IAM/US Mechanic and Related Update

[AMFAinMIAMI]

None that I have heard of so far. Besides that, why would we need a MOU?

We're Maintenance. We will accept whatever our masters tell us to accept.

Real Tired

Isn't it time for maintenance to stand up and SAY "ENOUGH" the industrial unions have had us going no where for many yrs now. You guys at USAirways with the IAM, the TWU at AA, and the IBT at UAL/CAL. It seems we all are unhappy with one thing or another.

Many of us have known over our careers guy's that have left the industry with little more than they came into to it with. Having to change from carrier to carrier with lay offs and paycuts, pensions lost. All of the Holidays we have worked, yrs on night shift, middle of the week days off. All of the guys who died from all the chemicals we used in yrs past. Just look around how many 20yr old guys at your station? I would bet NOT Many, if any at all. OLD guys hanging on because of all the financial losses they have had to go through.

Now with the bk process companies are finding new ways to get more from OUR pockets. The Unions just say they can do that brother. Well isn't it time for us to band together, say we are not going to just take it any more.

The ramp guys and stores clerks work hard at what they do, so I am not putting them down in any way but it is time for us to stand alone. Bring in a UNION that will advance OUR class and craft. They (ramp&stores) have held our wage earning potential back because of the share of the money the company is willing to give to what ever union is in place. Cleaners at times making more money than an A&P, the guy who drives the lav truck made so much more in O/T thats just crazy.

The Pilots have their own union, the F/A have their own, so why can't we?

If the electricians, plummer's, painters, and other craft unions are separate why do we need the same ole IAM/TWU/IBT crap? It's all a money grab, dues and the union guys at the top, they are the only ones who don't have to live by the contracts or worry about the pensions being given up. They all have S/S off and are on Day shift.
They all have Holidays off, they even get paid by the company and the union.

So before anyone of you sign a card for the IBT, TWU, IAM, think about YOUR Class and Craft. Check out the History of paycuts, pensions dealt away, outsourcing layoffs, think about the guy's who may follows us. Should they have to deal with all that most of us have. I say NO. Isn't it time for us as A & P mechanics to unite as one union, get back all that has been bargained away from us by the TWU/IAM/IBT.

If you don't know some one at your company attempting to get AMFA cards signed look into it. Call AMFA National ask what YOU can do to get it started at your carrier.
Talk about what it would mean to all A & P's in the industry to be in one Union.

Teamsters and IAM as well as the TWU are just another business, taking our money (dues) making money for themselves and NOT giving back in negotiations what we have given them over all the yrs they have been in power in OUR industry.


Sign AMFA cards and lets all stand together as ONE Very BIG Mechanics UNION.


AMFA at American and USAirways

 

[700UW]

How did standing alone work at NW for AMFA?

How did standing alone work out for AMFA at AS?

How did standing alone at Independence Air work out for AMFA?

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

How did standing alone work at NW for AMFA?

How did standing alone work out for AMFA at AS?

How did standing alone at Independence Air work out for AMFA?

700UW

If the union guys at the IAM honored the picket line it would of worked out just fine but the IAM crosseed the line and the IBT flew on struck work, just to screw AMFA so they could talk down amfa. Just as your doing.

The flight attendants and Pilots crossed as well thinking that they were safe but got screwed as well in the long run.

700UW if you are a mechanic I understand you adore the IAM from your post, but think about how it would be if we the mechanics of the airlines were like the trade unions. (example "electricians") We have a A&P, they have a journeymans cert as well. So when you got laid off or transfered to a different state you would not have to start over at the bottom of the pay scale. "YES" it would mean back to nights with bad days off but you did not get stupid because you had to change companies. You bring your experience so why not your pay?

If there was another union besides AMFA that would give us the same for our class and craft I would look at them as well just to get the industrial unions from mine and YOURS craft.

It's not about AMFA its about the career you and I chose to get into......

The Teamsters are attempting to rid USAir of the IAM so if your such a IAM supporter then I would expect to see both here at USAir site as well as AA the BAD mouthing and negative post toward the IBT. I will check on your posts as we go..from Here..

 

[Vortilon]

How did standing alone work at NW for AMFA?

How did standing alone work out for AMFA at AS?

How did standing alone at Independence Air work out for AMFA?

It won't matter to you after the merge; as it turns out, stores has their own contract at AA. So if you can convince stores and fleet at AA to switch to the IAM - more power to you.

 

[AP Tech]

700UW

If the union guys at the IAM honored the picket line it would of worked out just fine but the IAM crosseed the line and the IBT flew on struck work, just to screw AMFA so they could talk down amfa. Just as your doing.

The flight attendants and Pilots crossed as well thinking that they were safe but got screwed as well in the long run.

Been arguing that point with 700, just cannot get it!! States in the contract IAM members would not be forced to cross a legal picket line(that is of course until the judge orders them to). Thinking he is brainwashed by the IAM.

 

[Real tired]

Real Tired

Isn't it time for maintenance to stand up and SAY "ENOUGH" the industrial unions have had us going no where for many yrs now. You guys at USAirways with the IAM, the TWU at AA, and the IBT at UAL/CAL. It seems we all are unhappy with one thing or another...................................

I've been ready for years. But try telling that to one of the most apathetic, numb group of employees you're about to ever meet.

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

I've been ready for years. But try telling that to one of the most apathetic, numb group of employees you're about to ever meet.

Real Tired

Maybe since you said you are ready then, YOU should take up the banner as they say and contact the AMFA National
get with guys at USAir who think that AMFA is the way. Get some cards sent to you at your station and get them signed.
have AMFA National send you some constitution books and flyers and place them around or hand them to guys at your station. It has to start some where and with some one. get involved and get in the fight or get others too.

