Surprise visit!

[Bob Owens]

The pro-labor stance of the democrats is quite helpful to us, but as you say this isn't a single issue election.

My comment was about the typical sell-out of the people for a minority group's gain that we've seen over the last 8 years ('minority' meaning corporate Amerika).

Republicans will continue the sell-out of the people to corporate Amerika; Any Democratic President will do the same; the "proletariat" (The working class) can't afford to/won't support the elite ruling class in the manner to which they've become accustomed.

In these ways, there isn't a dime's worth of difference. Everything else is fluff to give the electorate (us) something to occupy ourselves with in the time leading up to November's election. I would prefer a "None of the Above" box on the ballot. That would be a guaranteed win every time.

Ben Franklin's observation was very astute "Those who would give up essential Liberty for a little temporary safety deserve neither Liberty nor safety". The two major parties have exploited this to the max; one promises "safety" (the ability to strike an employer), but at what cost to the balance of our Liberties? The other would allow the balance of those Liberties but take away the right to strike.

The platforms have been carefully crafted to take advantage of any American's fears. Be aware of this before voting.

If we vote based upon gay rights, prayer in school, intelligent design and abortion then we are not concerned about our paychecks, health benifits, pensions and financial security. I agree that the Repblicans and Democrats are two sides of the same coin but sometimes calling heads or tails does make a difference. We are given a choice by the coin tosser and the results are different, how we vote determines how hard they screw us economically. Its lose or lose big.

 

[iluvaa]

If we vote based upon gay rights, prayer in school, intelligent design and abortion then we are not concerned about our paychecks, health benifits, pensions and financial security. I agree that the Repblicans and Democrats are two sides of the same coin but sometimes calling heads or tails does make a difference. We are given a choice by the coin tosser and the results are different, how we vote determines how hard they screw us economically. Its lose or lose big.

At this point I dont think either party cares a rats behind about any of us, one just pretends a little better. The majority of people I come across are so apithetic they dont really have a clue about either canidate. the monster that is in place now that we call our goverment is pathetic and no where near what the founding fathers had in mind. And what sucks the most is that there are not enough people ready to stand up and take it back.

 

[upsilon]

A vote for McCain is a vote against ever seeing our pay and benifits restored.

Bob, whether the winner is McCain or Obama...I don't believe the former pay and benefits of airline workers (from the cockpit to the ramp and the hangers) will ever be restored to the former comparative levels....just as I do not believe that passengers will ever again experience the perks of airline travel that were a varying standard of the past.

Both were the product of a regulated industry (which could pass on the costs) that is long gone and never coming back. The bottom could fall out of oil prices and competition would cause fares to fall; but I don't see the airlines restoring either the pax perks or the employee pay/benefits.

And I don't see any President or a Congress controlled by either party doing nothing in the case of a general aviation strike. And if AA employees decided to go it alone..... well the country survived the demise of PanAm, Eastern, Braniff, et als. The planes, routes were picked up by others. But what about the employees? Didn't they lose jobs, location, seniority and all that goes with it!

But as one who also lives in NYC, I fully understand the pain of the cuts on those who live in similar high cost areas. But that is another story involving both AA and TWU history.

 

[Boomer]

If we vote based upon gay rights, prayer in school, intelligent design and abortion then we are not concerned about our paychecks, health benifits, pensions and financial security. I agree that the Repblicans and Democrats are two sides of the same coin but sometimes calling heads or tails does make a difference. We are given a choice by the coin tosser and the results are different, how we vote determines how hard they screw us economically. Its lose or lose big.

-------------------------------------

At this point I dont think either party cares a rats behind about any of us, one just pretends a little better. The majority of people I come across are so apithetic they dont really have a clue about either canidate. the monster that is in place now that we call our goverment is pathetic and no where near what the founding fathers had in mind. And what sucks the most is that there are not enough people ready to stand up and take it back.

