Are NW mechanics happy with AMFA

[atabuy]

Hi,
Just checking to see if choosing AMFA to represent you has been good or bad.
Ual and U are trying to change unions and just want to hear from people who are under them.
Is it what you all expected or have there been surprises?
Thanks for any info.

 

[delldude]

yes i''d like some insight also.....
are you happy with what they''ve negotiated?
pro''s/con''s???
please

 

[Steiner]

How''s the IAM card drive going at NWA? Maybe that will answer your questions.

NWA joke: "Hey, the IAM says I am laid off in their literature. I''d better let payroll know."

 

[RUM@AA]

The TWU is trying to blame all ills at NWA on AMFA in a desperate attempt at saving their sorry A##es. Latest lie is that only 4500 Mechanics are left and all the work is going to Singapore. Someone give us the facts, please. How can we get a copy of the NWA M&R seniority list?

 

[Checking it Out]

Airline criticized for sending US jobs overseas
January 12 2002 - Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) Local 33, serving Northwest Airlines claimed that 300 mechanics were laid off during 2001 in Minneapolis-St. Paul - and more than 200 more jobs are now threatened by Northwest Airlines plan to transfer skilled maintenance work elsewhere, including to low-cost, privately operated foreign repair stations.
The union also criticized Northwest for continuing to send U.S. aircraft maintenance jobs overseas after September 11 - while accepting a reported $500 million in federal relief money.
"We are always troubled when our members lose their jobs, but our current concerns go far beyond that," said AMFA Local 33 legislative liaison Jim Atkinson. "We don''t think it''s right for Northwest to accept $500 million of U.S. taxpayers'' money while continuing to send skilled American jobs overseas. We also want assurance that the new FAA security regulations will be applied to workers at foreign repair stations who have access to Northwest aircraft. There''s no point locking the front door in the U.S. while leaving the back door open overseas."
Atkinson also said that 67 more jobs in Minneapolis-St. Paul could be lost if Northwest goes through with its plans to transfer responsibility for repairing Northwest''s DC-10 aircraft line to a private repair station in Singapore. And another 150 skilled maintenance jobs at Northwest''s Minneapolis-St. Paul hub could lost mid-2002 if responsibility for repairing one of two Boeing 757 aircraft lines is transferred. Jim Atkinson said that the union is contacting State officials and Minnesota''s Congressional delegation about the issue.

 

[RUM@AA]

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On 6/10/2003 5:23:49 AM Checking it Out wrote:


 
Airline criticized for sending US jobs overseas
January 12 2002 - Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) Local 33, serving Northwest Airlines claimed that 300 mechanics were laid off during 2001 in Minneapolis-St. Paul - and more than 200 more jobs are now threatened by Northwest Airlines plan to transfer skilled maintenance work elsewhere, including to low-cost, privately operated foreign repair stations.
The union also criticized Northwest for continuing to send U.S. aircraft maintenance jobs overseas after September 11 - while accepting a reported $500 million in federal relief money.
"We are always troubled when our members lose their jobs, but our current concerns go far beyond that," said AMFA Local 33 legislative liaison Jim Atkinson. "We don''t think it''s right for Northwest to accept $500 million of U.S. taxpayers'' money while continuing to send skilled American jobs overseas. We also want assurance that the new FAA security regulations will be applied to workers at foreign repair stations who have access to Northwest aircraft. There''s no point locking the front door in the U.S. while leaving the back door open overseas."
Atkinson also said that 67 more jobs in Minneapolis-St. Paul could be lost if Northwest goes through with its plans to transfer responsibility for repairing Northwest''s DC-10 aircraft line to a private repair station in Singapore. And another 150 skilled maintenance jobs at Northwest''s Minneapolis-St. Paul hub could lost mid-2002 if responsibility for repairing one of two Boeing 757 aircraft lines is transferred. Jim Atkinson said that the union is contacting State officials and Minnesota''s Congressional delegation about the issue.

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First off, nobody asked you. Second, this is a speculative news article that''s over a year old. Do you have proof that any of this happened? Just because it says "jobs could be lost if" that doesn''t mean it happened. Let''s get a seniority list and get the truth instead of your bullshit.
The truth is you can''t handle the truth.
Or do you really believe everything you read in the news papers?

 

[1AA]

CIO never has his own ideas and thoughts. He copies and pastes anything he sees that is to his liking. I asked him on another thread earlier to give us his own honest opinion about the TWU and why he supports them. Instead he attacks other organizations and groups with lies and unsubtantiated facts. Still to this day he still posts his jiberish and half truths. His credibility on this forum has long eroded. His posts have become quite humourous up to this point. He is a lost puppy in the world of aviation.

 

[tug_slug]

If you didn''t like what CIO had to say your certainly not going to like what AMFA''s Legislative site has on it.

[url="http://www.amfa33.org/Legislative/press_release__11502.htm"]http://www.amfa33.org/Legislative/press_release__11502.htm[/URL]

 

[RUM@AA]

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On 6/17/2003 4:53:48 PM tug_slug wrote:


If you didn''t like what CIO had to say your certainly not going to like what AMFA''s Legislative site has on it.

http://www.amfa33.org/Legislative/press_release__11502.htm

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Check the date, slug. Jan, 2002. How about some current information? Or do you and CIO just keep chewing the same ole cud day after day after day.

