Mechanic and Related, Please read before you vote

wrenchbender

Member
Sep 4, 2002
21
0
My Fellow Technicians/Related
Before you cast your ballot on the companies restructuring proposal please consider the following.
Just a few years ago the FAA and trade publications were warning of a shortage of A&P Mechanics.
A&P school enrollment was at all time lows and many were forced to close.
Northrop University where I graduated was one victim of the lack of interest in aviation maintenance careers and closed their doors.
I remember reading an article in Air Transport World that there were only a couple thousand A&P certificates issued in 1999/2000, lowest number in twenty years.
The FAA actually went to the US Airforce and asked for there help by training Airmen complete airframe and powerplant so as to leave the service with an A&P.
Why is there a shortage of A&P’s?
Our wages and working conditions have not been commensurate with the training and responsibilities of our occupation for a long time.
Why spend two years in school and thousands in tuition, spend thousands more on tools, subject yourself to FBI back ground checks and random drug and alcohol testing and all for the privilege of working midnights and weekends for the same pay as an auto mechanic?
It was AMFA in 2000 at northwest that raised the bar and achieved 20 percent raises in compensation using the argument that if something were not done to attract new entrants into aviation maintenance Northwest would suffer in performance and cost the airline in the long run.
The AMFA contract was soon followed by the TWU at American, Delta AMT’s started an AMFA drive and the company gave there mechanics a proportional raise as well. Lets not forget our friends at United who recently had there wages set by George W. Bush via a presidential emergency board, $34.91 per hour what our government deemed appropriate compensation for aircraft maintenance technicians.
Here we are just a year later being told we must accept a concessionary proposal or were going to have our contract abrogated and paid 21.05 per hour? (post rejection proposal)
If abrogation were a good thing then why didn’t he take it to the judge on 10 September?
Dave knows that abrogation will destroy USAirways and he will forced to negotiate with mechanic and related in a fair and equitable manner and give something in return for our contribution.
We have not been given equal treatment through the reorganization plan put forth by management.
We have been asked for a disproportional share of the burden and the judge will agree.
We are foregoing our due (13) percent raise plus $0.75 per license and three percent lump sum retro pay from last contract ratification.
Add the (-6.8) percent and our concession total is 29 percent and that is before the work rule changes and loss of vacation.
This proposal is costing every AMT $135,000 over the life of the contract before you consider loss of vacation and work rule changes. $10 ph x 2080 hours= 20,800 per year x 6.5 years.
2004 AMT wage scale
AMR 36.75 NWA 36.53 UAL 37.75 WN 37.23 US 27.15
Let’s not drag down the industry and the recent gains made in our profession.
Just say NO.
 
sp300
Sorry, Gotta vote Yes.
Can't take a chance on losing my wages and my airline...
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1) If you still think this is your airline, you have not been paying attention!

2) You will use the maintenance manuals for about two weeks, and then you will do your job at the same speed you always have!

3) You may fill out an AMFA card, but then everyday life will quickly put it out of your mind!

4) The company is not even giving thought to the idea of raises, let alone getting ready to beg you to take one. This contract will be for 6 1/2 years, a life time in airline years!

You will have moved on with your life in a matter of months, a fact that the company is very aware of. They know that if they can get these contracts settled in stone now, they will have no real labor issues to deal with for years to come. It is a proven fact that people forget, and move on with life at hand within 6 months of any event, good or bad!

Now is our one, and only chance to stand up for what is right! VOTE NO!!!
 
Sorry, Gotta vote Yes.
Can't take a chance on losing my wages and my airline. Can't take a chance on losing my family's health benefits.

However- I will now use the Maintenance Manual at all times.

I will vote for AMFA.

I will help to cause the company to beg us to take a raise in the future.

I will remember!
 
cavalier

We are not at 85 percent of the requested concession.
The pilots are giving up 26 percent after they received their parity adjustment and they will own 22 percent of the company.

We are giving up a larger percentage with nothing in return.

I believe if the company sends us a fair proposal at the 85 percent with stock options in exchange I could vote for the plan.

Until then it's a NO
 
wrenchbender

Please explain a few things to me and the other people ready to vote to accept : Where is the money going to come from if the company is bankrupt? If a miracle does occur and Dave decides that everything you stated must be followed by a better T/A for us, then what about the me too clause the other unions have in force tied to the 85% plan? How can that be rectified in time for everything else to fall into place? What guarantee do we have that this will all play out to a positive outcome for all involved? As you stated:
“Let’s not drag down the industry and the recent gains made in our profession.â€￾ so are you requesting that we all vote no and hope against hope that miracles will occur and it will all work out, and if it doesn’t, that is ok too because we saved other airline mechanics the pain will are living, disregarding that we cut our own throats in the process? You obviously believe we can stop the entire airline industry’s direction by voting no. I don’t. Prove me wrong, please explain it to me.
 
