Ny Times Scab Interview 8/24

[JAMAKE1]

Crossing a picket line undermines every American worker. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the unions in this country have fought long and hard to secure the work place protections and working conditions...perks such as pensions, premium pay for working a holiday, overtime pay, medical benefits, work place safety enhancements, an infrastructure for work place grievances to be heard, whistleblower protections, and more...that benefit all American workers today. Unions have also served to balance out the disparity in executive pay with that of the lowest paid worker. For all of their faults...and I am not denying that there has been corruption, and that a small minority of bad apples have been protected, etc...(as exists in any organization) but for the most part, unions have helped to elevate the standard of living (and working conditions) for all Americans. When you cross a picket line, it unravels and rocks the foundation of the union legacy: Fighting for the betterment of the American middle-class worker. As much as I strive to have compassion for my fellow man, my ability to have respect and compassion for my fellow man is greatly compromised when I have to witness a person having so little regard and respect for the decades of blood, sweat, and tears that it has taken to bring the American middle class worker to the standard of living we enjoy today. It troubles me that one can so easily lapse into unconsciousness by the lure of $27 bucks an hour, meanwhile, the foundation is buckling right beneath you...the bricks and mortar of workplace rules, retirement plans, medical premiums, holiday pay, system grievance procedures, etc. Once the foundation crumbles, it will take years to re-build. Meanwhile, the competition has to be able to compete and the precedent is set. And who loses? The average hard-working middle class American worker. Just remember, KTO, those guys on the picket line are taking a stand for all us...including you. Food for thought.

Good night.

 

[eolesen]

Jamake, your posts bring a tear to my eye, but standing up for principles won't stop foreclosure, repossesion, or put food on the table for your kids.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. The fact that you have former AMFA members willing to be replacement workers should tell you that the job market sucks bad enough that this is the best they could find to keep a roof over their kids heads....

 

[MCI transplant]

Jamake, your posts bring a tear to my eye, but standing up for principles won't stop foreclosure, repossesion, or put food on the table for your kids.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.  The fact that you have former AMFA members willing to be replacement workers should tell you that the job market sucks bad enough that this is the best they could find to keep a roof over their kids heads....

[post="292830"][/post]​

<_< Sorry Mr.ex-moderator! That don't wash!!! If an person holds a valid A&P ticket, it means he has at least a certain level of mechanical ability! If he can't find honest work with that ability, that tells me that maybe he didn't have it to begin with and really shouldn't be working on aircraft!!! Hard statement? Hard times!!!

 

[keeptheodds]

<_< Sorry Mr.ex-moderator! That don't wash!!! If an person holds a valid A&P ticket, it means he has at least a certain level of mechanical ability! If he can't find honest work with that ability, that tells me that maybe he didn't have it to begin with and really shouldn't be working on aircraft!!! Hard statement? Hard times!!!

[post="292836"][/post]​

These guys have honest work right now. Have you ever heard "Move your Meat loose your seatâ€￾, maybe if I step down to your level you can understand what is happening here. You walked off of your job. The cards were stacked against you and you refused to fold. You traded in the only ace you had when you struck. Now you have no control over what is going to happen. Had you not struck you would still be on the inside of the fence drawing a paycheck and crippling the company from within. From my very first post I tried to warn you guys how NW was preparing for this strike. Instead of taking that information to organize a new strategy you choose to insult and belittle me. Someone here said "you reap what you sow" Well AMFA Boys get to REAPING.

 

[robbedagain]

even though these AMFA folks may ultimately lose their jobs, at least they are a group that finally stood up against the mgmt team. I admire a union that actually stands up against a mgmt team, versus the IAM type whereas they dont give a rats a$$ except the dues. SAD SAD SAD!! I wish each and everyone of you AMFA MECHANICS the very best and hope you all get your jobs back quickly

 

[operaations]

Robbed. Do you really think any Union cares 100% about the members. The bottom line is they are a corporation. All they want are union dues. The IAM AMFA TWU all of them. If they were so honorable and were totally for the company they would all be non paid vol workers. But I doubt they would do that. The union officers at the AMFA will be getting paid long after the mechanics chose to come back to NWA or to be fired completley. I highly doubt anyone from the AMFA will be out buying groceries for an ex NWA mechanic who went on strike. Just a thought. But KTO might be able to help donate cause he will have a job

 

[robbedagain]

well I knew that the IAM was selfish in that respect, and from what I have read and heard of TWU. Sorry I dont know much about AMFA but at least they have the guts to stand up to mgmt. that is at least a compliment that IAM cant even get!

