TWU Update -- Agreement!!!

Can''t wait to see what NH Blackbears has to say about this. My prediction is that he will think that his "weak" union has caved, but at the eleventh hour the savior APFA will come out with a NO vote to this very well thought out comprimise.

Let the backlash begin!

I sure hope AA can right the ship. There is just too much history here to let go by the wayside.
Peace
 
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On 4/24/2003 5:32:25 PM RV4 wrote:



Dictators make a ruling without membership involvement.

WE ARE SCREWED!

The SUPREME AUTHORITY has spoken!

GO AMFA NOW!


----------------​

Don''t be so quick to give AMFA the same reverence as the second coming of Christ. They screwed Alaska Airlines'' mechanics and fleet service people.

How? The company proposed a contract that would give them a two year deal, with a 3% raise each year.

AMFA said "No, we''ll take our chances in arbitration."

The arbiter came back with a two year deal...with just a 2% raise for fleet service per year, and just a 2.5% raise for mechanics per year.

In other words, AMFA''s stubbornness cost their membership at Alaska Airlines a LOT of money over the next two years.
 
Imagolfer;

Using YOUR WORDS;
At the eleventh hour, the "SAVIOR APFA, will come out with a no vote.

Question,
Do you have a PROBLEM with APFA ???????
(Excuse me, "SAVIOR APFA" ???????????

Do I think "little jim" caved in ??
Your "GD" right I do . I got my new 6 year "contract" shortened from 6 years, to 5 years.
Don''t bore me with details about "POSSIBLE" early openers.

I got to tell you, "Imagolfer", your a perfect example of the old saying, "One mans ceiling, is another man''s FLOOR"
!!
I''m glad I predicted that of AA''s(so called unions), ONLY the REAL UNION WOULD VOTE THIS "POS" down. -- APFA !!!

NH/BB''s
 
April 24, 2003

To: All Local Presidents and Members

Dear Sisters & Brothers,

Last week, the press revealed that the Company had failed to inform the three Unions which had ratified concession agreements in order to avoid a bankruptcy about the payment of special retention bonuses and the funding of a supplemental retirement plan for certain executives. As the New York Times observed yesterday, None of these perks were revealed in negotiations. Moreover, it appeared that American had delayed the 10K filing by two weeks to keep the plan secret.

Because of what we regarded as a serious breach of the Company''s duty to disclose relevant information, on April 21, 2003, I announced my intent to revote all ratified agreements. I stated that
intent with grave misgivings because of my concern that such a revote could lead to a bankruptcy and a bankruptcy will inevitably and without question result in far greater job loss among our membership as well as reduced wages, benefits and pensions, assuming the Company survived at all. However, all of us were of the view that the Company''s reprehensible conduct required a significant response. Based on similar considerations, the APA and APFA either scheduled re-votes or declined to sign the agreement.

On April 23, 2003, Congressmen Martin Frost, Joe Barton, Mike Burgess, and Pete Sessions convened a meeting with the Company and the leaders of all three Unions. The purpose of the meetings was to examine whether the agreements could be salvaged so as to avoid a bankruptcy if at all possible. The result of the intervention of these public officials were three significant improvements in the ratified agreements which were offered in acknowledgement of the Company''s errors and omissions. They are as follows:

1. The duration of the agreement has been reduced to five years and is amendable April 30, 2008. In addition, either party has the option of opening the agreement for full Railway Labor Act negotiations on or after April 30, 2006. In other words, we can begin negotiations for a new contract in three years.

2. Beginning May 15, 2003 and for 30 days thereafter, each work group has the option of modifying their agreement by substituting one item for an item of equal value. For example, vacation or sick days can be added provided it is exchanged for an item of equal value. If there is a dispute as to whether the item which we seek to exchange is of equal value to the item we seek to secure, we have the right to arbitrate the issue.

3. An Annual Performance Incentive Program has been put in place for all employees through which we can annually increase wages by up to ten percent based on reasonably achievable performance goals in the Company''s operations. The Performance goal thresholds under the plan shall apply uniformly to labor and management. This plan is in addition to the profit sharing and stock option plans in the ratified agreements.

In addition, not only has the Company agreed to these enhancements to the ratified agreements, but it has also committed not only to the TWU, but also to Congressmen Frost, Barton, Sessions and Burgess that it has cancelled the executive retention bonus plan and that there is nothing else that has been hidden from disclosure to the Unions during the negotiations. In other words, there will be no more surprises.

These improvements are contingent on honoring the results of last week''s votes. We and the pilots are prepared to go forward on this basis. However, in the event any Union puts their agreement out for revote, the Board of Directors has voted to declare bankruptcy.

In our view, there is only one rational decision which can be reached. Re-voting the ratified agreements will mean a bankruptcy, with far more layoffs, worse pay and working conditions. Pensions and health care will be in immediate jeopardy. We will not be taking our chances in bankruptcy -- we will be guaranteeing a worse future for our members. Honoring last week''s votes will allow for a shorter agreement and maximize our chances for undoing concessions no one wants. Moreover, if there is a bankruptcy, we will have provisions in place protecting us from attempts to secure further concessions.

Based on these considerations and on the commitments made yesterday, our Union will honor last week''s vote in order to protect our members. We must do everything in our power to limit exposure of our contracts and our members in bankruptcy proceedings. Those who would do otherwise are clearly motivated by reasons other than the welfare of the members.

