Something To Ponder 2

[Checking it Out]

It’s sure nice to be able to walk around the base and see the majority of the Amfa members have taken off their t-shirts. The novelty has worn off and the t-shirt wearers and organizers have come to the conclusion that the majority has made the choice not to sign a card. Of course you will have the die-hards. These individuals will never change. The reason, they feed on hate and discontent. And the membership is tired of the negative comments from the Amfa supporters and has distanced themselves from them.

As I walk around the base, talking with my fellow Brothers and Sisters, the tension has eased and the conversations are getting to be civil! Even some of the organizers are able to have a decent conversation. And you don’t see the organizers hovering around toolboxes feeding off each other’s emotions like you did 6 months ago.

No one is happy with the concessions we took last year, if you read all the news you will see we are not out of the woods and analyst are still predicting some tuff times ahead and even going so far as predicting one or two of the majors will cease to exist. With education and a strong membership we will prevail and look towards a rewarding future with AA. You have a choice; you can either stew over the past or look to the future. The choice is yours!I

asked everyone to review the posts of the past here at usaviation. The track record speaks for it’s self. When I reviewed the threads that were started, it was not pro-Amfa as it was anti-TWU from the individuals who want change. When you started addressing facts with these individuals about Amfa the majority are clueless of what Amfa has done in the industry. They’re asking us to go down a path that even themselves are clueless of the consequences. Amfa is nothing more than an organization that was created 42 years ago by 3 members who were upset and never were able to learn how to represent. In today’s environment it has been proven with several union mergers and layoffs at the airlines that Amfa represent. It’s obvious they lack the ability to negotiate for their members. Don’t be fooled into believing Amfa is the way to go! A one mans dream will be the destruction of us at AA. Just review the track record and you will see what I am talking about!

 

[Checking it Out]

Have a Great Day!

 

[TWU informer]

CIO,

Eating Fig Newtons before bed is what causes these mental issues you are having.

BTW, if two carriers "cease to exist" the supply vs. demand issue will be removed and you will once again suffer years of extra ordinary industry profits while you wait for another TWU concessionary contract to become amendable. Just like the 1995 six year 6.5% pay increase wonderful TWU ride.

How many times do you have be trapped in this same scenario before you seek change?

Where is the snap-back?

 

[twuer]

WORTH REPEATING!!!!! THANKS CIO!!!

asked everyone to review the posts of the past here at usaviation. The track record speaks for it’s self. When I reviewed the threads that were started, it was not pro-Amfa as it was anti-TWU from the individuals who want change. When you started addressing facts with these individuals about Amfa the majority are clueless of what Amfa has done in the industry. They’re asking us to go down a path that even themselves are clueless of the consequences. Amfa is nothing more than an organization that was created 42 years ago by 3 members who were upset and never were able to learn how to represent. In today’s environment it has been proven with several union mergers and layoffs at the airlines that Amfa represent. It’s obvious they lack the ability to negotiate for their members. Don’t be fooled into believing Amfa is the way to go! A one mans dream will be the destruction of us at AA. Just review the track record and you will see what I am talking about!

 

[Bob Owens]

Ponder this, 20 years of concessions. We need a change.

 

[TWU informer]

This is another most interesting thread.

CIO and twuer on the band wagon about "anti-TWU" postings, while not presenting a single solution to our current demise or any pro-TWU reasoning. When you look at the buying power graphic over twenty years, it is clear this is NOT about the current TWU concessions, but the long history of them. We have every right to be anti-TWU and seekers of change.

BECAUSE TWU OBVIOUSLY STANDS FOR WORKER POVERTY ADVOCATES.

The "Craft or Class" and Craft Union Concept is what I believe. And there has yet to be a rebuttal to this idea.

The Concept of “Craft or Classâ€￾

This is Federal Legal concept “Craft or Classâ€￾

In accordance with the Railway Labor Act, the Federal Government has decided that certain work groups have a mutuality of interest at the bargaining table and in advancing worker related issues, and that groups outside of that particular craft or class should have no participation in how the union is run or at least in the initial decision as to who represents that work group. And so Pilots vote with Pilots, and Flight Attendants as matter of law are prohibited from voting with the Pilots. And in turn, the Pilots are prohibited by law from voting with the Flight Attendants because they are considered to be in different Craft or Classes by the National Mediation Board. And Mechanic and Related Workers within the Airline Industry are entitled by law to vote just amongst themselves.

