Farming Out The Line
- Thread starter Buck
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Kev3188
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You guys (AA M&E) need to really figure out what kind of organization you want to be. Is it the proverbial 20 guys making $10, or 10 making $20? Nothing about your current situation will change until that question is answered. In the interim, I'm sure the people at Centerport love watching you guys and your circular firing squad.
WorldTraveler
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it shows how difficult it is to protect the interests of very diverse groups of workers.... not only is TWU trying to protect line and overhaul but they are also trying to represent ramp... and each of those groups have interests that conflict at times.
I would dare so that line maintenance is in the best position to achieve its own interests.. and it may well require that even absent the ability to decertify the TWU, line maintenance needs to build alliances that allow it to achieve its own ends.
I would dare so that line maintenance is in the best position to achieve its own interests.. and it may well require that even absent the ability to decertify the TWU, line maintenance needs to build alliances that allow it to achieve its own ends.
Didn't some of the line presidents back in 03 want to throw the bases under the bus so the line could keep their pay rate or be affected less in the pocket book? So why continue divisive dsicussions and to what good is keeping this nonsense life? We have enough issues without this.
One bad side of the information age is giving some the chance to opine, when they should be silent.
Because Buck is what you call a "#### Stirrer"
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Yes and because the line mechanics represented here continue to bash the existence of the bases. It is no wonder some people have not signed for replacement of the TWU. With the two groups playing one against each other, the company is just sitting back and laughing. The TWU on the other hand is enjoying the help defeating the attempt of the AMP drive.
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Just answering the question as to why the line mechanics want to rid themselves of OH.
sometimes ignorance needs no answer.
strikeforce
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The line maintenance mechanics aren't stupid, and we're not blind to the fact that WN mechanics make $10 to $15 an hour more than us. I'm not asking that OH be farmed out, but I think it's prudent that our mechanics make as much as our peers. With AA threatening BK, OH may or may not be gone, but if it is gone.....we will also blow Line's ability to get the maximum amount. When the rif's start....the guys in TUL will also blow their chances at making $45 an hour. I think the hand writing is on the wall for OH, I mean, just look around the industry.....What did those airlines shed, OH or LINE???? I may not be around with 21 years, but the mechanics that will be should be making the maximum, such as WN, UPS & Fed Ex. Line maintenance will get you the maximum because it's a necessary evil for airlines....not saying that they can't farm out Line, but it will be much more difficult in the cornerstone cities.
This topic may give the few line guys who would love to throw O/H under the bus for a couple of bucks and hour an idea how we feel with their constant knock on O/H. We are ALL AMTs. I am pretty sure the coffee bean pickers in South America who moonlight as aircraft mechanics are not. The point is that the other airlines who are flying their jets out of the country are NOT getting their maintenance done by AMTs. American wants their's done by AMTs but want to pay coffee bean picker wages. This is not acceptable. Also just because other airlines have farmed out their O/H doesn't mean AA will. Remember...... AA was the first for two pay scales and the last to get rid of it. AA is also the first with SRPs. None of the other airlines have done this. One fact is that years ago a group of pilots at AA were looking into starting a line maintenance company to compete for AA's line maintenance and were discouraged by their union after the TWU complained. And Buck is correct. Many AMTs in Tulsa are convinced that the line guys will dominate AMP and drop O/H in the grease to get a raise. It serves no purpose at all to pit O/H against line except to help AA and TWU by discouraging AMP cards being signed. Do not think for one minute that AA would not farm out line maintenance. Keep talking about farming out O/H and your line job might just go away. Then AA would be the first to outsource line maint. Then good luck bumping into an O/H base where all the seniority is. We understand that line guys in high cost areas need more money. But you don't need to continue to run O/H down and blame us for not getting a big premium. As far as the 2003 concessions, Tulsa actually had more no votes than yes votes. The line had more yes than no. The fact of the matter is that both line and O/H need a raise. As long as guys doing maintenance at O/H bases have A&P certificates, they need to be paid as AMTs.
how about looking at BUF, SYR, CVG, CLE, TUS, DTW, to name some where amts were employed but now at some of those stations mtc is covered locally by a provider, and if some more indepth is needed, a field trip.
strikeforce
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Ok Old Guy, what's the solution here??
