New TWU president talks tough against DOJ lawsuit, American Airlines layoffs, industry outsourcing

[Overspeed]

An international union member has to ask this?---"Think about this, we have less than 36 months to early openers for M&R. What is the comprehensive plan to get our act together and be a union so we can get tops in everything you ask." Just proves they have no plans for change. It's time for the membership to make change for themselves. You guys may want to start the resign campaign now...

Ok. The NMB already has AMFA's rejection letter on template.

 

[swamt]

Ok. The NMB already has AMFA's rejection letter on template.

You are completely clueless!! You still did not address the issue that the TWU has no plans for a change, therefore the membership needs to fire them, period. Stop embarrassing yourself and the TWU. You are a pathetic international union man. But by all means pls keep posting, you are doing a great job deflecting members from the TWU over to AMFA when the time comes. What an idiot...

 

[TWU informer]

Ok. The NMB already has AMFA's rejection letter on template.

No Problem. The AMFA idea, the hope for change will never go away. It is such a natural idea for an AMT to want to be represented by AMT's. It is a natural idea, to want to belong to a Union of Craft, over a Union of unskilled. It is a natural idea to want a Union that every dollar and every thought goes towards advancing the AMT profession, instead of Hockey Tickets, Blood Drives, and Political Yard Signs.

This will never change, no matter much negative campaign rhetoric you post here.

The AMFA idea has still not been tried, so the idea has not failed. Until idiot hard liners like yourself get screwed bad enough by your current long standing and failing policy that you are willing to embrace change and try the idea of ALL AMT's in one Union, then you will keep going backwards, and blaming everyone and everything else except yourself.

You are like some cultist that keeps drinking poison even though you know it is killing you.

If you don't like the AMFA idea of change, well fine that is your choice, so then come up with your own plan for change and campaign for that. But to just keep defending the same thing that has gotten us all here is not only stupid, but more dangerous than an attempt to change the direction we are headed.

You talked about a comprehensive plan of change so I know you believe change is needed. But where is this plan? Lay it out in detail, instead of presenting false hope. Show us something better than a Craft Union with ALL AMT's in the industry belonging to that Craft Union. I dare you to come up with a better idea, and detail the plan and how it will work. Truth is, you have no plan, you have no ideas, you just attack anyone that is tired of the same old Industrial Union BS. That is not a plan.

 

[Overspeed]

No Problem. The AMFA idea, the hope for change will never go away. It is such a natural idea for an AMT to want to be represented by AMT's. It is a natural idea, to want to belong to a Union of Craft, over a Union of unskilled. It is a natural idea to want a Union that every dollar and every thought goes towards advancing the AMT profession, instead of Hockey Tickets, Blood Drives, and Political Yard Signs.

This will never change, no matter much negative campaign rhetoric you post here.

The AMFA idea has still not been tried, so the idea has not failed. Until idiot hard liners like yourself get screwed bad enough by your current long standing and failing policy that you are willing to embrace change and try the idea of ALL AMT's in one Union, then you will keep going backwards, and blaming everyone and everything else except yourself.

You are like some cultist that keeps drinking poison even though you know it is killing you.

If you don't like the AMFA idea of change, well fine that is your choice, so then come up with your own plan for change and campaign for that. But to just keep defending the same thing that has gotten us all here is not only stupid, but more dangerous than an attempt to change the direction we are headed.

You talked about a comprehensive plan of change so I know you believe change is needed. But where is this plan? Lay it out in detail, instead of presenting false hope. Show us something better than a Craft Union with ALL AMT's in the industry belonging to that Craft Union. I dare you to come up with a better idea, and detail the plan and how it will work. Truth is, you have no plan, you have no ideas, you just attack anyone that is tired of the same old Industrial Union BS. That is not a plan.

I have a plan but so do others in this union. I believe in the near future their will be a meeting between members of this union beyond those on this blog that will engage in thoughtful and meaningful discussions and set the TWU on a path for success for its membership.

 

[1AA]

TWU on a path for success for its membership.

Success and membership in one sentence? And you are convincing who?

 

[bigjets]

How the different unions look in the media

APFA
http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2013/10/apfa-leans-on-another-ag-to-give-up-the-american-airlines-us-airways-lawsuit.html/

APA
http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/business/APA-Asks-Florida-AG-to-Reconsider-Lawsuit-Challenging-American-Airlines-US-Airways-Merger-226782041.html

TWU
http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/2013/10/judge-sets-clock-ticking-on-twu-intervention-request-in-american-airlines-us-airways-case.html/

Now it all makes sense how the APA and the APFA have enviable contracts and we have the absolute worst. We would literally be better off without a union, at least we wouldn't have to pay the TWU to "negotiate" the worst contract.

