Twu, Afl-cio Continue To Lead

[Checking it Out]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Emilie Karrick

February 27, 2004 202.842.3100 or 202.253.7298



TWU, AFL-CIO CONTINUE TO LEAD FIGHT FOR SECURITY AT OVERSEAS REPAIR FACILITIES

TWU Mechanic and AFL-CIO TTD Officials Testify at TSA Hearing



ARLINGTON, VA – Gerald Zerm, a Chicago-based American Airlines aircraft mechanic, understands just how important it is for U.S. commercial aircraft to be repaired in the most secure conditions. Unfortunately, these conditions are not guaranteed when U.S. aircraft are sent overseas for maintenance – a trend that is becoming increasingly popular among U.S. airlines.



Speaking on behalf of the more than 20,000 workers involved in aircraft maintenance at American Airlines who are represented by the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU), Zerm appeared today at a hearing of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to address not only the safety implications of this issue but also the economic implications. Zerm was joined by Roger Tauss of the Transport Workers Union and Edward Wytkind, director of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department – leaders in the fight to ensure that double standards do not exist between domestic and overseas repair stations.



“The bottom line at this juncture is that the U.S. aviation maintenance workforce and its employers are now subject to rigorous security oversight,â€￾ Zerm said. “This oversight is designed to protect the general public, but it won’t work if airlines can bypass security oversight by simply moving maintenance to foreign bases. I am concerned that for our members, we cannot compete on an level playing field with foreign vendors that are given the competitive advantage of bypassing costly background checks and security regulations, placing the public at greater risk.â€￾



The TSA held this hearing today in Arlington order to begin the process of setting up a new regulation for security at the approximately 650 foreign repair facilities and the 4,500 domestic aircraft repair stations.



The TWU and the AFL-CIO have been leading the fight to increase security at both foreign repair stations and third-party domestic sites, particularly since 9-11. Current discrepancies in security regulations not only open the window for terrorists intent on sabotaging U.S. aircraft but they also allow the airline industry to outsource more American jobs by giving overseas and some third-party domestic stations a free pass from costly regulations, according to Zerm.

 

[PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH]

The TWU and AFL-CIO have been claiming that they are fighting against foreign repair stations. They claimed this 10 years ago and nothing has changed even while CLINTON was in office. Until the aircraft mechanics in this country all get together under AMFA and do a massive walkout, will this problem of foreign "CHOP SHOPS" be taken care of. The TWU and the AFL-CIO have no power in Washington,D.C. They couldn't stop NAFTA and now their putting money into the campaign of KERRY who voted for NAFTA and for the special trade deals with China,that have cost millions of American's their jobs!

 

[Checking it Out]

We'll Schedule You for Last Week Remember when Superman used to go back in time by flying faster than the spinning Earth? Well, some labor union folks thought they'd have to call on him in order to speak at today's Transportation Security Administration public meeting on preventing terrorists from sabotaging airplanes under repair. The TSA's announcement of the meeting was published in the Feb. 24 Federal Register. "Anyone wishing to present an oral statement at the meeting," the item said, "should provide a written request to TSA no later than Feb. 20." Hmm . . . The airline unions, which have been agitating for years on this issue, and pushing it with TSA especially since 9/11, were most unhappy. (They oppose the airlines' increased outsourcing of maintenance jobs overseas -- to places like Singapore, Brazil, the Dominican Republic -- not only for international aircraft but even for planes on purely domestic routes.) Before you allow U.S. companies to have maintenance facilities overseas, AFL-CIO transportation trades department chief Edward Witkind said yesterday, "you need to make sure you have security and safety procedures in place similar to those here." The unions became even more upset when they found that the airlines and industry groups apparently had received e-mail announcements before the Feb. 20 deadline. After some phone calls, TSA put the union on the meeting schedule. Hey, "it's a public meeting," a TSA spokeswoman said. "Anyone can show up and speak. We extended the deadline [for sign-ups] so that anyone who wanted to appear would have an opportunity to do so. It's important to TSA that everyone has an opportunity to be heard." Well, the union's not particularly happy about having to scramble to arrange for real mechanics to come and testify. Those guys have day jobs in other parts of the country.

 

[Buck]

Ok what are the unions going to do about this?

Why would it be a problem for any union to have mechanics appear before this committee? Could the union not authorize UB for them?

 

[Bob Owens]

How much you want to bet that Gerry Zerm has filled out an AMFA card?

 

[Checking it Out]

You know, why has Amfa wannabes declined to comment about this issue? They have more to gain from this topic than most! But yet can't answer the issue. You have to wonder, if they are so ill informed on this subject, you can imagine how they will represent you if they were ever to get in!

 

[TWU informer]

You know, why has Amfa wannabes declined to comment about this issue? They have more to gain from this topic than most! But yet can't answer the issue. You have to wonder, if they are so ill informed on this subject, you can imagine how they will represent you if they were ever to get in!

I think you should consider how many jobs you really save by requesting oversight and security at foreign repair stations.

Although a needed regulation. How many jobs do you save by sending work overseas and then demanding oversight?

Seems to me that you would be more interested in STOPPING the work from going overseas, rather than "fighting" for security to keep them in business.

Remeber, you are in competition with very cheap labor and zero work rule restrictions.

