AMFA versues industrial unions all mechanics all airlines

[I'll have another]

Against better judgement I will reply. The concept of the AMFA was to eventually represent all of the mechanics for all the airlines in the US. When the movement was growing the airlines and the government along with the unions saw that as a threat and it had to be squashed. That is why all three came together to kill the momentum that was catching on when Northwest mechanics joined. It was imperative to stop the momentum and make the AMFA look like a failure. The remaining unions developed strategy’s to keep their membership hostage with ramifications to change representation. As long as we are divided up with the current system with the corruption in top leadership we will continue to get played. All the unions sat by and watched as the companies had the RLA watered down to their favor. Major failure by the unions. So in my opinion they all blow including the AMFA.

That's the goal of all unions. The Teamster airline division had the goal of all aircraft mechanics under one flag. The railroad labor act when a group is in "self help" is the problem. You lose all leverage with scab replacements. Why should a airline negotiate in good faith? Just get it to self help and they win.

 

[skydrol]

May be however there is such a thing as no raid agreement for the afl-cio affiliated unions which makes the point moot.

 

[Buck]

If you do not understand the concept of the mechanics being represented on their own, then you will never understand, you cannot have other work groups except those related by law.

The mentality is similar to when I was asked is there a way to remove the Association, the IAM and keep the TWU....

 

[B737 driver]

May be however there is such a thing as no raid agreement for the afl-cio affiliated unions which makes the point moot.

The point is all unions are a business, and you hire a lawyer you expect results, if the lawyer sucks , you fire them and go with the one that gets you results.

 

[I'll have another]

If you do not understand the concept of the mechanics being represented on their own, then you will never understand, you cannot have other work groups except those related by law.

The mentality is similar to when I was asked is there a way to remove the Association, the IAM and keep the TWU....

Thats how the man keeps unions in check. "except those related by law."

 

[I'll have another]

The point is all unions are a business, and you hire a lawyer you expect results, if the lawyer sucks , you fire them and go with the one that gets you results.

Like the swa pilots union fired amfa's seham group?

 

[Buck]

Thats how the man keeps unions in check. "except those related by law."

If AMFA represented Mechanic+ were "forced" to accept non mechanics at a large rate, explain how the company or AMFA would react.

 

[Buck]

Thats how the man keeps unions in check. "except those related by law."

If it was decided to add the non-mechanics to those represented by AMFA, how would the company react?

Why are those non-mechanics not represented by AMFA today?

 

[B737 driver]

If you do not understand the concept of the mechanics being represented on their own, then you will never understand, you cannot have other work groups except those related by law.

The mentality is similar to when I was asked is there a way to remove the Association, the IAM and keep the TWU....

Well at SWA AMFA has the cleaners different contract. Under our contract trying to get a new contract we have mechanics, inspection, maintenance control, mechanic trainers, inspection, gse, field techs, you guys probably call them tech support, leads, lead inspectors, and plant maintenance. The facilities techs, just got a T/A under AMFA, different contract. So you can see at SWA is has grown beyond just aircraft maintenance. But you need the numbers to support the expense of running a union. So in reality what AMFA started with, they need the membership numbers, just like the industrial unions do. It is pure business, just disguised like any other union, no more, no less.

 

[Buck]

Well at SWA AMFA has the cleaners different contract. Under our contract trying to get a new contract we have mechanics, inspection, maintenance control, mechanic trainers, inspection, gse, field techs, you guys probably call them tech support, leads, lead inspectors, and plant maintenance. The facilities techs, just got a T/A under AMFA, different contract. So you can see at SWA is has grown beyond just aircraft maintenance. But you need the numbers to support the expense of running a union. So in reality what AMFA started with, they need the membership numbers, just like the industrial unions do. It is pure business, just disguised like any other union, no more, no less.

So the difference today, is a different political veiwpoint with the Industrial Unions supporting the Democratic Party for AFL-CIO backing. Does AMFA at SWA have a political direction?

 

[I'll have another]

So the difference today, is a different political veiwpoint with the Industrial Unions supporting the Democratic Party for AFL-CIO backing. Does AMFA at SWA have a political direction?

Amfa is like the Green Party. Nothing ever happens.

 

[B737 driver]

So the difference today, is a different political veiwpoint with the Industrial Unions supporting the Democratic Party for AFL-CIO backing. Does AMFA at SWA have a political direction?

I have never seen anything, heck the guys running for office to represent you cannot station visit, because it's against AMFA constitution to do politicking, so you read a profile, or send an email, hope they answer you, and guess who to vote for . Or you don't vote, most officers are elected with about 22% of the people voting, so that's how we are different from industrial unions.

 

[I'll have another]

Same here, have know idea of amfa's political leanings. Most people don't vote or have any interest in the union. Sad but true. I usually have know idea about who the people are running for office are about except maybe a brief posting about themselves. Amfa is not what it was cracked up to be.

 

[B737 driver]

Same here, have know idea of amfa's political leanings. Most people don't vote or have any interest in the union. Sad but true. I usually have know idea about who the people are running for office are about except maybe a brief posting about themselves. Amfa is not what it was cracked up to be.

Well another proof AMFA is no different than the industrial unions, went to our union meeting as usual our ALRS will not trust to vote on a t/a until it is what they want, but we are democratic union, what a bunch of you know what.

 

[swamt]

If AMFA represented Mechanic+ were "forced" to accept non mechanics at a large rate, explain how the company or AMFA would react.

We do have some non-mechanic groups that are under AMFA because they are called related by the gov. However, with that said they all have their very own contracts and are off ours. When we became AMFA that was one of our demands, that we would be willing to accept the "related groups" as long as they had their own contracts. This way, they vote on their issues that relate to them, and we vote on our issues that relate to us. Mechanics never vote on cleaners contracts and issues and vise versa. All 4 of the groups recently added under AMFA representation had their own choices of unions to go with. They have seen the IAM here (although some number of years ago), they have seen the teamsters here, they to this day have seen the TWU here representing pamp and F/A's, and they have seen AMFA here as the representational union for the mechanics. All 4 groups chose to go with AMFA mainly because of how democratic they are, transparent, and always allows observers at the nego. table to stop all the lies and misinformation (like we have currently as the co. is taking full advantage of the mediators NOT allowing any observers at this time). All 4 groups came to AMFA and AMFA asked why not go with any of the other unions? And they said they liked the way AMFA is over all the other options, where they would have the most control of their union--period.