"clinched Fist" - Oh My

[Decision 2004]

June 7, 2004

Robert Gless
International Representative
Air Transport Division
Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO
1791 Hurstview Dr.
Hurst, TX 76021

Bobby,

I appreciate your due diligence on the class 2 stations and obtaining the letter from Danny stating that there won’t be any “changes through the summerâ€, although we already knew that from his VP update to the field.

The concern as you could imagine is after the summer; i.e. picture a guy in Philadelphia, Houston, San Jose, and Nashville not knowing whether the station was going to stay open after the summer.

As I had stated at the last few Presidents’ Council meetings, all of the maintenance stations have been scaling down headcount, (some at a high rate), and the company does not want to backfill at this time. The very prevalent rumor that seems to abound is that there will come a time in the very near future when there will be a shuffle of the headcount; which, by the way, includes the closing of some class 2 stations.

This is exactly what was discussed during the concessionary negotiations at which time the M&R Committee decided to go the other direction to save the company money. If the company is considering closing some of the class 2 stations then they need to know this will not fly with either the TWU leadership, (clinched fist with pointed finger), or the members.

Thus, the request for the meeting with Reding. The Maintenance presidents discussed this at the May Presidents’ Council meeting because we wanted to ensure he realizes that he does not get two bites at this apple. He does not get to close stations and enjoy the contractual relief we agreed to. Now, if AA completely pulled out of a station operationally there would be no argument.

A few Presidents’ Councils ago I requested the International go forward to the company and get an agreement for the duration of this collective bargaining agreement for the class 2 stations. The purpose being that our members have given up a lot and due to what transpired during those concessionary discussions, (class 2’s or money and other contractual items), they shouldn’t have to worry each day whether or not they and their families will be able to stay at their stations. With what we gave up and all we have done to help this company, this is the least they can do for these guys at these class 2 stations. This is not even considering the fact that they out perform the class 1 stations and have successfully completed any and all maintenance that was requested of them. Some stations have been operating for decades under this premise.

You and Gary Yingst have both stated that you thought the company was looking at closing some stations. This cannot happen; we have to take a stance.

Most members know that the Maintenance and Related Committee’s initial proposal to AA was to reduce headcount and keep the 2001 agreement intact, except for relief from the system protection provision.

In response, the Company, (Jim Weel), stated, they would need to close all heavy maintenance facilities, eliminate B-Checks, close the Class II cities, and eliminate Title II, etc. Again, this was a successful ploy to frighten committee members to find ‘cost savings’ through ‘work rule changes’, (a.k.a. trash the agreement).

Currently, the implementation of reductions in accordance with the concessionary agreement has been completed by the company and in the spirit of ‘assisting the company through the financial crises’, all the layoffs should be over. Unfortunately, the Company is heading towards the number of headcount reduction as we initially proposed.

American Airlines’ style of conducting its business has created an environment that breeds distrust among its employees. This has in turn translated to our turning on each other, while the Company slips to the background, and calculates the next move that will cause strife. We cannot allow this company to continually play games with the class 2 stations, we must get an agreement. If I can be of any assistance please contact me.

Fraternally,

Donald M. Videtich
President
Local 565, Air Transport Division
Transport Workers Union of American, AFL-CIO

 

[Ray]

DING DING!

 

[Steve Connell]

June 21, 2002



Who’s Kidding Who?



AMFA National recently announced that they will conduct another raid at United Airlines. This is not welcome news to me as a member of AMFA at Northwest Airlines. With the NWA AMFA Locals already deeply in debt to the National organization, our Local’s may have to dig even deeper to support their efforts at United. Locals are already assessing members at Seattle and Anchorage, the membership shot down another assessment attempt in Duluth and Detroit is raffling off a Harley Davidson motorcycle.



With all the problems we’re having here at Northwest with layoffs, farm outs and so on, you would think the National would get our house in order before moving on to another carrier.



Most Locals can’t even afford to send grievances to arbitration Our Local will not spend the money to, and other Locals cannot afford to properly train our shop reps or committees. The National doesn’t seem concerned on how much of our work is being farmed out or how many members are laid off at NWA. When is the last time we have gotten any real information from the National? The latest letter from McCormick didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know.



