AMFA’S DESTRUCTION OF AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN CAREERS
(10,000 and counting)
AMFA negotiated the NWA agreement. In order to achieve its relatively high wage scale, AMFA gave away virtually all of the mechanics’ job protections. As a consequence, approximately 50% of the NWA mechanics have lost their jobs. Unfortunately, many of these job losses will be permanent.
At Alaska Airlines, AMFA consented to contract arbitration depriving their members of any meaningful vote on the agreement. Since only a handful of the contractual items could be referred to arbitration, the members had no alternative but to accept the deferred items, mostly unchanged from before (17 out of 31 sections to be exact). Further, the outcome of the arbitration decidedly favored management. Once the arbitrator made his decision, the members had nothing left to vote on. This certainly debunks AMFA’s claim of worker democracy.
AMFA is in negotiations with 3 of the airlines they represent and is making little headway. In the future, negotiations at NWA promise to be exciting with nothing left to give away except wages. And with the force majeure one lose in January; it will continue to be a disaster for the Northwest mechanics. NW conducted a meeting with its members on February 12,2004 and discussed the outsourcing of Brakes, APU and additional downsizing of the mechanics to a final total of 2000 to 2400 on the Property from a high of 9700.
AMFA has used many slogans in its campaign to organize aviation technicians. Some that come to mind are “mechanics for mechanics,†“a pure craft union,†and “take a stand for 100 grand.†Has there been any truth to these slogans?
Mechanics for mechanics is a misnomer since 50 plus years of National Mediation Board (NMB) decisions mandate that the craft and class be described as “mechanics and related†and this includes ground maintenance, appearance technicians, and others. They may have separate agreements, but the NMB has decreed that they cannot be excluded. (AMFA referre's to the related as splinter groups). AMFA and everyone else know that, but yet they continue to misrepresent this NMB requirement to mechanics.
While AMFA proclaims that it is a pure craft union, in fact it and its supporting organization are anything but that. AMFA’s umbrella organization is the McCormick Realty Group headquartered in Laconia, NH. Yes, Laconia, NH even though there is no air carrier located anywhere close. It also supports an independent flight attendant group (PFAA) and on and off has supported one pilot group while trying to attract others. Coincidently, these organizations have post office boxes in the same building as the McCormick Realty Group. In other words, the McCormick Realty Group provides its overpriced and limited support to any craft or class that is willing to pay for it. If you need more support, you must pay for it. (AMFA 2002 LM2 reports 1.3 million dollars in professional fees with 11,400 members). Insofar as taking a stand for 100 grand, AMFA hasn’t been close to that figure and it knows that. The TWU-negotiated agreement exceeds AMFA agreements in superior job protection language, retirement benefits and above industry average wages.
Is there an advantage to a single craft organization? The recent turmoil in the air transport industry shows there is no advantage and, in fact, there are disadvantages. The TWU status as a versatile industrial union has enabled it to strengthen its resolve during these turbulent times. Concurrently, single craft unions have drastically reduced their services and, in some cases, were forced to seek a merger partner in order to survive.
Since AMFA’s bargaining has not benefited its members, what has been its demonstrated performance as relates to representation? That, unfortunately, is as miserable as it’s bargaining. NWA and Alaska mechanics were placed in the unenviable position of having to assess themselves in order to pay off their local union’s legal expenses (Local 14). That two-year assessment ends soon and these technicians will be faced with reducing services or assessing themselves once again. TWU legal costs, conversely, are paid by the union and not through member assessment. Why then the phenomena of AMFA? Perhaps everyone hopes to get something for nothing. Children wish for the tooth fairy and someone thought the Brooklyn Bridge was a good deal.
AMFA is not a union, but rather an Internet scheme to make a profit off of the backs of highly trained aviation maintenance technicians. This scheme has brought disaster to many workers and it will injure aviation technicians for years to come. Managements see AMFA as an opportunity to roll back the clock on past gains. No self-respecting union would misrepresent itself as AMFA has, nor would it pit one member against another to benefit their organization. The purpose of labor is to help the workers and not to pick their pockets. The TWU agreements demonstrate that a real union can negotiate both wages and good job protection at the same time, no matter how tough the times. When the siren song of AMFA calls, stick to the facts, and trust your future with the AFL-CIO and North America’s Best Union. The TWU! Where the Real Strength is in the Membership.
