CWA Files for Representation Election

[737823]

True, but a lot of that has more to do with corporate real estate/facilities/leases than anything. Obviously, some places are easier to consolidate than others, but I think that will all sort itself out in fairly short order.

Correct me if I'm wrong but nothing changes for the PM-UA people and everything is pursuant to the UAL CBA; the company may have more flexibility with the non-union CO people in the interim. But they (PM-CO) aren't technically IAM members nor are dues charged until a joint CBA is ratified and implemented, correct?

Josh

 

[hp-csr-phx]

At US: East of the Mississippi is CWA. West of the Mississippi is Teamsters. It's an association with both working together on the new contract.

 

[Tex-Mech]

the East US agents are CWA, the West US agents (former HP) are IBT.

The CWA and IBT formed a joint association as they were afraid to let US force a vote and just placed the HP agents onto the US East CBA in a transition.

700UW
Tell us more about this joint association, as the TWU now rents from the CWA, and works closely with the IBT who are raiding the TWU. So do they spilt the dues, and was this approved by the NMB with the single carrier ruling?

 

[Kev3188]

But they (PM-CO) aren't technically IAM members nor are dues charged until a joint CBA is ratified and implemented, correct?

Josh

I believe that's correct, but am not 100% sure. I know that usually no dues are charged until the 1st JCBA is ratified. As far as being "actual" members, in non-RLA companies, newly organized shops aren't technically members until the 1st CBA is in effect...

 

[737823]

I believe that's correct, but am not 100% sure. I know that usually no dues are charged until the 1st JCBA is ratified. As far as being "actual" members, in non-RLA companies, newly organized shops aren't technically members until the 1st CBA is in effect...

Thanks. So that means that the union is incentivized to only get an adequate contract ratified quickly since prolonged negotiations involve some cost to the union (hiring advisers/negotiators, lost productivity, travel costs, communications to membership) and they aren't collecting dues over that period from the new members at the time. Seems like an agency conflict to me, akin to the scenario of hiring a relator to sell a home. It isn't in the interest of the realtor to spend exorbitant amounts of his/her time marketing and showing your property, they'd rather have your home sold at what you deem merely an acceptable price then move on to other properties. To the agent holding off for an additional $100,000 will likely only translate to an additional $2,500-4,000 depending on their comp plan, while to the homeowner the potential gains are much greater.

Josh

 

[Kev3188]

Thanks. So that means that the union is incentivized to only get an adequate contract ratified quickly since prolonged negotiations involve some cost to the union (hiring advisers/negotiators, lost productivity, travel costs, communications to membership) and they aren't collecting dues over that period from the new members at the time. Seems like an agency conflict to me, akin to the scenario of hiring a relator to sell a home. It isn't in the interest of the realtor to spend exorbitant amounts of his/her time marketing and showing your property, they'd rather have your home sold at what you deem merely an acceptable price then move on to other properties. To the agent holding off for an additional $100,000 will likely only translate to an additional $2,500-4,000 depending on their comp plan, while to the homeowner the potential gains are much greater.

Josh

I don't see it that way at all. Those costs you mentioned are negligible (sp?) overall, really.

Your analogy to real estate is a coarse one, but I'll bite: It's more akin to the realtor that A] Knows if they do well by you, you may come back for 3-4 more transactions over a lifetime, and B] Knows that your word of mouth is the best referral possible.

P.S. I don't many (non commercial) realtors that would preface "additional compensation of $2500-4000" with "only."

 

[700UW]

http://www.cwa-union.org/news/entry/cwa_members_approve_new_joint_association_for_agents_at_merged_us_airwaysam#.UOOVM3fIuSo

Oct 12, 2005
Washington, D.C. – Members of the Communications Workers of America today approved the establishment of a new Airline Customer Service Employee Association – a joint alliance with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters -- that will represent passenger service agents at the merged US Airways and America West.

CWA members approved the alliance by an 84 percent "yes" vote in a mail ballot. CWA ballots were counted today at CWA headquarters by a committee of local union presidents representing US Airways' agents. IBT members also are voting on the agreement.

CWA represents 6,000 passenger agents at US Airways and IBT represents 3,500 agents at America West. The employees work as reservations, ticket and gate agents, and also staff hospitality clubs at airports and assist handicapped passengers.

CWA's contract now in place at US Airways is amendable beginning January 2012. This agreement's conditions remain in effect by law at the newly merged airline. The IBT now is in bargaining for a first contract at America West, where employees unionized last year.