In a letter to the UAL IAM members dated March 29, 2002, Delle-Femine says, “You will be receiving frequent information updates via letter, handbills, meetings, and a special AMFA UAL toll-free hotline.†There will also be a “series of meetings (that) will be scheduled around the system to allow the UAL membership to ask the tough questions.†That’s a lot more communications then his own membership is receiving at Northwest! Who’s paying for this? The National Policy states that the National will get involved when the potential members have already signed 60% of the authorization cards. In the letter, AMFA National has once again rationalized violating their National policy on organizing at our expense.



We deserve some representation and have paid dearly for it. When will the farmouts stop? Our members are standing around with absolutely no work to do. NWA claims we are only at 17%, what happens when NWA tops out at the negotiated 38%? Because our AMFA leadership negotiated the 38% limit based on dollars, it’s going to be a heck of a lot more than just 38% of our work.



During the AMFA Campaign at NWA, they told us our dues would be $25 a month. Our dues are now approaching $60 a month. They also told us that organizing campaigns were “grass roots†to be run at a local level. AMFA National is now pulling out all the stops at United. How much are they going to raise our dues to pay for that campaign?



Also in the letter it seems that AMFA is up to their old tricks of misinformation. Delle, have you even read the UAL agreement you now want to represent? You insinuate that the IAM will decide if there are concessions at UAL when the contract clearly states that the membership has the explicit right to vote on the issue. You ask the question; “who do you want to represent you with the company when they come looking for concessions.†The answer is easy, the IAM OF COURSE! It was the IAM who stood up to the PEB and President Bush and received better pay and benefits then us at NWA. Remember who caved in to the PEB and the President? AMFA caved and we ended up with a contract where even Seham has stated we gave up $300,000,000.00 in work rule concessions.



It seems everyday I find out how more of our previous rights were negotiated away. It’s unbelievable that a member has to bump to another station in the dark because our Representatives can’t get NWA to tell us where the opening is. And to top it off, if they don’t exercise their seniority, they lose their severance pay and AMFA claims they volunteered to be laid off!



We can now have junior employees recalled to days and weekends off while senior employees cannot use their seniority to bid back to their previous shift and days off. It wasn’t like that under the IAM contract.



The IAM has always protected its member’s seniority rights; seniority has always been the backbone of any Union. AMFA doesn’t seem to care much for seniority; at least they didn’t in our current agreement for the Technicians working in the shops. Now AMFA wants to bring those benefits to the IAM members at United and we’ll end up footing the bill.



AMFA doesn’t need to waste more of our dues money on an organizing campaign at UAL. They need to start representing the membership at Northwest Airlines!



Steve Duffala

NWA Technician

 

[Decision 2004]

Steve,

What does your copy and paste rhetoric have to do with AA Class II stations having threatened closure issues with AA after the industry leading concession agreement?

Are you so lost for words that you wish to change the subject matter from the truth to non-sense?

I bet if it was your job at a class II station being threatened you wouldn't be changing the subject, now would you? I GOT MINE BROTHER - AND INDUSTRIAL UNIONIST ...

...Yahoo

DO you mean all we have to is get disgruntled union members to write letters and you give that merit? I bet we can out do you in that campaign. Want us to prove it?

 

[Stop the Bus..I Want Off!!]

Steve,

What does your copy and paste rhetoric have to do with AA Class II stations having threatened closure issues with AA after the industry leading concession agreement?

Are you so lost for words that you wish to change the subject matter from the truth to non-sense?

I bet if it was your job at a class II station being threatened you wouldn't be changing the subject, now would you? I GOT MINE BROTHER - AND INDUSTRIAL UNIONIST ...

...Yahoo

DO you mean all we have to is get disgruntled union members to write letters and you give that merit? I bet we can out do you in that campaign. Want us to prove it?

Dave, it's obvious to all who read steve's posts that his twu wannabe status is self-serving in merit. I haven't met a twu wannabe yet that is any different than this one. Also, nice update from around the system on the AMFA represented airlines. It's refreshing to still see unionism at work. Keep up the great work. You've got more backbone than any other twu wannabe that I've ever run across!!

Keep the Faith......VOTE AMFA!!!!!

 

[Decision 2004]

Dave, it's obvious to all who read steve's posts that his twu wannabe status is self-serving in merit. I haven't met a twu wannabe yet that is any different than this one. Also, nice update from around the system on the AMFA represented airlines. It's refreshing to still see unionism at work. Keep up the great work. You've got more backbone than any other twu wannabe that I've ever run across!!

Keep the Faith......VOTE AMFA!!!!!

Thank You for the kind comments and support.