Compliments of:
Concerned Aviation Technicians!
(10,000 and counting)
AMFA negotiated the NWA agreement. In order to achieve its relatively high wage scale, AMFA gave away virtually all of the mechanics’ job protections. As a consequence, approximately 50% of the NWA mechanics have lost their jobs. Unfortunately, many of these job losses will be permanent.
At Alaska Airlines, AMFA consented to contract arbitration depriving their members of any meaningful vote on the agreement. Since only a handful of the contractual items could be referred to arbitration, the members had no alternative but to accept the deferred items, mostly unchanged from before (17 out of 31 sections to be exact). Further, the outcome of the arbitration decidedly favored management. Once the arbitrator made his decision, the members had nothing left to vote on. This certainly debunks AMFA’s claim of worker democracy.
AMFA is in negotiations with 3 of the airlines they represent and is making little headway. In the future, negotiations at NWA promise to be exciting with nothing left to give away except wages. And with the force majeure one lose in January; it will continue to be a disaster for the Northwest mechanics. NW conducted a meeting with its members on February 12,2004 and discussed the outsourcing of Brakes, APU and additional downsizing of the mechanics to a final total of 2000 to 2400 on the Property from a high of 9700.
AMFA has used many slogans in its campaign to organize aviation technicians. Some that come to mind are “mechanics for mechanics,†“a pure craft union,†and “take a stand for 100 grand.†Has there been any truth to these slogans?
Mechanics for mechanics is a misnomer since 50 plus years of National Mediation Board (NMB) decisions mandate that the craft and class be described as “mechanics and related†and this includes ground maintenance, appearance technicians, and others. They may have separate agreements, but the NMB has decreed that they cannot be excluded. (AMFA referre's to the related as splinter groups). AMFA and everyone else know that, but yet they continue to misrepresent this NMB requirement to mechanics.
While AMFA proclaims that it is a pure craft union, in fact it and its supporting organization are anything but that. AMFA’s umbrella organization is the McCormick Realty Group headquartered in Laconia, NH. Yes, Laconia, NH even though there is no air carrier located anywhere close. It also supports an independent flight attendant group (PFAA) and on and off has supported one pilot group while trying to attract others. Coincidently, these organizations have post office boxes in the same building as the McCormick Realty Group. In other words, the McCormick Realty Group provides its overpriced and limited support to any craft or class that is willing to pay for it. If you need more support, you must pay for it. (AMFA 2002 LM2 reports 1.3 million dollars in professional fees with 11,400 members). Insofar as taking a stand for 100 grand, AMFA hasn’t been close to that figure and it knows that. The TWU-negotiated agreement exceeds AMFA agreements in superior job protection language, retirement benefits and above industry average wages.
Is there an advantage to a single craft organization? The recent turmoil in the air transport industry shows there is no advantage and, in fact, there are disadvantages. The TWU status as a versatile industrial union has enabled it to strengthen its resolve during these turbulent times. Concurrently, single craft unions have drastically reduced their services and, in some cases, were forced to seek a merger partner in order to survive.
Since AMFA’s bargaining has not benefited its members, what has been its demonstrated performance as relates to representation? That, unfortunately, is as miserable as it’s bargaining. NWA and Alaska mechanics were placed in the unenviable position of having to assess themselves in order to pay off their local union’s legal expenses (Local 14). That two-year assessment ends soon and these technicians will be faced with reducing services or assessing themselves once again. TWU legal costs, conversely, are paid by the union and not through member assessment. Why then the phenomena of AMFA? Perhaps everyone hopes to get something for nothing. Children wish for the tooth fairy and someone thought the Brooklyn Bridge was a good deal.
AMFA is not a union, but rather an Internet scheme to make a profit off of the backs of highly trained aviation maintenance technicians. This scheme has brought disaster to many workers and it will injure aviation technicians for years to come. Managements see AMFA as an opportunity to roll back the clock on past gains. No self-respecting union would misrepresent itself as AMFA has, nor would it pit one member against another to benefit their organization. The purpose of labor is to help the workers and not to pick their pockets. The TWU agreements demonstrate that a real union can negotiate both wages and good job protection at the same time, no matter how tough the times. When the siren song of AMFA calls, stick to the facts, and trust your future with the AFL-CIO and North America’s Best Union. The TWU! Where the Real Strength is in the Membership.
Compliments of:
Concerned Aviation Technicians!
