APFA and AA Resume Talks 5/18

[Bob Owens]

But let me tell you something. We are setting the bar for the future. Those flight attendants in negotiations for United and Continental as well as those of USair are keeping a keen eye on us. Whatever we get in this round of negotiation will set the tone for theirs. Those airlines will not be able to hide behind bankruptcy law to gut contracts. Even non-union Delta will soon align its pay scale to that of AA in the hope that their flight attendants will not vote in a union.

I wish more of the people on the TWU M&R Negotiating committee saw it that way as well. Once again we sold out, now the M&R TWU members are left with the decision to send the sellouts back to the table or accept another five year concessionry deal. I hope they too realize that as unionists we are responsible for setting the tone and raising the bar. When I see stuff like this its easy to understand why you guys left so many years ago.


Hey Goodgirl, higher Mechanic wages? We are one up from the bottom, we earn around $400/ week less than SWA. The only ones lower than us is USAIR, and their low wages dont seem to be helping them either.What good is paying 40% less when you have to hire twice as many people in order to get anything done?

 

[Maark767]

I bet they dont like anyone telling them how they can spend their money, but sometimes that is not their choice. My point is, you have a company that is already losing more money than its competitiors, namely DAL and UAL/CAL, and then you toss in the mix a higher Pilot, F/A, and Mechanic wages etc, and that does not spell profitability, HOWEVER, it is not any of these work groups fault either, and they should get their money back, I just dont see how it is going to happen to be honest, and that is just being realistic. I definitely think AMR owes its employees their raises for keeping them out of BK this far though.

Oh good luck with the merger !!! Better you guys than us (AA). It will be years before you are all one big happy family. AA is done with mergers. We will grow internally and hire fresh off the street. Been there done that..... It's always a mess. It's clear that in order for UAL to survive , they needed to merge with someone or close their doors.
Also , the BK talk is bull. Do you really think BA, JAL Quantas and Iberia would enter into this alliance knowing AA may be bankrupt??? Not a chance. So stop with the false information.

 

[damajagua]

I want a raise and I want it now. And it better be a good one.
I rather get a rasie and if the company has to go bankrupt let it.
Am sick and tire of this crap. And I can assure you thats how
how the vast majority of f/a's feel. Bring it on.
The APFA membership will not ratify a contract with 1 o 2% raises.
The raises better be good. If not we are willing, able and ready to
shut it down.

 

[Maark767]

I want a raise and I want it now. And it better be a good one.
I rather get a rasie and if the company has to go bankrupt let it.
Am sick and tire of this crap. And I can assure you thats how
how the vast majority of f/a's feel. Bring it on.
The APFA membership will not ratify a contract with 1 o 2% raises.
The raises better be good. If not we are willing, able and ready to
shut it down.

You bet we will !!! Well said.....

 

[floatingon9]

You really think the percentage who want to strike will be that high?

I think they're it's a tough sell to AA, the NMB and the public that the best paid flight attendants in the industry should be allowed to walk out and shut down a major US airline for yet more money.

We are not the highest paid in the industry. Southwest is now on top!

 

[nbmcg01]

I bet they dont like anyone telling them how they can spend their money, but sometimes that is not their choice. My point is, you have a company that is already losing more money than its competitiors, namely DAL and UAL/CAL, and then you toss in the mix a higher Pilot, F/A, and Mechanic wages etc, and that does not spell profitability, HOWEVER, it is not any of these work groups fault either, and they should get their money back, I just dont see how it is going to happen to be honest, and that is just being realistic. I definitely think AMR owes its employees their raises for keeping them out of BK this far though.

No they won't file bk. They will just wait until the APFA tries to put their f/as in a self help mode and the will implement their last offer and I'll bet that will contain everything they want. No defined benefit for new hires, cross utilization, 95 hrs of flying, high flying based sick leave and vacation accrual.....and, and, and....

This is what happens when you don't negotiate snap backs into concessionary agreements.

 

[The Goose]

You bet we will !!! Well said.....

The really unfortunate thing is the company seems to be maneuvering all three union groups so that one will eventually ask for and be given the go-ahead to begin self help., giving them the excuse needed to file for Chapter 11 Protection as every other airlines (almost) seems to have done.

