ANOTHER RAT FOUND AT AA

[Workingman]

Another stinky rat at American Airlines. I thought hiring off the street at some stations while TWA mechanics remained on the street was bad enough.

Now the latest find is that AA hired a bunch of mechanics AFTER 3/01/01 which is bad enough as there were TWA folks on the street and they are still there but to have the company give them a 2000 occup seniority date AND THEN PUT THESE FOLKS AHEAD OF THE TWA FOLKS IS IMMORAL.

Not only that but some of the stations called on this try to say it wasn''t so when the seniority list clearly shows that it happened. Some of the stations even said they knew about it and just said AA just does whatever it wants to.

Even the big GY claimed he didn''t know anything about it and asked for the employee numbers and sounded surprised about it?

Good old TWU and the AA are in bed together.

 

[Hopeful]

BY GEORGE! I THINK HE'S GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Buck]

And the representational election card count reflects that the majority of the Ex-TWA members do not really care.

 

[Workingman]

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On 7/26/2003 900 PM Hopeful wrote:

BY GEORGE! I THINK HE'S GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I got it a long time ago only the more info I find the stronger the smell gets.....

 

[MCI transplant]

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On 7/26/2003 9:12:18 PM Buck wrote:

And the representational election card count reflects that the majority of the Ex-TWA members do not really care.

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Buck, you don't even have a clue!

 

[RV4]

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On 7/27/2003 7:53:31 AM MCI transplant wrote:

----------------
On 7/26/2003 9:12:18 PM Buck wrote:

And the representational election card count reflects that the majority of the Ex-TWA members do not really care.

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Buck, you don't even have a clue!


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Unless there is something we are all missing, it appears Buck is correct:
MCI only 143 signed out of 1282
STL on the other hand has 476 out 686
Total 619 out of 1968 about 31.5%
Good news for former TWA Mechanics...
...That is a higher pecentage than the Tulsa base????

 

[Hopeful]

We've been saying it a long long time about the TWU's love affair with AA management. Tulsa being the main majority voting block usually gets their little secret sweetheart deals so that AA/TWU relationship will endure.

 

[Buck]

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On 7/27/2003 7:53:31 AM MCI transplant wrote:

----------------
On 7/26/2003 9:12:18 PM Buck wrote:

And the representational election card count reflects that the majority of the Ex-TWA members do not really care.

----------------​

Buck, you don't even have a clue!

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Then I guess it would be your position to explain it to me?

 

[410OhOne]

So this is how we reply to a very serious problem here. We argue over who has the most 3x5 pieces of paper signed. As if it matters.

PEOPLE, AA LIED to Congress, LIED to the public, LIED to the shareholders, and LIED to you. Guess what they are still MISLEADING everyone of us.

Worldcom, Martha Stewart, Enron, Charter etc. don't have nothing on AA. One day the story may come out about how the books at an airline (this airline) are really run.

AA had every intention on screwing, dismantling TWA. AA can cry poor mouth better than all of them who are riding the 9/11, economic downturn, and SARS excuses. AA extorted millions out of the employees, shareholders, and the communities then the very next month, June, reported a positive cash flow. If I would have cried poor mouth that loud to steal from someone, I damn sure would have taken a few quarters before coming out with that kind of news. One month, come on, sure positive cash flow occured because my check was much smaller, PERIOD. Nothing else changed. In addition, had I known that AA had every intention of reducing operations in STL my vote may have been different. You can't tell me they didnt have it in the plans. If they did'nt then they need to be replaced simply because of lack of vision. Why all of the sudden is it news that STL was a losing hub? Yet, two years prior all this company did was gloat on STL performance numbers, productivity, and effeciency.

So the subject at hand, AA hired mechanics while TWA was on layoff. They damn sure did. I have a personal experience to share with you. I got word of this and applied to AA. Guess what, I got an interview. Yes, flew out to Tulsa and pissed in a cup. "We're sorry, we can't hire you. Your on furlough with TWA LLC," said AA human resources.

So what do we do? Do we continue to argue amongst ourselves, amongst our unions, amongst our bases, amongst our workgroups, amongst our shifts? You see that is what AA is wanting and successfully achieving right now.

It is time to see our own executive members of management on the news in handcuffs. Who knows, we may even catch a few union officers in the same net. It can and will happen if we all pull together and establish our own network. Lets call it, "The Fifth Tenent".

The company has developed weapons against us. They are "Rule 32", and information pamphlets, "Do the Right Thing". Lets develop our own.

The current poll on the homepage of Jetnet clearly shows that as employees of this airline we want to see more Accountability. Lets demand it, and bring forward those who are accountable for the financial downturn as well as the human resource torment occurring within this company.

90,000 employees, plus thousands more in retirement can surely come up with one hell of a bounty to offer for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Once this plan hits the media the bounty will explode with donations and support. The public outcry was amazing when they heard of Carty's raid on our purses followed by his rewards for management.

