Legislators get OK to redraw election boundaries[begin]
Meanwhile, an investigator said Wednesday that the Texas Department of Public Safety has not reviewed a videotape that could provide information about a GOP-backed redistricting map and other materials that Republicans allege were stolen from a committee hearing room at the state Capitol.
Mark Simms, a redistricting expert on the staff of House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, reported the materials stolen.
The surveillance videotape, made available for viewing Wednesday by The Dallas Morning News, shows a series of still frames of three men walking together down a Capitol hallway about 15 minutes after the end of an April 10 redistricting meeting.
One of the men, pulling a rolling briefcase, was identified by various Republicans as lawyer J. Gerry Hebert, a redistricting expert who advises Democrats and worked for a committee chaired by Mr. Frost.
"In light of the fact that the matter's under review, I won't have any comment, other than to say that I categorically deny that any maps or documents were stolen from anyone," Mr. Hebert said from his office in Alexandria, Va.
Neither of the other two people in the video has been identified by investigators or Republicans. One of them, an apparently Hispanic man in a dark suit coat, is shown carrying a tube that Mr. Simms said appears identical to a rolled-up map he had left in the back of the committee room.
The other, a stocky black man in a dark suit, is shown carrying a stack of materials in front of him .
Mr. Simms said Wednesday that the shape, color and order in which the items were stacked exactly matched a stack of materials he had left for safekeeping on a committee clerk's desk at the front of the room – but which subsequently disappeared.
Those items included a large paper envelope topped by a distinctive state officeholder directory, with paper tabs added along one edge.
Mr. Simms said the disputed map was inside a leather folio he left with the committee clerk. The folio itself is not visible on the tape.
E-mail wslater@dallasnews.com and pslover@dallasnews.com
Transport Worker's Union , April 24, 2003
TO: All Local Presidents and Members
Last week the press revealed that the Company had failed to inform the three Unions, which had ratified concession agreements in order to avoid a bankruptcy, about the payment of special retention bonuses and the funding of a supplemental retirement plan for certain executives. As the New York Times observed yesterday, "None of these perks were revealed in negotiations. Moreover, it appeared that American had delayed the 10K filing by two weeks to keep the plan secret."
Because of what we regarded as serious breach of the Company's duty to disclose relevant information, on April 21, 2003, I announced my intent to revote all ratified agreements. I stated that intent with grave misgivings because of my concern that such a revote could lead to a bankruptcy and a bankruptcy will inevitably and without question result in far greater job loss among our membership as well as reduced wages, benefits and pensions, assuming the Company survived at all. However, all of us were of the view that the Company's reprehensible conduct required a significant response. Based on similar considerations, the APA and APFA either scheduled re-votes or declined to sign the agreement.
On April 23, 2003, Congressmen Martin Frost, Joe Barton, Mike Burgess, and Pete Sessions convened a meeting with the Company and the leaders of all three Unions. The purpose of the meetings was to examine whether the agreements could be salvaged so as to avoid a bankruptcy if at all possible. The result of the interventions of these public officials were three significant improvements in the agreements, which were offered in acknowledgement of the Company's errors and omissions. They are as follows:
1. The duration of the agreement has been reduced to five years and is amendable April 30, 2008. In addition, either party has the option of opening the agreement for full Railway Labor Act negotiations on or after April 30, 2006. In other words, we can begin negotiations for a new contract in three years.
2. Beginning May 15, 2003 and for 30 days thereafter, each work group has the option of modifying their agreement by substituting one item for an item of equal value. For example, vacation or sick days can be added provided it is exchanged for an item of equal value. If there is a dispute as to whether the item which we seek to exchange is of equal value to the item we seek to secure, we have the right to arbitrate the issue.
3. An Annual Performance Incentive Program has been put in place for all employees through which we can increase wages by up to ten percent based on "reasonably achievable" performance goals in the Company's operations. The Performance goal thresholds under the plan shall apply uniformly to labor and management. This plan is in addition to the profit sharing and stock option plans in the ratified agreements.
In addition, not only has the Company agreed to these enhancements to the ratified agreements, but it has also committed not only to the TWU, but also to Congressmen Frost, Barton, Sessions and Burgess that it has canceled the executive retention bonus plan and there is nothing else that has been hidden from disclosure to the Unions during the negotiation. In other words, there will be no more surprises.
These improvements are contingent upon honoring the results of last week's votes. We and the pilots are prepared to go forward on this basis. However, in the event any Union puts the agreements out for revote, the Board of Directors has voted to declare bankruptcy.
In our view, there is only one rational decision that can be reached. Re-voting the ratified agreements will mean a bankruptcy, with far more layoffs, worse pay and working conditions. Pensions and health care will be in immediate jeopardy. We will not be taking our chances in bankruptcy -- we will be guaranteeing a worse future for our members. Honoring last week's votes will allow for a shorter agreement and maximize our chances for undoing concessions no one wants. Moreover, even if there is a bankruptcy, we will have provisions in place protecting us from attempts to secure further concessions.
Based on these considerations and on the commitments made yesterday, our Union will honor last week's vote in order to protect our members. We must do everything in our power to limit exposure of our contracts and our members in bankruptcy proceedings. Those who would do otherwise are clearly motivated by reasons other than the welfare of the members.
Fraternally,
JamesC.Little --Director, Air Transport Division TWU