Teamsters raid was planned and we were right again

[Chuck Schalk]

The New Leadership Team for Our International Union

http://www.lombardoteam.org/?page_id=62
Not too long ago the Transport Workers Union was one of the strongest in the country. Not the largest, to be sure, but with clout and respect beyond our numbers. Employers dealt with us cautiously, aware that we were not afraid to fight for our members. And our contracts reflected this.
Once other unions looked to us for leadership. Our strong presence in local labor movements and in Washington commanded respect. They called on us for help and we gave it freely. Consequently we were able to call on them when we needed support.
THIS HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AFTER 7 YEARS OF PRESIDENT JIM LITTLE’S TIMID LEADERSHIP.
Today our once highly effective Washington lobbying office has been shut down. TWU is practically invisible in the national AFL-CIO. Other International unions believe we are easy pickings, because our International under Jim Little rolls over for them rather than fighting for our members.

• Like the deal that opened the door to a Teamster raid on our mechanics.
• Like the sellout to the IAM, giving them a share of the new American Airlines, forcing many TWUers into the IAM instead of demanding an election we would assuredly win.

Today schemes like merging with the CWA and the joint agreement with the Machinists are hatched by one person, Jim Little, without consultation and then dropped on other officers and the membership like a lead weight. Obviously, we cannot afford four more years of the status quo, much less four more years of further retreat.
It’s time to hit the reset button.
With your support, the HARRY LOMBARDO TEAM WILL ERASE THE PAST SEVEN YEARS OF FAILURE.
We said that the teamsters were brought in by Jim Little and now Harry lombardo confirms what we said all along. AMFA organizers were right again. The membership was lied to on both sides, the TWU and the Teamsters. What else have they both not been truthful about?

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

The New Leadership Team for Our International Union

http://www.lombardot...org/?page_id=62
Not too long ago the Transport Workers Union was one of the strongest in the country. Not the largest, to be sure, but with clout and respect beyond our numbers. Employers dealt with us cautiously, aware that we were not afraid to fight for our members. And our contracts reflected this.
Once other unions looked to us for leadership. Our strong presence in local labor movements and in Washington commanded respect. They called on us for help and we gave it freely. Consequently we were able to call on them when we needed support.
THIS HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AFTER 7 YEARS OF PRESIDENT JIM LITTLE’S TIMID LEADERSHIP.
Today our once highly effective Washington lobbying office has been shut down. TWU is practically invisible in the national AFL-CIO. Other International unions believe we are easy pickings, because our International under Jim Little rolls over for them rather than fighting for our members.

• Like the deal that opened the door to a Teamster raid on our mechanics.
• Like the sellout to the IAM, giving them a share of the new American Airlines, forcing many TWUers into the IAM instead of demanding an election we would assuredly win.

Today schemes like merging with the CWA and the joint agreement with the Machinists are hatched by one person, Jim Little, without consultation and then dropped on other officers and the membership like a lead weight. Obviously, we cannot afford four more years of the status quo, much less four more years of further retreat.
It’s time to hit the reset button.
With your support, the HARRY LOMBARDO TEAM WILL ERASE THE PAST SEVEN YEARS OF FAILURE.
We said that the teamsters were brought in by Jim Little and now Harry lombardo confirms what we said all along. AMFA organizers were right again. The membership was lied to on both sides, the TWU and the Teamsters. What else have they both not been truthful about?

Chuck

The TWU under the Leadership of anyone is and always will be the TWU=Totally worthless Union.

Since the beginning the TWU at AA has been a joke you know that.

If not for the contract that the NWA mechanics got we would be at lower pay scale than we are at now.

Just look at the number of people who did not vote to replace the leadership in Tulsa.
It appears that G.Y. got in as vp of 514. How can that happen? recount and then another recount??????

The amt's at aa just don't care which union or leadership is in place. The appathy that is here is so inbread that
I am glad that I have only a few yrs left before I can walk away. IBT or AMFA here would make little difference if the members of Tusla vote in the same TWU leaders that have failed to represent the members.

The assoc. that the IAM and TWU have formed and the getting together with the CWA is only a way to keep us paying dues to a union which is only going to give to those who kiss the ring. The scammers of AA.

 

[OldGuy@AA]

If AMFA gets voted in there will be some of us in Tulsa who would not run for TWU positions that will run. You won't have the TWU retreads running. There were so many that are disgusted with them that they didn't even vote. The number of Koolaid drinkers are dwindling. We lost a lot of them when they took the money and ran.

 

[Chuck Schalk]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tedreed/2013/08/02/teamsters-we-did-not-raid-american-we-were-invited-in/#comment_reply
[font="Verdana""]“The Teamsters Union strongly takes issue with the characterization of our effort to win representation for the American mechanics as a ‘raid’,” said David Bourne, director of the Teamsters airline division, in a prepared statement provided to[font="Verdana""] Forbes[/font] late Wednesday. “TWU had determined it was going to lose the group and consented to allow the Teamsters to organize and collect authorization cards.[/font]

[font="Verdana""]”TWU monitored our campaign and card collection for over a year and encouraged the filing of the election petition,” Bourne said. (doesn't this sound familiar?)[/font]

 

[Overspeed]

So the TWU got the IBT to spend millions to keep AMFA out? Is Little that good that he can get the IBT to spend millions on mailings and organizers? Holy crap! I think the IBT more like saw how upset AMTs were after the BK and they thought we were easy. Now that people know how screwed up they are they realize the IBT is not the answer. They forged cards and now are doing damage control.