Lets demand that management, "Do the Right Thing".

Wow, that felt good.

 

[acmech]

It just amazes me! The sheer lack of information given to the TWA mechanics who were laid off. It is sicking to think what this nAAsty airline is doing to thousands of former TWA workers both furloughed and about to be furloughed. If the 20,000 something people at TWA knew that this was going to happen, they would have told AA what to go do with themselves.

Laid off and no place to go.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

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On 7/27/2003 1:44:00 PM 410OhOne wrote:

So this is how we reply to a very serious problem here. We argue over who has the most 3x5 pieces of paper signed. As if it matters.

PEOPLE, AA LIED to Congress, LIED to the public, LIED to the shareholders, and LIED to you. Guess what they are still MISLEADING everyone of us.

Worldcom, Martha Stewart, Enron, Charter etc. don't have nothing on AA. One day the story may come out about how the books at an airline (this airline) are really run.

AA had every intention on screwing, dismantling TWA. AA can cry poor mouth better than all of them who are riding the 9/11, economic downturn, and SARS excuses. AA extorted millions out of the employees, shareholders, and the communities then the very next month, June, reported a positive cash flow. If I would have cried poor mouth that loud to steal from someone, I damn sure would have taken a few quarters before coming out with that kind of news. One month, come on, sure positive cash flow occured because my check was much smaller, PERIOD. Nothing else changed. In addition, had I known that AA had every intention of reducing operations in STL my vote may have been different. You can't tell me they didnt have it in the plans. If they did'nt then they need to be replaced simply because of lack of vision. Why all of the sudden is it news that STL was a losing hub? Yet, two years prior all this company did was gloat on STL performance numbers, productivity, and effeciency.

So the subject at hand, AA hired mechanics while TWA was on layoff. They damn sure did. I have a personal experience to share with you. I got word of this and applied to AA. Guess what, I got an interview. Yes, flew out to Tulsa and pissed in a cup. "We're sorry, we can't hire you. Your on furlough with TWA LLC," said AA human resources.

So what do we do? Do we continue to argue amongst ourselves, amongst our unions, amongst our bases, amongst our workgroups, amongst our shifts? You see that is what AA is wanting and successfully achieving right now.

It is time to see our own executive members of management on the news in handcuffs. Who knows, we may even catch a few union officers in the same net. It can and will happen if we all pull together and establish our own network. Lets call it, "The Fifth Tenent".

The company has developed weapons against us. They are "Rule 32", and information pamphlets, "Do the Right Thing". Lets develop our own.

The current poll on the homepage of Jetnet clearly shows that as employees of this airline we want to see more Accountability. Lets demand it, and bring forward those who are accountable for the financial downturn as well as the human resource torment occurring within this company.

90,000 employees, plus thousands more in retirement can surely come up with one hell of a bounty to offer for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Once this plan hits the media the bounty will explode with donations and support. The public outcry was amazing when they heard of Carty's raid on our purses followed by his rewards for management.

Lets demand that management, "Do the Right Thing".

Wow, that felt good.






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4100hOne,

Just imagine if all you guys at STL, "DID THE RIGHT THING AND VOTED NO" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, you cant say that RV4,Bob Owens, Hopeful, and your's truly(the ol' bear), did'nt warn you.

NH/BB's

 

[MCI transplant]

----------------
On 7/30/2003 12:23:19 AM NewHampshire Black Bears wrote:

----------------
On 7/27/2003 1:44:00 PM 410OhOne wrote:

So this is how we reply to a very serious problem here. We argue over who has the most 3x5 pieces of paper signed. As if it matters.

PEOPLE, AA LIED to Congress, LIED to the public, LIED to the shareholders, and LIED to you. Guess what they are still MISLEADING everyone of us.

Worldcom, Martha Stewart, Enron, Charter etc. don't have nothing on AA. One day the story may come out about how the books at an airline (this airline) are really run.

AA had every intention on screwing, dismantling TWA. AA can cry poor mouth better than all of them who are riding the 9/11, economic downturn, and SARS excuses. AA extorted millions out of the employees, shareholders, and the communities then the very next month, June, reported a positive cash flow. If I would have cried poor mouth that loud to steal from someone, I damn sure would have taken a few quarters before coming out with that kind of news. One month, come on, sure positive cash flow occured because my check was much smaller, PERIOD. Nothing else changed. In addition, had I known that AA had every intention of reducing operations in STL my vote may have been different. You can't tell me they didnt have it in the plans. If they did'nt then they need to be replaced simply because of lack of vision. Why all of the sudden is it news that STL was a losing hub? Yet, two years prior all this company did was gloat on STL performance numbers, productivity, and effeciency.

So the subject at hand, AA hired mechanics while TWA was on layoff. They damn sure did. I have a personal experience to share with you. I got word of this and applied to AA. Guess what, I got an interview. Yes, flew out to Tulsa and pissed in a cup. "We're sorry, we can't hire you. Your on furlough with TWA LLC," said AA human resources.

