Horizon/alaska

[Checking it Out]

From amfa Member,

The Grapevine

Why do we only see a newsletter once a year? The reason is obvious. All they care about is ensuring that they tell the dues objectors to be sure and pay up!
The second article in this pathetic newsletter goes on to make excuses for there failure to properly secure a decent contract for our so called brothers at Alaska airlines. They then go on in that article to place all the blame on the arbitrator and then lie to us telling us they got something better than the companies final offer. Don't be fooled, the arbitrator gave them nothing more than the companies final offer after wasting a bunch of time and money going through there little dog and pony show. Of course the AMFA law firm still profited more this way and the membership got ripped off even more for there dues again. I am so sick of this "we will get them next time" life is too short for this crap.
There third article mentions the senate bill 1327 as a possible threat to us in the future, but its what the article does not say is the problem. What in the hell is AMFA going to do to try to stop it. Nothing? They have no political agenda or effort to back up there “so calledâ€￾ concerns.
In the next article Delle goes on to tell us how we should steer the next constitution because he can't himself as the national director/dictator. Finally the grapevine winds up with whines about outsourcing. I bet if you really knew how much work is currently outsourced at our airline you would be appalled, I know I am and I don't even know the half of the facts concerning all the vendor/manufacturer contracts. I do know one thing though. The new GMM section 3-5-2 (I think that’s it) states that Frontier mechanics can now perform maintenance on our aircraft. Where is the grievance concerning this crap??? Some representation!!!
Why are we paying the national so much money just for the crappy name AMFA?? Look at our current money in the local treasury, all we do is spend all the money for there law firm for telephone consultation because they damn sure never bother to come to our negotiations. They are too busy with there heads up Delle’s ass down in Tulsa trying to raid American Airlines rather than dealing with Horizon a year after our amendable date. Thanks a lot you bunch of east coast gangster assholes!!!
Compliments amfa Watchdogs.

 

[twuer]

From amfa Member,

The Grapevine

Why do we only see a newsletter once a year? The reason is obvious. All they care about is ensuring that they tell the dues objectors to be sure and pay up!
The second article in this pathetic newsletter goes on to make excuses for there failure to properly secure a decent contract for our so called brothers at Alaska airlines. They then go on in that article to place all the blame on the arbitrator and then lie to us telling us they got something better than the companies final offer. Don't be fooled, the arbitrator gave them nothing more than the companies final offer after wasting a bunch of time and money going through there little dog and pony show. Of course the AMFA law firm still profited more this way and the membership got ripped off even more for there dues again. I am so sick of this "we will get them next time" life is too short for this crap.
There third article mentions the senate bill 1327 as a possible threat to us in the future, but its what the article does not say is the problem. What in the hell is AMFA going to do to try to stop it. Nothing? They have no political agenda or effort to back up there “so calledâ€￾ concerns.
In the next article Delle goes on to tell us how we should steer the next constitution because he can't himself as the national director/dictator. Finally the grapevine winds up with whines about outsourcing. I bet if you really knew how much work is currently outsourced at our airline you would be appalled, I know I am and I don't even know the half of the facts concerning all the vendor/manufacturer contracts. I do know one thing though. The new GMM section 3-5-2 (I think that’s it) states that Frontier mechanics can now perform maintenance on our aircraft. Where is the grievance concerning this crap??? Some representation!!!
Why are we paying the national so much money just for the crappy name AMFA?? Look at our current money in the local treasury, all we do is spend all the money for there law firm for telephone consultation because they damn sure never bother to come to our negotiations. They are too busy with there heads up Delle’s ass down in Tulsa trying to raid American Airlines rather than dealing with Horizon a year after our amendable date. Thanks a lot you bunch of east coast gangster assholes!!!
Compliments amfa Watchdogs.

OUCH!!!

 

[Kev3188]

Is QX not trying to get mechanics to either bid or hire into DEN? From what I've heard, they didn't have enough people transferring to fill all the available spots the first time around. Maybe having Frontier work on them is just a stop gap measure until they're fully staffed?

 

[Bob Owens]

I year? How long have the TWU represented SWA flight attendants been without a contract?

Then again the twu hold the title for giving away more in less time, than any other union in history. In a mere matter of weeks they negotiated the most concessionary contract in history along with a 5 year contract! How many of you out that wish that we were still in negotiations instead of stuck with the five year debacle the TWU saddled us with?

 

[PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH]

If the guy who wrote that is really an AMFA member, why doesn't he give everybody his name so his complaints can be verified and addressed. Looks to me like a disgruntled former IAM or TWU official whining because they lost their union position.