___________________________

The TWU first embraced and spent our tax dollars on supporting an individual with personal issues which should have precluded that endorsement, without a vote from the membership as to how those dollars were spent.

Unions, generally, now support a law that forces your membership in a union without you being allowed to vote on whether or not you wish to become subject to Union Contract Status while not allowing the decertification or change of Unions on an equal basis. If acceptance of a Union can be made from the simple signing of card, then decertifying and/or changing Unions should be held to that same standard. The problem is that we know the investigation into the signatures on the cards will become ever more political in favor of the local status quo.

In fact, since the DNC was elected to majorities in both Houses in 2006, no one has attempted to revise the BK Code Sect. 1113 to specifically permit Unions covered by the RLA to engage in self-help given imposition of an air-carriers last best offer.

The answers, writ large and small, are not in the centralization of authority but in the continued change towards democratically chosen votes on the smallest individual level WITH the equal requirement for full disclosure to the membership with resepect to any issue concerning the wages, hours of work and working conditions of those affected. Trust the people, when given ALL the pertinent information, to make the right choice.

Sadly, the TWU, AA and both political parties are headed further from transparency and informed consent.

 

[Bob Owens]

Sadly, the TWU, AA and both political parties are headed further from transparency and informed consent.

Here, here, I dont think anyone could dispute that.
Any takers out there?

That said who wants to send their sons and daughters 6000 miles away so we can force "our way" on others?

 

[Boomer]

Bob, whether the winner is McCain or Obama...I don't believe the former pay and benefits of airline workers (from the cockpit to the ramp and the hangers) will ever be restored to the former comparative levels....just as I do not believe that passengers will ever again experience the perks of airline travel that were a varying standard of the past.

Both were the product of a regulated industry (which could pass on the costs) that is long gone and never coming back. The bottom could fall out of oil prices and competition would cause fares to fall; but I don't see the airlines restoring either the pax perks or the employee pay/benefits.

And I don't see any President or a Congress controlled by either party doing nothing in the case of a general aviation strike. And if AA employees decided to go it alone..... well the country survived the demise of PanAm, Eastern, Braniff, et als. The planes, routes were picked up by others. But what about the employees? Didn't they lose jobs, location, seniority and all that goes with it!

But as one who also lives in NYC, I fully understand the pain of the cuts on those who live in similar high cost areas. But that is another story involving both AA and TWU history.

UPSILON,

The only thing deregulated by the ADA of 1978 was Employee Wages.

Ownership, Senior Level Managment, Operations Plans, Staffing, Employment, Airfield Access, Suppliers, Investments O, By and Into the Prospective Air Carrier, Prospective Routes and Route Authorities, Selected Access Into Slot Controlled Airspace, Maintenance Policy and Procedures are all subject to a myriad of Governmental and Political Approvals which may or not be granted on an enterprise or individual basis without cause or resort.

While the airlines can bypass the RLA Status Quo Provisions through the BK Code, Union Employees have no such regulatory relief to self-help.

While the airlines can continue to sell tickets at the same time filing for BK Protection, the customers have no relief for the failure to deliver the service purchased.

While the airlines can continue to sell tickets for flights already booked full, the passenger denied boarding is prevented from recovery of any economic loss suffered by that denial.

While the airlines can schedule service into markets which do not have the capacity to handle the capacity requested, the customers cannot recover economic damages for the failure to reasonably schedule services.

While the airlines are freely granted slots at airspace owned by the US Taxpayer, but restricted by the ability to accomodate all of the requested schedules from the air carriers: those same air carriers are able to trade/sell/lease those same freely granted slots to others in the industry with no payback to the taxpayer.

I could go on and on, but, I hope you agree that the US Air Carrier industry is anything but degregulated.

 

[ReadyNow]

Can anyone who was present for Obama's town hall at MCI comment on how it went?

 

[MCI transplant]

Can anyone who was present for Obama's town hall at MCI comment on how it went?

<_< ------- Don't know! I wasn't on the Unions "preferred list" to get a ticket to go! :unsure: