All US Airways mechanics and related.

[sabre]

----------------
On 5/2/2003 7:01:53 PM LavMan wrote:


JetMechanic or shall I say Joe, look in the mirror, you are the IAM.

And what choice did the membership have, accept concessions or be out of work.  Look around not many AMT jobs out there at an airline, yes you can work for Timco or EADS for $13 to $16 an hour.

Look around the industry is in turmoil and we are victims.  What do  you think the judge would have done?

----------------​

First, Lavman, your quote "you are the IAM" is ignorant rhetoric. The IAM is a huge machine that You, me, and other members can''t possibly control because of the IAM structure. Most realize this so your comments surprise me.
However, whether or not you realize that doesn''t change the fact that this is true. As a side, do you actually believe what you said?

Secondly, just a report on PIT. I doubt if we can produce several hundred more cards in the next 30 days but the card signing has in deed picked up and I would imagine the organizers will get at least 100+ by their intended target.

Thirdly, It is readily accepted by most everyone that if AMFA wins at United then the IAM can just throw in the towell at US AIRWAYS. We just can''t afford to keep a dying union around and I for one don''t want to be the last group represented by a union that is hemorraging.
Likewise, I would also suggest that if the IAM wins at United then I think it would be a small chance of AMFA getting in at US AIRWAYS.


love

 

[pitguy]

Allot of Mechanics feel that-----------------


Out of """ALL""" the other employee classifications on the property only ONE

is the """LOWEST PAID IN THE INDUSTRY""" and that is the MECHANICS. All

others may be in the lower part compared to their counterparts, but only the

Mechanics are the lowest. This includes: Reservations, Ramp, Flight

Attendants, Pilots, Stock Clerks, Utility Cleaners, and Gate Agents.


--So it is a ''no brainer''. Soon United will be AMFA and we will fall right in behind. You will see AMFA representing the majority of major airline Mechanics soon.

--It is ""WRONG"" for the Mechanics to be making only a couple of stones more per hour than UNSKILLED LABOR and sometimes even less. I believe the company and the current union (which appears to some as a ''company union'') should know this is not fair to treat your Mechanics this way.

 

[N628AU]

Another excellent post Bob. If you are going to have representation, you might as well have true representation that truly cares about you. For $200,000 a month or what ever the dues base is, an in house union could have some deep pockets pretty soon. Contracts sould be settled much faster, as would I imagine greivances, due to a built in issue of trust that the company and the employees are working towards the same goal. A profitable company that has a financial reward for both management and the employees, as well as true job security.

 

[cavalier]

----------------
On 5/3/2003 12:38:49 PM PineyBob wrote:


Question?
Why does it have to be IAM or AMFA? why can''t it be US Airways Mechanics & Related Association (USAMRA)? To me I see all of the advantages of organized labor and none of the inherent structural crap and politics of the big trade unions. In otherwords a union whose sole agenda is the growth of US Airways and it''s represented employees.

What does everybody think?

----------------
​

I think: Everyone crying burn the IAM is shell shocked and they believe that wooing a different union in will make everything all better which is an emotional reaction. AMFA has set the facts straight in my mind by claiming SKILLED ONLY labor while allowing unskilled in for the sake of votes, they gave away tons of jobs by allowing of 3rd party work right off the bat at NW. ANY union can do as well, so why bother bringing them in just soothe raw wounds? Look at the Latest IAM District Lodge New & Views and prove it doesn’t hold true, you simply can’t. This is just all an emotional outcry to something out of our control, akin to a stroke victim yelling and cursing their loved ones when they really don’t mean it. Where was all the crying and yelling for AMFA before 9/11, why now? Ask the NW AMFA member how much they love them, then wait and see what happens to them in these trouble times before jumping head first into the fire. I believe most people realize these facts, we will find out when the vote is counted for AMFA representation. History shows no one voted for the concessions, ask them, but they passed regardless didn’t theyJ The IAM is here to stay, watch and see.

 

[Jet Mechanic]

LavMan/Rich,

I am one man, one mechanic and one member of the IAM. Try as I might, not a lot of change has occurred within the IAM. The union is only too happy to collect my dues, but beyond that does not wish to rock the boat. And, really what incentive do they have? Our contract is for six years; their sole responsibility is to receive monies.

If the IAM was really representing the MECHANICS, the pay concessions would not be as large. I think the time has come to have a union that understands the professional mechanic and serves to put his/her future in the forefront.

What''s the problem with having a vote and letting the membership determine their destiny: AMFA or IAM? After all, it''s the democratic way!

Jet Mechanic/??

----------------
On 5/2/2003 7:01:53 PM LavMan wrote:


JetMechanic or shall I say Joe, look in the mirror, you are the IAM.

And what choice did the membership have, accept concessions or be out of work.  Look around not many AMT jobs out there at an airline, yes you can work for Timco or EADS for $13 to $16 an hour.

Look around the industry is in turmoil and we are victims.  What do  you think the judge would have done?

----------------​

 

[Steiner]

What happens if the arbitration language in the Alaska contract and the company practice of farming out work at NWA are carry-overs from their previous IAM negotiated contracts at those airlines? What will really bake your noodle is at NWA many of the shop stewards for the IAM were AMFA promoters, since they were frustrated in their capacity to represent their membership under the IAM and all their secret deals. It got so bad the GC''s were requiring allegiance oaths from the shop stewards to the IAM. The IAM at those airlines did more to promote AMFA than AMFA did with their efforts. Maybe the IAM has learned something since then, such as promoting themselves and all of their good deeds and glorious achievements, rather than bad mouthing AMFA as their only strategy.