The goal of the new association – the Airline Customer Service Employee Association – IBT/CWA – is to improve salaries and conditions for America West and US Airways employees, and the association will bargain in the future for such improvements.

In the current day-to-day representation, CWA will continue to represent the US Airways workers systemwide and the Teamsters will represent the America West workers systemwide. In the future, when a combined contract is bargained and ratified, CWA will represent workers in the eastern part of the United States and the IBT will represent workers in the western states.

The presidents of the two unions will alternate in heading up the association, with CWA President Larry Cohen initially serving as director for the first year and IBT President James Hoffa as vice director. CWA and IBT will each designate an equal number of representatives from their local unions to form a US Airways Representation Committee to meet at least four times a year on workplace issues and policies of the association. All policy questions must be jointly approved.

 

[737823]

I don't see it that way at all. Those costs you mentioned are negligible (sp?) overall, really.

Your analogy to real estate is a coarse one, but I'll bite: It's more akin to the realtor that A] Knows if they do well by you, you may come back for 3-4 more transactions over a lifetime, and B] Knows that your word of mouth is the best referral possible.

P.S. I don't many (non commercial) realtors that would preface "additional compensation of $2500-4000" with "only."

You have to look beyond the costs, the potential dues revenue is significant. According to this document (http://www.iam141.or...nnouncement.pdf) on the IAM website the union is picking up roughly 7000 Continental agents at $50/month each, no small sum for the union to forgo holding out for a better contract especially since they are already certified as the collective bargaining agent and that is unlikely to change. And as 700 commented regarding the loss of the FAs to AFA, UAL was the larger carrier going into the merger and it's a pure numbers game. Only 14,000 of 17,000 bothered taking the time to vote; and among those that voted just over 8000 favored representation so I wouldn't call that overwhelming support for the IAM but a victory for the union nonetheless.

Whether the costs are negligible or not is beside the point, they are still relevant costs that need to be considered. Look at the compensation of high ranking IAM officials, they clearly value their time highly so prolonged negotiations divert their time away from other administrative tasks and organizing efforts. The IAM has a Learjet for senior officials too, that costs several thousand dollar each hour to operate, hotels, meals, publishing materials all costs money too.

Rational people make decisions on the margin; a sellers agent is less likely to go great lengths to market a property after receiving an acceptable offer when they have other listings the potential gains are much greater. Again what you or a particular agent may consider significant is beside the point. Point is in relation to the ~$90k the seller receives the agents comp is background noise and therefore is less likely to be highly motivated to act in the very best interest of the seller.

Josh

 

[700UW]

The IAM is all ready in section 6 negotiations at UA, there isnt additional costs occurring. Dues are two times the hourly wage.

And they arent making $25 an hour.

You do understand unions are non-profit organizations, and every penny spent is reported to the government, unlike a corporation.

Rich Delaney, December 19, 2012—Download At the conclusion of contract negotiations between District 141 and United Airlines on December 7, both sides separately reported the state of progress during the week to the National Mediation Board.
The company and the Union both reported significant movement in previously difficult areas of negotiations. The Board, however, did not agree that enough progress had been made for them to return to the talks at this point.

While it was hoped, and requested by both parties, that a mediator be assigned to next week’s negotiations, the NMB determined that would not happen. While we were not looking for the NMB to impose a settlement on us, we would have welcomed their assistance in moving the negotiations in a positive direction.

We continued to meet with company representatives, without a mediator present, this past week working towards narrowing the differences between our positions on key issues. Solutions to the critical issues of job security, wage improvement, and benefit stability continue to be the most difficult to resolve.

In the opinion of the NMB, the distance between the company’s position and our intentions must be voluntarily narrowed before a final agreement can be reached with their help. That is what we worked on during the past week, and we believe have made significant progress on those issues.

Negotiations continue this week between established committee teams to bring outstanding issues to a close. Additional discussions between the company and Union regarding the issues of job security and benefits will also continue. The NMB has been kept advised as to our progress and plan for future formal discussions.

Both sides have agreed to bring their full teams together for formal negotiations during the first full week of January.
We congratulate our Brothers and Sisters of ALPA in concluding and ratifying their agreement last week.

We are confident now the company can focus their full resources and efforts into reaching an agreement with the IAM that will secure the future of 40% of our own airline.