Lobbying for oversight is not going to gain anything except larger Government. And that will equal nothing more than another paycut via taxation to pay for those jobs. You will still have foreign repair stations doing domestic carrier work. I wonder sometimes what the industrial union agenda really is.

 

[TWU informer]

How much you want to bet that Gerry Zerm has filled out an AMFA card?

Anyone who accepts this bet with Bob will surely lose.

 

[TonyB]

TWU LIES! :down: :down:

 

[TonyB]

The TRUTH!

 

[twuer]

Anyone who accepts this bet with Bob will surely lose.

Okay, I accept. Now what are you gonna do?? Prove to me that Jerry Zerm has filled out an amfa card and then prove to me that Jerry Zerm supports amfa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Go on, prove it!!

Jerry is a staunch TWU supporter. NO doubt about that. Think I will give ole Jerry a call and have him straighten Bobby out!!! You need straightening out too Informer??

You guys are a joke!!! Try another angle will you??!!
ff: ff:

 

[j7915]

I think you should consider how many jobs you really save by requesting oversight and security at foreign repair stations.

Although a needed regulation. How many jobs do you save by sending work overseas and then demanding oversight?

Seems to me that you would be more interested in STOPPING the work from going overseas, rather than "fighting" for security to keep them in business.

Remeber, you are in competition with very cheap labor and zero work rule restrictions.

Lobbying for oversight is not going to gain anything except larger Government. And that will equal nothing more than another paycut via taxation to pay for those jobs. You will still have foreign repair stations doing domestic carrier work. I wonder sometimes what the industrial union agenda really is.

TWU Informer, are you implying that the AFL-CIO, TWU and IAM are sending jobs overseas? Your sentence sure reads that way.

I think you need to consider that the direct approach, i. e. fighting overseas maintenance directly may not be the most effective. It will not impress congress or their constituents. It comes across as trying to raise cost and saving "high paid union" work.

Concentrating on the very real concerns of security and safety, will make overseas maintenance more expensive, reduce the cost differential and also get support from the folks back home. It will also bring home to the aircraft operators that they are leagally responsible for the safe operation of their aircraft. How successful do you think would be a liability suit against a foreign repair station in a foreign country? Even the reduced cost may not justify the added liability they can't sluff off or share with a US based overhaul shop.

Stopping work outsourcing because of cost is a no win situation with this administration. Stress security and they will be all for keeping work at home.

 

[James T. Kirk]

Try another lie Tonyb. yours is from June 18, 2001, check the date on this one January 29, 2004. This is a ten year contract not a four year contract.




Contact: Mark P. Sullivan 860-565-9600Internet www.pw.utc.com Pratt & Whitney Awarded $2 Billion United Airlines Fleet Management ProgramEAST HARTFORD, Conn., January 29, 2004 --- United Airlines has awarded Pratt & Whitney a 10-year Fleet Management Program for the airline’s fleet of V2500-A5 engines. The Fleet Management Program with United Airlines is the largest aftermarket agreement in Pratt & Whitney history and has an estimated value of more than $2 billion USD. The 10-year agreement includes two five-year options and covers over 300 installed and spare engines that power United Airlines’ Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft. Pratt & Whitney will provide maintenance services at its Columbus Engine Center in Columbus, Georgia. “We are extremely pleased that United Airlines has chosen Pratt & Whitney to support its V2500-powered Airbus fleet,†said Pratt & Whitney President Louis R. Chênevert. “United Airlines and Pratt & Whitney have had a long and rewarding relationship for more than a half century and this fleet management program agreement demonstrates the success of that business partnership. We believe the Columbus Engine Center’s world-class competitive turnaround times and high quality maintenance services were key factors in the award of this agreement and we look forward to helping United Airlines create value with their V2500 maintenance.†“This agreement represents another important step forward in United’s restructuring efforts, and Pratt & Whitney’s commitment sends a strong message of their confidence in our turnaround plan,†said Rick Poulton, United’s senior vice president and chief procurement officer. “We are delighted with the cooperation between United and Pratt & Whitney in reaching a deal that both drives significant cost savings and reinforces United’s highest standards of quality and safety in engine maintenance.†The Columbus Engine Center is part of the Pratt & Whitney Aftermarket Services network, which offers overhaul and repair services at nearly 30 locations around the world. Columbus is a dedicated V2500 shop providing total maintenance and engine overhaul services. The V2500 engines are manufactured by International Aero Engines, an international consortium in which Pratt & Whitney is a lead partner with Rolls-Royce. The other partners are Japanese Aero Engines and MTU Aero Engines. Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Company (NYSE:UTX), is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. © 2003, United Technologies Corp. -- Pratt & Whitney

 

[Checking it Out]

TWU Informer you are so ill informed, do people actually believe what you say?


For your Information, Amfa was present at the hearings! Sat in the back next to the door! Did not utter a word and had no interest in speaking on the AMT's behalf at NW or United! What a joke you are!

 

[TWU informer]

TWU Informer you are so ill informed, do people actually believe what you say?


For your Information, Amfa was present at the hearings! Sat in the back next to the door! Did not utter a word and had no interest in speaking on the AMT's behalf at NW or United! What a joke you are!

"AMFA" was "next to the door"?

Who is "AMFA"?

Must have been a damn big room, because "WE" are AMFA and the boogie man is coming to get you!