After an extensive interview process, IAM District Lodge 142 is moving forward with several new leaders in the air transport district. All appointments have been made under the current District Lodge 142 Trusteeship.
John Coveny, a 33-year IAM member who had served as a District Lodge 142 General Chair, has been appointed District Lodge 142 President and Directing General Chair. Joe Shultz, a 27-year IAM member who most recently served as a District Lodge 142 Trustee, has been appointed District Lodge 142 Secretary-Treasurer.
District Lodge 142 also welcomes Oralia Beecher as a General Chair; Lorraine Fraser as a Vice President; and Todd Vandervelde, Nina Caldwell, and Tinae Tauese as Trustees.
This team of diverse new leaders joins the existing Trusteeship District Lodge 142 Executive Board.
John Coveny, District Lodge 142 President and Directing General Chair
Coveny, a member of IAM Local Lodge 1976 in Pittsburgh, joined the IAM in 1988 when he hired on at US Airways in Buffalo, NY. He became a safety representative and a Trustee at the former IAM Local Lodge 75. He would go on to serve as a Shop Steward, Vice President, President and Grievance Committee Chair in Local Lodge 1976. Coveny has led several large IAM organizing drives, as well as defended against rogue union raids at US Airways and American Airlines. As a General Chair, he was involved with negotiating and policing the industry-leading IAM contract at American Airlines and is the co-chair of the representation committee for that agreement.
Joe Shultz, District Lodge 142 Secretary-Treasurer
Shultz, a member of IAM Sky Harbor Local Lodge 2559 in Phoenix, joined the IAM in 1995 when he was hired by Alaska Airlines. He became a Shop Steward in 1996 after a seeing unfair treatment in the workplace. Since then, he has served as Local Lodge 2559 Secretary-Treasurer from 1998 to 2013 and Recording Secretary since 2014. He has also been Secretary-Treasurer for the Arizona State Council since 2014 and served for several years as an Auditor for the former IAM District Lodge 143, and more recently for District Lodge 142 in the same capacity. Shultz had served as District Lodge 142 Auditor since 2021. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin.
Oralia Beecher, District Lodge 142 General Chair
Beecher, a 33-year IAM member from Local Lodge 2198 in Houston, has served her Local Lodge as a Shop Steward, Vice President and Recording Secretary. She has also served on her Local Lodge’s Women’s Committee, Safety Committee, Legislative Committee and Southwest Airlines Negotiations Committee. A native of Baton Rouge, LA, Beecher is a proud third generation union member.
Lorraine Fraser, District Lodge 142 Vice President
Fraser, a 20-year IAM member, has served as Shop Steward, Vice President and President for Local Lodge 846 in Baltimore, where she works as Customer Service Agent for Southwest Airlines. She has been an associate instructor for an IAM CREST DOT grant and worked on several organizing campaigns for her Local Lodge and for District Lodges 142 and 141. Fraser is a fierce advocate for educating, motivating and inspiring IAM members to understand the value of their union membership.
Todd Vandervelde, District Lodge 142 Trustee
Vandervelde, a 33-year IAM member, is currently a facilities mechanic for American Airlines in Phoenix and a member of Sky Harbor Local Lodge 2559. His union career includes everything from being a Steward, Educator, Organizer, District Lodge Auditor, and Local Lodge Secretary-Treasurer.
Nina Caldwell, District Lodge 142 Trustee
Caldwell initiated into the IAM in 1992 as a Customer Service Agent at Southwest Airlines in Oakland, CA, becoming involved with the IAM as a Shop Steward. In 1998, she relocated to Baltimore, holding several positions in Local Lodge 846, ranging from Shop Steward to President.
Tinae Tauese, District Lodge 142 Trustee
Tauese began her IAM career 17 years ago with Alaska Airlines as a member and Shop Steward of Local Lodge 2202 in Seattle. Since then, she has held different roles, including Auditor and Vice President, and served on several committees, including the Education and Women’s Committees. She currently serves as Local Lodge 2202 Secretary-Treasurer.