The company knows the f/as and pilots can shut it down and will push them the hardest to acheive this goal, all with the assistance of union "leadership" who will, without a doubt, be vilified later.

Quite a game - darned near as good as the "Lawyers on the courthouse steps" ...

Anyone want to make a movie? Would it be classified as drama or a comedy?

 

[Veritas]

Oh good luck with the merger !!! Better you guys than us (AA). It will be years before you are all one big happy family.

Not everyone handles mergers as poorly as AA. Just look at how smoothly the integration of Delta and Northwest is proceeding.

Also , the BK talk is bull. Do you really think BA, JAL Quantas and Iberia would enter into this alliance knowing AA may be bankrupt??? Not a chance. So stop with the false information.

Why should it be any different than AA entering into an alliance with bankrupt JAL? That being said, AA will resort to self help, implement its last offer and avoid filing for bankruptcy.

By the way, it’s Qantas (without a U).

 

[Maark767]

Not everyone handles mergers as poorly as AA. Just look at how smoothly the integration of Delta and Northwest is proceeding.


Why should it be any different than AA entering into an alliance with bankrupt JAL? That being said, AA will resort to self help, implement its last offer and avoid filing for bankruptcy.

By the way, it’s Qantas (without a U).

Say what you will but most mergers are not a walk in the park... Stay tuned for the DL/NW outcome.
Sure AA can impose a contract ..... I ask onto who ??? The scabs or the 16,000 replacement workers they'll need to hire.
I'm so ready to walk......

 

[Skymess]

Say what you will but most mergers are not a walk in the park... Stay tuned for the DL/NW outcome.
Sure AA can impose a contract ..... I ask onto who ??? The scabs or the 16,000 replacement workers they'll need to hire.
I'm so ready to walk......

Get your shoes ready mark! Will you and mike join me on the line at LGA 'cause I'm probably gonna have to be there...

 

[Maark767]

Get your shoes ready mark! Will you and mike join me on the line at LGA 'cause I'm probably gonna have to be there...

Of course both of us and the entire base will join you.... Just say when...

 

[PHL]

I guess we will see what kind of leverage the FAs have at 10am on the 19th. I can't wait to see the results of the vote.
Talks resume 5/18
Strike Vote out 10am 5/19

If the vote is 'yay' to strike on 5/19, help me understand when the soonest the walkout can, in theory, begin? Immediate? 30 days?

 

[FWAAA]

If the vote is 'yay' to strike on 5/19, help me understand when the soonest the walkout can, in theory, begin? Immediate? 30 days?

Ths earliest a walkout could begin is 30 days after the NMB releases the APFA from mediated talks (which hasn't happened yet).

 

[The Goose]

If the vote is 'yay' to strike on 5/19, help me understand when the soonest the walkout can, in theory, begin? Immediate? 30 days?

A release from mediated negotiation must happen first, however - the request for release has been made already with the NMB opting not to act at that time (someone correct me if this is in error).

To answer your question, the soonest is 30 days after the formal release from negotiations takes place. As to that timetable, the best anyone can do is make wagers ...

 

[Maark767]

The really unfortunate thing is the company seems to be maneuvering all three union groups so that one will eventually ask for and be given the go-ahead to begin self help., giving them the excuse needed to file for Chapter 11 Protection as every other airlines (almost) seems to have done.

The company knows the f/as and pilots can shut it down and will push them the hardest to acheive this goal, all with the assistance of union "leadership" who will, without a doubt, be vilified later.

Quite a game - darned near as good as the "Lawyers on the courthouse steps" ...

Anyone want to make a movie? Would it be classified as drama or a comedy?

Ok everyone keeps bringing up the BK filing issue. Answer me this... If AA was going to file BK, #1 : Wouldn't they have filed years ago? and # 2 : Why in the world would they have paid down almost 8 billion in debt over the last 7 years or so ??
I just dont see AA filing. Do you guys on here know this for sure?? Everyone seems to keep talking about it but AA hasn't filed yet. What are they waiting for?? The contracts???
Thanks....