They always have. Just think, if only the AMFA had gotten in at AA we wouldn't even be discussing this stuff right now.....
Please fully explain System Protection, have questions?
- Thread starter AA Tulsa Mechanic
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They always have. Just think, if only the AMFA had gotten in at AA we wouldn't even be discussing this stuff right now.....
TWU informer
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- Nov 4, 2003
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Not sure you can prove that.
Yes we would have a democratic union and the ability to vote on international leaders.
But it would take years to salvage the language the TWU has withered, and the industry environment has not been stellar for that type of worker battle.
So although better union, I am not convinced all things would have been corrected by simply voting in the better union. In fact, Northwest proved that doing battle before correcting the language can have devastating outcomes.
If you were able to see all letters of agreement and all language I am sure you would understand more of my point here.
Thomas Paine
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- Sep 4, 2003
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It took the TWU 30 years of undermining the profession in order to do what its done to the profession. Its unreasonable to expect AMFA to undo the damage in one contract or even one decade. Despite the big setback at NWA and what may turn out to be a temporary setback at UAL all mechanics benifited from the gains that AMFA won at NWA.
Anti AMFA pundits like to point to NWA but conviently forget that AMFA members at NWA made top dollar under AMFA till the last day unlike IAM members at EAL and TWU members at Pan Am who granted concession after concession and still lost their jobs.
Although I am frustrated with some of the TWU garbage we have to deal with, I cannot muster up any support for the other union that has been glorified by some. It disgusts me that under AMFA's watch, many jobs were outsourced to third world countries. This practice went unchecked by them and now look where they are - losing UAL. UAL wants to close SFO, but I believe the new representation is finally going to put up a fight on that note. No matter what our gripes are with TWU, we at least have our jobs here in the US and strong bases that aren't going anywhere.
Don't mean to rile anyone up here, but I have a hard time stomaching this kind of crap.
Don't mean to rile anyone up here, but I have a hard time stomaching this kind of crap.
Hopeful
Veteran
- Dec 21, 2002
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Your beloved TWU is a company union that would rather agree to slash wages and benefits to maintain union dues. (Deleted by Moderator: namecalling)
Not every AMFA represented airline outsources...
You forgot to mention AMFA actively attempting to organize the scabs that took the membership's jobs at NWA and transform them into "honorable dues-paying members". I'd guess losing the income from UAL put quite a crimp in the international's style.
I'm beginning to believe that when it's all said and done no so-called "representation" has its membership's best interests in mind while going to the bank with the week's collections. Sure - there are little pissy things a union can do in an attempt to convince people of its sincerity but most of that is BS. Were any union to actually represent its members' interests it would be stepping on the toes of the corporation that tolerates its existence. This goes for the TWU, AMFA, IBT, IAM, or any other so-called representation.
Unfortunately, unions, for what little they accomplish for their respective memberships, are still needed to protect workers from the low quality of management personnel most corporations have chosen to stock their businesses with, but the heyday of the union has ended - with less than 10% of all households being union affiliated they've gone into survival mode and climbed into bed with the many enemies of those who work for wages.
I'm inclined to agree with Wingit88's comments. The state of the economy at present in general and our industry in particular is dubious at best. There are plusses and minuses with all representative groups. He/she is correct you have your jobs and TWU, while far from perfect, is still endeavoring to strike that difficult balance of doing what is right for its members while working with the company to keep it financially healthy.
It's true, there are pluses and minuses to each. Neither AMFA or TWU is perfect by any means. Nor is APFA.
What I can say is that I've seen TWU (and in some circumstances APFA) avoid the combative model that APA has adopted for itself, and look what has happened: we have cooperated enough to where I'm not going to lose my job and many others get an early retirement.
Sometimes I think some people enjoy conflict for its own sake. Whatever bad there is about TWU, at least it's not going to try to force corporate suicide out of spite.
What I can say is that I've seen TWU (and in some circumstances APFA) avoid the combative model that APA has adopted for itself, and look what has happened: we have cooperated enough to where I'm not going to lose my job and many others get an early retirement.
Sometimes I think some people enjoy conflict for its own sake. Whatever bad there is about TWU, at least it's not going to try to force corporate suicide out of spite.
Thomas Paine
Veteran
- Sep 4, 2003
- 583
- 569
Well you left out how the TWU outsourced jobs for decades from mechanics-but they outsourced them to other, lower paid, TWU members. Twenty years later other airlines had to take drastic steps in order to get what the TWU gave American. TWU doesnt care about wages, all they care about is dues.
