Letter sent to NMB regarding FLeet Service dispute

[Tim Nelson]

I am in reciept of the following letter which was apparently mailed to the NMB

Dear Ms Johnson;

I am an eligible voter in the NMB docketed case involving the TWU & IAM for the Fleet Service representational dispute on US AIRWAYS property.

I am writing to report interference by the TWU & the IAM with my rights under the RLA.
In the April 20, 2006 update on the TWU 580 website [local580.twuatd.org/news/], the website mentions a meeting taking place on Wednesday, April 26, 2006 at the NMB. The meeting participants are said to be the NMB, TWU & the IAM. The same website said the meeting was to

“…meet with the NMB to pursue an internal election….by conducting the election this way, decertification would not be an issue.â€

Having an internal election between the TWU and IAM prohibits employees from expressing their desire to be unrepresented OR to cast votes for ‘write-ins’. What the IAM & TWU are asking for recognizes an election process which recognizes only votes for the TWU or IAM, and is nothing other than a masked attempt to have a run-off election.

Though Railway Labor Act supports collective bargaining, employees have "right" rather than duty to select collective bargaining representative, [including write-in votes], and they have "complete independence" to organize or not to organize, including right to reject collective representation. Railway Labor Act, §§ 1-208, 2, 2, subds. 3, 4, as amended, 45 U.S.C.A. §§ 151-188, 151a, 152, subds. 3, 4.

Kindly, investigate this matter and I’m asking that the NMB uphold its normal election procedures which guarantees workers the right to express their desire to be represented [including ‘write-in’ votes] or unrepresented.

Sincerely,

 

[Ramp Rogue]

I do hope that the NMB is considerate enough to let us, the employees have a say so in regards to an election concerning our future at US. I would hope that they wouldn't allow the iam and twu to conduct an internal election. That would not be fair to those that may want to be decertified, or may want to vote for some other union. Give us the chance to decide our fate by allowing us to have a democratic election. We've had too many tricks played on us already. Do not add to our misery, we're miserable enough as it is.

 

[Tim Nelson]

I do hope that the NMB is considerate enough to let us, the employees have a say so in regards to an election concerning our future at US. I would hope that they wouldn't allow the iam and twu to conduct an internal election. That would not be fair to those that may want to be decertified, or may want to vote for some other union. Give us the chance to decide our fate by allowing us to have a democratic election. We've had too many tricks played on us already. Do not add to our misery, we're miserable enough as it is.

Unfortunately, the Iamugged union continues its paternal jurassiclike unionism. Since they are apparently unwilling to marry the TWU in this dispute allegedly because of 'hard feelings' over TWA, they apparently believe they can walk all over the rights of workers so those inclined to vote union can only vote for TWU or IAM.

IMO, the only question is how much money will it take for the IAM to buy off the TWU? It won't come cheap since the America West TWU members may be able to file DFR charges if that happens. TWU locals may have a thing or two to say about it [legally] also if there were any that didn't actually buy what Little and his 'Top experts' were saying.
Unfortunately, all I have seen are locals that buy into the manufacturization of what the IAM/TWU INTL appears to be selling.

At any rate, it is doubfut that the NMB would allow a runoff election format. IMO, the internal election thingy is a 'smoke blown' to try to convince TWU locals that the INTL and Little are busting their butts trying to secure a vote.

In the end, you can bet that your company would not be engaging in any anti-union drive [should there be an election] since it has the best contract it has ever seen.

regards,

 

[Ramp Rogue]

The iam knows that they are between a rock and a hard place. That is why they are trying everything possible to coerce the twu into falling into one their iam traps. The same way they tricked the majority of the ramp workers. This time they know that the ramp is well aware of what they are trying to do once again. They only care about losing dues, and nothing else. Wake up twu. Do not join with the iam under any circumstances. If you do you will be treated the way they treat us, like dues paying stepchildren. Please don't be fooled by the iam. Wait for the nmb to rule that there will be a real election where write-in votes are allowed, and not an internal election where there will be only two candidates.

 

[openview]

The same way they tricked the majority of the ramp workers.

What happened with the IAM and ramp workers?

 

[robbedagain]

The IAM sold out more than half of their own ramp workers, the sick policy is even sicker--no pay first day, half pay for the next 4 or 5 days, vacation is 4 weeks. dues went up to 46.10 for full timers.
I know 700, our "brothers and sisters" ratified it. But in reality, the facts are that the only way to get the darn thing thru was to add BDL and PVD to CLASS I cities and sell out all of class II cities.

 

[openview]

How long has the IAM represented ramp workers in PIT and do they currently get a pension through IAM or is that only proposed at this point?

 

[700UW]

Fleet service unionized in 1995, got their first contract a few years later and are currently under the IAMNPF.

 

[openview]

Fleet service unionized in 1995, got their first contract a few years later and are currently under the IAMNPF.

Thanks. So your vested then after 5 or 6 years? What happens then (to the pension) if the IAM would lose representation of ramp workers (and you had enought years to be vested)?

 

[john john]

Fleet service unionized in 1995, got their first contract a few years later and are currently under the IAMNPF.

I think it was 6 to 7 years of Negotiating

 

[700UW]

I believe you had your first contract in 1999.

It was not six or seven years. It was more like four.

You keep what you had vested and do not accrue any further benefits if they vote out the IAM.

 

[openview]

Thanks.

I'm sure the company is in no hurry to negotiate any union contract.

 

[awausairtech]

Thanks.

I'm sure the company is in no hurry to negotiate any union contract.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH AND THE IAM PENSION. BS
MORE IAM BS.......401K is all you will get............
The IAM needs to get a grip on reality................

 

[700UW]

Guess you don't know how to understand the ramp has the IAM National Pension Plan with a $78 a year multiplier.

Don't let the facts get in your way, and the only bull is your ibt false information, you are starting to stink the place up.

 

[Ramp Rogue]

Tell the whole truth 700, that $78 multiplier is only for fulltimers. The parttimer multiplier is approx. $38. We have been in the iam pension plan almost 3 years. It isn't retroactive to when the iam was voted in, or when we got the first contract. So don't anyone think that if you come to the iam from HP that you will be getting a pension for all the years you have with HP. It's not going to happen. You'd start from scratch from the moment you find yourself under the iam's thumb. Beware brothers and sisters beware. Another word to the wise, if we don't fight for hire date seniority now, you can be assured that the iam is going to screw you out of what seniority you do have. Take it from someone who knows first hand about how the iam screwed us out of our seniority.