From the IAM 141 US Airways page:
Your District 141 Negotiating Committee has used all of the IAM’s resources to reach this Tentative Agreement in a very hostile environment... Are we satisfied with this agreement? Hell no! We always strive to get the most we can, and then try for more.
They pulled out all the stops they say. It's a hostile envorment they say. They're not satisfied with the agreement they say. They try to get the most they can they say. Then they try for more they say. OK, I'll accept all of that, and I'll overlook the "we try for all we can, then try for more" which is a grammatical nightmare, and can be read a few ways.
But we have an opportunity to provide immediate gains to all Fleet Workers nearly two years before our normal amendable date, and that cannot be ignored.
At what cost? The cost of the West. I mean zero disrespect to the East guys, but that's the bottom line. The IAM used the West to gain for the whole. They didn't even ask the West if they wanted that.
This agreement puts IAM members in position to enter the next round of bargaining stronger in both economic issues and job security. In that round of traditional bargaining we will have the leverage of our right to strike to achieve our goals, a right we don’t have today. As a reminder, this Tentative Agreement was only possible because of an opportunity afforded by the US Airways-America West merger. The current US Airways East agreement is not amendable under traditional Railway Labor Act bargaining until the end of 2009. Therefore, we have no right to strike until the negotiating process that won’t even begin until late 2009 has run its course.
Huh, the possibility of a strike sounds like a VERY powerful option. I mean, we don't have that option, do we? We're not in Section 6. Oh wait, West is. And it can be used to get gains on the West contract that can then be taken to 2009 and used for an agreement to cover all. It's called teamwork, something US Airways actually preaches.
US Airways has clearly stated to your Committee that if this agreement is not ratified they will not enter into any further bargaining for contract improvements until they are required to do so when the East agreement becomes amendable. They will only consider a straight transition of West employees into the existing East agreement, with no improvements for East employees. This is important to understand when deciding how to vote. Your Committee had to confront the same reality at the bargaining table.
Since when does the Company get to change the law? If we had a competant NC with some backbone they'd realise this for the setup that it is. The Company is taking the NC exactly where it wants to be, and the NC is following along. The Company can't refuse Section 6 for the West. Actually they can. It's called an IMPASS and that permits a STRIKE!
Flight Attendants and Pilots are still struggling to reach agreements and realize the improvements in the Tentative Agreement being presented to you.
Care to provide names/sources? This is the first I've heard of this.
Your Committee believes this is an agreement worthy of your consideration. As always, the membership will make the final decision. You have an opportunity that tens of thousands of airline workers who have endured bankruptcy wish they had - an opportunity to regain some of what was lost. I am confident that whatever choice the membership makes will be in their best interests.
So the NC isn't satisfied with the TA, but it's worthy of our consideration? WTF? Serious senseless doubletalk. And of COURSE the membership will make a choice that's in their best interests. What's a shame is that you have more confidence in pointing out the obvious then you have in the sucess of your TA.