 

[john john]

700 worked a lav truck for most of his years with US then became a stock clerk

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

700 worked a lav truck for most of his years with US then became a stock clerk

That explains why he just does not get the point of the mechanics wanting to be separate.

By having us in the same union lumped in with ramp/stock clerks those work groups feel safer. Since in the power structure of airline employees, Pilots are top, mechanics are second then F/A, then other ground support workers. Not my rating just saying.

If he understood how unionism works it should not make a difference, since any union member should support another, no matter which union they are in.

But the IAM did not support the AMFA guys at NWA they crossed the picket line.

So that made them SCABS.....

 

[N617P]

AMFAinMIAMI,
What makes you think they are going to pay you more money without rampers cleaners ect in your union? You get what you negociate!! AMFA ended thousands of Aviation Careers at Northwest!!! Don't blame the IAM for Their failures!!! CAL August 5th 1983 IAM went on strike. We all know how that worked out.

 

[700UW]

The majority of my career was a stock clerk.

And how many times, do I have to state that one's classification has nothing to do with their education and knowledge, thanks for the back handed attempt at an insult.

I have been a shop steward, a local lodge trustee, local lodge editor, local lodge recording secretary, district rep, negotiating committee member (first non-mechanic ever to be on the US/IAM Negotiating Committee.

Attended all the placid harbor leadership classes, and then some, won numerous awards, grievances, saved many a members' job and even a nice $15 million arbitration.

I will put up my labor record against anyone's.

And never took a penny more than my salary as if I was still working on the property.

So explain to me how one's classification has limits their knowledge or education?

It is AMFA who doesnt understand how unionism works:

1. Petitioned the NMB numerous times to remove utility, cleaners and relateds from the mechanic class and craft.

2. Sent a letter to NW executives and told the company to take more from the IAM represented employees at NW so the mechanics wouldnt have to take as big of concessions.

It is AMFA and their elitist's attitude who needs to learn about unionism.

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

AMFAinMIAMI,
What makes you think they are going to pay you more money without rampers cleaners ect in your union? You get what you negociate!! AMFA ended thousands of Aviation Careers at Northwest!!! Don't blame the IAM for Their failures!!! CAL August 5th 1983 IAM went on strike. We all know how that worked out.

N617P

The almighty IAM got beat down at CAL more than that time. So are you saying that amfa's failure at NWA is different than the multiple failures of the IAM at CAL?
The pensions and alot more was lost through out the yrs at CAL. CAL mechanics and cleaners and stores guys crossed the picket line there as well.

The money that the SWA mechanics make and the UPS mechanics make, leads me think that having the ramp and stores NOT attached to my class and craft will get mechanics more Money.

If you think we are elieist like 700UW then let us GO, Lets us make our own bed and lye in it. If we fail you can come and tell us we told you so. We think AMFA is better for us. If you think we are wrong and AMFA is so bad then why don't you tell the leadership of the industrial unions screw the mechanics let them go to that little pissy union they will come crawling back. AMFA is just a joke isn't that what the IAM/IBT think, well please give us the boot. Send us packing, have us run over to AMFA and lets see how we make out without the ramp and stores. Its not an education thing
some of the ramp guys and stores guys are well educated. maybe smarter than mechanics I never said that was the case.

Unionism in the USA has changed, most don't even care. Most will stab the next guy for a paid lunch or O/T. We the mechanics at AA want to choose our poison.

AMFA is where we want to GO so just lets us go. Stop putting down AMFA and telling us how bad they are. Let us get them and see how we fair, negotiating for ourselves.
And while we are gone we can see just YOU do with out having us around as well.

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

The majority of my career was a stock clerk.

And how many times, do I have to state that one's classification has nothing to do with their education and knowledge, thanks for the back handed attempt at an insult.

I have been a shop steward, a local lodge trustee, local lodge editor, local lodge recording secretary, district rep, negotiating committee member (first non-mechanic ever to be on the US/IAM Negotiating Committee.

Attended all the placid harbor leadership classes, and then some, won numerous awards, grievances, saved many a members' job and even a nice $15 million arbitration.

I will put up my labor record against anyone's.

And never took a penny more than my salary as if I was still working on the property.

So explain to me how one's classification has limits their knowledge or education?

It is AMFA who doesnt understand how unionism works:

1. Petitioned the NMB numerous times to remove utility, cleaners and relateds from the mechanic class and craft.

2. Sent a letter to NW executives and told the company to take more from the IAM represented employees at NW so the mechanics wouldnt have to take as big of concessions.

It is AMFA and their elitist's attitude who needs to learn about unionism.

700UW

You have never sat in on the negotiations, since that is not allowed at a IAM represented carrier. You may have been on a commitee but never sat in the actual room during the talks. You got second hand info from the IAM Officers. You were told what they wanted you to know and fed you just enough to get what they needed you to know to help the IAM agenda. I never said anything about education or knowledge
I did say that being attached to the ramp/stores limited my wage earning potential since many companies have said that they would pay mechanics more and give them more but since some things get balanced among the entire work force the total money is split along those lines.

If we are elitest as you say then as I told N617P give us the boot let us go and join that little union with NO money, NO political power, No members, stop bashing AMFA on this site. Tell us to go and good luck. IF we fail you can Laugh when we come back. But we also will see just how well YOU do without us. So is it that you say one thing but you really want us. Because you know that the company will shed you quickly if we are NOT attached to you.

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

700UW and N617P

Just so that you will know I was a 10 yr IAM member at one time when the IAM was strong and fought for its members. I have walked a picket line. I was and will always be a proud Member of the Eastern Airline mechanics, who stood up to the Company and said enough is enough, we are NOT going to take any more concessions.

 

[700UW]

I was in every single negotiating session with the IAM Mechanic and Related Negotiating Committee, I was a full member appointed by the district and grand lodge.