American's Union Leaders Slam Southwest Over Wright

[FWAAA]

More crying over the Wright Amendment, this time from the APA, the APFA and the TWU:

Southwest Airline's Petition Stunt Irks American Airlines Unions

Tuesday October 18, 2:08 pm ET

American Labor Unions APA, APFA and TWU Locals 513, 541, 542, 565 and 567 in Support of the Wright Amendment as Public Policy

FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The following message was released today by Union Leaders of American Airlines:

Labor unions representing pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, dispatchers, instructors, simulator technicians and ground service employees of American Airlines expressed their dismay at the public relations manipulation Southwest Airlines has used in an attempt to convince the public of the necessity to overturn the Wright Amendment.

The Presidents of the Allied Pilots Association, Association of Professional Flight Attendants, and the Transport Workers Union representing more than 50,000 employees of American Airlines have united in an effort to show that the campaign by Southwest to repeal the Wright Amendment is a prime example of selfish opportunism rather than a plea for the freedom to fly.

Southwest is trying to change the rules for their own benefit. First in Dallas, and then Seattle's Boeing Field, Southwest has attempted to avoid paying their share of the costs for infrastructure while attempting to carve out niches at nearby airports for their sole benefit.

Southwest has not so subtly claimed that "arcane rules" restrict their ability to provide service from Dallas Love Field, stifle competition and impede their "freedom to fly." What they are really saying is they don't want to pay their share of the cost to develop and maintain modern airport facilities like other carriers; they don't want to abide by agreements they have made in the past to accommodate only them; and they want special rules so they can enjoy government protection from competition.

Delivering petitions collected at bars, restaurants and other non-aviation related venues to Washington is a cheap publicity stunt that uses the false promise of low fares to masquerade Southwest's real objective -- to renege on a compromise they agreed to in 1979 and create a legislatively protected monopoly at Love Field. What they fail to mention in their campaign is the negative affect repealing the Wright Amendment would have on the D/FW Metroplex and surrounding counties from a resulting loss of jobs and economic strength.

They also conveniently omit the fact that Southwest Airlines has the "freedom to fly" unrestricted from DFW today, and has been offered lucrative incentives to do so. Southwest should take advantage of this opportunity and truly compete by offering customers alleged low fares at DFW, or they should abide by the agreement they made and promised to uphold 26 years ago. They can't have it both ways and are welcome at DFW anytime.


Tommie L. Hutto-Blake, President APFA
Association of Professional Flight Attendants

Ralph Hunter, President APA
Allied Pilots Association

Transport Workers Union Local Presidents:
Mark Nelson, President TWU Air Transport Local 513
John Plowman, President TWU Air Transport Local 542
Curtis Gentry, President TWU Air Transport Local 541
Keith Stewart, President TWU Air Transport Local 565
Gary Peterson, President TWU Air Transport Local 567

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051018/datu048.html?.v=25

:down:

You guys are right - your unions are in bed with management.

 

[Ch. 12]

*yawn* I think AMR is trying for their own pre-congressional filibuster by talking this thing to death.

Too bad the union statement lacks any credibility b/c they obviously don't know the history of the WA (WN never agreed to it). They were told to show their support against it but weren't told to actually think about it before writing something.

And I would not be surprised if mgmt threatened concessions in the wake of a WA repeal based on their doomsday scenarios. This misinformation campaign is really getting disgusting. But back to my first statement...I think that AMR is trying to make it a ridiculous debate on purpose so then people will no longer feel like discussing it intelligently and will grow tired of the issue...dropping it altogether. It has worked for them before and will this time, too.

 

[AMFAMAN]

Pathetic piece but a another "we tried" excuse for the next round of concessions. I do wonder how the twu represented SWA workers feel about this.

 

[corl737]

What they [SWA] fail to mention in their campaign is the negative affect repealing the Wright Amendment would have on the D/FW Metroplex and surrounding counties from a resulting loss of jobs and economic strength.

If I were an AA union guy I'd be afraid of repealing the Wright Amendment, too. Not because that single act will cause any negative affects on the region but rather the probability is so great that the ego-driven American Airlines' management will suicidally dismantle their profitable DFW fortress in order to make a statement against SWA's likely addition of a measley 15 or so long-haul routes from Love.

