Ny Times Scab Interview 8/24

[Birdman]

Wrong. AA is the only one standing who still does the majority of their MRO in-house.

There was a link to a summary of it in another thread, but now that you bring it up, how many AMFA members saw that last best offer? How many of them really know what they turned down when they were told by Dell to walk off the job?

Perhaps, but it doesn't change the fact that we all have breaking points where we decide we've had enough. The difference is how many lives we wreck in the process.

[post="294513"][/post]​

M&R refers to those in the "Mechanic Craft and Class" (maintenance and related) as stipulated by the NMB. Not MRO or outsourcing related. As per amfanatl.org, NW cut 5000 jobs from the M&R workgroup since 2001 and wanted 2000 more under the "last best offer". The remaining 2750 would eventually be lost through attrition. In other words, accepting the offer would drive the union at NW to extinction. Good choice? BTW, According to Transtats (Bureau of Labor Statistics), no other LEGACY CARRIER outside of BK has cut that percentage of M&R jobs.

Since there were "observers" in negotiations I would imagine there was ample information available to all. Any NW insider could clear this up.

You just cannot grasp the concept of craft unionism. It's not just about you anymore. It's about promoting and preservating the profession you have chosen. AMFA is the only union in my craft that has shown the intestinal fortitude to see it though and I will not belittle them for saying enough is enough.

 

[delldude]

You just cannot grasp the concept of craft unionism. It's not just about you anymore. It's about promoting and preservating the profession you have chosen. AMFA is the only union in my craft that has shown the intestinal fortitude to see it though and I will not belittle them for saying enough is enough.

i hear what you're saying and i think a craft union is admirable.but proving your point is pointless if all involved disappear in the process.
purple koolaid anyone??

 

[markkus757]

Craft unionism is fine if ALL mechanics worldwide were a part of the picture. Evidently, there is enough mechanics out there disenfranchised with your idea. Either you need to speak louder or change the message. Are they out of the red yet?

 

[Birdman]

i hear what you're saying and i think a craft union is admirable.but proving your point is pointless if all involved disappear in the process.
purple koolaid anyone??

[post="294807"][/post]​

Ok, you have a choice to leave kicking and screaming or just leave. Which would you take?

markkus757, it's not my idea but who else but a craft union would actually promote my profession?

 

[NWA/AMT]

i hear what you're saying and i think a craft union is admirable.but proving your point is pointless if all involved disappear in the process.
purple koolaid anyone??

[post="294807"][/post]​

If all involved are going to disappear no matter what if the company gets it's way, is it better to go on your own terms or theirs?

 

[NWA/AMT]

Since there were "observers" in negotiations I would imagine there was ample information available to all. Any NW insider could clear this up.

[post="294736"][/post]​

You are correct. Having observers present (and frequent, detailed updates from the negotiators) allowed AMFA members to make an informed decision. No contract vote was required as our strike vote said it all.

 

[eolesen]

The strike vote did say it all, however when is AMFA going to release just how many mechanics voted for the strike, as opposed to continuing to repeat 92%. Giving the percentage is useless if you don't know the denominator.

And how many of those who didn't vote were expecting to see the final offer put to a vote? I'm told by AMFA supporters that it is supposed to be more democratic than other industrial unions, yet Dell and McFarlane made a decision to execute the strike without presenting any offer to a membership vote.

 

[NWA/AMT]

The strike vote did say it all, however when is AMFA going to release just how many mechanics voted for the strike, as opposed to continuing to repeat 92%. Giving the percentage is useless if you don't know the denominator.

[post="294981"][/post]​

I do not have a link to the turnout numbers but one of the election observers reported at our local meeting that the turnout was almost 100%. I assure you that outside of Jeff Doerr and a few other IAM die hards, I have heard no NWA mechanics say they voted against it or question the decision not to ask the majority of the members to vote themselves out of a job and out of any hope of recall.

I'm told by AMFA supporters that it is supposed to be more democratic than other industrial unions, yet Dell and McFarlane made a decision to execute the strike without presenting any offer to a membership vote.

I'd be interested to hear where you came by that information, as it in no way reflects the actual process used.

The AMFA negotiating team, made up of people who were neither Dell or MacFarlane but elected AMFA representatives from across the country, recommended to the National Executive Council (NEC) that further negotiations were unlikely to produce an agreement. With the results of the NWA strike vote in hand, the NEC voted to have the National Director declare a strike. Exactly the process as written in the AMFA constitution.

