Outsider's look at AA labor issues

[jimntx]

For those of you who don't know...Cranky flyer is a guy who loves airplanes and airlines and has a blog where he writes articles about both. Most often his columns are about in-flight experience on various routes and airplanes. His articles are refreshingly objective. He's not out to stab anybody in the back. Here is his look at the AA labor situation. I would like to know what all of you think about this article.

https://crankyflier.com/2019/07/29/scope-the-key-to-americans-unsolvable-labor-problem/

 

[dfw gen]

There is a lot of truth to the article. What is unsaid from the maintenance membership point of view is:
The association was forced on the membership without a vote that was promised to the larger group. The twu. This from the inception has caused a lot of mistrust and accusations. Coupled with trying to integrate two union work forces with different ways of doing things making it even harder.
The company making promises they dont appear to be keeping. There are clear perceptions that the company is deliberately slowing things down. To be fair the association is having their own problems getting on the same page. In fact both unions regardless of membership have equal represetation and veto powers. the incentive for an agreement from the iam is not as strong as it is for the twu. Where the iam has a decent contract the twu is still working under a bankruptcy contract.
The company insists on implementing the usair maintenance systen which quite frankly 2/3 rds of the maintenace orginization is not used to and has problems understanding. Its not very well conceived and implemented. But its to far into it now to turn back so we just flounder along.
Is there a coordinated slow down? Quite frankly no. To be honest we have enough trouble and differences to get on the same page for negotiations or any other subject. What WE DO HAVE is a lot of frustration, jealously, envy and mistrust in the assiciation the company and management. Thats leading to serious moral issues and a basic they dont care why should we? If they wont go out of the way to get things done why should we?
Out of service airplanes? Thats a company issus, parts,coordination of depts and work loads and a miantenance program designed for a regional airline implemented on a major carrier.
Its a mess aa has missed many opportunities to fix or actually manage itself. They passed. Don carty and the special 50 was a good example of management crying but not sacrificing it self. If parker came in and actually did what they said and after the association got their **** together and negotiated a fair contract we would be a different airline. Today again we dont know who or what to believe from the company management, the associstion, the iam or the twu. And we just flounder with no direction as the downward spiral continues. As illustraed by the stock price, performance and customer complaints

 

[dfw gen]

At this point its happy happy joy joy and a lot of emperors with no clothes rumning around...

 

[swamt]

Glad you brought up what was missing from the CF article. Also missing and very, if not extremely relevant is there was no mention about the TRO from the judge and the fact that everyone is waiting (some time this week) to hear his final ruling and/or fines given. And all this is after a month long pause by the judge. Possibly to look further into the accusations of an actual slow down. Pretty hard to prove a slow down as long as they are legit write ups. A mechanic simply writes up up what he sees or finds when performing his maint. inspection duties. Then notifies MC and they make the call to ground or not.
Will be interesting when we hear from this judge soon. Maybe another boost in order to get a deal done will come out of it.

 

[NYer]

Glad you brought up what was missing from the CF article. Also missing and very, if not extremely relevant is there was no mention about the TRO from the judge and the fact that everyone is waiting (some time this week) to hear his final ruling and/or fines given. And all this is after a month long pause by the judge. Possibly to look further into the accusations of an actual slow down. Pretty hard to prove a slow down as long as they are legit write ups. A mechanic simply writes up up what he sees or finds when performing his maint. inspection duties. Then notifies MC and they make the call to ground or not.
Will be interesting when we hear from this judge soon. Maybe another boost in order to get a deal done will come out of it.

The month waiting has nothing to do with "looking" into anything. The Judge gave birth parties time to submit their post hearing briefs before his decision would be released. The injunction will come.

Reading the actual submissions and the counter argument, the case was made with little to no counter argument to point towards the delays being because of mismanagement.

 

[NYer]

And we just flounder with no direction as the downward spiral continues. As illustraed by the stock price, performance and customer complaints

Funny. When the airline was in dire straits and headed to a bankruptcy, everyone said it was a fake loss and just being used to scare us to take a deal. They filed for BK.

Now, they're making more money than they ever have. Making profits for a longer consecutive streak of years, yet they're in a downward spiral?

Amazing how we work so hard to try and make the arguments for what we want them to be rather than what they actual are.

