AMFA/SWA AMT Contract Extension Nego's begin this month

SWAMECH

Veteran
Apr 26, 2005
713
173
Well, this is some positive news. Extension talks will begin May 31st-June 2nd. So far have been hearing good things as far as getting it done ASAP so the co. can move onto Pilots and F/A's and get them done as well. Also heard from co. that we will be pleased at the offer coming (I know, heard that before) however, the new guy in town is running it this time around, so, I will give benefit of the doubt until he does not come thru with what he has promised as this guy has come thru as promised in the past and more than just on a couple things.
Read my email this morning from AMFA 11 and even the union guys are speaking positive about the upcoming extension talks, so, we shall see.
Dates are listed below.
Also don't forget to sign up to be an observer, it's time to get involved folks...

Copied from email below;

"The company and the AMFA National Negotiation Team will be meeting on Wednesday 31 st of May, Thursday 1 st of June, and Friday 2 nd of June 2023."

3. "Everything in regards to the AMT extension will be in a fast forward mode."
 
  • Like
Reactions: SharoninSAT
I found out yesterday that we are still having new hires leave SWA for other higher paying and higher top out airlines such as UPS and FedEx, also heard one guy left for Delta because they offered him a position back in his home town. Co wants to discuss retention options with nego cmte. I say at a minimum match or beat the UPS contract so we can start retaining our mechanics once again. We were at one time within a couple bucks of UPS and currently we are over $10 bucks per hour difference in top outs. Not to mention the free medical and the non employee participation pension plan. It's a no brainer to go over to UPS and even FedEx over SWA. Now SWA, get busy preparing that offer to beat UPS at least in pay and even a bump in 401K contributions would help retain new employees. Think about it...
 
What do you expect. You up outsource more maintenance then any other major airline in the US.

No room for shift improvement and better days off.

They don’t want to be on third shift for 20 years with every other Tuesday and Wednesday off.

Quality of life matters.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JimmyBop
Thanks Sharon and yes, we are hearing good vibes about the contract talks coming up as Mr. KK will be running it this time around and already has some good ideas spinning in his head, so it already sounds as if he is prepared, when in pas nego starts the co side is not ever ready to nego from the beginning. We are still being told no language changes with an extension offer is coming to the table so we shall see. He also said he wants this done and over with before our amendable date is up, now that would be a welcoming change indeed.
 
What do you expect. You up outsource more maintenance then any other major airline in the US.

No room for shift improvement and better days off.

They don’t want to be on third shift for 20 years with every other Tuesday and Wednesday off.

Quality of life matters.

You are correct Sir.
 
Ok folks, as we enter the final day of the first 3 days of contract extension nego's, hoping to hear some good news today sometime after nego's end. Been a bit quiet up to now.
 
Overheard yesterday at a retirement party at work. Another mechanic asked one of our top leaders who is very close with KK, which is who was heading up our contract extension talks on the companies side.
A couple things to note: 1- he said it all sounds very positive. They want to start with this August 2023. We are suppose to get our usual 3% raise but he said they want to change that figure to a much larger figure and start the extension a full year earlier than our original amendable date. 2- he also said that we will be getting absolute industry leading when all said and done. 3- he said they would like to do a group release of the extension with a "joint" press release with all the details and not a company one and AMFA one with indifferences on both as in the past. 4- he was very adamant on emphasizing that the company wants to get back to the relationship we had prior to the 7 year itch fiasco from the previous leaderships games they played. Which in turn I heard the mechanic tell him; "that is going to take some time, and a lot of work will have to go into it, but by doing a contract extension 1 year prior to contract date, keeping us industry leading, and getting it all done in a record time frame would be a great step in the right direction in order to regain that relationship they want to regain." The gentleman indicated he did know about all the details but didn't want to spread any rumors until the official update comes from the folks nego the contract extension.
May not have an agreement yet, but he was very assuring that they will have something done to be activated by this Aug 2023 with a new contract extension for the AMFA represented Mechanics and Related.
Thanks to DR for sharing with the mechanic and yes we do respect the fact that he could not let out the details so not to start the rumor mills. Aside from all that it all sounds very positive coming from the company side. Soon we will hear an update from both sides of the nego cmte's...


 
If anyone else actually comes here to read what you wrote and is actually gullible (dumb) enough to believe any of it after what happened to all of you the last time (7 years) I’d be amazed.

BUT if you do get $$$ that’s the easiest thing any Union can get. It’s strengthening Scope and benefits that makes a great Union.

Your Union (AMFA) has shown ZERO ability to create jobs at SWA for over 20 years now.

So when you get your $$$ and the TWU/IAM Association gets back up to bat when their contract becomes amenable they will at the very least match whatever you have and likely improve on it and still have thousands and thousands of more jobs to show for it.

And (pretending) to ignore anyone doesn’t change facts.
 
