Some will swear it never happened, but some of us remember supporters of AMFA telling skilled workers how they would be on the street after AMFA booted the TWU from American - that was no way to win friends and many of them remember the things that were said. A very vocal minority made it plain if one didn't have an A&P certificate, that person was unskilled labor. That was no way to influence people and win allies for the cause. AMFA mayhave had greater success in TULE had this vocal group been muzzled and the main body of supporters stuck to real issues such as the problems with the TWU.
As far as what value AMFA placed on the people themselves (non-certificated), I have no idea because after the things I heard, I was permanently turned off to the possibility of them as a bargaining agent.
Skill requirements for some positions that are still required to make an airline function are little to none and I agree - tossing bags should not be compensated as would be a mechanic, machinist, or a welder. Regardless, those people are part of the "power in numbers" we have to have to get a fair hearing by the company.
There was one loose canon that entered the machine shop area and stated that skilled machinist would be outsourced if AMFA was certified.
My understanding is the individual had personal issues with some of the machinist that ratted him out to HR for having a camera on the property and taking photos of the anti-AMFA banner hanging in the shop from a hoist.
There is no question that a non-licensed machinist, welder, plater, composite tech are in the minority regardless of whether the TWU, AMFA, or AMP represents us at AA. These unlicensed skilled work groups are going to be in the minority regardless of Constitution and Name on the Door of the Union Hall. Because of this fact we are brought right back to same issue. Read the Constitutions, compare the facts, and make a decision.
Me perosnally, I would rather be the minority in a Union with a democratic membership control Constitution rather than a Union that has Constitution written in the 1930's by the Communist and Irish Republican Army that provides a dictatorship without accontability. Again, if you are in the minority regardless of Union which would would rather belong to and support?
I refuse to be brow beat about my skill. I have never seen or even read about a welders union busted by bus loads of scabs crossing a picket line. And as far as unionism goes, the A&P damn sure cannot make that claim. After what happened at both Alaska Airlines and Northwest Airlines during an AMT strike and the A&P scabs crossing so fast the striking union was squashed, I really don't see where any A&P whould be talking down to any other skilled work group. It is not the welder, machinist, plater, stock clerk, fleet service clerk or even the bus drivers that are your enemy. It is your fellow A&P AMT that you should be watching. They are the one's that have weakened your profession. For some unknown reason the A&P AMT's of this industry refuse to acknowledge that fact and keep blaming everyone else for their demise as if they have their heads buried in sand.
Me I can see and remember the truth without effort.
