Is 591 a ploy to promote the IBT?

Bob Owens

Veteran
Sep 9, 2002
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It’s common knowledge that the IBT has not been as well received by the line as it has in Tulsa. So what does the TWU do? They decide to run roughshod over the line in an effort to get the line so fed up that they will sign any card to get rid of the TWU.



While that may sound strange you know what they say about politics.



I believe that the TWU has written off M&R, they figure they will lose us anyway but would prefer that we go to the IBT, a union that is a potential merger partner, than to AMFA.



591 is a direct attack upon the line, clear retaliation for the 75% NO vote and the fact that they voted in leaders that would not be manipulated by Don Videtich, Jim Little’s appointed overseer for M&R.



If the TWU was trying to fend off the IBT, then why would they attack the group that’s more resistant to the IBT? One would think that with their huge Treasury and large organizing Department that the IBT would be the greater threat than AMFA. To date very little has come out from the International against the IBT, as far as I know Gordon Clark has not reported to work at DWH and is still working with them trying to organize MROs.



They claim that 591 is an attempt to gain effeciencies and better represent the members, to incorporate a more successful model in M&R, such as at WN. Their plan does not support their claims. If they were trying to Model us on the WN model then why not simply put all M&R into one Local, instead of just most of the line mechanics? Why leave Title II scattered about in more than half a dozen Fleet Service Locals? Well there was no reason to antagonize Title II or Tulsa by imposing changes on them because that’s where most of the IBT support is coming from, both groups have historically been resistant to AMFA but they needed to get the line so aggravated they would accept anybody, thus along comes the scheme for 591.



There are several reasons why the TWU wants us to leave, one major reason is political. Anyone wonder why all of a sudden there has been such a rush placed on the formation of 591? What’s the big hurry?



The answer is the September Convention.



Jim’s pro-company mis-management of the TWU has put the entire Union on the road to oblivion. He is tearing down the house Mike Quill built. In 2001 the TWU had over $60million, now they have less than $25 million and it seems that he may be shopping his membership around for the best deal for him and other International officials. If he fails to get re-elected he may not have any place for those who have supported him. Wouln’t it be a shame to see "Lower your expectations" Bobby Gless or Don Videtich back on the floor having to work under the conditions they told us to accept? Dont feel too bad for them, they get to keep the A-5s, Admirals Club and pensions from AA based upon the salary as reported by the Union.



With the exception of those few people that he has picked up and provided six figure salaries and other perks, it’s no secret that the line maintenance group would likely support anybody but Jim at the Convention. When Tulsa loses the 767 to Aisia he will probably lose the support of Tulsa as well. That could leave Little with nearly half of the ATD, his base, where he came from, going into a Convention very displeased with him (the WN FAs have been battling with Little over his appointment of Thom McDaniels, their former President, to an International position, they insist he must return to the floor or resign from the company).



Jim does not want to see Locals 561, 562, 563, 564 or 565 lining up with Local 556 against him at the next Convention. If the other divisions see that he doesn’t have the support of nearly half the ATD they may mount a challenge. Even if 591 does not drive M&R to leave before the Convention, my guess is they had hoped that all the guys who are in the locals being dissolved would opt to not run and he could get some friendly faces such as Todd Woodward or Steve Gilboy etc in there.



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In addition to not wanting the Line Locals at the Convention there is also a financial gain for the TWU by getting us to leave, (preferably to the IBT of course). They stand to gain at least $10 million. They would confiscate the assets of the Locals that would be dissolved if the mechanics leave. Since they only get 30% of our dues they net less than $2 million a year from M&R but if M&R leaves they get to walk away with $10 million. If they really wanted to fight off the raids they would likely have to spend more than that.



$10 million, enough for them to keep riding their gravy train that much longer before merging with another Union or making them more attractive which would allow them to get a better deal for themselves out of the merger.



Really there is no downside for Little with by ramming us into 591. If it helps get the line, traditionally a stronghold for AMFA, to sign IBT cards then he gets rid of political opponents and walks away with $10 million, if we are still around in September he may have more friendly faces running 591 than he would have faced with Locals 561, 562, 563, 564, & 565. Who knows, he may make moves to prevent current officers from getting on the ballot of 591, nothing surprises me anymore.



Relations between the TWU and IBT are intimate, in other words they are in bed together. In addition to joint ventures such as trying to organize Domestic MROs both have an interest in going after AMFA. The TWU is like USAIRWAYS, they are looking for someone to merge with, our $10 million will buy them a few more years to get the best deal for themselves. IMO the short list is CWA and IBT, some smaller Transit Locals may also be on that list. The IBT is known for making promises they do not keep, and I’m concerned that should we end up with the IBT some of the same people that have caused us so much suffering will slide right into appointed positions within the IBT.

Going to the IBT would have as much of a positive effect on our lives as AA’s new paint job. Different, more costly look, but the same underneath.

591 has nothing to do with the finances or UBB, it has to do with the Convention and the IBT drive.
 
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Makes sense. This is why ex TWU officers around the system are promoting the Teamsters while bad mouthing AMFA and not saying a word about the TWU.

This point needs to get out to all the members.
IBT = TWU = Company Union.
 
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If the TWU were serious about fighting off these drives they would fire every mechanic they brought into the ATD and tell them "If you thought it was good enough for our members then is should be good enough for you".
 
