IAM files for mediation at WN

[WorldTraveler]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/machinists-union-files-mediation-southwest-174500808.html

strong words

"Coupled with Southwests deteriorating labor relations, the carriers operational performance has plummeted. The carrier has among the worst on-time arrival rate in the airline industry, it ranks among the bottom in mishandled baggage and hovers at the top of the airline industry in denied boardings.

Southwest has merged its way to super-profits and is doing everything it can to stonewall its employees from sharing fairly in the success theyve worked so hard to create, continued Higginbotham. This is greed, pure and simple and the IAM will not stand for it.

 

[robbedagain]

sounds like what goes on at every us air carrier...    although I will say I did not have to wait long for my bags at wn  compared to how long I had to wait for it at other air carriers' ive been on in the past  including FL

 

[700UW]

Old news, 142 announced a few weeks ago they would be seeking mediation.
 
At least the WN employees have a say in their work rules, pay, and everything else which is contained in a CBA.

 

[WorldTraveler]

but did they not just do it today?

this highlights that the IAM and no union can squeeze pay raises where the company won't give them and that WN knows its labor costs are at the top of the industry and are growing at well above average rates compared to the industry and they cannot allow that growth in salaries and benefits to continue.

The only question is how long it will be before other unions at WN also file for mediation and how long it will take for anything to be resolved.

With a request for mediation now in the works, it would seem very doubtful that WN will settle on its own.

how many times has WN been to mediation with its labor groups?

Perhaps one of the WN employees can let us know.

 

[700UW]

It was announced on August 9th that they would be filing.
 
http://www.iamdl142.org/Southwest/WN%202014-105.pdf

 

[WorldTraveler]

but it happened when?

and the day they filed doesn't change that the IAM could not obtain an agreement for its members

 

[700UW]

Fan the flames.
 
It takes two sides to negotiate, and you know damn well the RLA is a hindrance in the process.
 
Well AMFA has been talking at WN for years also.
 
Its how the process plays out, but I will take a CBA and a few years of negotiations than being an employee at will any day.
 
And if you had a sliver of intelligence you would know almost every single airline CBA no matter what union it is normally goes to mediation.

 

[does this plane go to paris]

Seems that someone is a few days late in trying to stir the pot.  But at least he got stir the pot, that's what makes hiim happy.

 

[700UW]

Education:
 

 

[WorldTraveler]

Seems that someone is a few days late in trying to stir the pot.  But at least he got stir the pot, that's what makes hiim happy.

I'm not stirring any pot... I'm noting exactly what I have said for years: a union cannot force a company to agree to pay raises, no matter how profitable they may be.

WN has the capacity to increase pay but they are not going to do so because their labor costs are already at the top of the charts.

The WN culture of employee goodwill was based heavily on the notion of buying happiness from its employees - and Gary Kelly is now faced with the task of resetting expectations among its workforce and making sure labor costs are in line with WN's revenue relative to the industry.

WN will continue to grow but it simply cannot increase wages from their current levels.

Unions cannot force them to increase wages when their costs are as high as they are; and no mediator or arbitrator will succeed at forcing wages up from their industry high levels.

 

[swamt]

This all old news people.  TWU also will go to mediation, and We will go to mediation as well.  It's been the plans of the company from the very beginning to stall nego's.  If mediation is what they want then they shall get it.  Let's not forget what happened with our dispatchers in mediation and the comparo to the UPS folks...

 

[WorldTraveler]

recount for us what happened to the dispatchers when they went to mediation.

and tell us how many other times WN labor groups have been in mediation.

Can you also tell us how WN's labor costs compared to other carriers when they were in mediation.

 

[swamt]

Good luck to all the IAM members going into mediation if granted.  The mechanics are probably right behind you in making a request as well...

 

[700UW]

What do you mean if granted? The NMB can't refuse to mediate them.

 

[WNMECH]

Good luck to all the IAM members going into mediation if granted.  The mechanics are probably right behind you in making a request as well...

We are still making progress in negotiations albeit slow due to the small number of days scheduled for talks.
I don't think mediation will be asked for this year. We have plenty of things to work on before a total impasse.
 
http://amfa11.com/file_cabinet/SWA_Drawer/CN/AMFA%20SWA%20Technician%20Negotiations%20Update23.pdf
 
[SIZE=11.5pt]On Wednesday, the day began with both committees doing a review of where we are article-by-article. The review showed: we have tentatively agreed on twelve articles (1, 3, 7, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26, 27, and 28); there are five articles tabled or at an impasse, four by our Committee and one by the Company (8, 11, 12, 21, and 23); there are five articles our Committee owes a counter or a response (4, 5, 6, 20, and 24); there are three articles the Company owes a counter or response (4, 10, and 13); and there are four articles and two letters of agreements to officially open and work through (2, 14, 15, and 29, LOA 1, and 2). As has been mentioned in previous updates, we have had brief discussions on Article 2: Scope, LOA 1, and the Company’s concept on pay. [/SIZE]