AA hires lawyer in bed with TWU

[chellow]

AA Lawyer, in bed with TWU


American Airlines asks to retain law firm in mechanics’ representation battle



http://0.gravatar.co...mn.jpg?s=52&r=G
By Terry Maxon
[email protected]
8:07 pm on March 20, 2013

American Airlines asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Wednesday to let it hire an outside law firm to represent its interests in a potential representation battle involving the carrier’s mechanics.
Wednesday’s request asked U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Sean Lane to expand the scope of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP “to include representing the Debtors in connection with a potential organizing drive for their mechanics.”
At present, the Transport Workers Union represents mechanics and related employees at American. But the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association have drives underway to take that group away from TWU.
In addition, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents mechanics at merger partner US Airways, is expected to seek to be the bargaining representative as well after the two carriers merge.....Read more

 

[eolesen]

This law firm has represented AA **against** the CWA and UTU .

I fail to see where they've done any work for the TWU, and therefore would be in bed with the TWU

Can you back up the claim?


Maybe you're just confused by the UTU. They're another mass-transit system (bus & subway) union who also represents railroad workers and flight attendants. They've been expanding into crew schedulers and dispatchers.

The UTU has nothing whatsoever to do with the TWU, aside from sharing two of the same initials and words in their name.

 

[Vortilon]

Point is, AA is wasting money by getting involved. We all know AA's interest is seeing the TWU remain - as they are not a threat. Kind of a back door way of helping the TWU. Not to mention, a lame excuse for inviting themselves into the party.

 

[eolesen]

So the company should just abandon any representation and forget about whatever interests they have which would be there regardless?

They're already invited to the party. Someone independent of the union has to verify who is and isn't an employee or in a particular class, and provide signatures presumably from the employment apps or the company's copy of the IDcards. Given the card signature fraud already pointed out on another thread, you can't rely on any of the unions to be the verification source for signatures...

More importantly, given the fact that you and your peers demanded a huge turnover in management via combining two companies, it makes sense to use outside counsel, if for no other reason than to make sure there's continuity, even though they're just secondary to the process.

As much as I wish lawyering up wasn't necessary in just about everything that happens these days, not doing so when the other side will clearly be doing so is just plane stupid.

 

[chellow]

The company is suppose to be impartial in a representation election. They don’t need to hire an outside law firm to do something the in-house legal counsel team can do, especially if the airline is in bankruptcy. The law firm is not in bed with the TWU, AA is.

 

[FWAAA]

On another thread (the one where the TWU leaders say that Bob is full of BS), someone with a screen name that implies they're a mechanic for WN asks why AA would hire a law firm to represent the TWU. On this thread, someone claims (without any evidence, in the linked story or otherwise), that AA is wasting money by hiring outside counsel.

These posts demonstrate a deficiency in reading comprehension and critical thinking abilities. You guys seem incapable of firing your own worthless union - yet you're experts on the need of management to retain outside counsel to help prevent legal claims against AA during the likely 3-way representation battle?

Wow.

Are AA and the TWU in bed together? Perhaps they are, but news of AA hiring yet another law firm to represent AA is not evidence of their coziness. At least not in the educated world.

 

[eolesen]

They don’t need to hire an outside law firm to do something the in-house legal counsel team can do, especially if the airline is in bankruptcy.

Because the company is in bankruptcy and facing a merger, I'm pretty certain the in-house guys are probably up to their ears in other work. The merger is going to result in consolidating the existing legal departments in PHX and FTW, so there will no doubt be people who leave before that happens, further driving up the workload....

You wouldn't go to a family practitioner to have your gall bladder removed. Nor would your family practitioner agree to do it. You'd go to or be referred to a specialist.

This firm appears to specialize in labor law. Using a specialist seems prudent here.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

On another thread (the one where the TWU leaders say that Bob is full of BS), someone with a screen name that implies they're a mechanic for WN asks why AA would hire a law firm to represent the TWU. On this thread, someone claims (without any evidence, in the linked story or otherwise), that AA is wasting money by hiring outside counsel.

These posts demonstrate a deficiency in reading comprehension and critical thinking abilities. You guys seem incapable of firing your own worthless union - yet you're experts on the need of management to retain outside counsel to help prevent legal claims against AA during the likely 3-way representation battle?

Wow.

Are AA and the TWU in bed together? Perhaps they are, but news of AA hiring yet another law firm to represent AA is not evidence of their coziness. At least not in the educated world.

Wow is just about right.

Own worst enemy comes to mind here.

 

[Bob Owens]

So the company should just abandon any representation and forget about whatever interests they have which would be there regardless?

Why would the company have any interest whatsoever as far as which union is on the property? So the answer is YES. They should stay out of it, after all the cards only call for a vote.

 

[Vortilon]

On another thread (the one where the TWU leaders say that Bob is full of BS), someone with a screen name that implies they're a mechanic for WN asks why AA would hire a law firm to represent the TWU. On this thread, someone claims (without any evidence, in the linked story or otherwise), that AA is wasting money by hiring outside counsel.

These posts demonstrate a deficiency in reading comprehension and critical thinking abilities. You guys seem incapable of firing your own worthless union - yet you're experts on the need of management to retain outside counsel to help prevent legal claims against AA during the likely 3-way representation battle?

Wow.

Are AA and the TWU in bed together? Perhaps they are, but news of AA hiring yet another law firm to represent AA is not evidence of their coziness. At least not in the educated world.

You are naive if you think AA wouldn't prefer the TWU remain. AA and the TWU worked hand in hand with the NMB to help thwart the last AMFA drive. So, save your lame insults - as you have no dog in this fight.

 

[eolesen]

Why would the company have any interest whatsoever as far as which union is on the property? So the answer is YES. They should stay out of it, after all the cards only call for a vote.

Hardly surprising that you'd have that viewpoint. Then again, you're the guys who saw no value in using professional negotiators vs. laymen at the bargaining table. That's worked out well.

 

[TWU informer]

I smell a RAT

 

[Vortilon]

Just got a call from an unknown number, turns out it was from an outfit called Hart Research Associates out of DC. They were doing a survey on our impressions on the unions attempting to gain representation of AA's M&R group. Asking questions such as: "what is your impression of Jim Little?" Seems the TWU is getting a little nervous. They called my mobile number.

 

[enough already]

Enough is Enough!

 

[TWU informer]

Enough is Enough!

VOTE YES, THEN WHINE LIKE CHILDREN..... And then expect to be treated as a professional. Sad is it not? This so called "union" has to go before the ship sinks and we all die of hypothermia in the cold waters.