Machinists Meeting With Airways Update

[700UW]

October 25, 2004
File: USA-18
2004-112

US Airways Bankruptcy Update
US Airways Presents Contract Proposals,
IAM Seeks Court Reconsideration

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

US Airways requested a meeting with the Machinists Union following the bankruptcy court's order imposing temporary concessions on IAM and other union members at the airline. In response, officials from the Grand Lodge, representatives from Districts 141 & 142 and our professional advisors today met with US Airways at the company's headquarters in Arlington, VA.

In the meeting, US Airways presented District 141 with proposals for long-term changes to their collective bargaining agreements. US Airways did not have a proposal prepared for District 142, but said one will be presented to the IAM on Tuesday, October 26, 2004.

The company has indicated that if consensual agreements are not achieved with any union it will ask the court to reject that union's contracts. These 1113© proposals, named after the section of bankruptcy law that permits companies to reject collective bargaining agreements, are attached in their entirety for your review.

The IAM and our professionals are examining the proposal to determine their necessity and potential impact on the membership. The IAM will formally respond to the company when our review is completed. Each member is urged to review US Airways' proposals carefully to understand the amount of additional concessions the airline is demanding.

Separately, the IAM today filed a motion in bankruptcy court for reconsideration of the court's October 15, 2004 order granting US Airways interim relief from collective bargaining agreements.

The magnitude of wage reductions and duration of interim relief granted US Airways is unjustified. By allowing the company to subcontract our members’ work and reduce pension contributions, the court has improperly granted US Airways permanent relief without allowing the formal negotiations and information sharing required by law.

The IAM requests that the Court reconsider the interim relief by lessening the wage reductions imposed upon IAM-represented employees, allowing full contractually-required employer contributions to the IAM National Pension Plan and prohibiting outsourcing of Airbus heavy maintenance.

The IAM has asked for a November 18, 2004 hearing on its motion for reconsideration, which is available on the Districts 141 & 142 web sites.

We will keep you informed of any new developments as they occur.

Sincerely and fraternally,
William O'Driscoll
PRESIDENT-DIRECTING
GENERAL CHAIRMAN
District Lodge 142

Randy Canale
PRESIDENT-DIRECTING
GENERAL CHAIRMAN
District Lodge 142

 

[N628AU]

The IAM and our professionals are examining the proposal to determine their necessity and potential impact on the membership.

Their necessity? Obviously everyone looking at this company from the outside including the judge feels reductions are necessary, or else he would not have imposed the temporaary cuts or called the company a "ticking financial time bomb".

Separately, the IAM today filed a motion in bankruptcy court for reconsideration of the court's October 15, 2004 order granting US Airways interim relief from collective bargaining agreements.

The magnitude of wage reductions and duration of interim relief granted US Airways is unjustified. By allowing the company to subcontract our members’ work and reduce pension contributions, the court has improperly granted US Airways permanent relief without allowing the formal negotiations and information sharing required by law.

One thing I notice is that the IAM always puts out these memos as if they are fact, rather than opinion. The above statement should be prefaced with something like "The IAM believes...", or, "In the IAM's opinion...".

 

[smallstFSA]

Each member is urged to review US Airways' proposals carefully to understand the amount of additional concessions the airline is demanding.


When will the IAM make these proposals public?

 

[jetmech01890]

so when the pay cut kicks in we can deduct 21% off our dues huh? thanks for nothing IAM

 

[Heinrich]

Can you drop out of the union, continue to work normally, and stop paying dues?

 

[700UW]

No you cannot stop paying dues, you can become a non-member, but you have to pay a fee germane to the collective bargaining agreement, if you choose that road, you lose your right to vote on a contract, strike, officers and representatives and you cannot attend meetings.

Each contract contains a union security clause, you do not pay your dues, the company will terminate you.

And Jetmech, the cwa and afa also got the 21%, if you were in the court room as I was, you would see the wonderful job the AFA, CWA and IAM attornies did, unfortunatly the deck is stacked against the unions.

 

[700UW]

IAM Reconsider 1113e Motion

Company Proposal to Fleet Service

 

[totobird]

Could somebody please post the IAM contract proposal on here. For some reason it is coming across Encrypted on my computer. Thanks

 

[700UW]

It is in a PDF format, and it is in boxes, it cant be broken down. Do you have Adobe Reader?

I just checked it, it works fine.

 

[totobird]

That must be the problem. I don't have Adobe Reader. Thanks anyways.
Any other place I can find it already posted ?

 

[28yrsnojob]

the IAM CWA and AFA must stand strong and together ,do not give in to the
band of theives. shut it down if you have to. what they put out for the cwa and afa is nuts.

 

[700UW]

toto,

reader is free

www.adobe.com

 

[unit4clt]

It is very obvious the company does NOT want to remain in business very long with proposals like this.

 

[totobird]

Thanks 700 UW I will download it now.

 

[robbedagain]

you must be friggin nuts to vote for a horrendous contract like that. all cities except fll pit phl bos dca lga clt would become mainline express is a real joke of a joke. afterall it was this inept group of idiots cant even understnd why the unions are fighting.