You may, as those who wish to cause dissension on the picket lines seem to be doing, continue to bemoan the lack of a vote on the company's last offer, but in light of the fact that the company offer had not changed since the strike vote, I can assure you it would have been rejected.

 

[Bob Owens]

Former ModerAAtor,Aug 31 2005, 06:37 AM]
The strike vote did say it all, however when is AMFA going to release just how many mechanics voted for the strike, as opposed to continuing to repeat 92%.  Giving the percentage is useless if you don't know the denominator.

Unfortunately thats how Democracy usually works, except with the NMB where a non cast vote is counted as a "no" vote against the union. When more than half the eligible people in the country dont vote for either Candidate we still end up with somebody being elected.

And how many of those who didn't vote were expecting to see the final offer put to a vote? 

The final offer was the same as the offer that was presented when they took the strike vote.

I'm told by AMFA supporters that it is supposed to be more democratic than other industrial unions, yet Dell and McFarlane made a decision to execute the strike without presenting any offer to a membership vote.

Sure they did, when they took the strike vote. The offer did not change. How many times should they vote on the same exact thing? Or is it that you feel that people should be forced to keep voting until they vote the "right" way?


Arent you the one who claims to be a lawyer? Maybe thats why you keep asking the same question on different threads. Are you going to keep asking until you get the answer you want?

 

[Kev3188]

I do not have a link to the turnout numbers but one of the election observers reported at our local meeting that the turnout was almost 100%. I assure you that outside of Jeff Doerr and a few other IAM die hards, I have heard no NWA mechanics say they voted against it or question the decision not to ask the majority of the members to vote themselves out of a job and out of any hope of recall.

[post="294998"][/post]​

Any truth to the "rumor" (for lack of a better term) that Bazzachini (sp?) has been out there walking? If so, good on him for putting politics aside for a bigger cause. I wish DePace would do the same.....

 

[eolesen]

Arent you the one who claims to be a lawyer? Maybe thats why you keep asking the same question on different threads. Are you going to keep asking until you get the answer you want?

[post="295118"][/post]​

I'd be satisfied with just an answer right now. Three weeks after the strike vote, nobody seems to know what the raw number is.

So, unless there's something being covered up, why not release the number who voted instead of repeatedly saying 92%???

 

[AMFAMAN]

I'd be satisfied with just an answer right now. Three weeks after the strike vote, nobody seems to know what the raw number is.

So, unless there's something being covered up, why not release the number who voted instead of repeatedly saying 92%???

[post="295212"][/post]​

Why do you care, after all the number of those who have crossed the picket line is 2. That alone should tell you how many are dissatisfied with NWA and their BS proposal.

 

[Birdman]

I'd be satisfied with just an answer right now.  Three weeks after the strike vote, nobody seems to know what the raw number is.

So, unless there's something being covered up, why not release the number who voted instead of repeatedly saying 92%???

[post="295212"][/post]​

You know, your the one that's propagating this "how many voted" issue so lets go there. The real question should be how many were given the opportunity to vote and how many were denied. I would be willing to wager, more on a percentage basis were allowed to vote on the NW strike as were allowed to vote on the concessionary contract at AA. So I agree with you. AMFA and AA should come clean on the "raw numbers".

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

I'd be satisfied with just an answer right now.  Three weeks after the strike vote, nobody seems to know what the raw number is.

So, unless there's something being covered up, why not release the number who voted instead of repeatedly saying 92%???

[post="295212"][/post]​

Like the 3000 twu voters that were never allowed to vote because of mixed up pin numbers or never recieving one. I got your cover up its call jim little and the twu

 

[NWA/AMT]

Any truth to the "rumor" (for lack of a better term) that Bazzachini (sp?) has been out there walking? If so, good on him for putting politics aside for a bigger cause. I wish DePace would do the same.....

[post="295172"][/post]​

I have been told by some that both Vince B. and Jeff D. have been walking picket and by others that they haven't, so I'm unable to give a certain answer. I would think they would, as they are both unionists, but wouldn't expect them to carry one of the signs with an AMFA emblem on it.

As for Bobby, I would hope that the experience D143 has had with the Ramp Service at ASA in SEA this summer has given him some insight that will help the NWA ESEs in their negotiations. I don't think anyone in AMFA expected him to be any help in the current mechanics situation.