 

[MCI transplant]

These guys have honest work right now. Have you ever heard "Move your Meat loose your seatâ€￾, maybe if I step down to your level you can understand what is happening here. You walked off of your job. The cards were stacked against you and you refused to fold. You traded in the only ace you had when you struck. Now you have no control over what is going to happen. Had you not struck you would still be on the inside of the fence drawing a paycheck and crippling the company from within. From my very first post I tried to warn you guys how NW was preparing for this strike. Instead of taking that information to organize a new strategy you choose to insult and belittle me. Someone here said "you reap what you sow" Well AMFA Boys get to REAPING.

[post="292916"][/post]​

<_< First off dip-sh##! I don't work for NW! Second I was fixing Aircraft when you were still craping in your paints! So Buzz off! Boy!! Step down to who's level? You couldn't hold a candle to a piss ant!!!!

 

[keeptheodds]

<_< First off dip-sh##! I don't work for NW! Second I was fixing Aircraft when you were still craping in your paints! So Buzz off! Boy!! Step down to who's level? You couldn't hold a candle to a piss ant!!!!

[post="293110"][/post]​

Does anyone in this forum work for Northwest? How many of you pro-union guys are coming in here rallying to support the strike, are actually on strike? Don't tell me that the majority of you fanatic union preachers aren't even on strike! Don't tell me that you guys have been coming in here saying "HANG IN THERE BOYS!!!!" and you get up every day to go to your $40.00 Hr. union jobs. You call me the scum of the earth? Well let me tell what you are! You are scared little pitiful men shaking in your boots because you are in the same weak pitiful union! You know if this strike fails you are next! Let me tell you a little secret IT ALREADY HAS FAILED!!!!!!!! You guys are to ignorant to realize it. So you go ahead and keep preaching, come on I'll help you. HANG IN THERE BOYS!!!!!! MAKE AMFA PROUD BOYS!!!! HOLD THE LINE BOYS!!!!!!!! YOUVE GOT THE GUTS BOYS!!!!!!! WAL-MART IS WAITING FOR YOU BOYS!!!!!! BURGER KING WILL ALWAYS BE THERE BOYS!!!!!!!! GET A LIFE!

 

[robbedagain]

Does anyone in this forum work for Northwest? How many of you pro-union guys are coming in here rallying to support the strike, are actually on strike? Don't tell me that the majority of you fanatic union preachers aren't even on strike! Don't tell me that you guys have been coming in here saying "HANG IN THERE BOYS!!!!" and you get up every day to go to your $40.00 Hr. union jobs. You call me the scum of the earth? Well let me tell what you are! You are scared little pitiful men shaking in your boots because you are in the same weak pitiful union! You know if this strike fails you are next! Let me tell you a little secret IT ALREADY HAS FAILED!!!!!!!! You guys are to ignorant to realize it. So you go ahead and keep preaching, come on I'll help you. HANG IN THERE BOYS!!!!!! MAKE AMFA PROUD BOYS!!!! HOLD THE LINE BOYS!!!!!!!! YOUVE GOT THE GUTS BOYS!!!!!!! WAL-MART IS WAITING FOR YOU BOYS!!!!!! BURGER KING WILL ALWAYS BE THERE BOYS!!!!!!!! GET A LIFE!

[post="293126"][/post]​

First of all I have not worked for NWA and I was not in AMFA but in a useless union called the IAM. It is a free country and we may put words in this board or any other airline forum when we want to. most of the folks are either a furloughed airline employee or an active airline employees who may or may not support these AMFA folks who are on strike. If they support them, it is probably because they have the guts and the balls to stand up to mgmt's bullsh!t while mgmt aint takin a paycut or crap like that! since you like wlamart or burger king go join them. as for me, I habve a darn good job starting out at 42000 a year. i dont believe that this strike has failed yet. It may fail it may not, but at least those on strike are doing it for a good cause because if they didnt, then mgmt at all of the other airlines will sya wow we will do a usair or a nwa style and see how far we can go! that is mgmts thinkin.

 

[keezy44]

" You guys are to ignorant to realize it. So you go ahead and keep preaching, come on I'll help you"

In High School english class I learned that too is not the same as to. We would be considered very ignorant if we used" to" improperly. Of course scabs will probably never be respected again no matter how good their English is.