Imamec, What you have said about things being forgotten with time is true. I think the lesson of Eastern Airlines has been forgotten by far too many. The issues with USAirways are far beyond the failures of Wolf and Gangwhal having a Plan B , when thier big city move of merging us with UAL failed. We have been hit by not only poor leadership , failure to plan or react to changes in the economy , terrorism and low cost carriers grabbing up our market share to name a few. We are also facing a potential war with Iraq now. Many think that they are so marketable ..and the job market welcomes them. Get real!! These are not normal economic times or normal contract negotiations we are dickering over. Things may never be back to the levels of the late 90's again..or at least for years to come. The last endeavour into the sands of Kuwait and Iraq should be a benchmark of reference. Remember what that 1 year build up and short term war did to this industry?...I was a victim then too!! This situation is much bigger than that , by about a thousand times. We need to Stabalize this airline...and fight from firmer ground later. Bitterness and emotions should have no bearing on the direction of choice. Keeping the bills paid...and living for a better day should be the only issue we face. Things could still fail in the long run...Then again , maybe Dave has a plan to prevent this? I would rather be looking for the ideal job situation , while having a job and collecting a check..than being cast upon the troubled waters of complete uncertainty. Many that feel a No Vote is the only choice..are saying so from a standpoint of thinking that thier job is going to be sacrificed regardless of the votes outcome. We know for certain , that some may no go forward with us anyway. This is a sad but true fact. The one thing I have been hearing for certain is this. Should the NO's win again? This contract in it's poorest form will be abrogated...and Management is going to shelve thousands of people for any reason that suits them. You have effectively given them a reason to can anyone they so choose...for any reason that works for them. Wages, Seniority, Attendance, or the smirk on your face will be the determining factors from that point forward. If working under those conditions..and at what ever wages they impose upon us works for you? Go ahead and vote NO. That scenario should scare the living hell out of countless people. I would rather have it in writing...stabalize the company..and then fight for better representation than the IAM , at a later time. This is completely the wrong time to be fighting multiple issues with only one ultimate vote to make. Think real hard about what your vote is going to impose on yourself, your family..and multitudes of other people you have been working with. With the exception of the CWA's vote....WE are the only thing standing between a possible chance of survival...or all hope being lost. Wiegh your convictions heavily before the dunk in the box tomorrow
 
[blockquote]
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On 9/16/2002 9:35:57 PM wrenchbender wrote:

oldiebutgoody

Wrong

Aircraft Maintenance Technicians are giving up 29 percent in wages and if you figure the work rule changes and lost retro it's over 30 percent.

Pilots will be issued new stock when the company emerges from bankrupcy and will own 22 percent of this company.





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[/blockquote]
And YOUR figures DON'T include work rule changes, seat changes, and other items which have cost pilots a MINIMUM of 30 percent, some even as high as 60% (that, along with the furloughees of all groups taking 100% cuts). I assure you YOUR NUMBERS ARE IN ERROR. Check the company press releases and check with your union rep. They will verify everything I'm telling you now! Also, that 30% minimum is a whole lot more percentage of the total restructuring, even though pilots are much fewer in number than any other group. Pilots and F/As also lost pay back to July, so the retro thing is a nonissue.
 
AOG-N-IT

I'm glad you brought up the issue of Eastern. I'm curious... If the failure of an airline is indeed such a dire loss as to be worth selling out over, then why is it that every Eastern alum now working with me at U, is once again voting no, risking putting themselves and their families through it again?

Your post, while making a few points that I agree with, veers off center when you begin to assume to know my reasons for voting no. I fully realize the times we are living in, I understand that I may not walk out of my door tomorrow, and pick up another job, high or low paying, but that is not enough for me to go against my better judgement for. I have read dozens of posts by the yes voters, all quick to say, why don't you just quit, and leave the company to us. My answer to them, and the reason for my no vote are basically the same, I have a right to fight for what I believe in. Where do you suppose this country would be today, if every time someone that stood up against the status quo, and was told to just let it go, did? For starters, we would still be under British rule. I am not a member of the whoa is me club, I vote what I need to vote, to live with myself. If that causes me hardship, so be it, but I will face that hardship without the added burden of feeling I was unable to stand up for what I believe in. I am also not voting from the stand point that my job is as good as gone, that may or may not come to pass, only time will tell.

By the way, your comment about things never going back to the way of the 90's again... You are so right, the other airlines in contract negotiations today, are still heading forward into the 2000's. Also, you seem to think that Dave will continue to be labor friendly, if only we help him out and pass this thing, I don't agree. After the ink is dry on all of the yes votes, the true Dave will emerge.
 
[P][STRONG][FONT color=#003399]Pilots are 40% of payroll and are taking 60% of the cuts total money and the pilots are getting 19% of the company stock including the stock they recieved for the metrojet concessions previous, that stock is being turned back in and new stock issued included in that 19%.[/FONT][/STRONG][/P]
[P][STRONG][FONT color=#003399] Mechanic and Related are 21% of the payroll and would be taking 18% of the cuts of total money and will be recieving 4.4% [/FONT][FONT color=#003399]of the company[/FONT][/STRONG][/P]
 
[blockquote]
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On 9/16/2002 9:00:03 PM wrenchbender wrote:

cavalier

We are not at 85 percent of the requested concession.
The pilots are giving up 26 percent after they received their parity adjustment and they will own 22 percent of the company.

We are giving up a larger percentage with nothing in return.

I believe if the company sends us a fair proposal at the 85 percent with stock options in exchange I could vote for the plan.

Until then it's a NO
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[/blockquote]
You shouldn't have dropped out of math class. You are quite wrong. The pilots are, by far, taking the largest percentage cuts. You can confirm that with a conversation with your union reps. I also do not know if that 22 percent is still in the agreement, since it was negotiated pre-bk. I believe that ALL equities are gone.
 
oldiebutgoody

Wrong

Aircraft Maintenance Technicians are giving up 29 percent in wages and if you figure the work rule changes and lost retro it's over 30 percent.

Pilots will be issued new stock when the company emerges from bankrupcy and will own 22 percent of this company.