Furthering the perception that neither AA/DFW nor SWA's motives are completely focused on protecting the region's economy, AA fails to mention in their campaign that a not repealing the Wright Amendment may just as likely result in the loss of 5,000 D/FW metroplex jobs when SWA tells North Texas adios and relocates its corporate headquarters.

If you're going to be fear mongers, at least show both sides!

 

[DFWCC]

If I were an AA union guy I'd be afraid of repealing the Wright Amendment, too. Not because that single act will cause any negative affects on the region but rather the probability is so great that the ego-driven American Airlines' management will suicidally dismantle their profitable DFW fortress in order to make a statement against SWA's likely addition of a measley 15 or so long-haul routes from Love.

Furthering the perception that neither AA/DFW nor SWA's motives are completely focused on protecting the region's economy, AA fails to mention in their campaign that a not repealing the Wright Amendment may just as likely result in the loss of 5,000 D/FW metroplex jobs when SWA tells North Texas adios and relocates its corporate headquarters.

If you're going to be fear mongers, at least show both sides!

And if AA threatens and follows through to move to STL. Say good bye to 50,000+ DFW Metroplex jobs.
I say adios WN. You know WN could set up a (non-hub) focus city in MTY. I'm sure they could save a lot on labor cost. After all they could pay-off the local officianados just like they do at DAL city hall. Then WN would be "free to move about the country"

 

[PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH]

Oh, like AA doesn't pay off Ft.Worth city hall? Yeah right!

 

[Ch. 12]

And if AA threatens and follows through to move to STL. Say good bye to 50,000+ DFW Metroplex jobs.
I say adios WN. You know WN could set up a (non-hub) focus city in MTY. I'm sure they could save a lot on labor cost. After all they could pay-off the local officianados just like they do at DAL city hall. Then WN would be "free to move about the country"

Welcome back from la-la land anytime, DFWCC.

 

[corl737]

And if AA threatens and follows through to move to STL. Say good bye to 50,000+ DFW Metroplex jobs.
I say adios WN. You know WN could set up a (non-hub) focus city in MTY. I'm sure they could save a lot on labor cost. After all they could pay-off the local officianados just like they do at DAL city hall. Then WN would be "free to move about the country"

Since we're going so far over the edge with this anyway ....

I wonder what conditions were establilshed when AA moved its HQ to Fort Worth from NYC right after the Wright Amendment was enacted? Seems like Jim Wright may have lassoed AA and lost WN.

Personally, I'd much rather go for recurrent training somewhere besides Dallas in Summer!

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

Vote YES on the wright amendment so that SWA expands and hires more AMTs. I need a better job with better pay and benefits

 

[Bob Owens]

And if AA threatens and follows through to move to STL. Say good bye to 50,000+ DFW Metroplex jobs.
I say adios WN. You know WN could set up a (non-hub) focus city in MTY. I'm sure they could save a lot on labor cost. After all they could pay-off the local officianados just like they do at DAL city hall. Then WN would be "free to move about the country"

Move to STL? Could be the best thing to happen to the rest of us. At least STL has a union culture. Will we see you as STLCC?

 

[DFWCC]

Move to STL? Could be the best thing to happen to the rest of us. At least STL has a union culture. Will we see you as STLCC?

Bob this ol' CC union brother has less then 2 to go. I'm for sure to move outta here. As most of us in this damn business, we are not where we started or where we want to be.

 

[Bob Owens]

Bob this ol' CC union brother has less then 2 to go. I'm for sure to move outta here. As most of us in this damn business, we are not where we started or where we want to be.

Well if we had a real union that might not be the case.

The Wright Amendment is an artificial barrier that stifles the free market. All unionists should support repealing it today and let the most heavily unionized company in the industry, that also pays industry leading wages, prosper.

 

[ramper_in_las]

Pathetic piece but a another "we tried" excuse for the next round of concessions. I do wonder how the twu represented SWA workers feel about this.

I think that twu needs to stay out of the political arena and work on employee issues such as AA employee concessions. We are all brothers and sisters in TWU no matter what company we work for and we should not be pitted against one another by our locals.

campaign that a not repealing the Wright Amendment may just as likely result in the loss of 5,000 D/FW metroplex jobs when SWA tells North Texas adios and relocates its corporate headquarters.

get your facts straight before you post a comment like this.