All US Airways mechanics and related.

jetmechline

Member
Aug 22, 2002
96
0
CUT/PASTE FROM ANOTHER M&R site.
Received: 04/30/03 22:59:03 EDT
Name: AMFA @ USAirways
E-Mail: AMFA Organizing committee Chairman (self appointed)
Employer: USAirways
Location: CLT Heavy Maintenance Bay 3
Message:

ATTTENTION ALL USAIRWAYS MECHANIC AND RELATED


As most of you are well aware, the next two months are critical with regard to the 2003 campaign to fire our incompetent, company friendly pretend union, the i.a.m..

As of today the goal is to collect another 200 cards from Charlotte, 300 cards from Pittsburgh and 100 from Philadelphia in order to have cards on file from 60% of the membership (Mechanic and Utility only) by June 30th.

The reason for the June 30 deadline is that the majority of the cards on file were sent in between the last week of August and the last week of September 2002 (Remember the re-vote?)These cards only have a 12 month shelf life.

The AMFA currently represents Mechanics and related (Utility/Cleaners) as designated by the N.M.B at Northwest, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines. The mechanics at United collected cards from over 60% of the M&R and are scheduled to fire the i.a.m on June 12th.

The AMFA has negotiated no concessions, does not sign letters of confidentiality, allows the membership to witness contract negotiations and being the only truly democratic union has never helped management force the membership to “re-voteâ€￾.

This is a no-brainer right? Think again.

Though fully 80% of Clt, Pitt & Philly Heavy Maintenance and Line mechanics now have a card on file, less then 50% of shop mechanics and a pitiful 30% of inspectors have taken the time to sign a card. As for Utility, only 33% have a card on file.
Less then 5% of the simpletons that are currently running our local union offices (shop stewards, grievance committee, lodge president, trustees, conductors etc.) have sent in a card , a truly shocking statistic considering the level of membership disdain for our union not to mention the total disregard for the wishes of the membership displayed by our unelected union AGC’s and their bosses.

No matter how you voted on August 28th, September 17th or January 10th, when you consider that the iam is being paid approximately $200,000 dollars per month to represent the Mechanic and Related employees here at USAir, to say that we are not getting our money’s worth would be the understatement of the century.

Filling out a card is not a vote for AMFA, this will only show the level of interest needed to get AMFA representatives to hold meetings and allow anyone interested to ask any and all questions they may have prior to a vote. If and when an election is held, it will be done by secret ballot sent to your home, which is when you vote.

We the AMFA organizing committee ask that each and every pro AMFA Mechanic or Utility person speak to your co-workers, employed or on furlough, and help the cause by encouraging your coworkers to fill out an AMFA card (available online @ AMFA.org) and either deliver it to a card collector in your shop or send it in to AMFA National H.Q. in Laconia N.H..

Though changing unions will not change our i.a.m. endorsed concessionary contract, which remains in effect through 2008, firing our unelected, incompetent, company friendly pretend union is the least we can do to repay our representatives for they’re betrayal.

As the iam is so fond of saying, you are the union, now is the time for you to stand up against i.a.m stupidity.

AMFA @ U.S. Airways, May1st, 2003
 
WOW ! I guess we should thank the IAM for having the common sense to do what they did! We have a company and a job! Sounds like if it were the other union, none of us would have a job! Hmmmm TO PONDER
 
Ah, the IAM, "the fighting machinists", protector of the working man??? Refresh my memory, didn''t the IAM board member at UAL cast the deciding vote to purchase U? We all sure prospered after that historic move, Wolf put U in the position that the feds just had to approve the sale to save the airline!!! Please Lord, save me from the IAM.
 
LavMan/Rich,

Perhaps you could enlighten us on the reasons you believe the IAM is the union to keep? As a mechanic and an IAM member of 20+ years, I welcome an opportunity to vote on a choice of unions to represent me.

I received my issue of "District Lodge 141-M News and Views" yesterday. It was more of a disappointment than usual. It abounded with scare tactics; makes me think the IAM could very well be apprehensive about losing all those dues at United.

Jet Mechanic


----------------
On 5/2/2003 1:54:10 PM LavMan wrote:


scamfa is not the answer!

----------------​
 
And what has the IAM done recently???? I am well aware of the IAM''s past accomplishments, but recently the IAM has given away all that they previously bargined for!
 
What has amfa done? Look at NW contract farm out 38% laid off 4,000 and the association gets paid if NW goes over the 38%. Also look at Kevin McMocormick getting paid $1.8 million to do the job for what they membership elected a treasurer to do.

Delle has not been an AMT in over 30 years, he was a butcher and a real estate broker, agreed to binding arbitration at Alaska and lost the ability of the newly organized to have the company have pay, work rules kept at status quo and uses a antiworker lawyer to represent amfa
 
----------------
On 5/2/2003 3:16:28 PM LavMan wrote:


What has amfa done?  Look at NW contract farm out 38% laid off 4,000 and the association gets paid if NW goes over the 38%.  Also look at Kevin McMocormick getting paid $1.8 million to do the job for what they membership elected a treasurer to do.

Delle has not been an AMT in over 30 years, he was a butcher and a real estate broker, agreed to binding arbitration at Alaska and lost the ability of the newly organized to have the company have pay, work rules kept at status quo and uses a antiworker lawyer to represent amfa

----------------​
It''s AMFA, not "amfa". BTW, That''s 38 percent of total labor cost, not of the maint budget as is often thought. It''s actually less physically farmed-out than UAL''s 20-21 pct figure the IAM likes to brandish about in comparison to AMFA. -- As the saying goes: 38 cents is not more than 20 dollars, just because "38" is a larger number than "20".
 
LavMan/Rich,

Please answer my question about the IAM. You are a proponent of the IAM and I''d like to learn the reason(s).

Looking at the copy of the newsletter I mentioned in my prior post, Dave Mitchell (managing editor) states in his column that the "IAM has been a constant beacon of hope for those that work in the industry." Here''s another quote of his: "The IAM has proved itself year after year as a mechanism strong enough to withstand the most powerful blows and still make a positive difference for our members." Here''s my favorite and how Mr. Mitchell ends his article: "I look forward to continuing our tradition of negotiating the best wages, benefits, and security possible."

My personal feelings are that the IAM is NOT my beacon of hope, the IAM has not withstood any blows served up by management, and they have definitely negotiated industry leading lowered wages, favored increased deductions for health insurance, and well, job security is just not there.

I encourage others to read what is readily available on the internet to make their own decisions on AMFA vs. IAM. Once that is done, one is much better positioned to submit their card requesting a vote on representation. Really, if the IAM is head and shoulders above the competition, what do they have to worry about???

Jet Mechanic

----------------
On 5/2/2003 3:16:28 PM LavMan wrote:


What has amfa done
----------------​
 
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?
 
----------------
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?

----------------​
don''t you realize by now ''ol Augie would have stood up to dave/dave and we''d still be making our $35 an hour we had coming.c''mon man the writings on the wall.
would
 
Does anyone remember when the United/Usairways merger talks were going on, and AMFA told the United Mechanics they will put the USAirways mechanics on the bottom of the seniority list?

So, do we really want AMFA??