 

[737823]

The IAM is all ready in section 6 negotiations at UA, there isnt additional costs occurring. Dues are two times the hourly wage.

And they arent making $25 an hour.

You do understand unions are non-profit organizations, and every penny spent is reported to the government, unlike a corporation.

Wrong. Why do you keep posting lies and misinformation? Are you that obtuse?

http://iamlocal1487.org/?page_id=1835

PS: I think you meant to say the IAM is already in section6 negotiations and is incurring additional costs.

http://grammarist.com/spelling/already-all-ready/

Josh

 

[700UW]

Once again you post things that you dont know of, lol!!!!

Dues are done at each local, that local is only ORD, and it is an average of twice the wage per classifaction..

And I doubt there are many agents from PM-CO at ORD, since it was a UA hub and not a CO hub.
Try again.

And they arent incurring any additional costs except for lost time if there are any PM-CO members on the negotiating committee.

Do you enjoy sticking your foot in your mouth all the time?

You think you know it all and you know very little when it comes to the unions and the airlines.

 

[Kev3188]

Whether the costs are negligible or not is beside the point, they are still relevant costs that need to be considered.

I didn't say they were irrelevant; I said they were negligible in the grand scheme of things.

The IAM has a Learjet...

That gets trotted out by anti worker activists a lot, and I'm not sure why that seems so scandalous to them. After all, the union has several hundred thousand members in all corners of the country. Plenty of corporations have them- the view from my "office" is of 3 corporate hangars-for the same reason(s), and no one ever says boo about it...

Rational people make decisions on the margin; a sellers agent is less likely to go great lengths to market a property after receiving an acceptable offer when they have other listings the potential gains are much greater. Again what you or a particular agent may consider significant is beside the point. Point is in relation to the ~$90k the seller receives the agents comp is background noise and therefore is less likely to be highly motivated to act in the very best interest of the seller.

...Except that a realtor is highly motivated to maximize all their transactions, because they realize that it well produce not only more income in the immediate return, but also potentially much more down the road.

I'd also note that home purchase/selling is usually one of the most irrational/emotion driven processes I can think of, but I digress...

 

[eolesen]

(The Learjet) gets trotted out by anti worker activists a lot, and I'm not sure why that seems so scandalous to them. After all, the union has several hundred thousand members in all corners of the country. Plenty of corporations have them- the view from my "office" is of 3 corporate hangars-for the same reason(s), and no one ever says boo about it...

Something else that one might take away from that is that the IAM is after all just another corporation...

I have no problem with the union owning or operating a Lear, but are they holding to the same standard that they expect the company to hold?

1) Is the Lear flown by union represented crew members?
2) Is it always handled by a union represented FBO?
3) Is it maintained in a facility employing IAM members?

I'd also note that home purchase/selling is usually one of the most irrational/emotion driven processes I can think of, but I digress...

You must not be married... I could probably list at least a couple dozen more...

 

[700UW]

All the IAM staff, are unionized, there is an IAM Reps association that represents all the IAM workers at Headquarters, and those in the field who are reps higher than the district level.

When the plane came to CLT for an IP visit, we handled the aircraft and unionized fuelers fueled it.

Where ever possible the plane is handled by unionized workers.

 

[usa1]

Town Hall Call Addresses Merger

January 2, 2013 · Posted In: Headline News


American Airlines agents are invited to participate in a nationwide Town Hall call Jan. 3 that will focus on the proposed merger with US Airways, which seems to be on its way to approval this month, according to reports.
The Allied Pilots Association moved the process a step closer last week when its board of directors approved a framework for a labor agreement in the event the merger is approved. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants also appeared poised to approve a deal for flight attendants.
“A merger is the best thing for the company, the unions and the passengers,” APFA President Laura Glading told a Dallas TV station late Tuesday. “It has to happen.”
All the unions for the two airlines have been “quietly negotiating” over the merger, according to news reports. We are currently not in the discussions, and our vote for representation by CWA ends in two weeks, on Jan. 15.
The AMR board is expected to vote on the merger at its Jan. 9 meeting in Dallas. The proposed merger would create the biggest airline in the United States while also releasing American Airlines from bankruptcy protection, if the court approves it.
Representatives of several unions at the table with management and the creditors’ committee during the merger talks are expected to be on the Town Hall call this week. Experts can answer your questions about what happens to employees when airlines merge. You can register for the call here.