Northwest Mechanics Edging Toward Strike

[magsau]

NWA AMFA Mechanics pressing for strike vote. Company vows to fly through any disruption. Will the other unions join and honor picket lines? Will other employees leave en masse?



http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/050701/15184.html?.v=1

 

[North by Northwest]

AP
United to File Reorganization Plan Soon
Friday July 1, 1:03 pm ET
By Mike Colias, Associated Press Writer
United Plans to File Reorganization Plan Next Month, Will Detail Future Business Model



Separately, United's flight attendants are threatening to strike after the carrier on Thursday formally turned over their pension plan to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., the federal agency that insures pension plans. A bankruptcy judge in May approved United's plan to unload all four of its plans on the PBGC.

The Association of Flight Attendants said the termination violates its labor contract and triggered its legal right to strike. On Thursday, it threatened to stage random, unannounced strikes.

"We will implement CHAOS strikes in a way that has the greatest impact on United management and the least risk to flight attendants,"</span> AFA spokeswoman Sara Nelson Dela Cruz said. CHAOS stands for Create Havoc Around Our System.

"It's absurd that the AFA leadership believes they get to opt out and be treated differently," United said in a statement Friday. "It is unfair to other employees (and) completely ignores our financial straits."( Tell that to the PIG at the TOP)



"Will the other unions join and honor picket lines? Will other employees leave en masse?"

You tell me?

GO UAL FLIGHT ATTENDATS!!!!!!!!!

 

[Fly]

So now you like us? :down:

Too bad we won't be able to take one for the team. Looks like NW is heading in the bk direction. You show us how it's done....ok? :mf_boff:

 

[JetClipper]

NWA AMFA Mechanics pressing for strike vote. Company vows to fly through any disruption. Will the other unions join and honor picket lines? Will other employees leave en masse?

Based on what I've heard from friends at NWA, the Flight Attendants may take some sort of CHAOS-type action in support of the Mechanics. However, what the other unions (namely ALPA and the IAM) will do is somewhat murky. My guess is that neither will: the Pilots have already agreed to concessions and have too much to lose, and the IAM is still "smarting" from the Mechanics' defection to AMFA a couple of years back.

The whole AMFA-IAM disagreement could make things interesting as well. From what I understand, during AMFA’s campaign many of the older mechanics (possibly the ones that are still around after all the layoffs) were leery of AMFA’s claims and wanted to stick with the IAM. If true, will they support AMFA?

 

[Bigsky]

I know we all get caught up in it and it's actually kind of fun from time to time, especially when Fly and Bus jump in, and that is bashing one anothers' airline and unions. From who has got the prettiest paint scheme to who has the mechs with the biggest kahunas. In the meantime, management at both UA and NW are laughing their butts off while they ask all of us labor pukes to take another paycut and "Oh, how about we change those work rules a bit."

My point? While these discusssions may be quite entertaining, let's all remember who is on which side. My guess is most in this forum are union airline employees, so who the heck are we going to pick on if not each other? As I recall Jetblew is still without union representation in all labor groups......ATTACK!!!!!!

Happy Fourth to ALL

bigsky

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

It's "fairly possible that NW's AMT's and F/A's may be the ONLY union work groups, in the whole friggin' Industry, that may pull a justified job action.

Obviously Us and "UAL" unions, "took it SQUARELY in the shorts" with out so much as a "wimper" !!!!

(Are you listenin' FLY) ???????????????

But with the folks from EAGAN MN., tipping there hand early with the scab "attempt", the F/A's and ESPECIALLY the AMT's may beat "DOUG" to the punch, figureing that the bottom 50% of present working AMT's, have nothing to lose !!!!!


Like EVERYTHING else in this screwy business, time will tell !!!!

NH/BB's

 

[NWA/AMT]

The whole AMFA-IAM disagreement could make things interesting as well. From what I understand, during AMFA’s campaign many of the older mechanics (possibly the ones that are still around after all the layoffs) were leery of AMFA’s claims and wanted to stick with the IAM. If true, will they support AMFA?

[post="279826"][/post]​

Yet AMFA received almost 90% of the ballots cast in that election, so I wouldn't count on it.

Even those of us with sufficient seniority to survive the cuts NWA is currently demanding know that the during next round of concessions or the inevitable bankruptcy filing ("We had to do it to stay competitive") it will be our turn.

 

[Fly]

It's "fairly possible that NW's AMT's and F/A's may be the ONLY union work groups, in the whole friggin' Industry, that may pull a justified job action.

Obviously Us and "UAL" unions, "took it SQUARELY in the shorts" with out so much as a "wimper"  !!!!

(Are you listenin' FLY) ???????????????

But with the folks from EAGAN MN., tipping there hand early with the scab "attempt", the F/A's and ESPECIALLY the AMT's may beat "DOUG" to the punch, figureing that the bottom 50% of present working AMT's, have nothing to lose !!!!!
Like EVERYTHING else in this screwy business, time will tell !!!!

NH/BB's

[post="279997"][/post]​

We shall see. My crystal ball says they'll take one in the shorts, just like all those before them.

 

[Red Tail Bear]

We shall see. My crystal ball says they'll take one in the shorts, just like all those before them.

[post="280005"][/post]​

And this, coming from someone who HAS taken it in the shorts not ONCE but TWICE. But hey, some people are into that sort of thing. Right Fly??

 

[Winglet]

All this talk of strikes and CHAOS campaigns is really funny. Management knows airline employees don't have the cahones to do anything. Bluster and chest thumping.

 

[JetClipper]

Yet AMFA received almost 90% of the ballots cast in that election, so I wouldn't count on it.

Even those of us with sufficient seniority to survive the cuts NWA is currently demanding know that the during next round of concessions or the inevitable bankruptcy filing ("We had to do it to stay competitive") it will be our turn.

[post="280004"][/post]​

NWA/AMT:

I was not aware of that. I will now attempt to remove my foot from my mouth.

Best regards,

JetClipper

 

[NWA/AMT]

NWA/AMT:

I was not aware of that. I will now attempt to remove my foot from my mouth.

Best regards,

JetClipper

[post="280277"][/post]​

I find that good beer removes the taste of foot, and have had many occasions to verify that.

NWA has, to date, cut almost 50% of their maintenance staff, is demanding a further cut of almost 50% of the current work force, and has implied, through the language changes they have demanded, that further large cuts may be required later. When it comes down to the last two technicians, they'll probably still be demanding 50% and threatening a further 50% after that.

Regardless of which union they supported in 1998, or which one they might support if the election were held today, the NWA technicians know who the enemy is now.