Sincerely and Fraternally,

James C. Little,
Director Air Transport Division
International Administrative Vice President

Gary Yingst
AA System Coordinator
International Vice President


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
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On 4/24/2003 6:13:00 PM N305AS wrote:

----------------
On 4/24/2003 5:32:25 PM RV4 wrote:



Dictators make a ruling without membership involvement.

WE ARE SCREWED!

The SUPREME AUTHORITY has spoken!

GO AMFA NOW!


----------------​

Don''t be so quick to give AMFA the same reverence as the second coming of Christ. They screwed Alaska Airlines'' mechanics and fleet service people.

How? The company proposed a contract that would give them a two year deal, with a 3% raise each year.

AMFA said "No, we''ll take our chances in arbitration."

The arbiter came back with a two year deal...with just a 2% raise for fleet service per year, and just a 2.5% raise for mechanics per year.

In other words, AMFA''s stubbornness cost their membership at Alaska Airlines a LOT of money over the next two years.

----------------​
And you get a 17.5% wage reduction if you are mechanic, and when renegotiated you obtain no gains.
 
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On 4/24/2003 6:21:05 PM NewHampshire Black Bears wrote:

Imagolfer;

Using YOUR WORDS;
At the eleventh hour, the "SAVIOR APFA, will come out with a no vote.

Question,
Do you have a PROBLEM with APFA ???????
(Excuse me, "SAVIOR APFA" ???????????

Do I think "little jim" caved in ??
Your "GD" right I do . I got my new 6 year "contract" shortened from 6 years, to 5 years.
Don''t bore me with details about "POSSIBLE" early openers.

I got to tell you, "Imagolfer", your a perfect example of the old saying, "One mans ceiling, is another man''s FLOOR"
!!
I''m glad I predicted that of AA''s(so called unions), ONLY the REAL UNION WOULD VOTE THIS "POS" down. -- APFA !!!

NH/BB''s

----------------​


You did not get your contract shortened to 5 years, you got your contract handed to you by the court! You think you had it bad with concessions, just wait until what the court hands to you. Belive me, they are not pro-union!
 
FROM BLOOMBERG.COM:

AMR Attendants Reject Offer; Pilots, Mechanics Accept (Update1)
By Mary Schlangenstein
Fort Worth, Texas, April 24 (Bloomberg) -- American Airlines flight-attendant union leaders rejected a revised concession agreement designed to keep the carrier out of bankruptcy, a board member for the union said.

Leaders of the pilots and mechanics union approved the plan, with the pilots'' board approval depending on acceptance by the mechanics and flight attendants. AMR Corp.''s American, the world''s largest airline, has said all unions must approve $1.8 billion in labor savings or it will seek protection from creditors.

A board member for the flight attendants said they rejected the agreement because it prohibited them from sending the plan to members for a vote.

``It didn''t pass; we didn''t agree to the enhancements,'''' the union board member for the flight attendants said.

The airline''s proposal included an offer by Chief Executive Officer Donald Carty to resign if his remaining at the company proved a stumbling block to approval. AMR''s board met today to consider whether to file bankruptcy or replace Carty, and hasn''t made any public statement.

An American spokesman declined to comment.

The new agreement would have shortened to five years from six the length of the original plan, added an incentive-compensation provision tying additional pay for workers and management to performance, and provide an arbitration process, according to a message on the pilot''s Web site.

Last Updated: April 24, 2003 18:49 EDT
 
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On 4/24/2003 5:56:05 PM FA Mikey wrote:

April 30th in NY Federal court will tell if our vote extension was legal. If not APFA must stand by the memberships NO vote.

----------------​
It''s over. Agreement reached. Time to move on and save the airline.
 
RV4,

The T.W.U. does not care what members think. They have their own agenda. Hanging on to as many jobs as possible.
Doesn''t matter what jobs.

I have come to agree with you on one point. That is the fact, A.M.T. wages should not be tied to the other title groups.

They truly, need their own union.

I am a O.S.M. I am so tired,of hearing how greedy, the mechanics are. How if they would give up pay, it would save O.S.M. jobs.

Most of these same people voted yes. They are now upset, because they failed to read article 42. Also the shop steward,told them,they were protected.

I had to break it to them, what article 42 states. They now know they are going out on mingo.

You would have to stick these people in a fuel tank, to get them to understand,why A.M.T.''s should make a decent wage.

With uneducated union members,who needs enemies.

Good luck to us all.
 
The deprivation of a re-vote by the membership of the TWU after ATD Director Jim Little's admission that the previous AAA vote "was not credible" due to thousands of members not getting pin numbers, and other irregularities in the vote will be the issue of discussion for the next few months.

If we have not had a credible vote, the TWU has not complied with their own Constitution.

Every mechanic at American Airlines regardless of personal opinions regarding the terms of the bargaining sessions, nor the fear of a Bankruptcy outcome, should allow the elimination of the membership's voice by means of a fair and equitable voting procedure.

Failure to either stand firm and united against the tyranny of the TWU leadership or the removal of these dictators as our representatives, will not only be detriminal to your personal live, but will also set a precedent that will place your career as well as the profession in major question.

This is no longer just an issue about our pay, benefits, and working conditions for the next 5-6 years, this about democracy in your own union's structure and your ability to have a say in how you will be rewarded in exchange for your labor.

It was bad enough when the TWU violated the law in 1995 while peddling that 6 year Industry Leading Concession during the ratification process. Now the TWU leaders have made a choice to completely eliminate even a perceived voice.

Tulsa Local 514 has passed T-Shirts recently with the slogan "I AM THE UNION" along with the logo of the winged bus steering wheel. This begs the question. If we are the union, why have our opinions and voices been removed from the bargaining process?