Briefing for 3-24-19
NEGOTIATIONS: At first this was going to be a very short briefing just about the info picketing coming up. Now thanks to the company putting out their latest BS on jetnet, I apologize for the length of the briefing in advance, but I must comment on some of the things they stated and explain. Please remember, this is NOT a official response from the Association, but just my personal response from being on the negotiating team. Below will be some of the companies comments on jetnet, with my response on reality: ( C ) stands for company: ( R ) is my response.
1.( C ) The proposal that is on the table is better in total than any of them. ( R ) Well, wow, just wow. You fail to mention that you decided to enter into the largest airline merger ever, with thousands of more employees than the other airlines. Notice they use the words " in total ". Of course if you have thousands of more employees under a contract, then it is going to be worth more " in total " . This is just trying to deceive you and blow smoke.
2. (C ) There was a request by the Associations executive team to meet with the senior leadership of American. On Tuesday the mediators informed both parties that the meeting would be held the next day. The association chose not to attend that Wednesday meeting. ( R ) This makes it sound as if the association refused to go meet with the senior leadership. This is total BS. What really happened is that on Tuesday while negotiating, the companies team made a comment to our executive team, that they didn't have the ability to make a decision on some issues. Our executive team not taking this in a good way, suggested the MEDIATORS, not both executive teams, go meet with the company senior officials that had the ability to make these decisions, so hopefully progress could be made. Both the company and association was holding these negotiations last week in hotel conference rooms which is common. The negotiating team was actually told on Tuesday, that we wouldn't start till 1:00 pm on Wednesday because we had to wait for the mediators to meet with the senior leadership of the company and get back to our executive team. Our executive team as far as I know, was never told that they were suppose to attend this meeting at headquarters. In fact, I know our executive team was upset to say the least, when they found out that the company's executive team followed the mediators to this meeting. It was our executive teams opinion that this meeting was to take place at headquarters, and ONLY with the mediators and the senior leadership of the company, and then the mediators were to report back to us at the hotel, and the two executive teams would then continue negotiations for the day. Obviously it didn't happen this way. But again, its blowing smoke up your a_ _ by telling you that the executive team didn't make some planned meeting.
3.( C ) All current team members have unprecedented protection to guarantee a job at your station in your classification as long as you want. ( R ) These people at the top think we are Stupid I guess. Question for everyone. Do you want to see your seniority grow or shrink? Do you want to some day bid better days off, maybe bid day shift ( if your not ), maybe better vacation weeks, or maybe just that easier work area that you can never get. Well if the company gets their scope proposal passed, your seniority is as good as it will ever get. Yes, while they will guarantee your job at your station they will never replace people as they leave. And don't forget, nothing would stop the company from offering a buyout every year just to get rid of more jobs. Because as the work gets harder, and days off and vacations get worse, they know more people will take the buyout each year just to get out. Quick example for clt. Our attrition rate in cltaverages 8 - 9 heads a month. Attrition includes transfers, terms, retirees, people that just quit, or unfortunately have to quit due to health, or have passed away. So just in a 10 month period just by attrition ( buyout not included ), we would be down 90 positions. What the company is not telling you, while they are bragging on this " unprecedented protection " is that they will never replace those 90 positions. They want the ability through the " when and where directed " language to get rid of our work as we shrink the head count. So in just 10 months time in clt, there will be 90 less shifts to bid. Less day shifts, less days off that you can get now. Less vacation weeks to bid. Even though you will be getting older and your bodies breaking for this company, your seniority will never be as good as it is today, thanks to this unprecedented protection that the company thinks you and I are again, too dumb to figure out.
4. (C ) Cargo warehouse work remains as it is today in all or our hubs. ( R ) Notice the words " in all our hubs ". This is actually a concession, even though they want to brag like they are giving you something. Today we have cargo in more cities than just some of our hubs. So they are actually taking work from us here, even though they twist and sound like they are giving us something better than today. And if your a hub like clt, and don't have cargo. Again read where it says " remains as it is today ". This means your not getting it under this proposal.
5. ( C ) We will insure wages at the date of signing are in line with the industry's highest at the time. ( R ) Notice the words " in line with the industry's highest at the time. " In line doesn't mean higher than. And at the date of signing sure doesn't mean they will keep you the highest. But yet they brag about their offer again.
6. ( C ) The company has proposed a plan that is consistent with employer provided medical plans and offers terrific coverage. ( R ) BS............ Especially on the words " terrific coverage " . Here is how terrific their plans are: 80% family plan under IAM is 119.00 a month or 1428.00 a year. AA,s terrific coverage family plan cost 753.00 a month or 9,036.00 a year. That is either a 7608.00 pay cut for our IAM members, or a 7608.00 pay increase if our twuagents came to our insurance. 7608.00 pay cut!! How does that make that wonderful 3,000.00 bonus sound now. And you think they can't afford to give all of our group the IAM insurance. Here is a quote from our DL 141 VP Bill Wilson ( yes I got his permission ). " Parker, Isomand Johnson have combined compensation packages that total over 40 million a year. This company spends 40 million a year for just 3 families. But they can't spend 39 million a year for 30 thousand families".
Let that sink in and see if you feel appreciated. They spend more money on 3 families, than what they would spend to insure 30 thousand families. Does that sound like they can't afford it to you? There is something really wrong here folks.
Ok I'm going to stop, even though I could list several other things they said that is just again total BS. But I want to quote one more line that they said just to make you feel really special: ( C ) " We have the most qualified and most professional Maintenance and Fleet Service team members in the industry, and American is the great airline it is today because of your efforts and sacrifices. " ( R ) Well I finally agree with something they said. We are the most professional Maintenance and Fleet Service members in the industry. And we have sacrificed far more than we should have had to. And this airline, if you want to call it great or not, is here today because of our members. Guess what? It sure is not here because we have great leadership, or leaders that respect their employees. How many of us are proud to say we work for American Airlines? Or how many passengers today fly American Airlines because they want to, instead of having to. Here is a idea: instead of blowing smoke up our asses Kerry and David ( I would call them Mr. if I respected them at all ),how about finding someone that can run a great airline and treat their employees with the respect they deserve because of our sacrifices. Your actions don't back up your words. The proof is in this latest jetnet fiasco that you want to brag about. The fact that you brag and act like you are really offering our work groups something that your proud of is proof. Meanwhile, we are professional enough to know that you will be laughing all the way to the bank if you get your way. Just not gonna happen as far as Im concerned. Hope all of you are with me. STAY STRONG! STAY DETERMINED!
CLT, PHL, PHX, BOS - Please come out and support our info picketing in these locations this Thursday. Lets come together as a group and let them know just what we think about their latest jet net BS. I will shoot out a short briefing tomorrow evening with more info on this picketing.
HAVE A GOOD AND SAFE WEEK
Mark Baskett
