Why thank you barfbag ......
What happened with the TWA is nothing short of a legend that is countlessly retold around Airline campfires all over the country ...
What they did by stapling you to the bottom and then proceeding to eliminate you was not right .....
If there are any within the TWU who might have such a notion for the US air workers ,AH HAHAHAHAAHAH ....... you had best simply set your minds on fair integration , for we are ALL fighters over here ...
I'm not looking to start a Fight with our AA brothers , so please take no offense to what I say , just understand that we are a forceful work group ... Some would say that we come across as pushy , I as arrogant ..
I won't lie that I am looking forwards to a fruitful merger between our two companies , I believe it would benefit both our work groups in the long run .It is my intention that as (or if ) we come together , we hit the ground running ...
One of US airways tactics is to play off work groups against one another ( groups within the same class and craft ) causing them to fight one another rather than work together to secure a joint contract ...
When the three fractions I originally mentioned came together for the first time within the same union , it was like taking a cat , a dog and a monkey and then throwing them into a barrel , shutting the lid and then shaking the barrel ...
We were lucky in that we were able to come to a conclusion , althou there are those who would disagree with my definition of "lucky" ....we gave up MANY MANY field stations ...
some of the other work groups that were NOT able to decide on a contract one way or the other are our pilots and FA's ...
The pilots struggle amounst themselves was so bitter that they must be housed in separate hotels least they get into fist fights ( I think they have to be transported on separate vans as well ) and i'm not exaggerating about the pilots getting into fist fights ... I remember seeing them flip each other off from opposite flight decks ... and then there was that time that I think it was an east crew left a noose chocking a doll in the flight deck for the west crew ...
The pilots are so thoroughly turned on each other , that unless there is a merger with AA , they will NEVER have a joint contract ...
As for our flight attendants , I think something similar but less bitter has taken place ... these two groups are also deadlocked and have been for years ... They may yet vote on a new contract , but if they do it's only out of fear of merger ...
It is my intention that our two work groups quickly unite as one , and move forwards in pursuit of a combined contract that benefits BOTH work groups ...
and management , I know your reading this , (because they actually have someone assigned at CHQ to read these threads ) .. when I say move forwards in pursuit of a combined contract , I am NOT talking about horse trading ... If we are going to be the biggest airline on the planet , you can afford to pay us industry average ... i'm sure that management will immediately get defensive at the thought of paying industry average , but i'm sure that sooner or later , someone will come around and point out to them that a well compensated work force is an efficient work force ( to prove my point look at where US airways WAS and where we are today , almost every 50 dollar bonus we get is due to MBR )