Kev3188 said:
+1Just about any union member can rattle of their rights under a CBA, but ask 'em what they're responsibilities are, and that discussion usually comes to a grinding halt.A great movie. I would encourage everyone-AMT or not- to check it out.
I agree, and I'm not surprised you feel that way because you are a true Union Man. You see past factionalism at whats really important, the impact on workers and the real Labor movement and not all the noise.
In the end the other unions at NWA screwed their members as well. They failed to see the obvious, that management would not stop at AMFA, management may have hated AMFA, but they hated the other unions too, just not as much. EAL was the last time Unions got it right in this industry. NWA set to make an example out of AMFA, in the end NWA disappeared but false unionists within the labor movement, like Overspeed, try and make the claim that had AMFA agreed to all the cuts, including 53% of the jobs, that they would have been better off.
Things have changed a lot since 2005, we have them. They have done such a good job at destroying our pride, our morale, our standard of living that many have left, and very few are coming in. Their business plan is dependent on OT, at least 12% of all hours worked are at OT rates. They have outsourced whats worth outsourcing and at other carriers the trend is starting to go the other way. The biggest challenge faced by airlines is getting people to do the work. Look at all the airline mergers that have taken place in the last ten years. How many mechanics have been laid off as a result of these mergers? NONE. The synergies from the mergers were needed to offset the loss of skilled workers, if the mergers had not happened the shortage would be much more apparent. Management from USAIR revealed that even though their overhaul shrank by 35% they didn't lay off one mechanic, they were all absorbed. In Tulsa they are offering Stand in steads and they throw out a layoff threat every couple of months to get the union to jump through hoops no involuntary furloughs are on the horizon. The wont offer anything to the line to get them to leave, they cant afford to let them leave. As far back as 2009 when they offered a SIS to Tulsa but not the line they admitted that they can not afford to lose more line mechanics and that the attrition rate was several hundred mechanics per year (much to the frustration of Don Videtich who claimed that attrition was extremely low). On the line they are hiring. Most come from Eagle where they carry their company seniority and Vacation.
NWA had scabs because in 2005 there were literally thousands of A&Ps who had recently lost their jobs in the aftermath of 9-11. In the film they mention how NWA had already cut 5000 jobs, AA had cut almost the same, UAL, at least that, even Delta that had for years maintained a policy of no layoffs had deep cuts. The market was flooded, and even at that NWA was only able to scrounge up half their target number of scabs. That pool has long since dried up. We are in a better position now to make gains than ever before, we just may have to violate a few court orders to do it though.
If we had a pair we would realize we have them by theirs, if we stick together.
We, as individual Union men, forget the name, have to stick together with our Union brothers at US. Instead of coming here and saying "Don't count on the TWU" people should be saying "I dont care whether our leaders tell us to support you or not I will, and I will not work your airplanes and we will not work overtime either. Instead I will come out and walk the pickets with you". If they are going without a paycheck to engage in a fight that benefits all of us the very least we can do is go without OT and spend that time walking the pickets with them. That is a personal choice, it is the choice of acting like a a Union man regardless of what the name of the Union is. The Government will not be on our side, no doubt management will seek injunctions prohibiting the Union leadership from saying you should stop working OT but we are all grown men, we know what must be done. Those who use the excuse of the TWU now would find another excuse should some other union come in.
