Once Again The Iam Is Not Fully Informing You

September 24, 2003
AFL-CIO Unions Support Machinists
in US Airways Dispute The 35 unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) pledged their support to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 141-M in their dispute with US Airways over potential outsourcing of heavy maintenance on its Airbus aircraft.

“These are the same tactics that were used by Frank Lorenzo to destroy Eastern Airlines,†said IAM International President R. Thomas Buffenbarger. “If we allow US Airways to subcontract out work that has been contractually performed by IAM-represented members for 46 years, it will have a ripple effect throughout the industry in all classifications.â€

“Our members have repeatedly sacrificed to avoid the liquidation of US
Airways,†said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “For the airline to cast-off the employees that recently rescued the carrier and the critical jobs they perform is criminal. If CEO David Siegel wants to go to war with his employees, then it is war he will get.â€

The resolution, passed at the TTD’s Executive Committee meeting in Washington, DC, underscores individual support commitments received from affiliated Unions at US Airways, including IAM District 141, Air Line Pilots Association, Association of Flight Attendants, Communication Workers of America and Transport Workers Union.

“I call upon US Airways to honor its contract with it workers, and reverse what would be yet another example of harmful and outrageous corporate conduct,†said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “It is time for US Airways to straighten up and fly right and maintain both high standards of safety and its contract with its workers.â€

“The IAM is prepared to take whatever legal measures are necessary to protect our work,†said Buffenbarger. “As a major dispute, this may include, but is not limited to, seeking a Temporary Restraining Order, injunctive relief, or withdrawing our services, as provided by law. The support of the TTD and their affiliate Unions is welcomed and greatly appreciated.â€

The TTD’s resolution is available on the IAM web site at www.goiam.org.
 
“Our members have repeatedly sacrificed to avoid the liquidation of US
Airways,â€￾ said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “For the airline to cast-off the employees that recently rescued the carrier and the critical jobs they perform is criminal. If CEO David Siegel wants to go to war with his employees, then it is war he will get.â€￾


Hey Buf man those are strong words but you are just blowing smoke.U management has been at war with the employees for along time now.Get tough
and start busting their balls.Get on with it !
 
Dell dude. What are you smoking? We can't stand the IAM. If you think for one second that this is going to be a successful strike then you are only fooling yourself.

Plus, even if I agree with you that you will shut this company down, that is the same thing as shutting the oxygen off a patient who is seriously ill. You effectively are destroying 25,000 jobs, increasing burdens on families that will most likely lead to contentions within the home. All for what? Over some part in your contract that the IAM failed to cross the "t" on.

There is a process in dealing with grievances but the IAM has refused to be reasonable in this. Why did the IAM refuse arbitration which is the most reasonable method given to work this issue out? Because they wanted no counsel, no arbitrator, and instead have grown ever increasing arrogant and the end result will be that perhaps thousands will be without a job in a job marketplace that is barren of jobs. THAT IS THE FACT!

And what is your spouse going to do when you lose your job because your union refused to arbitrate a grievance? Will you get away with telling your spouse your famous, "Yea I made a last stand speech?" Will that speech of yours mean anything to your mate and family after you are jobless? I suggest you do one thing...cast away your anger, be lucid and ask your union to follow the contract that the membership approved. The contract that calls for grievances like this to be handled by arbitration. Arbitration is the recognized fair way of resolving this stuff but the IAM refused it.

Myself and many like me will refuse to allow the IAM to violate our contract by refusing to go to arbitration. The outcome of those who support the IAM's violation of our contract is clearly seen.
 
Hey Strike Facts (management),

What do you say about MANAGEMENT (you) TOSSING 20,000 JOBS (EMPLOYEES) OUT ON THE STREET. What about THEIR families?????

Did you forget? OR, did you think we would forget? We employees that are left here gave you billions and billions over 6 years, and you still tossed many employees of U out on the street!

WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT MR. MANGEMENT?

You say arbitrate? I say arbitrators are KISSING the company's ###!
 
PITbull said:
Hey Strike Facts (management),

What do you say about MANAGEMENT (you) TOSSING 20,000 JOBS (EMPLOYEES) OUT ON THE STREET. What about THEIR families?????

Did you forget? OR, did you think we would forget? We employees that are left here gave you billions and billions over 6 years, and you still tossed many employees of U out on the street!

WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT MR. MANGEMENT?

You say arbitrate? I say arbitrators are KISSING the company's ###!
To use your words, arbitrators are kissing the company. Don't you know they are judges????????????