 

[NYer]

For those of you who don't know...Cranky flyer is a guy who loves airplanes and airlines and has a blog where he writes articles about both. Most often his columns are about in-flight experience on various routes and airplanes. His articles are refreshingly objective. He's not out to stab anybody in the back. Here is his look at the AA labor situation. I would like to know what all of you think about this article.

https://crankyflier.com/2019/07/29/scope-the-key-to-americans-unsolvable-labor-problem/

Unfortunately, instead of taking an outside perspective and use it to try and modify our position to try and gain support, we just tell ourselves EVERYONE around us is wrong.

That's why we don't progress. We actually push away trying to get support by alienating the very people we should be courting, like the public.

Why don't all the airline unions get together and really their Members to push for changes to the RLA, Which is the true hindrance. Instead we spend 30 years trying to get rid of the CEO's.

 

[dfw gen]

Unfortunately, instead of taking an outside perspective and use it to try and modify our position to try and gain support, we just tell ourselves EVERYONE around us is wrong.

That's why we don't progress. We actually push away trying to get support by alienating the very people we should be courting, like the public.

Why don't all the airline unions get together and really their Members to push for changes to the RLA, Which is the true hindrance. Instead we spend 30 years trying to get rid of the CEO's.

Thats a very good point. Instead our representation is more concerned with self preservation then progression.
I.e. the association...

 

[dfw gen]

The month waiting has nothing to do with "looking" into anything. The Judge gave birth parties time to submit their post hearing briefs before his decision would be released. The injunction will come.

Reading the actual submissions and the counter argument, the case was made with little to no counter argument to point towards the delays being because of mismanagement.

Thats interesting. Admitting that i have not read the counter argument, i would imagine the membership is being blamed. In the interest of self preservation.

 

[1AA]

I believe outsiders just care about price and scheduling. Labor issues are always internal and field related.
The only time the outsiders are concerned about internal labor issues is when they see us at the airport terminals picketing and handing out literature. They ask the same questions. Are you on strike? When are you going on strike? I need to know so I can change my travel plans. Unless it directly affects them they don't care much. How many know about the upcoming strike by British Airways? Watch what happens tomorrow or the next day.
Oh, I didn't know. Why are they on strike? Will I miss my flight today? And so on. We insider's know what's happening. The public doesn't unless it hits them head on.

 

[1AA]

Thats a very good point. Instead our representation is more concerned with self preservation then progression.
I.e. the association...

$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Rogallo]

Thats a very good point. Instead our representation is more concerned with self preservation then progression.
I.e. the association...

IGM

 

[dfw gen]

Unfortunately, instead of taking an outside perspective and use it to try and modify our position to try and gain support, we just tell ourselves EVERYONE around us is wrong.

That's why we don't progress. We actually push away trying to get support by alienating the very people we should be courting, like the public.

Why don't all the airline unions get together and really their Members to push for changes to the RLA, Which is the true hindrance. Instead we spend 30 years trying to get rid of the CEO's.

You would have to ask the iam why they sat out the protests to help educate the public. While your at it can you ask them why the didnt stand shoulder to shoulder at the quarterly aa meetings? Might have a little to do with us being in the position we are today.

 

[NYer]

Thats a very good point. Instead our representation is more concerned with self preservation then progression.
I.e. the association...

The Members and Locals gravitated to the tough guys believing it's what was needed to get what they want.

If these actions are what Members look towards it is what potential leaders will give them, whether it is effective or not.

We, as a membership, do not value the truth or the facts. We scapegoat and blame looking for those that will echo what we want to hear. Therefore we're not lead, we're patronized.

 

[NYer]

You would have to ask the iam why they sat out the protests to help educate the public. While your at it can you ask them why the didnt stand shoulder to shoulder at the quarterly aa meetings? Might have a little to do with us being in the position we are today.

Very doubtful. Our position today is related to the Railway Labor Act and the handcuffs that places on the parties. If the IAM failed to exist tomorrow it would actually make this process take longer.

The fact is, the airline prefers IAM language and that's their baseline. If it was a standalone TWU there is zero chance we'd after to most of the IAM language. That being the case, many of the current TA's would still be open items leaving us further behind than our current position.

We always seem to focus on the wrong things. In this case the delays are supposedly because of the Association. It isn't.