United Mechanics Contract

[swamt]

Yes this is a UAL board.
The contract that is a forced close out by the company is a P.O.S. and you can probably tell what my vote is at this time. We are losing over 30 items according to the union and they are hoping to get the info to us next week as soon a UAL gets the changes to them. Don't believe the companies info they put out as the are sugar coating it, BIGTIME. They are doing this to see how divided we still are!!! A big carrot was thrown to get the S-ua guys to vote yes and it is the retirement, which is not as great as you think, but I understand it is better than nothing. The other thing is people will vote yes when they see the 46.15 per hour but need to remember it is an all in one rate and the others in our group that don't have the a&p are getting screwed. The s-co side we are losing more than gaining.
One thing the company forgot as they are being cheap is where is all the back pay along with the signing bonus. S-ua is out 2yrs and s-co is 3 without a contract. Pretty sure if they had done it they would get their proposal passed. It is pretty much another revenue neutral one and it really is not going to cost them as much as they are playing it out to be.
I am not going to speak for the rest of the s-co techs but some of us that have talked are not happy with what is going on. We have worked for a long time to get where we are with our contract and to see it tore to shreads isn't making us happy.
The company is doing a divide and conquer and I bet it will work since after 5 years we still aren't united.
I hope we all can stand together and tell them we are not going to take a non-negotiated sub par contract and tell them to get back to the bargaining table and get it right this time. The new CEO and now acting one said they want to treat the employees right. They need to prove it and get the people who thru this garbage at us pull it back and get it right this time. We had hope for a great change but their actions are proving what they are saying is totally different. It will take a long time for me to believe what they say after this garbage.
Pull this P.O.S  and get back to the table and do it right.

Looks like this offer by the company and not a TA, and not endorsed by the union, is hiding a lot.  Wait until you guys get all the facts. Once you guys get all info and the entire contract offer READ the language first.  Pretty sure this guy texmech is correct. You bring up some very big points.  The biggest one I see so far is the absence of RETRO.  We as a class in our industry should all force the companies to cough up the retro, otherwise they will do these stall tactics every single time and just get by with pay freezes for the employees.  100% RETRO or NOTHING...

 

[ThirdSeatHero]

Of course we do, but it's inaccurate to think that labor at other carriers-and drives on our property- haven't affected our pay/benefits...

 
Well said Kev -
 
All this back and forth over Delta is nonsense. I've been in this industry closing on 30 years and for the vast majority of that time Delta wages ran steady at 2nd to 4th place. Now they're #1, and thats great. What alot here fail to realize or willfully ignore is a rising tide raises all boats. and as this industry is cyclical its a perpetual chase. Deltas #1, Maybe UAL passes them, maybe AA passes UAL, and then maybe Delta will pass AA. 
 
Its gone on and on just like that all of my years in this industry, and it most likely will continue to do so long after I'm gone.
 
I have absolutely no problem thanking Delta for taking a turn in raising the bar this go around.

 

[ThirdSeatHero]

Looks like this offer by the company and not a TA, and not endorsed by the union, is hiding a lot.  Wait until you guys get all the facts. Once you guys get all info and the entire contract offer READ the language first.  Pretty sure this guy texmech is correct. You bring up some very big points.  The biggest one I see so far is the absence of RETRO.  We as a class in our industry should all force the companies to cough up the retro, otherwise they will do these stall tactics every single time and just get by with pay freezes for the employees.  100% RETRO or NOTHING...

 
Other than the 100k club members, there is really no support I'm seeing on the floor in SFO for this. Retro is just one of many aspects, that mechanics are up in arms over.
 
What the company is putting out are the supposed highlights, and as badly as its been received thus far, I doubt its going to get better when we see the actual text of the language.

 

[gtd]

Teamcare is a deal breaker. A teamster health care plan that no one wants and they know that, yet, they still forced it on us.

 

[swamt]

By judging early, so far, it sounds like a HUGE NO vote is in order at UAL...

