia.

"They've adopted a lot of the same strategies overseas where there is less safety regulation and outsourcing mechanics jobs which undermines aviation performance," Sheldon said. "We have to have an international approach and response to the tactics that have been adopted."

-Andrea Ahles

Comments

[Morton grove air conditioning]

We have to have an international approach and response to the tactics that have been adopted."

[dirtysanchaz]

Really? This is news to us in the TWU never heard of this happening. Sound like Jim Little has a problem with communications with his locals. whoops that's right the teamsters are going to there members door to door showing what he has failed to do and asking the members to have teamsters represent them instead. The TWU is doing nothing looks like a slam dunk for the teamsters.