 

[Red Tail Bear]

Does anyone in this forum work for Northwest? How many of you pro-union guys are coming in here rallying to support the strike, are actually on strike? Don't tell me that the majority of you fanatic union preachers aren't even on strike! Don't tell me that you guys have been coming in here saying "HANG IN THERE BOYS!!!!" and you get up every day to go to your $40.00 Hr. union jobs. You call me the scum of the earth? Well let me tell what you are! You are scared little pitiful men shaking in your boots because you are in the same weak pitiful union! You know if this strike fails you are next! Let me tell you a little secret IT ALREADY HAS FAILED!!!!!!!! You guys are to ignorant to realize it. So you go ahead and keep preaching, come on I'll help you. HANG IN THERE BOYS!!!!!! MAKE AMFA PROUD BOYS!!!! HOLD THE LINE BOYS!!!!!!!! YOUVE GOT THE GUTS BOYS!!!!!!! WAL-MART IS WAITING FOR YOU BOYS!!!!!! BURGER KING WILL ALWAYS BE THERE BOYS!!!!!!!! GET A LIFE!

[post="293126"][/post]​

KTO,
You are a real POS. You come on a forum board and talk tough and try to come across as a big man but in reality you're a little coward. You enter and exit the building away from these people whose jobs you are trying to take. You call these people every name in the book and belittle them on this forum yet you don't know any of these people from a hole in the wall. You do these things under the guise of anonymity even amongst your own kind (scabs). These are the character traits of a coward, a man that lacks the testicular fortitude to identify himself to any "single one" of these people in person. Its one thing to act upon a grudge against unions but to come on this forum and grandstand and call attention to yourself the way you have is cowardly. Be a real man and go tell these people walking the picket lines who you are and how you really feel. Come on big man show us weak union guys how a real man should act. I dare you!

 

[Red Tail Bear]

Jamake, your posts bring a tear to my eye, but standing up for principles won't stop foreclosure, repossesion, or put food on the table for your kids.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. The fact that you have former AMFA members willing to be replacement workers should tell you that the job market sucks bad enough that this is the best they could find to keep a roof over their kids heads....

[post="292830"][/post]​

But is it worth sacrificing your self respect for a few bucks. Or could these people have settled for second best and retained it. Willing to be and being are two different things. Do you have proof or are you just speculating?

 

[local 12 proud]

KTO,
You are a real POS. You come on a forum board and talk tough and try to come across as a big man but in reality you're a little coward. You enter and exit the building away from these people whose jobs you are trying to take. You call these people every name in the book and belittle them on this forum yet you don't know any of these people from a hole in the wall. You do these things under the guise of anonymity even amongst your own kind (scabs). These are the character traits of a coward, a man that lacks the testicular fortitude to identify himself to any "single one" of these people in person. Its one thing to act upon a grudge against unions but to come on this forum and grandstand and call attention to yourself the way you have is cowardly. Be a real man and go tell these people walking the picket lines who you are and how you really feel. Come on big man show us weak union guys how a real man should act. I dare you!

[post="293320"][/post]​

Red Tail, A REAL Man would'nt be scabbing in the first place. This KTO character is either a management stooge on here to stir the pot, or indeed a SCAB who has an axe to grind. Either way he will get his just reward....! perhaps while KTO is here stealing a REAL MANS job, a REAL MAN is stealing that scumbags wife

 

[eolesen]

But is it worth sacrificing your self respect for a few bucks. Or could these people have settled for second best and retained it. Willing to be and being are two different things. Do you have proof or are you just speculating?

[post="293325"][/post]​

Who are you or I to judge if the former UAL-AMFA guys now working as replacements had anything better to pick from?

One thing I do know for certain is that when you dump a couple thousand mechanics on the street at the same time in a place like MCI or IND, odds are that there won't be a lot of choices for second best. Take that to a high cost of living area like SFO or OAK, and you know that there won't be a lot of choices for replacing a mechanic's income.

Self respect also takes different forms.

My main obligations are to God, family, and country first, and my career comes somewhere after those three. If I can't take care of my family, I will lose far more self-respect than if I make a career move that I might not otherwise want to take for various reasons.

So, you can second guess the reasons for why someone would choose to cross a picket line or work as a replacement. I'm chosing not to pass judgement on either them or the strikers.