 

[KCFlyer]

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On 6/18/2003 12:43:08 AM RUM@AA wrote:

----------------
On 6/17/2003 4:53:48 PM tug_slug wrote:



If you didn''t like what CIO had to say your certainly not going to like what AMFA''s Legislative site has on it.

[url="http://www.amfa33.org/Legislative/press_release__11502.htm"]http://www.amfa33.org/Legislative/press_release__11502.htm[/URL]

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Check the date, slug. Jan, 2002. How about some current information? Or do you and CIO just keep chewing the same ole cud day after day after day.


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Perhaps you could post an updated AMFA press release that indicates that they saved those jobs. Otherwise, saying "we''re disappointed" isn''t buying the membership a whole lot.

 

[tug_slug]

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Perhaps you could post an updated AMFA press release that indicates that they saved those jobs. Otherwise, saying "we''re disappointed" isn''t buying the membership a whole lot.
----
​

I apologize for quoting an article that''s so out dated. Perhaps the links below will be more to your liking.
[url="http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/030618/1119001051_2.html"]http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/030618/1119001051_2.html[/URL]
[url="http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/030618/airlines_northwest_1.html"]http://biz.yahoo.com/rc/030618/airlines_northwest_1.html[/URL]
Truth is the people your about to lose is just the tip of the iceberg, wait till the company TELLS AMFA its time to start talking concessions, that''s when were going to see what AMFA is made of.
Let the party begin

 

[NWA/AMT]

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On 6/18/2003 321 PM tug_slug wrote:

...wait till the company TELLS AMFA its time to start talking concessions, that''s when were going to see what AMFA is made of.

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​

NWA already tried that, it didn''t work. AMFA told them that "the contract becomes amendable in May, 2005.......see you then." So far it seems like they''re ''made of'' sterner stuff than the IAM.

In 1993 the IAM at NWA caved at the first threat of bankruptcy and gutted the NWA mechanic''s contract by allowing unlimited farmout of mechanic work. AMFA not only managed to get a cap on the farmouts but passed the same test without selling out their members.

In the four years since they were certified at NWA, AMFA has accomplished more than the IAM did in the twenty years before that. Just the fact that AMFA agressively pursues members grievances to arbitration and refuses to trade them away is a vast improvement over what we had before. The IAM would only do twelve arbitrations per year - AMFA does nearly a hundred.

These''s a reason the IAM card drives at NWA keep falling flat before they even get started: AMFA is doing a better job and the NWA mechanics are happy with the job they''re doing.

 

[tug_slug]

NWA,

Thank you for your response, when explained in that manner its more easily understood where your coming from.

My question to you is, when did NW try get AMFA to accept concessions?

If memory serves me correct NW was getting financial help from the state of Minnesota as early as December of 1991 it wasn't until January of 1993 did the 6 Unions decide on the concessions. In July of 1993 ALPA signed the agreement accepting concessions, it wasn't till August of that same year did the other Unions file suit.

My point being the rules of the game have changed. Northwest as well as most of the other airlines are in dire straights, whereas AMFA told NW the contract wasn't amendable till May of 2005 isn't going to stop NW from getting want they want not just from AMFA but all the other unions at NW.

Im not trying to be derogatory in any sense of the word when I say this but at this point in time the mechanics at NW seem to be happy with AMFA. The question is will they be just as happy when they see that concessions are in fact going to happen and that both loss of pay and furlough's are inevitable?

 

[NWA/AMT]

NWA has been trying to get AMFA to accept concessions since USAirways went into bankruptcy. They held several "informational" meetings for all the unions where they laid out their financial wish list for each union and their "business plan", the first one being last March.

AMFA has completed preliminary studies of NWA''s requests and their business plan and found both to be flawed. AMFA informed NWA that they have a valid contract that becomes amendable in May, 2005 and they expect NWA to abide by that contract.

The only way NWA can force any of its unions to accept concessions is to go into bankruptcy court. Having been fooled once by threats of impending bankruptcy only to have the company make a miraculous recovery before the concessions even kicked in, the people of NWA have determined that they will not be rushed into any concessions based on an arbitrary time schedule created by NWA, nor are they going to accept the deep cuts the company desires without real justification.

The concessions negotiated by the IAM for the NWA mechanics went into effect on October 1, 1993.

 

[tug_slug]

Im an employee of US Air so I can relate to unrealistic time tables and unreasonable demands. Am I happy about the way the IAM handled our situation here at U? No, but when U entered BK that changed everything, we as Union members were in a no win situation.

From what I understand NW is asking for $950 million from its labor groups, knowing that just about every other airline is hurting and have received concessions from their employees how do you feel AMFA will handle the situation?

Should NW get what their asking for in terms of concessions do you think that AMFA will still be the Union of choice or could their be a successful drive to oust AMFA and return to the IAM?

Thanks

Tug