j7915 said:
A&P have less legal claim to their work than plumbers or electricians. changing those laws, codes, FARs is what you should be educating your fellow workers on, instead of worrying about the nasty industrial unions. Labor did not become influential until the AFL-CIO stopped fighting turf wars and co-operated. That is why CEOs are members of chambers of commerce, the companies are co-operating and co-ordinating their moves. And they don't waste time pontificating about the Constitution, and bombastic speeches about "sacrifices" made.
Well Local 562 did push the issue of Part 66 which will continue to debase the value of the A&P, as if the TWU with SRPs, OSMs and the transfer of work away from our title has not done enough damage.
Art Luby in order to try and quiet us down inserted language that addresses the issue but does nothing to fix the problem. I cant help but think that this was deliberate on Art Luby's part. Perhaps the plan is to water our classification down to the point that we can never threaten to leave the TWU.
The only reason why our union is going after FAR 145, after a 10 year hiatus, is because even though the TWU can manage to "negotiate" wages far below any American Union, they are not likely to be able to get wages below that of foreign companies. They learned that lesson from ZEBCO.
FAR 145 will cost the union jobs, and that is something they do care about. They could care less if A&P jobs are lost, as long as the job that replaces the A&P job is one that pays dues to the TWU. If you are a liscenced mechanic perhaps the greatest threat to the value of your liscence is Art Luby and the TWU. Over the years they have negotated away more A&P jobs than any union.
So when is the TWU, the union that collects our dues going to try and educate us about the FARs and how important they are to A&P mechanics? They have done nothing for the past 50 years.
Tell us again how the TWU used AFL-CIO affiliation to protect our wages and benefits?
I agree that affiliation is worthwile, but it is not a good substitute for a competant, focused industry specific union.
When there was talk about a Judge abrogating the contracts at UAL I posted that all the airline unions of the TTD should rally behind the workers of UAL and say that if the Judge abrogates their agreement we should all walk out. Jim Little demanded that I retract the statement. So much for AFL-CIO Solidarity. We all knew that once the other carriers forced concessions upon their workers we would be next, yet our leaders did nothing to prevent the carnage. The fact is workers of this industry were sold out. No other industry has been hit as hard, even though most industries are suffering from the same economy. While we gave away everything we see workers in other industries fighting back, striking, telling the bosses NO. What did the TWU do? The company said we want $610 million or else, and our union gave it to them!! Where is the fight? The fact is when it comes to fighting the only fight that the TWU/ATD will engage in is a fight against their own Locals and members.
As you said the companies are co-operating, just like the TWU. "$610 million? And how would you like that Mr. Carty?"
We need a union that will lead us into battle, not tell give us a million reasons why we should just surrender.