Welcome to NYC's Local Lodge 2656. The foreign flag carrier IAM Local.
In 1978 a group of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) employees, now known as British Airways (BA) petitioned the IAMAW to grant a local lodge charter for foreign flag carriers in NYC. The original pioneers of this movement were universal transfers from the Communication Workers of America (CWA). The IAM charter granted on April 1, 1978, formed NYC, LL2656.
Originally, airlines that joined BOAC in the newly chartered Local were:
Qantas (Australia), Aero Mexico (Mexico), Aero Peru (Peru), Air Panama (Panama), Equatoriana (Equator), Iberia (Spain), Lan Chile (Chile), Mexicana (Mexico), Olympic (Greece), Varig (Brazil), and Viasa (Venezuela). Additional members came from Aer Lingus (Ireland), B.W.I.A. (British West Indies), Dominicana (Dominican Republic), and El Al (Israel), Foreign Tours (LY wholesaler), and New York Airways.
The classifications represented have been Reservation Sales Agents and Leads, Ticket Sales Agents and Leads, Customer Relations Representatives, Passenger Sales Assistants, Cargo Sales Assistants as well as clerical employees, Sales Representatives, and Tele-Communication Agents.
Air Transport Districts within our Local have been: 100, 141, 142, and 146.
Our Local Lodge has been greatly impacted by the deregulation of the Airline industry, aggressive economic globalization, as well as September 11, 2001. Many members have lost their jobs through attrition, lay-offs, mergers, outsourcing, buyouts, and premature retirement. We find ourselves a shrinking local with little opportunity to grow. Presently, our local represents members at Aer Lingus, British Airways, El AL and retirees from all the previous represented airlines.
We are dedicated to the principles of unionism: equality, justice and dignity for all people. We foster the belief that "an injury to one is an injury to all" and recognize that education, a conduit to secure solidarity, is pivotal for an improved quality of life.
