141 Report: Doug Kohler, President of Air Transport Local 1885

This week Dave heads up to the Pacific Northwest to catch up with Doug Kohler, President of Air Transport Local 1885 in Portland, Oregon.

A 24-year veteran at United Airlines, Brother Doug Kohler began his career in Eugene, Oregon before he transferred to PDX in 2000. Doug was a strong supporter of the organizing effort for Customer Service agents at the airline in 1999, and he credits the IAM with the elimination of “C scale” wages and bringing pay equity and fair representation for all workers. He became active in the union as a Shop Steward in 2003 and was elected CS Grievance Committee Representative in 2013. Doug served as Local 1885 Vice President before becoming President of the local this year.

IAM Air Transport Local 1885 represents 500 members working in Customer Service at United, Southwest, Alaska, and Hawaiian Airlines, Fleet Service at American, and Stores and Ramp Service employees at United, all based at PDX.

Doug is especially proud of the solidarity and the work the IAM is doing to protect the jobs, wages, and benefits of workers during the pandemic, and how union resources like the EAP help support lives and livelihoods. He is focusing on developing a Women’s Committee at the local level and continuing to work collectively to preserve the dignity of work.