We're 4 years into this thing with no progress in sight, and we have a union membership that can give a hoot about the contract, or sticking together. They're more concerned about a company priviledge than the contract. We have a leadership group that's totally divided and not on the same page. The INTL wants us to accept more concessions because they say we're not being realistic, and you have a company that continues to enjoy more concessions as time goes by.
Look, the whole thing stinks, the union leadership, the members, we're ALL at fault for our failures. No one gives a s%&t about the contract. period! People are afraid because the economy stinks and they're afraid that if WE stick it to AA that AA will close TUL, file BK and shut the doors, and that may very well happen whether WE stick together or not. We're supposed to a union...and although we're at each others throats on this forum, I will support the bases, just like I supported AMFA in ORD and strolled their picket lines against NW. I'm not afraid of American Airlines and I'm not afraid of losing my job, and although I took it in the shorts, I saved a few bucks because I knew WE were going to be in this mess, and I knew that the TWU has a history of screwing their own members. And, I'm done with them!!!!
Here's a start to the solution.....how about starting an 11,000 e-mail tree where WE can all talk to each other and share information, and get a real game plan together. How about holding a real AMT day where WE all wear the same t-shirt, or how about supporting DFW when Durst and the boys want to pit stations against each other??? WE DON'T NEED THE TWU INTL to do the talking for us...WE OWN THAT "F"ing CONTRACT, now let's all stop fighting and let's show AA that they need us more than WE need them, damn it!!!!
odie01
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Wrong.....The international owns us, thats the propblem, are you new? Why are you arguing about line vs. OH when we can't even get shift differential or sick time back. Why don't you guys debate this after we get back what the twu international gave away, which will be NEVER, because AA owns the twu. Its the twu's job to create conflict among its members to prevent the organizing of another union, and that is exactly what is happening just look at the yays and nays from this weeks vote on being released. WE WILL NEVER BE UNIFIED WITH THE TWU INTERNATIONAL INVOLVED !!!!!
Now you're talkin Strike! The first step is to send the TWU packing! They have proven to be inept in every negotiation in my career at AA. When asked why we don't have shyster lawyers negotiate with their shyster lawyers we got "They don't know what we want brother. We know what we want.". So we sent Ed Wilson and Ruby Phillips to negotiate with the company shysters. Needless to say we got beaten like a drum. The big question though is , even if we do get AMP as our union, will we be able to stick together and not stoop to the infighting that we are so quick to go to? We must all remember who the enemy is. Line is not the enemy of O/H. Management at AA is our enemy. TWU is also our enemy. Either you're with us or against us. TWU has proven to be against us. Ask yourself why Jim Little has no problem paying his secretary $140K per year, more than twice what an AMT makes, but he was quick to hand our benefits like holidays and paid sick time away. I am guessing his secretary gets at least 10 holidays a year and gets paid 100% for sick time. Heck..... Stock clerks and fleet service get 100% sick time along with everyone else who works for AA..... except mechanics. Isn't it funny that as AMTs we have to prove we have an education before we even get hired, but we don't get paid a day's pay when we are too sick to go to work? This is just one example of the international not looking out for the best interests of the membership. They were looking out for their best interest which is to keep as many people on the payroll no matter how many benefits or wages they give away. Little and company enjoy every benefit we used to have. They have also enjoyed raises during the last 8 years while we were trying to make ends meet with significantl less take home pay. How many of us have two or three jobs now? But Odie is right. Unltimatley we are to blame. We have the power to tell the TWU to hit the bricks! All we have to do is sign a card. If you have signed one, try to get others to sign them too. Will things get better overnight? No. They will get worse at first, but if we stay together we can get what we need.
