AMFA Farm-Out Negotiations at NWA
As you know hindsight is always 20-20 and some members that are Anti-Union will never agree.
I believe what is happening today in the industry is a direct result of what NWA accomplished at the bargaining table with AMFA. NWA has always been very skillful at negotiating contracts and with the experienced IAM negotiators; was always able to secure core work, seniority and language, etc. Although the “93†agreement contained concessions, It was Concessionary most members took for granted that the language the IAM fought for over the years many AMFA members are still enjoying now. The “93†agreement made great strides in the language side of the contract.
On the other hand, after 40 years! AMFA still does not have the experience in negotiating and therefore NWA took advantage of AMFA as everyone can see today. Many ardent AMFA members continue to brag how they have Seham and McCormick to protect them from NWA’s attorneys at the bargaining table. What really happened! they were at the table once in awhile! Since they were being paid by the hour and the costs were to extreme, especially for the smaller locals. The smaller locals had to assess their membership to pay back the national for their share of negotiating expenses or are gearing up for the 2005 contract.
Many members also continue to brag how AMFA had open negotiations to its members. Although personally I do not have a problem with allowing members to attend negotiations, the way AMFA organized it, allowed NWA to use this to their advantage. The problem was that members only attended the meetings once in awhile and as every one knows, issues change daily at the bargaining table. The company used the members to bounce off their ideas. The members that returned to the floor with information as to what was discussed quickly became rumors and turned out not to be very accurate. AMFA claimed they were giving out information on negotiations, and although the IAM should have done a better job, and United Airlines. District 141M did a great job informing their members on their contract negotiations, AMFA really did not give out much information other than what article they were discussing. As a District 149 Officer, John Spadino discussed allowing members into negotiations had they the opportunity to negotiate with the company.
The language did change and It would be irresponsible to say that no Aviation Technician or Related would have been laid off during the current crisis in the Airline industry and with the current Bush administration. I do not believe the cuts in the AMT workforce at NWA would have been as deep.
A commentary titled
“SUBCONTRACTING†by Larry Loftus on January 2002. This document goes into great detail as to what changed in the contract that gave NWA an advantage to farm-out work. If you take the time to read the commentary you will see how NWA manipulated negotiators in believing they negotiated farm-out protection. You may have heard the old saying, “ if you tell a lie enough times, people will believe the lieâ€. Well, in my opinion that’s what happened during AMFA’s attempt to sway the membership at NWA. AMFA maintained that their was no farm-out language in the “93†agreement that prevented NWA from subcontracting out work.
That statement was not true, Tom Pedersen an AMT at NWA wrote a commentary titled
“LAYOFFS AND FARMOUTS†on January 17, 2002. In Tom’s commentary, he gives accounts of arbitration awards that the IAM had won with the language that was in the contract before AMFA changed it, or more accurately, When AMFA added the 38% language to it. The reason so many members believed there was no farm-out language was because NWA was farming out work, but not nearly to the extent that they are farming out work now.
The key is what can be won in arbitration. An Arbitrator will only rule in labors favor if the Union is being injured. The problem with all the farm-out grievances filed in the mid to late 90’s is that no one was injured in the Arbitrators eyes. There were no layoffs; members were working plenty of overtime so therefore no one was hurt. The farm-out grievances that the IAM won were when members were laid off and therefore the membership was injured.
So, to answer the question, That change alone has had a catastrophic effect on the membership at NWA and is the reason why so many Union Brothers and Sisters are on the street today.
There are many other reasons why AMFA has failed in properly representing their membership. If you were to read the commentaries titled
“ AN INFORMED UNION MEMBER IS A STRONG UNION MEMBER!†by Larry Loftus NWA AMT dated May 2002 and
“THE AMFA NEGOTIATING PROCESS, IS IT FAIR TO EVERYONE?†by Larry Loftus dated February 13, 2002 , you will see what AMFA has been and is currently failing in.
It takes trained representatives, to uphold the contract and not to be afraid to file a grievance regardless of the grievance backlog. Yes, sometimes it takes a while to get grievances to arbitration, and yes some mistakes are made along the way. But you learn from your mistakes and improve your representation to the members.
On the other hand, after 40 years in existence AMFA still does not train its Shop Representatives, tries to talk the membership into not filing a grievance, fails to give out information on arbitrations and fails to give the membership accurate percentages on the subcontracting issue.
What AMFA seems to be good at is selling a dream. Its no surprise that NWA is continuing to violate the agreement more vigorously than ever before. There is no one there to really stop them.
Its up to everyone who has taken the time to read this commentary to take the time and become informed. Read the commentaries listed above. Ask an amfa organizer or representative about the issues and get the facts.
After One Mistake the Industry has changed forever! Become Informed and you will see what the destruction amfa has caused in the Industry! Open your eyes before it’s to late!
Negotiations is a skill and takes experience, something amfa is unwilling to learn! To them it is all about money for the Companies and Sub-Contractors.
www.the-mechanic.net
30 PM RV4 wrote:
