TWU plans Media Blitz

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Jul 23, 2008
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Union blasts American Airlines in newspaper ads
Wednesday August 27, 8:43 pm ET
By David Koenig, AP Business Writer
Union representing American Airlines mechanics blasts company in newspaper ads

DALLAS (AP) -- Newspaper readers in three cities, including the hometown of American Airlines, will get a glimpse Thursday into the rising tension between labor and management at the nation's biggest carrier.

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The Transport Workers Union, the airline's biggest labor group and the one seen as most friendly toward management, took out advertisements to blame company leaders for the lack of a new labor contract.

And, picking open an old sore, the union criticized American for giving stock-based compensation to executives while thousands of rank-and-file workers face layoffs.

The company says the payments totaling more than $250 million over the last three years to several hundred managers are part of their compensation and are not bonuses.

The union says in the ad that Fort Worth-based American's "unwillingness" to give incentive pay to ground workers "while lining the pockets of executives is tearing a once-proud airline apart."

The ads were scheduled to run in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Chicago Sun-Times and Tulsa (Okla.) World, union officials said.

A spokeswoman for the airline, Tami McLallen, said it was "disappointing that the TWU has taken this approach to the current contract negotiations."

McLallen said the airline has negotiated fairly. In May, the company offered lump-sum payments of 5 percent of salary upon signing and 3.5 percent a year later, but TWU rejected the deal. Efforts to strike short-term agreements have failed.

"These are indeed difficult days for airlines, yet American's employees are among the best compensated in the industry," McLallen said. "Forging an agreement that meets their needs and keeps American competitive is in the long-term best interests of American and all of its employees."

The ground workers began negotiations on a new contract last year with the goal of recovering from pay cuts averaging nearly 18 percent that they accepted in 2003, when American was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Union President James C. Little said the union has lowered its expectations, aware that high jet fuel prices are hurting American -- parent AMR Corp. lost nearly $1.8 billion in the first half of this year, and American plans to cut 8 percent of its work force, or about 6,800 jobs.

"Our negotiating committee has been pretty realistic in assessing the condition of the industry," Little said. "We're looking for a reasonable contract with a reasonable return, and a chance to build on that as the industry goes forward, hopefully for the better."

The Transport Workers' highly visible attack on American's leadership is notable because since 2003, the group has been less militant toward management than have the pilots' and flight attendants' unions.

TWU agreed to productivity increases at maintenance facilities that cut costs but also helped American bid for work on planes owned by other airlines. Little said his union has contributed $5 billion in lower costs, including the 2003 wage and benefit concessions, and new revenue from third-party work.

"We wanted to be able to share in that partnership," he said.

American says it outsources only 11 percent of its maintenance compared with 35 to 75 percent at rivals including Delta, United, Continental and Northwest.
 
Jimmy's "fed up" or sh!tin his pants?

First his boys in 501 were routed, then a few weeks ago 565 saw a regime change, 561 removed their President and next is Local 562. The TWU has to put on a show or Schalk and Owens may be back and one by one the other local incumbants will fall and be replaced by more militant leaders.

So they put a few angry words in the paper so the negotiators can say "See, we arent lapdogs".

Then they will come back with concessions.

Anybody remember Jim Littles last "media blitz"? A picture of an MD80 taking off. Wow, that must have really pressured the company to cough up a few more bucks!

They even minimized our cuts which were closer to 25% when everything is factored in. But then again the International AA pay was probably only cut by 18%.
 
The pilots and APFA ran these negative campaigns and now they have great new contracts with huge raises. Oh, wait.... just what does TWU expect to accomplish with this?
 
The TWU is upset? They have played along since day one allowing dozens of changes in our contract after negotiations and supported the company every step of the way and now they feel sleighted. Like we have not felt sleighted by the TWU over the years! I would feel much better about this new found position by the TWU if I believed that there was a purpose behind. On the surface I feel it is nothing but some hot air to satisfy the membership that they are fighting for us. My prediction is that this will fade and a contract is imminent.
But with that said, I have to say it is a good article anyway.
 
And, in the interest of fairness, here is American's complete response to the ad:

"It is disappointing that the TWU has taken this approach to the current contract negotiations. We want a fair deal for all of our employees and we believe that our recent short term, comprehensive proposal is evidence of our commitment to get a deal done with the TWU. Although the TWU did not accept our offer, we remain just as committed to working hard to reach an agreement. Historically, contract negotiations can be a lengthy process, however we have made progress since opening talks in November and continue to meet regularly with the TWU negotiating teams.

"These are, indeed, difficult days for airlines yet American's employees are among the best compensated in the industry. Forging an agreement that meets their needs and keeps American competitive is in the long-term best interests of American and all of its employees. We believe we'll be able to find the best solution by rolling up our sleeves and talking realistically about how to balance the needs and priorities of our TWU-represented employees with the competitive pressures we face. We look forward to working with all of our unions to meet that goal."
 