Lets remember the 3 unions represent the workers at the same company. One thing to note, the FA's require only a high school diploma and to be 21 to work at AA and AA provides 2 months of training. We should have at least as much in our contract as the FA's. To become a mech at AA you need 18 months of a trade school and 3 years as a mech. then you go to all the different fleet schools.

The TWU has done nothing for our Career.

 

[Overspeed]

How the different unions look in the media

APFA
http://aviationblog....s-lawsuit.html/

APA
http://www.nbcdfw.co...-226782041.html

TWU
http://aviationblog....ways-case.html/

Now it all makes sense how the APA and the APFA have enviable contracts and we have the absolute worst. We would literally be better off without a union, at least we wouldn't have to pay the TWU to "negotiate" the worst contract.

Lets remember the 3 unions represent the workers at the same company. One thing to note, the FA's require only a high school diploma and to be 21 to work at AA and AA provides 2 months of training. We should have at least as much in our contract as the FA's. To become a mech at AA you need 18 months of a trade school and 3 years as a mech. then you go to all the different fleet schools.

The TWU has done nothing for our Career.

Don't disagree with the education part. The point is the ability to outsource tasks. Have you found a F/A outsourcing firm lately? No. How about looking for an MRO to do line or overhaul work. Yep! There are literally hundreds of them. FAA allows it.

 

[TWU informer]

I have a plan but so do others in this union. I believe in the near future their will be a meeting between members of this union beyond those on this blog that will engage in thoughtful and meaningful discussions and set the TWU on a path for success for its membership.

Dont be shy, detail your plan here and now.

 

[1AA]

Don't disagree with the education part. The point is the ability to outsource tasks. Have you found a F/A outsourcing firm lately? No. How about looking for an MRO to do line or overhaul work. Yep! There are literally hundreds of them. FAA allows it.

And the almighty unions in affiliation with the almighty AFL-CIO stood by and allowed it to happen. As long as the unions continue to collect dues and cut deals for the fat cats at the top of the union chain nothing will improve. Want blame? Look in the mirror. The other unions on the property did better than us. Have you noticed the other two unions on the floor are independent non-AFL-CIO affiliated who represent a specific group of members? Why is that? Lead by example, something the TWU and the Industrial unions under the AFL-CIO affiliation can not or will not do. Let the finger pointing begin.

 

[Rogallo]

I have a plan but so do others in this union. I believe in the near future their will be a meeting between members of this union beyond those on this blog that will engage in thoughtful and meaningful discussions and set the TWU on a path for success for its membership.

So tell us all oh mighty Oz what does Lombardo have planned?

The mouse in my pocket is listening!!

 

[1AA]

My guess is more integration of all the union groups. You know the old saying, "Strength in numbers". Yea lets work together so we can win together. Seems the Pilots and Flight Attendants did better by staying independent and focusing on their issues.

 

[bigjets]

Don't disagree with the education part. The point is the ability to outsource tasks. Have you found a F/A outsourcing firm lately? No. How about looking for an MRO to do line or overhaul work. Yep! There are literally hundreds of them. FAA allows it.

That's a good point, but, Alaskan, Jet Blue, Delta, UAL, SWA and even US Airways has a much better contract then ours. What do we have that they don't have?

A: the TWU, and I'm sure you are going to say we have OH, we have limited OH as do all the other airlines, SWA OH is getting bigger and they make the highest wages, and AA OH is going to get a lot smaller according to the TWU.

At least we won't have to deal with the "If you don't like it, come to TUL" that won't be an option anymore.

 

[Overspeed]

That's a good point, but, Alaskan, Jet Blue, Delta, UAL, SWA and even US Airways has a much better contract then ours. What do we have that they don't have?

A: the TWU, and I'm sure you are going to say we have OH, we have limited OH as do all the other airlines, SWA OH is getting bigger and they make the highest wages, and AA OH is going to get a lot smaller according to the TWU.

At least we won't have to deal with the "If you don't like it, come to TUL" that won't be an option anymore.

