OH contract

bigjets

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Jan 14, 2011
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Would OH accept a separate contract from line to bring back ALL outsourced OH work?

Different work rules, pay, etc...... that would make AAs OH more competitive with MROs. The quality of work would be better from Tulsa, but would the mechs go for that, the techs have a separate contract tailored to their work area, I don't see why that would be different.
 
bigjets said:
Would OH accept a separate contract from line to bring back ALL outsourced OH work?

Different work rules, pay, etc...... that would make AAs OH more competitive with MROs. The quality of work would be better from Tulsa, but would the mechs go for that, the techs have a separate contract tailored to their work area, I don't see why that would be different.
This subject has soured Tulsa for more than 40 years......
 
So your willing to go lower than the junior mechanic, OSM, SRP and AMTO classification? How more degrading of the AMT profession are you willing to accept? Just to save jobs in Tulsa?
 
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The company does not have to divide and conquer. We do it for them! Ridiculous
 
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I wouldn't do that, but I would try and make all AAs OH mechs the highest paid MRO mechs. Top at $32 area, but no more OSMs or anything like that, go back to days weekends off holidays off and bring all work back in house.

What I see happening now is, hangars being built and AA mechs being hired in SAmerica, and American jobs moving overseas, I can tell you now that line has the majority, less pay for Tulsa jobs isn't an option any longer. I know the guys that are laidoff from AA and are working at AAR now would much rather work at Tulsa for $32 for AA, rather then LGA commuting home or working at AAR for maybe $25 an hour, if they have a plane to work on that night. No plane no pay.


Just a thought, doubt a separate contract would ever be considered. Too many senior Tulsa guys already have theirs. How many think we are going back to the 80s and 90s where there was non stop hiring and ALL airlines did all their own OH? The airline industry has changed and won't go back to the days of old.

I thought this would be an inovated way of AA being to control their own planes and the association having set the bar for MRO wages, rather then just sending the work overseas. Counting on a political party to bring those jobs home is like saying you're counting on winning the lotto to cover your retirement.

Advice for all, take new pay raise and max out your 401k, just some more security for your
retirement.

Did not mean to ruffle any feathers, I do think it's a waste to see the talent out on the street and an American airline job sent overseas. I also believe the afl CIO should set a new standard of innovations with American company's to keep work of skilled labor in the USA. Demanding restore and more has been a loser of a campaign.
 
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bigjets said:
I thought this would be an inovated way of AA being to control their own planes and the association having set the bar for MRO wages, rather then just sending the work overseas. 
You are assuming that the company cares about anything other than finding the cheapest price for mro.  If you can get Tulsa to take major pay cuts, you're in business.
 
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AA does not call it outsourcing. We have AA AMT'S doing the work on AA metal. Only difference is that those AMT'S are not represented by the TWU. The TWU tries to hold the company accountable to the amount of work being done by non twu represented AMT'S. That formula had always been debated. Weak language is my guess.
 
I guess my question is answered with a big fat NO !!!!!
 
The OH guys that are making top pay, say they are happy with current system. Some at top pay, others at OSM pay (permanent B scale) and the rest on the street with AA sending the work to S. America with newly hired AA mechs. (non union, I wonder why unions are losing members here in the USA)
 
My personal opinion is you"ll never beat the company, the laws are on their side, plus they're the ones with the money. You can say I'll withhold my labor, sure but someone will do the work (NWA AMFA strike) or they will just send the work overseas (every airline). I think the best course of action is to work with the company and come up with an agreement that works for both sides, but obviously I'm in the minority of this thinking as a union member. 
 
Of course I wanted the 2010 TA, the restore and more know nothings said NO loudly. We gave up everything the company wanted and more, and got NOTHING for it. My way we would have gotten a pay raise, sick days, holidays, double time, line premium of $2.55. Just think how much that would help the OH guys working at line stations now. 
 
thanks fellas. 
 
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All that would have been gone at the BK filing. Bottom line is over 30 plus years Tulsa always got what Tulsa wanted. The TWU made the AMT profession weak. Other unions didn't help either but with all the legal off shoring of work we did not help ourselves by believing what the unions were feeding us.
 
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The hourly wage at an overhaul facility is not the biggest factor why airlines outsource work,
the costs of operating & maintaining  a major facility far outweighs its hourly wages of the 
employee's that work there. 
Dealing with the EPA, OSHA, Workers Comp., Upgrading Tooling, The High Cost Of Purchasing 
The Intellectual Properties From The Manufactures (Yes You Pay Extra For The Overhaul Manual),
Utilities.....I could go on and on.
Keeping a facility like Tulsa open by a single carrier can only happen with the support of the local
governments. 
 
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bigjets said:
Would OH accept a separate contract from line to bring back ALL outsourced OH work?
Different work rules, pay, etc...... that would make AAs OH more competitive with MROs. The quality of work would be better from Tulsa, but would the mechs go for that, the techs have a separate contract tailored to their work area, I don't see why that would be different.
MROs also provide line maintenance services! You should be compensated at a certain rate comparable to other major airlines but suggest base maintenance gets MRO wages?
 
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1AA said:
All that would have been gone at the BK filing. Bottom line is over 30 plus years Tulsa always got what Tulsa wanted. The TWU made the AMT profession weak. Other unions didn't help either but with all the legal off shoring of work we did not help ourselves by believing what the unions were feeding us.
 
 
The Know nothings did us a disservice by thinking we were in a better position then we were, listening to their own rhetoric rather then seeing what's going on in the industry. A typical response from a know nothing is, we would have lost it all in BK, the techs who voted theirs in didn't lose thiers, FA's, pilots, dispatchers, gate agents, didn't lose anything but pension and retiree medical. The know nothings try to make themselves feel better by saying we would have lost it all anyway. 
 
I do agree the unions didn't help us mainly I blame the AFL-CIO. They should be protecting and promoting skilled labor rather then treating us all like wallmart employees.
 
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2ndGENAMT said:
MROs also provide line maintenance services! You should be compensated at a certain rate comparable to other major airlines but suggest base maintenance gets MRO wages?
 
Well AA isn't closing DFW, ORD, JFK, and shipping those jobs to china or S. America, AA didn't layoff DTW and MSP and replace those 40 mechs with 40 AAR mechs.
 
Line maint is compared with our peers that do the same work and same responsibility at comparable airlines, TULE work is comparable to TIMCO or AAR, where their work has gone. 
 
You sound like you're new to the industry, read some airline magazines and other trade websites, you'll learn more about the industry instead of just listening to the know nothings in the breakroom. 
 
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chilokie1 said:
The hourly wage at an overhaul facility is not the biggest factor why airlines outsource work,
the costs of operating & maintaining  a major facility far outweighs its hourly wages of the 
employee's that work there. 
Dealing with the EPA, OSHA, Workers Comp., Upgrading Tooling, The High Cost Of Purchasing 
The Intellectual Properties From The Manufactures (Yes You Pay Extra For The Overhaul Manual),
Utilities.....I could go on and on.
Keeping a facility like Tulsa open by a single carrier can only happen with the support of the local
governments. 
 
This sounds like the most realistic scenario, AAR has a lot of facilities around the world, but they don't pay that great, and benefits suck. I have heard how they contract mechs from another company (no benefits) and only get paid if there is work otherwise they show up and are told to go home, no work today. 
 
My theoretical scenario of separate contracts would only work at Tulsa as the city of Tulsa has proven themselves willing to do whatever it takes to keep TULE open. This scenario would only work if AA, Tulsa, and OH mechs are willing to make it work, the OH mechs seem against the idea.
 
Thanks fellas, I won't waste anybody's time with these thoughts or this thread any longer.