Decision 2004
Veteran
- Mar 12, 2004
- 1,618
- 0
A proposal for change.
After reviewing the current “collaborative mode†of the AA and the TWU, I am concerned about our future more than ever.
Even if the $500 Million in profit/savings is reached, that money will simply be applied to the pilots sacred cow pensions or paying off some of the $20+ Billion in airline debt. We will not be sitting across from company negotiators with a mindset of profits.
I think the time has come to ADVOCATE spin-off of Maintenance and Engineering into a subsidiary of AMR.
Think about it, there are huge profits to be made in maintaining aircraft, in fact Burchette and Romano seem to think there is at least $500 Million in the next 18 months.
Well shoot fire fellas, why not demand that we are spun off away from the lack of hedged fuel, the failed "more room throughout coach", value pricing, and management hidden SERP programs. Why not get away from the lack of business plan and focus only on what we do best? Why not charge for placing new galley configurations, overhead bins, and insulation mods, rather than be percieved as an expense to a dinosaur finance department that cannot even calculate our work or bid work properly?
If we are going to become more productive through work rule changes and free ideas programs then lets at least position ourselves where we are bargaining directly for a piece of those gains.
I have FULL confidence that the Aircraft Mechanics at American can produce high quality maintenance, faster, and cheaper than anyone in the business, it would be a shame to not position ourselves to capitalize on these profits at the bargaining table. The current plan leaves you still picking up crumbs after stronger bargaining units in the airline get theirs.
I propose that we attend the next share holders meeting in force and demand that M&E be spun-off. That AMR produce an IPO stock for this new company and that those funds be directly used to upgrade equipment and tooling which the airline never seems to have the money spend on. Each employee of this new company should be given enough stock at start up to insure they buy-in and become owners instead of just employees.
When we reach the bargaining table, we will no longer be splitting the pie with baggage handlers, pilots, and flight attendants. We can fire the inept management and hire and/or promote from within once we convert the management positions into desirable jobs instead of the current good ol’e boy system full of con-artist and liars.
Yes, we can become a profit center instead of a cost center. But we should not be required to share those profits with those that have not earned them when negotiating collective bargaining agreements. We should not have to fund exhuberent Vice-President salaries for services which do not directly related to maintaining aircraft.
How about becoming world class maintenance with our own company instead becoming a cash cow for a mis-managed airline?
If we are going to manage the M&E department for the airline, then we should also own it, and survive or die on our own merits and abilities.
Of course we continue the path of 20 years worth of concessions we have experienced since de-regulation.
Burchette and the TWU would have us believe that the "new collaborative" mode is something never tried before. Ppfffftt, I say, the TWU and AA have been in bed together collaborating for 50 years, and there is nothing new in the plan they present. Under their present plan, we will still be the cash cow, and everyone else shares in all the benefits.
You want us to compete? Then place us directly on the same playing field, with the same overhead as the MRO. Don't leave us hanging where we currently are and claim we are being treatly fairly and equal.
If they want culture change, the quickest and fastest way, is change the company.
Your comments on this matter are welcomed.
After reviewing the current “collaborative mode†of the AA and the TWU, I am concerned about our future more than ever.
Even if the $500 Million in profit/savings is reached, that money will simply be applied to the pilots sacred cow pensions or paying off some of the $20+ Billion in airline debt. We will not be sitting across from company negotiators with a mindset of profits.
I think the time has come to ADVOCATE spin-off of Maintenance and Engineering into a subsidiary of AMR.
Think about it, there are huge profits to be made in maintaining aircraft, in fact Burchette and Romano seem to think there is at least $500 Million in the next 18 months.
Well shoot fire fellas, why not demand that we are spun off away from the lack of hedged fuel, the failed "more room throughout coach", value pricing, and management hidden SERP programs. Why not get away from the lack of business plan and focus only on what we do best? Why not charge for placing new galley configurations, overhead bins, and insulation mods, rather than be percieved as an expense to a dinosaur finance department that cannot even calculate our work or bid work properly?
If we are going to become more productive through work rule changes and free ideas programs then lets at least position ourselves where we are bargaining directly for a piece of those gains.
I have FULL confidence that the Aircraft Mechanics at American can produce high quality maintenance, faster, and cheaper than anyone in the business, it would be a shame to not position ourselves to capitalize on these profits at the bargaining table. The current plan leaves you still picking up crumbs after stronger bargaining units in the airline get theirs.
I propose that we attend the next share holders meeting in force and demand that M&E be spun-off. That AMR produce an IPO stock for this new company and that those funds be directly used to upgrade equipment and tooling which the airline never seems to have the money spend on. Each employee of this new company should be given enough stock at start up to insure they buy-in and become owners instead of just employees.
When we reach the bargaining table, we will no longer be splitting the pie with baggage handlers, pilots, and flight attendants. We can fire the inept management and hire and/or promote from within once we convert the management positions into desirable jobs instead of the current good ol’e boy system full of con-artist and liars.
Yes, we can become a profit center instead of a cost center. But we should not be required to share those profits with those that have not earned them when negotiating collective bargaining agreements. We should not have to fund exhuberent Vice-President salaries for services which do not directly related to maintaining aircraft.
How about becoming world class maintenance with our own company instead becoming a cash cow for a mis-managed airline?
If we are going to manage the M&E department for the airline, then we should also own it, and survive or die on our own merits and abilities.
Of course we continue the path of 20 years worth of concessions we have experienced since de-regulation.
Burchette and the TWU would have us believe that the "new collaborative" mode is something never tried before. Ppfffftt, I say, the TWU and AA have been in bed together collaborating for 50 years, and there is nothing new in the plan they present. Under their present plan, we will still be the cash cow, and everyone else shares in all the benefits.
You want us to compete? Then place us directly on the same playing field, with the same overhead as the MRO. Don't leave us hanging where we currently are and claim we are being treatly fairly and equal.
If they want culture change, the quickest and fastest way, is change the company.
Your comments on this matter are welcomed.
