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AA Mechanics & Tech. Specialists File for Federal Mediation
Posted: January 26th, 2009 11:40 AM GMT-05:00
Transport Workers Union
DALLAS – All of American Airlines' organized work groups are now in federal mediation after the TWU-represented Mechanics and Related work group and the TWU-represented Technical Specialists unilaterally filed for federal mediation today.
According to TWU International Representative Don Videtich, "No group of workers has done more to boost AMR's bottom line than the mechanics and other related workers. We not only granted concessions in 2003 to the tune of $310 million annually, we brought in hundreds of millions in new revenue through outside maintenance contracts and higher productivity. AMR wouldn't be flying without us."
"I have worked for American 23 years and the lack of trust between union and management is at a level that is very alarming to me," says Steve Luis, president of TWU Local 514, representing American workers in Tulsa.
The TWU Mechanic and Related Negotiation Committee has been in negotiations for more than fourteen months with American Airlines management. The next step in the Railway Labor Act process is to bring in a third party to assist in negotiations.
"Aircraft mechanics have tried to avoid bringing a third party into our business," says Steve Gilboy, president of TWU Local 563 representing American workers in Chicago. "Our mechanics have requested reasonable improvements in our contract in order to ease some of the effects the concessions have had on our families. However, American has been unreasonable. Today, we must request the help of the National Mediation Board because of the airlines' inability to bargain in good faith."
While mechanics and other ground workers have been stone-walled in negotiations and wages have been essentially frozen for five years, management has awarded themselves millions in bonuses and other forms of executive compensation. For workers who have sacrificed for the company and pledged to partner in new ways for the company's success, the widening wage gap between front-line workers and executives is extremely divisive.
Bob Zimmerman, president of TWU Local 565 at DFW says, "We have worked in cooperation with management for over five years to improve the way we do business, and make our company more competitive. I find it both disturbing and demoralizing that management chooses to ignore our sacrifices and contributions, while rewarding themselves for failed leadership, with obscene bonuses. AMR is becoming the poster boy for corporate greed and excess. It seems that 'shared sacrifice' is not equal sacrifice. It is long past the time for management to step up and bargain fairly."
TWU represents more AMR employees than any other union. Included in the union's ranks are more than 12,000 mechanics and related workers and 86 technical specialists. Overall, TWU represents 25,000 ground workers at American Airlines and another 3,500 workers at American Eagle.
Posted: January 26th, 2009 11:40 AM GMT-05:00
Transport Workers Union
DALLAS – All of American Airlines' organized work groups are now in federal mediation after the TWU-represented Mechanics and Related work group and the TWU-represented Technical Specialists unilaterally filed for federal mediation today.
According to TWU International Representative Don Videtich, "No group of workers has done more to boost AMR's bottom line than the mechanics and other related workers. We not only granted concessions in 2003 to the tune of $310 million annually, we brought in hundreds of millions in new revenue through outside maintenance contracts and higher productivity. AMR wouldn't be flying without us."
"I have worked for American 23 years and the lack of trust between union and management is at a level that is very alarming to me," says Steve Luis, president of TWU Local 514, representing American workers in Tulsa.
The TWU Mechanic and Related Negotiation Committee has been in negotiations for more than fourteen months with American Airlines management. The next step in the Railway Labor Act process is to bring in a third party to assist in negotiations.
"Aircraft mechanics have tried to avoid bringing a third party into our business," says Steve Gilboy, president of TWU Local 563 representing American workers in Chicago. "Our mechanics have requested reasonable improvements in our contract in order to ease some of the effects the concessions have had on our families. However, American has been unreasonable. Today, we must request the help of the National Mediation Board because of the airlines' inability to bargain in good faith."
While mechanics and other ground workers have been stone-walled in negotiations and wages have been essentially frozen for five years, management has awarded themselves millions in bonuses and other forms of executive compensation. For workers who have sacrificed for the company and pledged to partner in new ways for the company's success, the widening wage gap between front-line workers and executives is extremely divisive.
Bob Zimmerman, president of TWU Local 565 at DFW says, "We have worked in cooperation with management for over five years to improve the way we do business, and make our company more competitive. I find it both disturbing and demoralizing that management chooses to ignore our sacrifices and contributions, while rewarding themselves for failed leadership, with obscene bonuses. AMR is becoming the poster boy for corporate greed and excess. It seems that 'shared sacrifice' is not equal sacrifice. It is long past the time for management to step up and bargain fairly."
TWU represents more AMR employees than any other union. Included in the union's ranks are more than 12,000 mechanics and related workers and 86 technical specialists. Overall, TWU represents 25,000 ground workers at American Airlines and another 3,500 workers at American Eagle.
