2014 AA / Fleet Service Discussion

[OldGuy@AA]

Interestingly enough Doug Parker's claim that he needs to pay his people what the other airlines are paying theirs is true.  The problem is that "His People" are management and not union.  If you go on Jetnet and watch the video of the town hall in PHX, Parker states there is a deal on the table for the IAM.  An IAM guy in the front row tells him that deal offers a 1% (Yeah one percent) raise after 18 months and they have to give up holidays to get it!  Needless to say, they are nowhere near a TA.  We know from experience that the NMB does not help negotiations at all and will allow Parker to negotiate in bad faith.  One would think that since AA made record profits the first quarter, there would be money available for raises for the people who have been without a contract for almost 3 years.  But record profits make Parker try to force even more concessions.  Also keep in mind that if U.S.Air guys still have all 10 holidays if and when there is a TA, it makes it hard for AA to keep them from us.  Don't look for a deal any time soon.  Especially before the 36 month point in our deals.  I don't see any decent offer coming for the IAM guys any time soon.  We all know there are things that AMTs and FS don't agree on, but at the end of the day we are in the same boat and we have to stick up for each other.  

 

[ChockJockey]

Have any cities received the belt loaders? LAS had one as a test, needless to say it unused and the batteries died.

 
What kind of belt loaders are these?

 

[700UW]

Update: 02 May 2014

US Airways Update
As previously addressed in the April 10, 2014 bulletin the National Mediation Board met both separately and jointly with the principles of the Union and the company this week on April 30 and May 1 at the office s of the National Mediation Board. Based on the discussions during these meetings Board Member Linda Puchala has requested the discussions continue next week in Washington, DC on May 6 and 7, 2014.
We will provide a further update after the meetings next week.
 

 

[bob@las-AA]

 
What kind of belt loaders are these?

Some new Rube Goldberg machine designed to rob us of a man or two to load and unload. A you tube link will explain all.
 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kIBowKyA2M

 

[ChockJockey]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kIBowKyA2M

 
Oh my god.  I'm just glad when our warped, rusted, and lopsided belt loaders fume, shudder, and sputter to life on turning the ignition (sometimes you have to coax the gear selector simultaneously).  Who knows, it's an interesting invention but I doubt the cost of purchase, rollout, maintenance, repair, and replacement would really be less than the staffing it's supposed to replace.

 

[dfw gen]

You guys don't get it.
 
Airlineforums.com,USAviation.com before it and for the real old timers, PlaneBusiness.com forums were/are the exclusive sandbox of the noble aircraft maintenance technician at American Airlines.
 
There is NOTHING  else currently happening at American Airlines of any import that supercedes the plight of the noble American Airlines aircraft maintenance technician.
 
I personally have absolutely loved reading the same thing from the same 30-40 posters for the past 15 years.It's like groundhog day.

thank goodness someone gets it!

 

[AANOTOK]

thank goodness someone gets it!

It's "instilled"

 

[Jester]

 
Oh my god.  I'm just glad when our warped, rusted, and lopsided belt loaders fume, shudder, and sputter to life on turning the ignition (sometimes you have to coax the gear selector simultaneously).  Who knows, it's an interesting invention but I doubt the cost of purchase, rollout, maintenance, repair, and replacement would really be less than the staffing it's supposed to replace.

 
My personal "favorite" beltloader is the one that requires all 4 of the forward buttons to be pressed at the same time, and even that's questionable... I prefer to stand on one foot while attempting to get the belt to move.  Not that it helps, but it appears that I am doing something extra.  Usually, it is mocking rampers on A1 (or A3?).
 
If rampers effectively short-stacked more often there would be far less need for such peice of equipment... instead I get 40 bags behind the aft bin netting near the bulkhead on an A320.