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If the TWU were serious about fighting off these drives they would fire every mechanic they brought into the ATD and tell them "If you thought it was good enough for our members then is should be good enough for you".
If you were serious about getting rid of the TWU industry cancer, you would have resigned, lead the other local presidents to resign, and taken the campaign to the National Media. But NO, you and the others even still to this day believe that YOU can make a difference in the POS Union. You got and are still getting exactly what you asked for.
 
where i get confused is if the twu loses m&r then its only a matter of time that they lose fleet service or the whole ball of wax. in the interest of self preservation you would think that they would take care of m&r so they would keep every body. oh well with the leaders we have, good bye and good riddance! hope we have an election soon!
 
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If the TWU actually represented ALL the AA mechs instead of scaring just enough mechs and taking care of the OSM's, the TWU wouldn't have to dissolve the locals to fight off a raid from other unions (according to their own words).
 
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If the TWU actually represented ALL the AA mechs instead of scaring just enough mechs and taking care of the OSM's, the TWU wouldn't have to dissolve the locals to fight off a raid from other unions (according to their own words).

Thats just it, they already have written us off, but they want us to go to the IBT. They went after the line because they know they already lost the line, 591 probably wont drive the AMFA card count higher on the Line and it doesnt affect Tulsa because they ensured that 591 is smaller than Tulsa but it may drive the IBT card being that Line guys would be getting fustrated at the lack of an AMFA filing. Amfa could be driven into filing too early, allowing a manipulation of the list to prevent a vote as well. They are dissolving the Locals to aid the IBT in the "raid".

If this was really about restructuring they would have put ALL of M&R in 591, that would have been in line with what they did at Southwest but that would have pissed off Tulsa, having the Local based out of DFW, pissed off all the Fleet Locals that now have Title II and not gained anything for Little at the Convention. In fact it probably would have sealed his fate.
 
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Makes sense. This is why ex TWU officers around the system are promoting the Teamsters while bad mouthing AMFA and not saying a word about the TWU.

This point needs to get out to all the members.
IBT = TWU = Company Union.

The ibt would be worse than the TWU not equal to as indicated above in your post. With the teamsters you guys will goto 2.5 times pay including premiums. When the teamsters changed this from 2.0 to 2.5 we were represented by the teamsters here at SWA. We told them if they raise our dues without a membership vote we would replace them. They forced the raised dues thru and we fired them in a 2 week card drive, the best thing we ever did was firing the teamsters. Even die hard X-teamster stewards and officers say they like it alot better with AMFA. You see with the teamsters the ibt told them what, how and when to do things. With AMFA you have more of your own control as well as the membership are the ones that vote on how things will go. A good example was our recent senoirity integration with AT. The teamsters were freaking out on how hard core the nego cmte was holding out for what the membership said they would accept. I think most of you on hear remember how this went down. Just an example of how the differences are.
 
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If you were serious about getting rid of the TWU industry cancer, you would have resigned, lead the other local presidents to resign, and taken the campaign to the National Media. But NO, you and the others even still to this day believe that YOU can make a difference in the POS Union. You got and are still getting exactly what you asked for.

Hold on a second...what does Bob or any other line/AFW president have to do with the inability to get cards signed in Tulsa for the past 50 years? What you are asking Bob to do is to have a mass resignation, leaving all the locals other than Tulsa with Videtich hand-picked reps, and screw over all of us with no represenation. The problem with the twu outside of Tulsa is the international. We recognize that it was Tulsa's leadership and members that voted in this POS that has the other locals fighting the company with both hands tied behind their back. So although you would like to see Bob and others quit for whatever reason, I don't. We still need representation while we wait on Tulsa, and we don't want handpicked international wannabees.
 
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where i get confused is if the twu loses m&r then its only a matter of time that they lose fleet service or the whole ball of wax. in the interest of self preservation you would think that they would take care of m&r so they would keep every body.

Lose Fleet to whom?

Thats why we know the IBT raid is an orchestrated sham between the International and the Teamsters. The IBT is an Industrial Union, that means that they believe everyone in a company from the cleaners to the Pilots should be in the same union, Power in numbers, if one goes they all go, but the IBT is only interested in one class and craft, the mechanics. If the IBT were really interested in representing workers at AA they would be collecting cards from everybody.
 
If the TWU were serious about fighting off these drives they would fire every mechanic they brought into the ATD and tell them "If you thought it was good enough for our members then is should be good enough for you".
No Bob that would never happen. That is accountability and we don't have that in the TWU. We have a royalty class of international officers who enjoy high pay and great benefits while frightening members into voting yes on the worst pay and benefits in the industry. They sold Tulsa on the vote by fear and lies.
 
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Hold on a second...what does Bob or any other line/AFW president have to do with the inability to get cards signed in Tulsa for the past 50 years? What you are asking Bob to do is to have a mass resignation, leaving all the locals other than Tulsa with Videtich hand-picked reps, and screw over all of us with no represenation. The problem with the twu outside of Tulsa is the international. We recognize that it was Tulsa's leadership and members that voted in this POS that has the other locals fighting the company with both hands tied behind their back. So although you would like to see Bob and others quit for whatever reason, I don't. We still need representation while we wait on Tulsa, and we don't want handpicked international wannabees.
+1
 
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If you were serious about getting rid of the TWU industry cancer, you would have resigned, lead the other local presidents to resign, and taken the campaign to the National Media. But NO, you and the others even still to this day believe that YOU can make a difference in the POS Union. You got and are still getting exactly what you asked for.

TWU informer why are you attacking Bob? You wanna maybe dial that down to an 11?

No, if I try and edit it after I post it wherever I put the and sign that pops in.

It's true that happens to me to.