Overheard yesterday at a retirement party at work. Another mechanic asked one of our top leaders who is very close with KK, which is who was heading up our contract extension talks on the companies side.
A couple things to note: 1- he said it all sounds very positive. They want to start with this August 2023. We are suppose to get our usual 3% raise but he said they want to change that figure to a much larger figure and start the extension a full year earlier than our original amendable date. 2- he also said that we will be getting absolute industry leading when all said and done. 3- he said they would like to do a group release of the extension with a "joint" press release with all the details and not a company one and AMFA one with indifferences on both as in the past. 4- he was very adamant on emphasizing that the company wants to get back to the relationship we had prior to the 7 year itch fiasco from the previous leaderships games they played. Which in turn I heard the mechanic tell him; "that is going to take some time, and a lot of work will have to go into it, but by doing a contract extension 1 year prior to contract date, keeping us industry leading, and getting it all done in a record time frame would be a great step in the right direction in order to regain that relationship they want to regain." The gentleman indicated he did know about all the details but didn't want to spread any rumors until the official update comes from the folks nego the contract extension.
May not have an agreement yet, but he was very assuring that they will have something done to be activated by this Aug 2023 with a new contract extension for the AMFA represented Mechanics and Related.
Thanks to DR for sharing with the mechanic and yes we do respect the fact that he could not let out the details so not to start the rumor mills. Aside from all that it all sounds very positive coming from the company side. Soon we will hear an update from both sides of the nego cmte's...


Wow! Got the memo and several phone calls today on the AIP on a contract extension for the Mechanic and Related @ SWA. WE are being told absolutely will be industry leading, also being told it will start a year early in 2023 at our last raise date for our final raise on last contract, so toss the 3% raise we are due and they say the new one in Aug 2023 will be larger, industry leading, and we will like it. Hearing of a 4 year extension with the final industry leading pay at the 3rd year out 2026 from the start of 2023. I know no more than what I just posted at this time, more info will get out once it becomes a TA after all final printing and agreements are finalized.
Wouldn't be shocked at all if this turns out to be a good extension as the co. has been working hard with the new added leadership brought in to get and regain the ole relationship with the Mechanic and Related back to where it was prior to the 7 year fiasco of contract nego's. I really do think the co has learned a huge lesson from all that gunmanship played out in that 7 years. And BTW Mr. KK is a man of his word. Hearing of into the 70"s by 2026 with a 3 year top out starting in 2023, a full year earlier, NEVER has happened in SWA history of contract nego's and extensions. We shall see when the TA comes out with all info. Stay tuned folks... Hearing a lot of positives so far...
 
News releases will come probably next week and will more than likely be joint releases by Co. and AMFA. Also got word on the F/A's also getting an AIP done as well (pretty good week for the co. side) Just extremely happy there was no gamesmanship played by Co. side at all, heard the co came prepared and willing to pay and was fast to the points of everything and therefore getting a deal done within the first 3 days of extension talks. Mr. KK is a man of his words for sure. Just as he promised at end of the 7 year fiasco that HE got done in the end for us Mechanics, that he wanted just a contract extension, top of industry pay, AND he wanted to start it a year earlier than ever done before, another first in our industry for any airline that I know of under a CBA. And Yes the AMFA nego cmte was impressed with how well the co came prepared and ready to get something done, just not use to that.
WE wait for all final and official numbers to come out.
Also heard the co wants to get to the 1,000 A/C quickly now too, not sure if they meant within this contract dates 2023-2027. Stay tuned for more info soon.
 
News releases will come probably next week and will more than likely be joint releases by Co. and AMFA. Also got word on the F/A's also getting an AIP done as well (pretty good week for the co. side) Just extremely happy there was no gamesmanship played by Co. side at all, heard the co came prepared and willing to pay and was fast to the points of everything and therefore getting a deal done within the first 3 days of extension talks. Mr. KK is a man of his words for sure. Just as he promised at end of the 7 year fiasco that HE got done in the end for us Mechanics, that he wanted just a contract extension, top of industry pay, AND he wanted to start it a year earlier than ever done before, another first in our industry for any airline that I know of under a CBA. And Yes the AMFA nego cmte was impressed with how well the co came prepared and ready to get something done, just not use to that.
WE wait for all final and official numbers to come out.
Also heard the co wants to get to the 1,000 A/C quickly now too, not sure if they meant within this contract dates 2023-2027. Stay tuned for more info soon.
Update to Contract Extension talks and AIP agreement: News has been released early. All Mechanics please check your emails from AMFA and Co. There has been an updated memo released today with all details and all info needed on the AIP.
In a nut shell, looks like we would go to industry leading right off the bat, by approx $4. Also appears to put use above and over FedEx's wages, but not quite UPS still. Increases in lic premiums, longevity, and another 3% bump in the contracted Aug of 2023 raises we were suppose to get for a total of over 6% increase this AUG. We WILL be INDUSTRY LEADING thru-out the entire contract at this point. There is one carrier going into nego's or at least start them in late 2024.
So far from what I have seen it looks like a no brainer to pass as long as no changes from the Email received from AMFA today.
So nice of a change to see a contract extension get done in the first 3 nego days, a first time to be activated a year earlier at the last contract date of raises in last contract, and of course INDUSTRY LEADING Once again for AMFA represented airline Mechanics!!! Enough said, enjoy the updates folks and keep working safe and getting those A/C out and back to revenue service making $$$$. Pretty happy right now.
I wanna also tip my hat to Mr. Kinder for following thru with what he said he wanted to do and get done, a true man of his words...