So what do we do? Do we continue to argue amongst ourselves, amongst our unions, amongst our bases, amongst our workgroups, amongst our shifts? You see that is what AA is wanting and successfully achieving right now.

It is time to see our own executive members of management on the news in handcuffs. Who knows, we may even catch a few union officers in the same net. It can and will happen if we all pull together and establish our own network. Lets call it, "The Fifth Tenent".

The company has developed weapons against us. They are "Rule 32", and information pamphlets, "Do the Right Thing". Lets develop our own.

The current poll on the homepage of Jetnet clearly shows that as employees of this airline we want to see more Accountability. Lets demand it, and bring forward those who are accountable for the financial downturn as well as the human resource torment occurring within this company.

90,000 employees, plus thousands more in retirement can surely come up with one hell of a bounty to offer for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Once this plan hits the media the bounty will explode with donations and support. The public outcry was amazing when they heard of Carty's raid on our purses followed by his rewards for management.

Lets demand that management, "Do the Right Thing".

Wow, that felt good.






----------------​

4100hOne,

Just imagine if all you guys at STL, "DID THE RIGHT THING AND VOTED NO" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, you cant say that RV4,Bob Owens, Hopeful, and your's truly(the ol' bear), did'nt warn you.

NH/BB's

----------------​

What makes you think they didn't??????

 

[Bob Owens]

----------------
410OhOne
I agree with most of what you had to say except for the fact that you left out that our union either deliberately or through gross negligence and incompetance participated in that deception.
In order to figure out if it was deliberate you have to find a motive.
Does a motive exist?
Yes.
The motive- more dues. Most look at the short term but its really in the long term where the prize lies.
AA is the largest Airline. That in itself gives it an advantage over its competitors. By giving the company a labor cost advantage the union (not the members of the union)would likely benifit over the long run as AA is able to drive smaller, weaker rivals out of business. That would allow AA to expand, thus increasing membership in the TWU. Its been a successful plan for both the union and the company for the last twenty years. TWU/AA/AMR membership has more than tripled over this period. The TWU has by default raided the IAM just as much as AMFA.
Over the years Ive had discussions with Sonny Hall, Mike Bakala, Jim Little, Ed Koziatek and Art Luby. My conclusion from these discussions is that all of these people defend all the concessions that were put in place. Their answer usually boils down to or is explicitely stated that these concessions created jobs. That we should be thankful for the fact that we work for less.The fact that demand for air travel increased even at those places that did not get these concessions was completely ignored. The fact that this demand was inevitable and was not contingient on our concessions is ignored. The fact that our concessions put a drag on all workers in the entire industry is ignored. When challenged and nailed into the corner all of these people responded the same way, that it was the members fault. They voted it in. (Upon their strong recommendation) They take everything for granted.(Do they? Much of it is gone) They are not willing to fight.(Have they ever been led?)
The fact is that the past twenty years of concessionary bargaining has been a boom to the international. It has allowed the TWU ATD to expand tremendously, becoming the largest division of the TWU. It has also led to a continuos decline in real wages and benifits for workers in this industry that outpaces any other expanding industry.
Another consideration is that if we did go BK the International would have bourne the legal fees of fighting not to have the agreement abrogated. Selling us out was cheaper than fighting in court.
There are two reasons why this idea of driving down wages works for the TWU. Since the TWU does not represent all airline workers they are not robbing Peter to pay Paul by helping one company put another out of business. If we were all in the same union there would be no advantage for the union to help one company put another out of business. Overall membership would not increase, in fact consolidation would likely decrease membership.
Another reason why this has worked for the TWU is the structure of the ATD. This structure isolates the members from control over their contract while at the same time consists of an elaborate scheme of denial and passing the buck. Control of the contract is under the domain of the ATD director. The ATD director is appointed and is unaccountable to the members, so in order to deflect the members fustration they created what they called "The Presidents Council". At these council meetings they set agendas, bring issues forward and take votes, but the fact is its all a farce. The council is chaired by the ATD Director who does all negotiations with the company. For those of you who own boats, the Presidents council is "sacrificial zinc". They are the patsy. Thats why the International loves the fact that after every concessionary contract they get a new regime. This way they can use the same tricks and deceptions all over again.
The structure of the ATD allows the TWU to compete with other AFL-CIO unions without violating the no-raid clause and without having to worry that the members might vote them out in response to having sold them defective goods.
Democratic accountabilty for the contract does not exist within the AA/TWU. Democratic accountability is the biggest threat to this system of underbidding other unions. That is why those who have sought to become appointed lackeys will lie, distort, threaten or do anything else that they can think of to prevent a vote. Just as these people do not feel that you should have the right to vote for Jim Little or have control over your contract they want to stop you from having the opportunity to pick which union represents you.
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