 

[PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH]

If you want to see updates on the HORIZON contract negoiations, all you have to do is go to AMFA LOCAL 14 or 17 websites. Unlike the TWU which keeps you in the dark during "contractconcessions", AMFA keeps you up to date.

 

[Checking it Out]

Actually the Member works next to the Horizon Airline Rep. The Mechanics know who he is.

How many times has amfa held information Pickets for the 3 Airlines they have in Negotiations right now?

I know of at least 2 for SW, And the contract will go to the cooling off period before it is settled.

Princess aren't you part of the local, And able to get information? Sometimes it helps if you take your head out of the covers. And read the information you are suppose to distribute to help keep the members informed.

 

[Bob Owens]

Actually the Member works next to the Horizon Airline Rep. The Mechanics know who he is.

How many times has amfa held information Pickets for the 3 Airlines they have in Negotiations right now?

I know of at least 2 for SW, And the contract will go to the cooling off period before it is settled.

Princess aren't you part of the local, And able to get information? Sometimes it helps if you take your head out of the covers. And read the information you are suppose to distribute to help keep the members informed.

As I recall the last informational picket the TWU endorsed was one that was for the company, asking for money. A few weeks later the company refused to support extended unemployment benifits for those they laid off. However the TWU did not set up pickets this time.

So the TWU will set up and support pickets in support of the company getting a Federal handout but not for their own members. Maybe they were too busy convincing the membership to give where the Feds left off so Carty and the others did not have to worry about their golden parachutes going unfunded.

Speaking of golden parachutes, didnt we pay for ECLAT to go through the companies books to make sure that the company had truely eliminated every other unneccissary expense before we took concessions?

Isnt ECLAT the same company that AA hired to put together a presentation to the Unions as to why they should accept concessions?

Did ECLAT reveal to us the fact that the company claimed $988million, or $2.7 million a day of the $5 million a day that they were supposedly "losing" was in "Goodwill", an intangible , unidentifiable assett? So the figure that was used to determine how much of a cut we were to take was based upon intangible, unidentifiable, or in other words "imaginary" losses? That the paycuts we took were to insure that AA makes a profit in the worst of times even after the company subtracted "imaginary" losses from their income?

The facts are that the TWU whether through incompetance or malice, defrauded us by giving us biased information. They failed to take on a challenging position as one would expect an advocate to do to the company's claims of financial distress, in fact, they expanded upon those claims by adding the threat of Chapter 7 liquidation. Thats like a defense Lawyer saying that his client is guilty of jaywalking and should be executed when the people are suggesting a $15 fine. This C-7 threat was put forth by the International and referenced in the TWU Express. Why would a union exaggerate the company's claims and convince their own members to take the most massive cuts the industry has ever seen? Cuts that Jim Little even cited in correspondence to the company that were "more than adequate"?

One can only surmise motives but here are some possible ones.

1) The TWU may have seen this as an opportunity to give AA such an advantage over its competitors that AA could engage in a fare war against weaker competitors and drive those competitors out of business. As those competitors folded AA would be able to expand and the TWU would get more members.

2) The TWU may have wished to avoid the legal expenses associated with defending the contract in bankruptcy court which could easily run into the millions of dollars. They may have also been reluctant to be forced to reveal their best defense strategy, the fact that the TWU has given the company the most concessionary contracts in the industry for over 20 years.

3) The TWU may have used us as a political bargaining chip. Two political "victories" were scored by Sonny Hall as head of the TTD. The unprofitable AMTRACK was given funding and S-1327 was dropped. By agreeing to lower labor costs S-1327, which would have made union membership worthless, even for those not stuck in the TWU, was no longer an issue. Sonny Hall proved that you dont need legislation because the unions will provide concessions beyond their wildest dreams without it.

All three of these possible motives are supported by the fact that our leaders are not held accountable. They can sell us down the river because they never have to face an election by the members. With the first possible motive Sonny, Little et all would benifit through increased membership. This in turn would be used to justify increased compensation for themselves, depite the fact that we are all making less money. With the second possible motive they would benifit by keeping the Treasury fat so they can continue to use those funds to suppress internal dissent and continue to draw their compensation and perks out of it. With the third possible motive they would benefit through increased influence within the AFL-CIO so they can continue to spread their WalMart based ideology of lower wages for more dues.

The TWU is an unaccountable union where low wages are their speciality. Only an unaccountable union could adopt such a strategy. Its time for us as airline workers to rid ourselves of this burden and put in unions that will seek to improve wages and benefits instead of reduce them. Its Time for AMFA and the AGW!

Accountable, democratic, AIRLINE UNIONS for AIRLINE WORKERS!