Don’t Expect AMFA or AMFA Organizers to Show at the TWU Debate
January 14, 2004
An open letter to the,
Mechanic and Related Employees at American Airlines..
We write to you today in response to an unsigned letter sent to AMFA’s National Office via fax on December 22nd, 2003 regarding the offer by someone calling themselves, “TEAM TWU†to send a panel of three AA Mechanics that support AMFA to debate at the Renaissance Hotel in Tulsa on January 15th, 2004. Although the letter was faxed to AMFA’s National office, neither O.V. Delle-Femine (National Director) nor any elected official from AMFA National were invited to debate the TWU. And since AMFA was not invited, please do not be fooled into attending a debate expecting AMFA to show. There was no signature on the communication but the letter indicated it was from TWU Local 514/ TEAM TWU. Our attempts to identify “TEAM TWU†turn up empty. The TWU Constitution makes no reference to any structural recognition of this group, and to our knowledge there has never been an election in Tulsa that would identify whom makes up this position or group. We do know however, the TWU Local 514 references the membership of Tulsa Mechanic and Related Workers at American Airlines. Based on the polling conducted by the AMFA Organizers and Supporters in Tulsa, it is clear that TWU Supporters along with AMFA Supporters favor attending a debate between AMFA National and TWU International Representatives. As always, we are responsive to the wishes of the members and therefore, we offered and scheduled the AMFA National Officer vs. TWU International Officer Debate at the Brady Theater on Saturday, January 17th, 2004. Only to have this TEAM TWU to run a subterfuge and try to run cover for the TWU International No Show on Saturday.
AMFA National has a standard policy that any unsigned communications received by their office like the one sent by “TEAM TWUâ€, is undeserving of a response, since this type of communication could be a hoax or a joke, and unless someone is willing to put their name on the correspondence, then they likely are not very serious in their intended communications. However, the importance of this issue is worthy of a diversion from AMFA National’s standard policy and they have now responded. We wish to make it clear that the matter of representational change is no joke. Your livelihood and futures hang in the balance of the decision you will make in the upcoming election. AMFA National’s offer to debate Sonny Hall of the TWU International was a serious attempt to allow the membership of the TWU in Tulsa to see first hand the differences between Craft Unionism versus Industrial Unionism, the structures, and the philosophies, and allow both AMFA National and the TWU International the chance to show the members why each organization feels they could provide better representation for your chosen profession.
The TWU has for months now attacked AMFA by communicating lies, half-truths, fabrications, and personal attacks. AMFA is always willing to defend the AMFA Constitution and the representation currently being provided at eight airlines in the industry. If the TWU International believes they have provided superior representation then why do they fear demonstrating that same confidence by having a structured professional debate with a neutral moderator in front of the membership?
On a local level, our mechanic supporters at American Airlines have proven their superior skills in debating the issues and communicating about AMFA amongst the work group in a mechanic vs. mechanic setting, and that superiority is shown by virtue of the 54% Authorization Cards currently in AMFA National’s possession. This debating by Mechanic vs. Mechanic has taken place for over five years, and now, the TWU wants to hold a similar debate and call it their idea.
On September 12th, 2003 AMFA National Director O.V. Delle-Femine was invited and attended an AMFA informational meeting at the Sheraton Hotel. At that meeting, both Mr. Delle-Femine and AMFA Organizers committed to scheduling a debate between AMFA National and the TWU International. We are men of our word, and that is what we have now offered, with signatures attached to our correspondence demonstrating our seriousness.
The offer still stands today. AMFA National Director and the AMFA National Executive Council Officers plan to be at the Brady Theater on January 17th, 2004. If Sonny Hall and/or Jim Little are not up to the challenge of debating the issues, then AMFA National and your local organizers will be there from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm to answer any questions you may have.
The TWU will attempt to utilize the media and local newspapers to discredit Mechanics at American for not participating in their debate. Once again please do not be fooled by these accusations. We simply do not see what is to be gained by mechanic vs mechanic debate, we believe that the debate must be between AMFA National vs TWU International. We look forward to meeting with you Saturday and Thank you for your patience.
NEW YEAR
NEW UNION
NEW DIRECTION