 

[txmech]

It is not early now with some info the union put out and there is more to come. VOTE NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Topcat187]

What a POS T/A that is! In this environment they want 30+ concessions, are you kidding me???? They want you to give up brake rides! VOTE NO ON THE POS!!!!

 

[Topcat187]

How about giving the AMTs the receipt and dispatch work back? Record profits and the screwings continue, this is what they think of you!

 

[swamt]

You guys should not have to do any concessions as we should not either. It seems the airlines think they have to "fund" the raises and gains by other areas of the contracts.  I say NO. It's time for the companies to share the prosper of the co with the employees. Just ask yourselves this question.  Any time CEO's and management gets raises do they EVER fund those raises with other concessions from their very own contracts?  No they do not nor have they ever done that.  At SWA we have been very profitable for years upon years under our current contract and are currently making record profits and earnings under our current contract that just shows there is no NEED to get cost neutral contracts. I would understand if we were losing money, not making money, and not reporting record after record numbers for the last couple years.  No concessions. Try explaining that to our mediators.  Hoping you guys vote this down in a big way. I agree with some here about the retro, and it's been very very unified here at SWA about retro, it's 100% retro or they will get a NO vote. Their claim of "tax" laws that doesn't allow them to pay retro is complete BS and lies.  They just want to get away with a free-be of stallin the contracts for their record long pay freezes.  We cannot allow them to continue this kind of nego in the future and we must stand together and united on this issue as it affects all of us in our industry.  By not forcing the full retro these airlines will just continue to stall on all future contracts.  Our mediators have already said now is the time demand retro, raises due to the record profits that be obtained by the airline industry. Sorry for the rant but I am sick and tired of hearing there will be no retro. They have paid it before and there are no tax laws that prevent them from doing so.  UPS paid full retro on all their contracts including all full retro to 401K's, pensions, and other areas.  

 

[xUT]

Too bad, IMHO the reamsters are still screwing the pooch and the UA M&R are just too beat down to expect anything.
 
Regardless,
wish you guys still at the Lazy'U the best!
B)

 

[Kev3188]

+1 to you both.

 

[JABORD]

Teamcare is a deal breaker. A teamster health care plan that no one wants and they know that, yet, they still forced it on us.

Hey G, unfortunately the Teamcare program is probably the primary conflict of interest here. I'm sure your aware that the IBT manages the Teamcare health program so even though your representation gives the appearance of not endorsing the offer, I would think they have their asses covered to have you all continue with it. Has the Union put out a strong flyer yet for members to see to counter all the sunny 'smoke' being put out by the company?

 

[Topcat187]

Hey G, unfortunately the Teamcare program is probably the primary conflict of interest here. I'm sure your aware that the IBT manages the Teamcare health program so even though your representation gives the appearance of not endorsing the offer, I would think they have their asses covered to have you all continue with it. Has the Union put out a strong flyer yet for members to see to counter all the sunny 'smoke' being put out by the company?

The primary conflict? What about all of the other things you would be giving up? I would think giving work away would be pretty high on the list, myself.

 

[gtd]

Hey G, unfortunately the Teamcare program is probably the primary conflict of interest here. I'm sure your aware that the IBT manages the Teamcare health program so even though your representation gives the appearance of not endorsing the offer, I would think they have their asses covered to have you all continue with it. Has the Union put out a strong flyer yet for members to see to counter all the sunny 'smoke' being put out by the company?

I am very aware of what Teamcare is. I have done my home work. They forced it on the UPS people when they rejected it. The Teamcare trustees are the same people responsible for the Central States Pension plan which you should know is going broke and the ibt has cut retirement distributions in half, including active retirees.
 
Yes, they have put out a counter flyer and I would post it here but I don't have an attachment button. GT

 

[gtd]

The primary conflict? What about all of the other things you would be giving up? I would think giving work away would be pretty high on the list, myself.

Trust me, we are aware how bad this proposal is. Many of us want to take the buyout and get the hell out but can't vote yes on this and screw everybody else. Many of us were hired on in 84 and 85 right after those members voted and approved "B" scale. Will never forget how angry we were with them. Hopefully we won't repeat history. GT