Agents TURN DOWN Union

[eolesen]

Well, by the same logic, why bother with an election? Dumbasses Part II.

AA has said there were 7,792 eligible to vote once attrition kicked in (buyouts, retirees).

So CWA had 37% support. Still not enough to make a difference.

I'd edit my posts above but the forum only allows that within an hour or so of the original post.

US has 6100 CWA members per last year's annual report.

Depending on how many current CWA members are disenchanted with their union, it's hard to say how a vote post-merger would go. It wouldn't take much to force decertification -- 65% support within US would lose an election on today's results.

 

[Bob Owens]

Incredibly stupid.

And there isnt a no vote option, you either vote yes, the non-votes are counted as a no.

Unfortunate, but if the agents talk to the mechanics they see on the line they probably would ask themselves "Would we end up like the mechanics, with less vacation, fewer holidays and lower pay so they can hire more agents with the savings?"

The TWU doesnt realize what damage they have done to unionism, but then again, maybe they do?

 

[usa1]

Bad thing is .. in a merger US Airways agents lose their union. CWA enjoyed a good relationship with mgt.

 

[robbedagain]

i highly doubt the us cwa agents would get rid of the union even in the event of a merger....
what will happen if and when the two airlines merge some stations go on the choppin block, the agents who are working customer service will get the axe first before the unions will bec the company will say "sorry youre losing your jobs bec the stations is closing" and as 700 said in the merger there would be a vote and its my own belief that
at us the cwa kept their agents in mainline employees in stations including the ones the iam lost and the stations outsourced then january of last yr the cwa had snap backs that brought their wages and benes up to prior to the ch11 era

 

[700UW]

Bad thing is .. in a merger US Airways agents lose their union. CWA enjoyed a good relationship with mgt.

Do you even know how the process works?

If the US CSA and Res are more than 35% of the combined workforce there will be an election, if they arent, the CWA would have to collect A-Cards to make an election happen.

 

[usa1]

The law says in a merger the larger class carries the day. In this case its AA. The union at US is history. CWA will have to start at square one and try to get 50 % cards signed for a new vote. What happens in the mean time. They would be free to outsourse all the mid sized cities.

 

[700UW]

No the law does not say that.

Railway Labor Act regulations and National Mediation Board (NMB) procedures will determine the certified collective bargaining representative for each classification in a combined
workforce.

The NMB may order an election for some classifications to determine the certified representative. Nothing would be resolved until the NMB concludes that both companies are operating as a single entity for representation purposes.

http://www.nmb.gov/r...tion-manual.pdf

Page 33 is where procedures starts for a merger

Incumbent organizations or individuals on the affected carrier(s) must submit evidence of representation or a showing of interest from at least thirty-five (35) percent of the employees in the craft or class. This evidence includes, but is not limited to, a seniority list, dues check-off list, a current collective bargaining agreement or a certification, or other indicia of current representation.

19.602

If the organization or individual filing the application does not represent any of the employees covered by the application, the organization or individual must submit authorization cards from at least thirty-five (35) percent of the employees in the craft or class. If a single organization or individual represents all of the employees in a craft or class on the newly created single transportation system, an application filed by an intervening organization or individual must be supported by authorization cards from a majority (more than fifty (50) percent) of the employees in the craft or class. (See Section 3.601).

 

[usa1]

McCaskill and Bond is not how it works? i hope you are right.

 

[700UW]

Nope, McCaskill-Bond is for seniority integration, not union representation.

Union representation is under the Railway Labor Act and the NMB Representation Manual.

Seems you have a bit of reading to do.

 

[usa1]

A revote should do it then.

 

[700UW]

Let's hope it will if there is a merger.

The AA agents need a history lesson of what happened in 1992 to the non-union ramp and csa at US.

 

[Zom JFK]

Unfortunate. They will now be the group with a target on their backs for givebacks with no representation. So sad!

So they will be the same as the twu represented groups.............

 

[700UW]

No they wont, did AA negotiate with the agents?

Did the agents vote on concession that are going to happen?

 

[eolesen]

Did AA negotiate like the unions? No, but they did have discussions with the agents and other unrepresented workgroups.

http://www.airlineforums.com/topic/52623-second-jetwire/

No, the agents didn't vote. But apparently the voting didn't matter much, nor did having someone pounding their fists on the table or making YouTube videos. None of that really added a whole lot of value to the S1113 process, especially after the company got approval to abrogate.

 

[WorldTraveler]

The AA agents need a history lesson of what happened in 1992 to the non-union ramp and csa at US.

just because US ran rough shod over its non-union employees over 20 years ago doesn't mean that every other company will do the same today.

Does it not dawn on you that perhaps that airlines have figured they can trash union contracts at will in BK court so they might as well pay non-union employees at least as well as they might have to pay if they were unionized - and then they can save all the cost of tearing up the contract?

Companies that treat their non-union employees like trash deserve unions; those that aren't going to treat their non-union employees any worse than other employees will probably find out that employees see no real value in unionization.

That is what happened at AA - and has happened multiple other times just in the airline industry.