And when the company goes to the judge it will provide the same results you just described, the only difference will be that you will be stuck without a job. If you know ANYTHING about case law then you would know that it WILL NOT be a given that the company will allow or need everyone back. One thing I know is that if that happens then YOU can bet that the IAM will keep blowing smoke at you and calling me a scab off the property but on the property they will call me a union brother and keep collecting my dues. Hmmmmm and you trust the IAM????
Do as you wish

The company is evil also, this isn't a good guy bad guy thing. Both the IAm and company are evil and corupt as heck. This is a bad guy bad guy thing. Arbitrate though. It is normalacy which is desperately needed right now instead of loose cannons, anger, and arrogance.
 
Strike Facts,

If management "outsources" any work....there will never be any peace on this property.

So much for the "labor friendly" (deception). Management has declared "war" on their employees.

Prepare to do battle. No need to arbitrate, we take this to the public... they are the court of public opinion.
 
If we do not strike we know we will not have a job. If we strike the company will have to abide by the contract and bring the work in house or have the company shut down.


--Investors will lose millions by letting labor friendly Dave commit any more sins against us. You outsource the work and we shut it down.
 
If Bronner will settle for pennies on the investment he was entrusted to oversee, then good for him, he and the employees of Alabama will have almost the same thing as the us.....NOTHING.
Bronner could Ch7 when it would cost very little....now a major labor dispute as this will cost him and OTHERS PLENTY. Taking your ball an going home isn't the same gun held to our head as before, when only WE the WORKERS stood to lose everything.
I'm sure someone can make drivel of my opinion, but he invested other peoples money to make a huge return, so far they haven't made dick, and at last glance THEY have millions invested in US.
 
STRIKE FACTS:

The IAM will do what is good for the IAM.....and I am not speaking about the union's local level's. All the chicanery originates in Upper Marlboro, MD. And the fact that the IAM realizes the membership's strong desire to replace the IAM with AMFA at U-S Airways makes me even more suspect of what they will do to stem this tide of resentment. However, this is an entirely different battle.

If the Airbus work goes to 3rd party, you will see the mechanic seniority list drop off enormously. I will place a conservative estimate around sen# 1100 and above to even think of remaining employed. And that will be reduced further as they fine tune the operation.

Airbus goes away?? Jobs go away......ALL DEPT's.....period.

If I am going to lose my job because of a greedy and thankless management, I will do everything in my power to see them go out the door with me by walking the picket line ON STRIKE.

This management does not deserve to run a company at all. What they really deserve is PRISON with the rest of the extortionists and criminals.

Nothing has changed here.....Dave & Dave: GO TO HELL!!!!

E-TRONS OUT.
 
E-TRONS said:
If the Airbus work goes to 3rd party, you will see the mechanic seniority list drop off enormously. I will place a conservative estimate around sen# 1100 and above to even think of remaining employed. And that will be reduced further as they fine tune the operation.

Airbus goes away?? Jobs go away......ALL DEPT's.....period.
I guess I'm confused.

I thought the Airbus heavy maintenance did not yet exist. But your post implies that jobs of current workers will be lost. If the jobs don't yet exist, how can they be lost? Which of the currently employed USAirways mechanics is doing A320 heavy maintenance and will lose their job if it is outsourced?

Does USAirways have a cadre of mechanics sitting around doing nothing right now, just waiting for the A320 heavy maintenance to start up? Are these the mechanics who will lose their jobs? I was under the impression that all the mechanics at USAirways right now are hard-pressed just to get the necessary work done WITHOUT the heavy A320 maintenance.

Please clarify.
 
I have a hard time rationalizing why the iam would want to go before an
arbitrator over the airbus heavy mtc checks.
Even one as simply as me realizes that most of these disputes are settled at
about 50/50...company vs union.....in this case the mechanics will never recover
all of the work that has been their s for 46 years.
It sounds perfectly rational to go straight to court,cut out the middle man,and
not waste what will be precious and valuable time.
Forgive me, but i must think that anyone advocating arbitration is either above
msp grade 83 or is on the payroll of another (not on property) union.

The posters who say "who s next " are probably more correct than they know.

It causes me great pain to say this after so many years with this company, but,
if it s time to go.....then it s time to go.
 
E-TRONS said:
STRIKE FACTS:

The IAM will do what is good for the IAM.....and I am not speaking about the union's local level's. All the chicanery originates in Upper Marlboro, MD. And the fact that the IAM realizes the membership's strong desire to replace the IAM with AMFA at U-S Airways makes me even more suspect of what they will do to stem this tide of resentment. However, this is an entirely different battle.

If the Airbus work goes to 3rd party, you will see the mechanic seniority list drop off enormously. I will place a conservative estimate around sen# 1100 and above to even think of remaining employed. And that will be reduced further as they fine tune the operation.