My favorite part of the article:

TWU agreed to productivity increases at maintenance facilities that cut costs but also helped American bid for work on planes owned by other airlines. Little said his union has contributed $5 billion in lower costs, including the 2003 wage and benefit concessions, and new revenue from third-party work.

"We wanted to be able to share in that partnership," he said.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080827/american_ai...labor.html?.v=1

Then perhaps you should have negotiated a piece of that "partnership" in 2003, fool.

Does anyone really believe the $5 billion number being bandied about by this idiot? $3 billion in wage concessions, yes. $2 billion in other lower costs and/or third party revenue? Someone should drug test Little.
 
My favorite part of the article:



http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080827/american_ai...labor.html?.v=1

Then perhaps you should have negotiated a piece of that "partnership" in 2003, fool.

Does anyone really believe the $5 billion number being bandied about by this idiot? $3 billion in wage concessions, yes. $2 billion in other lower costs and/or third party revenue? Someone should drug test Little.

Drug test the appointed "leader of the Transport Workers' Union? Surely you jest (I did not call you Shirley).

Little Jimmy couldn't possibly tell a lie or say something designed to mislead the membership, nor would any of the appointed International union staff (down the hall and to the right if you get sick).

Just to show our hearts are in the right place, let's have an election for the International positions to show the faith we have in these people. I'm sure they'll be overwhelmingly reelected to their positions - aren't you? (just like Jesus road a bicycle).

As far as the TWU being upset - the only reason anything would be said at all is because heat is being applied to Little from somewhere - whatever is said (by the TWU anyway) no doubt has been approved by the company.
 
The pilots and APFA ran these negative campaigns and now they have great new contracts with huge raises. Oh, wait.... just what does TWU expect to accomplish with this?

Maybe they just want to put the lie to all you guys who keep referring to the TWU leadership as company lapdogs. A newspaper ad will show you. So there. :lol:
 
Moderator Note: Merged the Company response thread with this one. No need for separate threads--same topic. Thanks.
 
Amazing Representation Continues

The TWU pays out to have advertisements in the newspapers complaining that the "partnership" is not paying off for the membership.

Yet no mention of a complete pullout of the process that is unfair.

Management must be laughing at us all the way to the bank.

Why does leadership continue in a voluntary partnership that they spend so much money on complaining about how unfair the outcome is?

How does the membership know it has been unfair?

We have not been allowed to see the company response, much less even a copy of the union proposals being passed around.

Just because Jim Little says it in the newspaper doesn't make it true.

Secret Negotiations with Media Adverttisements. What the Hell Kind of Labor Negotiations is that anyway?
 
Here is the ad.

Weak.

Doesnt even mention the fact that we gave up 25% of or pay five years ago and have only seen 1.5% adjustments that dont even keep up with inflation since.
 
Here is the ad.

Weak.

Doesnt even mention the fact that we gave up 25% of or pay five years ago and have only seen 1.5% adjustments that dont even keep up with inflation since.

Bob, I'll give you odds the ad was company-approved - intentionally weak as you point out.

It would seem as though the pilots are softening their rhetoric a tad by buying into a "joint" announcement like this. I find it rather amusing as we were told by our shop steward the word had come from "up above" that we weren't going to help the pilots some time ago. I wonder what changed since then?
 
Bob, I'll give you odds the ad was company-approved - intentionally weak as you point out.

It would seem as thought the pilots are softening their rhetoric a tad by buying into a "joint" announcement like this. I find it rather amusing as we were told by our shop steward the word had come from "up above" that we weren't going to help the pilots some time ago. I wonder what changed since then?
What changed is the Locals are changing their leadership.

The lack of action, long unproductive negotiations and censorship of any real detailed info about the contract is making the membership more radical. The International and the company was banking instead that the membership would be getting more frightened by the price of oil and the announcement of lay offs. They are not, and those who have stayed Loyal to the International, and betrayed their members are being removed by their members. A year from now Little will be facing a Convention.

Little could care less about us but if he is terrified about the Convention. If the AA-ATD system is against him, and he fails to deliver the restitution of dues checkoff to Local 100 before October of 2009 he could be removed. Staying in office and collecting his $200k is all thet he cares about. Little wants to put out just enough to keep his lackeys in power but not enough to upset the company. He was hoping that we would pass a concessionary deal then do his typical "dont blame the International, your negotiating committee agreed to this" or "you guys voted it in"speal.

To an outsider it just looks like a whine, totally unconvincing and completely unthreatening. They would ask themselves "what risk did the workers take" sure, maybe, they helped bring in more revenue, but it really doesnt eleborate on the tremendous sacrifices we made, which dwarfed the additional revenue. Perhaps thats why the ad never even mentions the massive paycuts we took.

In keeping with Little's typical hypocrisy the ad makes clear that the TWU has no intentions of keeping its word to its members of "getting it all back" like Little promised when he signed it all away.