 

[insp89]

Has any member of the IAM received their NEW contract book yet ???? I guess the union upper crust believe that we are still too confused to read it !!!!!

 

[Boomer]

The TWU, under the new "negotiated" agreement has many instances of Contractually mandated Arbitration if Management fails to agree with Union Proposals.

The IAM in the new "negotiated" agreement at UAL allows unlimited outsourcing of heavy Maintenance.

The questions are: How many times have the Membership of either the TWU or IAM actually voted for the Individuals that Lead them; and, how many times and under what Constitutional Provisions are the Individual Union Members guaranteed the Right to Recall their Union Officials?

Answer: None.

We, Maintenance & Related, may have been hit by a perfect storm of politics and the business cycle; but, we deserve to be represented by Individuals that we elect and can recall.

 

[PITbull]

Hate to jump in on the mechanics post. Many are upset with their union and the present union leadership. They believe its now the union's leadership fault (Just what management was hoping for).  Management wants employees focus to be on the Unions and to place all the blame on them.

We can't change the past and all that ensued. But, we can attempt to change some things that is within our power and legal as union members.

If folks are upset about the  5% deferral, new sick policy that forces workers to come to work sick and possibly infect their co-worders and the passengers, PPO medical coverage and the denials for surgeries, procedures, and test, and management negotiating with Advanced PCS medications that were commonly prescribed and paid for by members with just a co-pay and hassel free by our past insurance plans which now has been negotiated into the Tier 3 plan with Advanced PCS,

LET'S DO *deleted by moderator* AND PLACE PRESSURE ON MANAGEMENT BY LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT WE  ARE FORCED TO COME TO WORK SICK BECAUSE OF THE SICK PAY PENALITES, ALONG WITH THE 5% THAT MUST BE RETURNED TO THE EMPLOYEES AS THE LANGUAGE OF OUR CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN VIOLATED.  LET'S WEAR SURGICAL MASKS AND HAND THE PUBLIC FLYERS REGARDING UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICES. LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW WE DON'T WANT TO INFECT THEM BUT WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO COME TO WORK SICK.

We want the co. to permit us to wear surgical masks so we do not infect our fellow collegues at work and our passengers. Mangement needs to stop violating our contracts with regard to sick bank time and stop penalizing the employees pay for calling in sick and allow them to use their sick bank.


Yup, that should tarnish mangement again.

 

[pitguy]

I hear allot of Mechanics saying they are not just upset after the contract upset, but they feel the current union may be in bed with the company. You cannot file a grievance because it will just get trashed. They feel the current union has no fight in them and they should be punished for the sins they have committed thus far. They also feel the current union is too polluted at all levels and is set up in a way that you can not change it through fair elections. I also hear that the elections we do have may be tainted anyhow. They feel the current union has corruption problems and feel that they as a Mechanic will not and can not be truly represented by this union anymore, but instead will continue to have their respect in the workplace diminished. I do not see how anyone can defend them. A different union can be no worse.





-------- Nothing ventured, nothing gained.------------


Unless you deal with this circus you will not understand.

 

[delldude]

----------------
with some luck and a paltry turnout maybe you won't get your 50%+1 and see what life is like without any representation.

 

[PITbull]

----------------
On 5/3/2003 10:09:09 PM pitguy wrote:

I hear allot of Mechanics saying they are not just upset after the contract upset, but they feel the current union may be in bed with the company. You cannot file a grievance because it will just get trashed. They feel the current union has no fight in them and they should be punished for the sins they have committed thus far. They also feel the current union is too polluted at all levels and is set up in a way that you can not change it through fair elections. I also hear that the elections we do have may be tainted anyhow. They feel the current union has corruption problems and feel that they as a Mechanic will not and can not be truly represented by this union anymore, but instead will continue to have their respect in the workplace diminished. I do not see how anyone can defend them. A different union can be no worse.





-------- Nothing ventured, nothing gained.------------


Unless you deal with this circus you will not understand.




----------------​

If this is true...then I don''t blame many of you. If the majority of folks believe that they do not get their grievances heard in a timely manner and that their representation appears to be slanted on mangement''s side and drinking their kool-aide, then I would have to agree.

Out they should go if they can''t clean up there acts. However, you must motivate folks to do this and believe that change can happen. Start the lobbying.

 

[tug_slug]

I can see it now, the IAM is replaced by AMFA. AMFA and U cant come to terms on a new contract, the membership goes out on strike only to be replaced by 100's of out work A&P Mechanics. Smart... very smart.

 

[pitguy]

The way I am told is:

If AMFA is voted in then we still work under the existing contract until it expires. Also if we do have an AMFA vote then the results of that election would either be we are represented by AMFA or still under the realm of the existing union. At no time would we be without representation. Now on the other hand if we tried to change to a union that is AFL-CIO affiliated then we would first have to decertify our current union and then wait one year to get another union. Hence this is what happened with the ramp a few years back. Since AMFA is not affiliated with the AFL-CIO then there is no need for desertification first. When one opts to fill out an AMFA card then all that person is doing is allowing the vote to happen. It does not mean we would change unions, but only allow a vote to take place. With allot of the mechanics having several more years to work it just may happen. Visit the following for more information.

http://www.amfa2000.org/

http://www.amfanatl.org/

http://www.amfa33.org/

http://the-mechanic.com/


--Remember that nature of the beast is to resist change. With this change I feel, odds are it would be for the better. I do not see how they could represent us any worse. I do not feel they will be perfect, but yes I feel they would be better.


--I am starting to get the feeling that some of current union''s staff could be posting here. I just with they would do their jobs instead of bashing AMFA then we would not be having this problem to begin with.

 

[mlt]

delete