Mechanical And Related Update

fanlube

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Aug 30, 2004
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US Airways






August 8, 2005

US Airways Merger Update

To: All US Airways Mechanic and Related IAM Members

US Airways and America West Airlines have proposed a merger. It remains unclear at the present time when, or even if, the deal will be completed and what the full effects a merged carrier would have on employees. Information provided by the two companies thus far raises more questions than answers. However, some issues of concern to the membership can be addressed today.

If the merger is completed, US Airways would be the surviving carrier but America West’s corporate leadership is expected to manage the combined airline and the headquarters would be moved to Phoenix.

If the companies merge, the National Mediation Board (NMB) will determine whether the combined carriers constitute a single transportation system. Some of the criteria the NMB uses in determining single carrier status is the combination of published schedules, standardized uniforms and aircraft markings, centralized labor relations and management and overlapping ownership and Board of Directors. This process could take from a few weeks to several months after the final approvals of the merger.

Until such time as the NMB rules the combined airline is operating as a single carrier, US Airways and America West employees will operate separately represented by their current unions and working under their current respective labor contracts.

If the NMB rules that the merged carriers are a single transportation system, the Board should act in accordance with its prior decisions and certify the IAM because we have by far many more members. When the IAM is certified, our collective bargaining agreements will remain in effect for our current members and we will negotiate to bring America West workers under our agreement.

It is important to note that if another union can show sufficient interest from US Airways employees, which includes active and furloughed employees with recall rights, for representation election, the NMB may order an election. If there is an election and less than 50 percent of the combined group participates, including furloughed employees, then no union will be certified and Mechanic & Related workers at both airlines will have no collective bargaining agreement and become “at will†employees.

Therefore by signing a card requesting an election you could lose all union representation.

This recently happened to Fleet and Customer Service employees when Piedmont and Alleghany Airlines merged last year. Less than 50 percent of Teamster and Communication Workers of America members participated in the vote, and the employees of the combined airline now have no union and no contract.

This is a very serious matter.

There are several other facts to keep in mind if Teamster organizers solicit your support by asking you to sign a card authorizing an election.

When US Airways entered bankruptcy last year, its primary goal for reducing Mechanic & Related labor costs was to modify the IAM contract to mirror the Teamster-America West agreement. The Teamsters negotiated an America West contract outside of bankruptcy that is the industry’s benchmark for low wage, low benefit, and low security union agreements. The Teamsters poor performance at America West lowered the bar so much for the entire industry that your IAM negotiators refused to agree to US Airways’ Teamster-modeled proposals.

Additionally, under the IAM agreement the heavy maintenance America West currently subcontracts to a company in El Salvador would be brought in-house, adding an additional three tracks of maintenance, requiring the recall of 300-400 furloughed Mechanic & Related workers.

Ultimately accepted by the membership after the bankruptcy judge abrogated IAM contracts, your current IAM-US Airways agreement still provides significantly more job security than Teamster members have. The fact that US Airways has 9.1 Mechanic & Related employees per aircraft, compared to only 6.6 at America West, demonstrates the IAM’s superior scope and job security language in spite of two bankruptcies. If the America West employee-to-aircraft ratios were imposed at US Airways, 660 Mechanic & Related employees would lose their jobs.

The time frame for combining the two workforces is not yet known, but it also raises the question of seniority integration. The IAM’s policy on seniority integration is clear, consistent and unambiguous. The Machinists Union merges employee groups based on the individual’s date of entry into a particular classification on the merging carriers. In our opinion, this recognizes the seniority of employees at both airlines and is the only fair way for everyone involved.

Because America West Mechanics are generally less senior to their US Airways counterparts, the Teamsters are promoting a seniority integration scheme that would unfairly benefit their members to the disadvantage of IAM members.

The Teamsters have not put their seniority integration proposal in writing for fear of angering IAM members in the event of a representational election, but their allegiance is clearly to their current membership only.

The sacrifices you have made through two US Airways bankruptcies are significant. Only the Machinists Union will defend your investment and seniority throughout the proposed merger and beyond.



Sincerely,



William O'Driscoll
PRESIDENT-DIRECTING
GENERAL CHAIRPERSON
 
When the IAM is certified, our collective bargaining agreements will remain in effect for our current members and we will negotiate to bring America West workers under our agreement.


Sounds pretty arrogant to me.The Idiots Against Mechanics still haven't figured it out.
 
Hate to tell you but Air Canada did not invest those $$$$ for nothing...gee wonder what they are going to get out of the deal?
 
They all ready got it, 50% of the 737s, all the 767s, 757s and A330 work.

MAE is not doing the heavy anymore on the above fleet types.
 
fanlube said:
Therefore by signing a card requesting an election you could lose all union representation.

Nothing like starting the scare tactics, early.

The time frame for combining the two workforces is not yet known, but it also raises the question of seniority integration. The IAM’s policy on seniority integration is clear, consistent and unambiguous. The Machinists Union merges employee groups based on the individual’s date of entry into a particular classification on the merging carriers. In our opinion, this recognizes the seniority of employees at both airlines and is the only fair way for everyone involved.

Because America West Mechanics are generally less senior to their US Airways counterparts, the Teamsters are promoting a seniority integration scheme that would unfairly benefit their members to the disadvantage of IAM members.

The Teamsters have not put their seniority integration proposal in writing for fear of angering IAM members in the event of a representational election, but their allegiance is clearly to their current membership only.

YGTBSM.

It's the AAA ALPA style winfall grab, brought to you by the IAM. They'll spend the next 20 years paying lawsuits if they think they can both grab the HP mechanics and then shove them all to the bottom of the list (without fences or the like).

The arrogance is stunning.
 
"Therefore by signing a card requesting an election you could lose all union representation."



They already have.
 
Besides with all the threats....what will they do for me? Why not go with the teamsters? As for the outsource issue time will tell and I do not think we will like it!!!.. Tell them to start printing up the "red shirts"!!!!
 
The sad thing is the membership is weak and won't take a stand against the company.
 
And so what happens to a dept at AW that is not unionized, yet represented at U like the MOC? Do you dovetail there also?
 
700UW said:
The sad thing is the membership is weak and won't take a stand against the company.
[post="286366"][/post]​
how right you are and sadly too........
but the key thing is will the membership sign cards in a get even move against IAM?? :mf_boff:
 
And then lose all of heavy maintenance. Cut their nose to spite their face.
 
You are not going to get very far blaming the victims.

Let me ask you this.

Do you see U flight attendants wanting out of AFA?

No, because they know their leadership busted their a$$es representing them, and got the best deal possible under adverse conditions.

Name ONE IAM officeholder (I won't sully the word 'leader') that has the credibilityof a Teddy.

You can't, and that is the difference.

I know full well the membership is not a bed of roses. Anybody who doesn't realize that going in, has no business being a leader.

Hence the term, LEADer.
 
700UW said:
And then lose all of heavy maintenance. Cut their nose to spite their face.
[post="286378"][/post]​
from what i read in the local media recently the teamsters were warmly recieved in PIT a short while ago.....this is disturbing......
 

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