Supporters of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) believe that it comprises our mission to remain associated within a union structure with other crafts or classes that according to Federal Government do NOT share our mutuality of interest. The mission is further compromised when we remain associated with other crafts or classes within the union structure of “majority ruleâ€￾ and our particular craft or class is the minority in size. The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) is the only union in this current debate at American Airlines that says “We will forbid ourselvesâ€￾, it will be unconstitutional for us to go and represent baggage handlers, flight attendants, or passenger service clerks, and we will not let ourselves do that because this would compromise our mission. We wish the baggage handlers and other crafts or classes on the property the very best, but they cannot pick our pockets, we wish them to get the very best on their own, but they should no longer be allowed to ride on our backs. In other words, it is time for the airline industry to decouple the mechanic vs. baggage handler pay and benefit structure. It is suffice to say that since deregulation of the airline industry which since enactment has created enormous competition and pressure on airline ticket pricing, and that has resulted in the craft or class of mechanic and related workers suffering in economic buying power, and especially when compared to the Pilots and Flight Attendants who at American belong to craft specific unions. In the mid 1970’s, the Flight Attendants of American Airlines were also represented by the Transport Workers Union of American (TWU), and just as the mechanics today seek a change to a craft specific union, they also left the TWU in favor of the independent Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) The craft or class of Mechanic and Related at American Airlines can no longer afford to remain in an organization that advocates a linking of different work groups that according to law do not share a mutuality of interest.

Regardless of good or bad economic times, and regardless of whether the union is negotiating concessions to prevent a bankruptcy filing or negotiating from economic growth with corporate profits, the formula by which the economic pie is divided amongst the union membership is a union decision. The recent concessions are a clear case in point, because American Airlines was demanding $620 Million in concessions from the TWU, but how those give backs were divided up was a union decision, not a company decision. And the facts are clear, that the craft or class of Mechanic and Related at American took more than our fair share of that amount, and it is also clear this was a union decision.


AMFA IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR SKILLED TECHNICIANS

 

[Checking it Out]

You know when the TWU members hit the nail on the head! All you see is spam going on, Informer is full of himself and is speechless! Truth hurts!

The membership in Tulsa see thru the bull and if an election ever come, the track record speaks for it self! out of 100 card signers you can figure 50% in Tulsa will vote TWU and 22% will not vote. How many does that remain for Amfa?

Have a Great Day, Get informed and you will see the TWU is the wise choice!

 

[TWU informer]

You know when the TWU members hit the nail on the head! All you see is spam going on, Informer is full of himself and is speechless! Truth hurts!

The membership in Tulsa see thru the bull and if an election ever come, the track record speaks for it self! out of 100 card signers you can figure 50% in Tulsa will vote TWU and 22% will not vote. How many does that remain for Amfa?

Have a Great Day, Get informed and you will see the TWU is the wise choice!

I see you have now gone from "our cards are expiring" and we are desperate to "there is going to be an election", and then claim Tulsa will vote 50% TWU. I hate to break this news to you, but 50% of Tulsa will not carry your worthless union anywhere.

Good Luck pal, when the NMB conducts this election. You are your ilk will not have the Randy McDonald "roll call vote". You are history and you know it! It will be each individual member voting for themselves, in the privacy of their own home. Tulsa only holds all the cards when the dictators at the ATD tells Randy how to cast his "Roll Call Vote". This is going to be mcuh different.

Get ready for true membership control, get ready for AMFA.

 

[Hopeful]

You know when the TWU members hit the nail on the head! All you see is spam going on, Informer is full of himself and is speechless! Truth hurts!

The membership in Tulsa see thru the bull and if an election ever come, the track record speaks for it self! out of 100 card signers you can figure 50% in Tulsa will vote TWU and 22% will not vote. How many does that remain for Amfa?

Have a Great Day, Get informed and you will see the TWU is the wise choice!

March 31, 2003







James C. Little

Administrative Vice President, Air Transport Division

Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO

1791 Hurstview Dr.

Hurst, Texas 76054





Re: Summary of the 2003 Contract changes



This will confirm our understanding reached during the negotiations leading up to the agreement signed on (DOS), 2003. During these negotiations, we discussed many changes intended to achieve sustained long-term financial relief from the current provisions of the TWU labor agreements. This letter is intended to recap the majority of the agreed upon changes. Changes are listed by Title groups: I (Mechanics and Related), II (Facilities, Automotive, Cabin Cleaners, Utility and Building Cleaners), III (Fleet Service), IV (Fuelers), V (Stock Clerks), T/S (Technical Specials), Disp (Dispatch), Metro (Meteorologists), Sim Techs (Simulator Technicians) and Instrs (Ground School and Pilot Instructors).