Airbus goes away?? Jobs go away......ALL DEPT's.....period.

If I am going to lose my job because of a greedy and thankless management, I will do everything in my power to see them go out the door with me by walking the picket line ON STRIKE.

This management does not deserve to run a company at all. What they really deserve is PRISON with the rest of the extortionists and criminals.

Nothing has changed here.....Dave & Dave: GO TO HELL!!!!

E-TRONS OUT.
HEY TRON-how are all these jobs going out the door for currently non-existing work at U?
llast time i looked,we don't do heavy bus checks....
 
nycbusdriver said:
E-TRONS said:
If the Airbus work goes to 3rd party, you will see the mechanic seniority list drop off enormously. I will place a conservative estimate around sen# 1100 and above to even think of remaining employed. And that will be reduced further as they fine tune the operation.

Airbus goes away?? Jobs go away......ALL DEPT's.....period.
I guess I'm confused.

I thought the Airbus heavy maintenance did not yet exist. But your post implies that jobs of current workers will be lost. If the jobs don't yet exist, how can they be lost? Which of the currently employed USAirways mechanics is doing A320 heavy maintenance and will lose their job if it is outsourced?

Does USAirways have a cadre of mechanics sitting around doing nothing right now, just waiting for the A320 heavy maintenance to start up? Are these the mechanics who will lose their jobs? I was under the impression that all the mechanics at USAirways right now are hard-pressed just to get the necessary work done WITHOUT the heavy A320 maintenance.

Please clarify.
Here's some clarification

The concern for added job losses is directly linked to the projected retirement of Boeings we currently have....and do all the work on.

This battle is not about today or tomorrow...it's about Our futures as members in the Mechanic and Related fields.

Should U win the right to outsource the Airbus work....the immediate impact would not be so drastic...it's the projective (Long Term) issues that will idle thousands of current IAM'ers or possibly AMFA members if they come to pass as some desire.

Here's what we stand to lose

(1) Maintenance Inspectors
(2) Lead Mechanics
(3) Mechanics
(4) Planners
(5) Utility
(6) Stores Clerks

Be advised that Non-Union types like "Foremen" in Heavy Maintenance also see thier career disapation lights flashing too....and we are getting quiet support from them as well

WE are currently well under-staffed to perform the work we have at present...In CLT Heavy I have seen manning levels as low as 15 on 3rd shift (weekends)...while performing work on 3 B757's at the time. 15 is barely enough to staff a single check Acft...let alone three of them.

The company has done everything possible to make things impossible in relation to heavy ..and even line maintenance. The issues range from less than adequate staffing...to plain old scrimping on parts procurement...yet the labor side of the coin is always at fault in thier eyes when projected ETR's are not met.

The weekly score cards on maintenance are IMHO a complete train wreck....but considering what we are doing...and what we are attempting to do it with....I'd say we had a banner group of people pulling off miracles....No Thanks to uppermost management!!
 
nycbusdriver said:
E-TRONS said:
If the Airbus work goes to 3rd party, you will see the mechanic seniority list drop off enormously. I will place a conservative estimate around sen# 1100 and above to even think of remaining employed. And that will be reduced further as they fine tune the operation.

Airbus goes away?? Jobs go away......ALL DEPT's.....period.
I guess I'm confused.

I thought the Airbus heavy maintenance did not yet exist. But your post implies that jobs of current workers will be lost. If the jobs don't yet exist, how can they be lost? Which of the currently employed USAirways mechanics is doing A320 heavy maintenance and will lose their job if it is outsourced?

Does USAirways have a cadre of mechanics sitting around doing nothing right now, just waiting for the A320 heavy maintenance to start up? Are these the mechanics who will lose their jobs? I was under the impression that all the mechanics at USAirways right now are hard-pressed just to get the necessary work done WITHOUT the heavy A320 maintenance.

Please clarify.
Hey NYCBUS DRIVER and DELLDUDE:

I cannot believe your rational on this matter.

Newsflash: A330 Heavy Maint is performed in CLT. An Airbus is an Airbus as far as maintenance philosophy and most tooling goes.

A319 / 320 S-cks were performed in CLT using mechanics from the existing Boeing tracks. Track since has gone to PIT.

Managements plan to rationalize the fleet *****All Airbus Fleet....No Boeing***** will cause the eventual loss of all mechanics presently performing the Boeing heavy-cks. How? If all A319/320/321 Airbus work is farmed to 3rd party and we don't have any boeings left that sort of leaves an excess of maint personnel & related on the payroll.....wouldn't you say??

If you dispute this theory maybe you should consult an IAM-AGC for more details. It's not rocket science....just do a little math.

DELLDUDE: You know the drill :p

E-TRONS OUT.