We all know what we have that is better, more total jobs. As for right now we paid for that in a lower wage scale. What I can say in respect to knowing that the pay issue will improve significantly is the wage adjustment clause that will kick in within 24 months. That being said we will be (based on the current contracts of the UA and DL) be at about $38 for all AMTs overhaul and line. We still have to close the gap on SK, VC, Holidays, and OT which are HUGE issues for all of us. I would hope that with the strong possibility of the US/AA merger that many of these items would be brought up to an industry standard contract on those key issues. So when we get the wage adjustment in 24 months and most likely a merged CBA with the IAM and TWU we stand a very good chance of having significantly more jobs than any of those airlines you mentioned and industry standard CBA on almost all of the issues that are important to all of us.

Now to address the elephant in the room, TUL or overhaul in general getting smaller. Lets look at what is happening here. We have the perfect storm in many aspects but not in the way many believe. New aircraft will drive down maintenance needs overhaul because the technology is simply better than it was when the 757, 767, and MD80 were built and the planes are more reliable. There will and should be a shift due to the A319/A321 and 787 arrivals. The Airbus if maintenance is handled like at US will be a phased LC for the first five to six years. That means no 18/24 month LC's in TUL but they will be done on the line like US does in places like PHX in conjunction with the BC. I can see that jobs will be there but they will be shifting from the traditional overhaul environment to the line. Many airlines do this now.

So now that we know that we have the wage adjustment kicking in about 24 months, a merged CBA coming in around the same time if the merger is approved (most likely) that should bring us to industry standard work rules (OT, VC, SK, HOL), new aircraft driving down total AMT work slightly, and that overhaul work isn't going away but shifting to the line as far as LC is concerned what does that mean? In my opinion it means the new M&R work force will be primarily in the higher cost stations on the line and the votes and strength to get an industry leading contract will be there by the time we open contract negotiations in 36 months.

Now is the time to work on how our union is structured. Who and how will our negotiating team work? How will the TWU/IAM Association work if it is approved by our membership? The discussion of structure and how our union functions is now. Local 514, 567, and 591 should start having those discussions now.

 

[TWU informer]

We all know what we have that is better, more total jobs. As for right now we paid for that in a lower wage scale. What I can say in respect to knowing that the pay issue will improve significantly is the wage adjustment clause that will kick in within 24 months. That being said we will be (based on the current contracts of the UA and DL) be at about $38 for all AMTs overhaul and line. We still have to close the gap on SK, VC, Holidays, and OT which are HUGE issues for all of us. I would hope that with the strong possibility of the US/AA merger that many of these items would be brought up to an industry standard contract on those key issues. So when we get the wage adjustment in 24 months and most likely a merged CBA with the IAM and TWU we stand a very good chance of having significantly more jobs than any of those airlines you mentioned and industry standard CBA on almost all of the issues that are important to all of us.

Now to address the elephant in the room, TUL or overhaul in general getting smaller. Lets look at what is happening here. We have the perfect storm in many aspects but not in the way many believe. New aircraft will drive down maintenance needs overhaul because the technology is simply better than it was when the 757, 767, and MD80 were built and the planes are more reliable. There will and should be a shift due to the A319/A321 and 787 arrivals. The Airbus if maintenance is handled like at US will be a phased LC for the first five to six years. That means no 18/24 month LC's in TUL but they will be done on the line like US does in places like PHX in conjunction with the BC. I can see that jobs will be there but they will be shifting from the traditional overhaul environment to the line. Many airlines do this now.

So now that we know that we have the wage adjustment kicking in about 24 months, a merged CBA coming in around the same time if the merger is approved (most likely) that should bring us to industry standard work rules (OT, VC, SK, HOL), new aircraft driving down total AMT work slightly, and that overhaul work isn't going away but shifting to the line as far as LC is concerned what does that mean? In my opinion it means the new M&R work force will be primarily in the higher cost stations on the line and the votes and strength to get an industry leading contract will be there by the time we open contract negotiations in 36 months.

Now is the time to work on how our union is structured. Who and how will our negotiating team work? How will the TWU/IAM Association work if it is approved by our membership? The discussion of structure and how our union functions is now. Local 514, 567, and 591 should start having those discussions now.

Wow when the "perfect storm" hit at NWA, AMFA sucked, when it happens at AA, we need to work together? Really? We can fix the Union Structure that you admit is flawed by obtaining the AMFA constitution. You are so ate up with the TWU, against change, and spew such a two faced double standard that you make me sick. You and the others claimed AMFA traded jobs for wages. Now you use higher wage and less jobs as your platform to continue supporting the TWU....WOW

 

[dfw gen]

interesting comment the only problem is that the twu is intent on screwing maintenance.