NWA flight attendants say adios to teamsters
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Airmech737
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The teamsters didn''t waste anytime. Check their website on who they represent... You will not find NWAC Flight Attendants in the list. This just a couple hours after they LOST! This is the same reaction they did with SWA mechanics. Congrats... The secrets are GONE!
http://www.teamster.org/divisions/airline/represent.htm
http://www.teamster.org/divisions/airline/represent.htm
James T. Kirk
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You people have made the a bad decision you will REGET later.
An organization that represents the interests of the NWA flight attendants, there wants and needs in a contract. They will regret nothing. Finally they will have there interests represented and not that of a bloated overbearing international. That didn''t know anything or cared to know anything about the f/a job. Like how the TWU treated the AA flight attendants and did little to nothing for there so called girls. IBT seemed to be doing exactly the same.
airlineorphan
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Hey folks,
Here is the take by Teamsters for a Democratic Union, the reform caucus in the Teamsters Union. For more information on them, check www.tdu.org
-Airlineorphan
P.S. Does PFAA plan on open bargaining sessions like AMFA does (i.e. a lottery chosen selection of rank-and-filers sitting in on all bargaining sessions). I think all unions and their memberships could benefit from that!
[url="http://tdu.org/HoffaWatch/LU_2000_leaves/lu_2000_leaves.html"]http://tdu.org/HoffaWatch/LU_2000_leaves/lu_2000_leaves.html[/URL]
Hoffa Strong-Arm Tactics Alienated Members
11,000 Flight Attendants Vote to Leave Teamsters
Huge Setback Could Have Been Avoided
Northwest Airlines Flight Attendants bolted the Teamsters Union today for an upstart independent union, the Professional Flight Attendants Association, in one of the largest decertification votes in the history of the Teamsters.
The responsibility for this setback falls squarely on the shoulders of James Hoffa and the Teamster leadership who alienated the Flight Attendants with weak contract negotiations and strong-arm tactics.
Weak bargaining: The Hoffa administration opened a breach with the Flight Attendants in the last round of contract bargaining at Northwest in 1999. Hoffa sent each Flight Attendant six mailings and a video hyping a weak contract, which the Flight Attendants overwhelmingly rejected. Hoffa retaliated by dismantling the Flight Attendants grassroots contract mobilization network called the Contract Action Team.
Sexist and anti-gay slurs: At the 2001 Teamster Convention, Hoffa delegates repeatedly jeered and interrupted Local 2000 speakers with sexist and anti-gay comments. A court-appointed Election Administrator interrupted the Convention proceedings when Hoffa delegates whistled and cat-called at Local 2000 Secretary-Treasurer Bob Krabbe. The Hoffa forces were orchestrated by walkie-talkie wielding “floor whips†throughout the attacks on the Flight Attendant leaders.
Elected officials removed: When the independent union (PFAA) started their decertification drive in the summer of 2002, the Hoffa administration’s first reaction was to remove the elected officers of the Flight Attendant’s Local 2000—reformers who defeated Hoffa-backed candidates in the local union election. Hoffa took this step despite warnings from TDU and even some Hoffa administration insiders that this would further alienate Flight Attendants.
Discredited officials appointed: Hoffa then appointed discredited officials to run the union because they were politically loyal to the Hoffa administration, despite the fact that Flight Attendants have voted against Hoffa by at least 90 percent in the last three Teamster elections for International officers.
Alternative courses ignored: The Hoffa administration refused to reverse any of these policies even after it became clear that his strong-arm tactics were only fueling the decertification drive.
TDU leaders tried repeatedly to consult with and help the Teamster leadership, calling for expanding the Teamster leadership team, promising a clear end-date to the trusteeship with a pledge that the unpopular Hoffa-appointees would not seek office, and a pledge to involve the PFAA and Teamster supporters equally, a new day for Teamster Flight Attendants.
But some in the Hoffa administration wanted to have the Flight Attendants leave the union, to be rid a group – mostly women – who did not support Hoffa politically in internal Teamster elections, and who actively opposed his dues hike last year.
Hoffa’s strong-arm tactics pushed many Flight Attendant activists and the entire elected executive board into supporting the breakaway union—effectively ending any chance at keeping the Flight Attendants in the Teamsters.