 

[iluvaa]

What a shame, no one really cares about us just our dues. Just sitting here shaking my head

 

[Bob Owens]

So the TWU got the IBT to spend millions to keep AMFA out? Is Little that good that he can get the IBT to spend millions on mailings and organizers? Holy crap! I think the IBT more like saw how upset AMTs were after the BK and they thought we were easy. Now that people know how screwed up they are they realize the IBT is not the answer. They forged cards and now are doing damage control.

Little admitted on more than one occasion that he invited the IBT in, even Gary Drummonds statement in the Reed article in Forbes does not deny this, it only says that they never said it was ok that they actually file. Like you said, the IBT spent millions, why would Little expect them to spend millions and then not actually file?

 

[Buster CRC]

Well is there any chance the company was involved? Look how fast they responded. They didn't want AMFA in either that would end their back door deals and their gag orders.

 

[swamt]

Well is there any chance the company was involved? Look how fast they responded. They didn't want AMFA in either that would end their back door deals and their gag orders.

Any chance? C'mon! Since when has a company so quickly supplied an eligibility list for a union representational election? The list some how made it from Fort Worth, Tx. to Washington in a record 4-6 hours the very same day. Now you tell us, do you think the company was involved? Hell yea they were involved. Why did the company so willfully supply the list? Because they were assured by both the TWU and the teamsters that there will be no election as they were going to file with not enough cards to call for an election. This is why the company so easily, and without resistance or a fight, and in just hours after to kill the deadline for AMFA to respond in a timely manner and get on the ballot. This alone should be a HUGE red flag that the company is willing to work with TWU and the teamsters in order to keep the TWU in place as they are always agreeing with the company to concessions and back door deals. If you guys get the chance use the "WRITE-IN" option and put AMFA on the run-off ballot, then watch the company completely freak out...

 

[1AA]

There will not be an election. You are talking about a company that did everything as planned in the BK process. Killed our contracts and allowed the TWU to sell it to us.
I hope all the koolaid drinking Teamster supporters realized they were suckered.
AMFA was and still is the only choice we have for better representation. Too bad we have sheep amongst the ranks. We got screwed again with the help of the TWU, IBT and our own members. How pathetic of a group of professionals we are.

 

[TWU informer]

So the TWU got the IBT to spend millions to keep AMFA out? Is Little that good that he can get the IBT to spend millions on mailings and organizers? Holy crap! I think the IBT more like saw how upset AMTs were after the BK and they thought we were easy. Now that people know how screwed up they are they realize the IBT is not the answer. They forged cards and now are doing damage control.

James C Little admitted at a Local 514 meeting that he requested the IBT assistance and then they stabbed him in the back. His words, not mine.

 

[Duke787]

When the IBT started sending us mailings and started coming to our homes, guys were saying its a conspiracy with the TWU to keep out AMFA, how else would the IBT get our address's, I thought they had gone off the deep end.

It's too bad the TWU just didn't give us the representation we needed, they wouldn't have to enlist the help of the IBT to fight off AMFA. After seeing how well the F/A's and pilots are going to come out after bankruptcy and how long we are going to be stuck with this contract, I'm not sure which upsets me more the fact that the TWU can work so well with other unions to protect their union dues coming in or the lack of representation we get.

 

[Rusty]

http://www.forbes.co...ere-invited-in/

David Bourne is the appointed head of the Teamsters ATD (Air Transportation Division).

“The Teamsters Union strongly takes issue with the characterization of our effort to win representation for the American mechanics as a ‘raid’,” said David Bourne, director of the Teamsters airline division, in a prepared statement provided to Forbes late Wednesday. “TWU had determined it was going to lose the group and consented to allow the Teamsters to organize and collect authorization cards.
”TWU monitored our campaign and card collection for over a year and encouraged the filing of the election petition,” Bourne said.

Garry Drummond is the appointed head of the TWU ATD.

While we were pinned down in the bankruptcy process at least three different unions circulated authorization cards at American,” Drummond said. “Once that process was concluded we actively resisted all such efforts, including the IBT’s. We specifically requested that the IBT cease its raiding activity on American many months before its filing and it refused to do so”

Does this mean there could be a lawsuit due to a no-raid agreement, or perhaps could they still be colluding against us with prepares statements? Will we continue to put up with secret deals? Can there be trust without transparency? If they would collude behind our backs and they are our union, would they collude behind our backs with the company?

Most of us have lived and know the answers to these questions!

 

[Vortilon]

If the NMB had an ounce of integrity, they would see this whole TWU, IBT, and yes American Airlines charade for what it is - and award the AMFA the representation of AA's Aircraft Mechanics.

 

[Frank Szabo]

If the NMB had an ounce of integrity, they would see this whole TWU, IBT, and yes American Airlines charade for what it is - and award the AMFA the representation of AA's Aircraft Mechanics.

Considering the NMB has (or had) a number Obunghole appointees and the Reamsters were the only "union" that outright endorsed the sorry bastard, it comes as no surprise what transpired. It's just payback for a job well done and standard operating procedure by "Chicago on the Potomac".