Pay Related

Effective May 1, 2003:

§ Base wage pay reduction, varying percentages (all groups)

§ Elimination of all longevity pay(I & II)

§ Modified longevity pay, start after 17 years, current rates (III, IV, V,T/S)

§ Reduced Sim Tech Coordinator premium by $.75/hour

§ Reduced Sim Tech Skill pay to $.10/hour

§ Reduced Pilot Simulator Instructors premium to $10.00/month

§ Reduced Ground School/Pilot Simulator Instructors standardization coordinator pay to $150.00/month

§ Reduced Pilot/Simulator Instructors work unit experience premium

§ Modified shift differential to $.01, $.02, $.03 (I, II, III, V, T/S, Sim Techs)

§ Elimination of weekend differential (I, II, V, at AFW, TUL, MCI)

§ Elimination of midnight skill retention premium (Sim Techs)

§ Training pay at straight time for off shift and day off (I, II)

§ Elimination of penalty lunch payment (I, II, III, IV, V)

§ Elimination of OT meal allowance (I, II, III, IV, V, T/S)

§ Penalty hours pay for actual time worked @ 1.5x (I, II, III, IV, V, T/S)

§ Reduce OT rate from 2x to 1.5x (I, II, III, IV, V)

§ Work 40 hrs to reach OT rate for day off overtime (III, V)

§ Elimination of debrief pay (T/S)

§ Elimination of Stock Clerk driver premium

§ Elimination of AMT premiums when displacing OSM employee

§ Elimination of Early Call-In guarantees (I, II, III, IV)

§ Elimination of short turn penalty due to shift bids (Art 21 d) (III, IV)

§ Elimination of CC premium when not working as CC (III,V)







Work Rules/ Other changes and effective dates:

Effective April 15, 2003:

§ Combine Systems/Structures into Generals (Title I)

§ Added 7 day labor loan provision (Bases only)

§ Increased AMT productivity through multiple work assignments/training

§ Holidays reduced from 10 to 5. The five (5) observed holidays will be: New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day (all groups)

o Holidays- 5 days with roll @ 1.5x (I, II, III, IV, V, T/S, Sim Techs)

o Holidays- 5 days (no roll) @ 1.5x (Disp, Metro, Instrs)



Effective May 1, 2003


§ Reduce annual SK accrual to 5 days @ 100% (all except I & II)

§ Reduce annual SK accrual to 5 days, 1st two at 50% (I & II)



Effective May 3, 2003

§ 4/10s at Overhaul docks/TUL, duration of agreement

Effective within sixty (60) days of ratification:

§ Outsource RON/Ultraclean (II/III)

§ One time System protection credit for headcount reductions realized from work rule changes (all groups except Metro)



Effective thirty (30) days from ratification:



§ Reduce uniform provisioning and eliminate laundering (I, II, III, IV, V)

§ Outsource stores function at HDQ (6 Stock Clerks)

§ Relocate 4 Stock Clerks at ORD/GEM to ORD/M & E hanger



Effective as soon as practicable after DOS:

§ Change work schedule to 5 on, 2 off (T/S)

§ Reduced VC accrual one week (all groups)

§ Modify Crew Chief ratios:

AMT- 1:11.5

FSC- 1:9

Fuelers- eliminated ratio

Stores- 1:12

Benefits:

§ Medical & Dental plan modifications (all groups) Effective 1/1/04



§ SLOA Benefit Coverage reduced from 24 to12 months (all groups)

Effective 5/01/03



§ Eliminate STD Plan (all groups) Effective 1/1/04



§ Discontinue subsidized medical benefits RIF’d employees (all groups)

Effective 4/15/03





§ Modify IOD to 10 days (all groups) Effective 5/01/03 with the following transition:



o If the injury was incurred prior to 4/15/03, remaining applicable salary continuation through the end of the month up to the current 80 days

o If the injury is incurred on 4/15/03 or before 4/30/03, salary continuation for 10 days up to the current 80 days

o If the injury is incurred after 5/01/03, salary continuation for 10 days



Sincerely,










James B. Weel

Managing Director

Employee Relations



Agreed to this date:



________________________________

James C Little

Transport Workers Union, AFL-CIO


Attached Image

 

[Bob Owens]

The membership in Tulsa see thru the bull and if an election ever come, the track record speaks for it self! out of 100 card signers you can figure 50% in Tulsa will vote TWU and 22% will not vote. How many does that remain for Amfa?

[

ENOUGH!!!!:up: