Former flight attendant Roger Graham smiles as he about to receive a letter dated October 30, 2006 from Claire McCaskill promising, if she is elected to the Senate, to look into and possibly try to address the layoffs created by the takeover of TWA by American Airlines.
"The St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series with some unlikely combinations of castoffs and discards," according to Toni Delia, a former TWA/American Airlines employee and currently a mouthpiece for the Missouri Family of TWA voters. Comparing herself to the "discarded" after 24-years of service, Delia is reporting that Claire McCaskill, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat held by Jim Talent, is taking the same approach to winning the election as St. Louis Cardinals coach Tony LaRussa did in order to win the World Series.
McCaskill is taking into her fold the thousands of former TWA/AA workers in Missouri who are unemployed and newly terminated. Looking over facts presented to her by members of Delia's group, McCaskill, if elected, has promised to investigate the possibility of legislation to correct what she has termed an "injustice."
A letter signed by McCaskill addressed to "Former TWA Flight Attendants promises to address the "issue of F/A furlough recall rights." She also writes:
This would include retroactive extension for F/As whose five years have already expired. It is apparent to me that American Airlines has received millions of dollars in post 9/11 recovery funds, and that the same recovery benefits have not been extended to those furloughed. I also plan, if elected, to investigate the possibility of legislation to correct this injustice.
TWA has a proud heritage in Missouri, and the former TWA employees can hold their heads high remembering their work. The unfair treatment of those same employees is an issue I hop I have the opportunity to address.
“We have been let go by American Airlines, discarded, kicked to the curb and forgotten," says former TWA/AA Missouri flight attendant Roger Graham. “75% of us had more than 20 years of service. We are now being terminated as our five year recall rights are expiring. American Airlines will not give us the time of day nor any retirement, pension or benefits accrued."
Explains Graham, "When American Airlines purchased TWA in 2001, TWA flight attendants were promised equitable seniority integration but upon arriving at American, found themselves at the bottom of the seniority list and were ultimately furloughed. Under a current agreement, American has the right to not recall these flight attendants after a period of five years. This means that as soon as the last of the furloughed TWA flight attendants is erased from the system, company management can begin hiring new flight attendants for much less pay. The first round of recall rights to expire occurred last month and will continue until all of these flight attendants are eliminated in July 2008."
And how many workers described by Delia are comparing themselves to LaRussa's team? After 9/11 American Airlines handed pink slips to the entire TWA flight attendant workforce, 4000 in total, along with 6,500 Kansas City overhaul base workers, Delia says. TWA had more than 12,000 Missouri workers in early 2001, and 20,000 worldwide. Now less than 1,500 remain employed by American Airlines, she adds.
“These TWA’ers are now going crazy for McCaskill,” Delia says “Now with McCaskill's public support behind us, we will step up to the plate and vote for McCaskill to assist her win her dead heat Senate seat race. Our entire family of TWA/AA workforce in Missouri is behind us, because their 9th inning is also coming soon."
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