TDU tried to convince Flight Attendants that sticking with the Teamsters and working within it for reform was a better course of action than creating a small new union from scratch. A number of Flight Attendants did vote for the course advocated by TDU, but not enough to offset the thousands alienated by the Hoffa administration.
“Hoffa essentially drove 11,000 Teamsters out of the union, 75 percent of them women, by refusing to deal with their issues or their elected leaders,†said TDU National Organizer Ken Paff.
“This is no way to send a signal that the Teamsters are open to new voices, to women, to the diverse workers that we need to build a strong union in the 21st century. This sends a signal that the Teamsters Union is run by an old-boys club that refuses to open up and listen to dissenting voices. Apparently those in power want to make sure it stays that way, even at the expense of driving members out of the union.†Paff said.
Hoffa’s General Executive Board has 24 voting members. Twenty-three of those 24 are men and 23 are white.
Here is the take by Teamsters for a Democratic Union, the reform caucus in the Teamsters Union. For more information on them, check www.tdu.org
-Airlineorphan
P.S. Does PFAA plan on open bargaining sessions like AMFA does (i.e. a lottery chosen selection of rank-and-filers sitting in on all bargaining sessions). I think all unions and their memberships could benefit from that!
[url="http://tdu.org/HoffaWatch/LU_2000_leaves/lu_2000_leaves.html"]http://tdu.org/HoffaWatch/LU_2000_leaves/lu_2000_leaves.html[/URL]
Hoffa Strong-Arm Tactics Alienated Members
11,000 Flight Attendants Vote to Leave Teamsters
Huge Setback Could Have Been Avoided
Northwest Airlines Flight Attendants bolted the Teamsters Union today for an upstart independent union, the Professional Flight Attendants Association, in one of the largest decertification votes in the history of the Teamsters.
The responsibility for this setback falls squarely on the shoulders of James Hoffa and the Teamster leadership who alienated the Flight Attendants with weak contract negotiations and strong-arm tactics.
Weak bargaining: The Hoffa administration opened a breach with the Flight Attendants in the last round of contract bargaining at Northwest in 1999. Hoffa sent each Flight Attendant six mailings and a video hyping a weak contract, which the Flight Attendants overwhelmingly rejected. Hoffa retaliated by dismantling the Flight Attendants grassroots contract mobilization network called the Contract Action Team.
Sexist and anti-gay slurs: At the 2001 Teamster Convention, Hoffa delegates repeatedly jeered and interrupted Local 2000 speakers with sexist and anti-gay comments. A court-appointed Election Administrator interrupted the Convention proceedings when Hoffa delegates whistled and cat-called at Local 2000 Secretary-Treasurer Bob Krabbe. The Hoffa forces were orchestrated by walkie-talkie wielding “floor whips†throughout the attacks on the Flight Attendant leaders.
Elected officials removed: When the independent union (PFAA) started their decertification drive in the summer of 2002, the Hoffa administration’s first reaction was to remove the elected officers of the Flight Attendant’s Local 2000—reformers who defeated Hoffa-backed candidates in the local union election. Hoffa took this step despite warnings from TDU and even some Hoffa administration insiders that this would further alienate Flight Attendants.
Discredited officials appointed: Hoffa then appointed discredited officials to run the union because they were politically loyal to the Hoffa administration, despite the fact that Flight Attendants have voted against Hoffa by at least 90 percent in the last three Teamster elections for International officers.
Alternative courses ignored: The Hoffa administration refused to reverse any of these policies even after it became clear that his strong-arm tactics were only fueling the decertification drive.
TDU leaders tried repeatedly to consult with and help the Teamster leadership, calling for expanding the Teamster leadership team, promising a clear end-date to the trusteeship with a pledge that the unpopular Hoffa-appointees would not seek office, and a pledge to involve the PFAA and Teamster supporters equally, a new day for Teamster Flight Attendants.
But some in the Hoffa administration wanted to have the Flight Attendants leave the union, to be rid a group – mostly women – who did not support Hoffa politically in internal Teamster elections, and who actively opposed his dues hike last year.
Hoffa’s strong-arm tactics pushed many Flight Attendant activists and the entire elected executive board into supporting the breakaway union—effectively ending any chance at keeping the Flight Attendants in the Teamsters.
TDU tried to convince Flight Attendants that sticking with the Teamsters and working within it for reform was a better course of action than creating a small new union from scratch. A number of Flight Attendants did vote for the course advocated by TDU, but not enough to offset the thousands alienated by the Hoffa administration.
“Hoffa essentially drove 11,000 Teamsters out of the union, 75 percent of them women, by refusing to deal with their issues or their elected leaders,†said TDU National Organizer Ken Paff.
“This is no way to send a signal that the Teamsters are open to new voices, to women, to the diverse workers that we need to build a strong union in the 21st century. This sends a signal that the Teamsters Union is run by an old-boys club that refuses to open up and listen to dissenting voices. Apparently those in power want to make sure it stays that way, even at the expense of driving members out of the union.†Paff said.
Hoffa’s General Executive Board has 24 voting members. Twenty-three of those 24 are men and 23 are white.
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On 6/19/2003 8
34 PM James T. Kirk wrote:
You people have made the a bad decision you will REGET later.
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On 6/19/2003 8
34 PM James T. Kirk wrote:You people have made the a bad decision you will REGET later.
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Do you mean like the AA Flight Attendants?
How many years ago did they leave the TWU?
The problem is that the IBT, TWU and IAM are not "Airline Unions". These three unions have carved up the industry with no specific goal other than to get dues payers, the only time they really work together is to stop independant unions. If these unions really had the best interests of airline workers at heart then why wont they combine their ATDs into one big union? I've written to Hoffa, Hall and Buffenbarger on this. Hall was the only one that responded, and he admitted that it is a good idea, but he said that despite the fact that it would be better for the workers the leaders would not want it because they may lose the opportunity to move up. I was contacted by the AFL-CIO who also said that they liked the idea but because of political reasons they could not offer any assistance. The SEIU put out a paper that mentions this concept (industry specific unions), but the heads of the IAM,IBT and TWU have no interest in it. Look as the ass-kicking that so many union represented airline workers just took, the unions were powerless to protect their members, but they are all still collecting those all important dues.
The fact is that to these unions airline workers are just another bargaining chip. Of all of them, only the TWU has a significant ATD (around 50% of the total), to the IBT and IAM the total loss of their ATDS would be almost insignificant. Why wont these unions do the right thing? Why do they force members to form completely new organizations?
So far every single TWU officer that I have spoken to on this idea of merging the ATDs said its a good idea from Sonny Hall, Mike Bakala to Jim Little. I spoke to the TWA IAM reps in Nashville about it. I've spoken to hundreds of rank and file union members and local officers. No one came up with a reason why it should not be done. So from the floor to the mid level to the top all agree that such an organization would be benificial to airline workers so why wont they do it? Dues. The members know it, the officers deny it but who do you think is right? The mid level guys blame the top guys and the top guys blame the mid level guys. Someone is lying. Maybe both groups are.
Tell me James, what is wrong with the idea of merging all the ATDs into one more effective industry specific union? If the Hoffas, Halls and Buffenbargers,people who never worked in this industry are determined to keep us separated then why are union minded people in this industry wrong to try and establish what the Pilots, carpenters, electricians, policeman, autoworkers and millions of other workers have? Why should they be content to be treated as generic goods by uncaring autocratic institutions that are not even focused on their industry?
UA mechanics are next . They are currently voting to oust the IAM in favor of AMFA, a craft union. The votes will be counted on 7/14/03 at NMB HQ in Washington, DC. The line AMT''s throughout UA''s system are solidly behind AMFA. The only real support for the IAM comes from those still remaining at SFOMB after the mass retirement exodous prior to 7/1/03. AMFA currently represents AMT''s at NWA, SWA and Alaska Airlines. AMFA card drives are in progress at AA and USAirways.
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On 7/1/2003 10:01:04 AM FA Mikey wrote:
Its been a card drive at AA for about the last 17 years. I kind of think we will see fleet service break off before the AMT''s drop TWU.
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On 7/1/2003 10:01:04 AM FA Mikey wrote:
Its been a card drive at AA for about the last 17 years. I kind of think we will see fleet service break off before the AMT''s drop TWU.
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AA''s line mechanics should split off and get the representation they want, and leave the main base mechanics and helpers for the TWU. Solves the problem of having the cowboys and the settlers in the same contract.
