This is a post from our PHX MEC president ..We were very close to getting recessed .
The odds were against us of even meeting again with the company and the NMB. We went to the meeting armed with a proposal that was prepared by the JNC and Joint MECs. Since it was to be a Status Update, our status was simple....bring our proposal and see if we could present it to the company. The proposal had every issue that was important to both East and West FAs (Vacation, Insurance, Reserve, Compensation, etc.)
On Wednesday (Jan 23rd) we were almost placed in an indefinite recess. It wasn't a threat....the NMB was brutal in their words........"Your negotiations have come to an end. If you don't move off of this current proposal, you are being placed in an indefinite recess....other parties will then determine your fate without your input."
Needless to say, Roger and I had some serious decisions to make in a very short amount of time. Roger and I were keenly aware that we had a responsibility to our membership......to make decisions that would be in the best interest of the FAs we represent...all FAs. We knew, that being placed in recess was in essence a "death sentence". Nothing was worth being placed in recess...not West Vacation, Insurance, East Reserve, Co-pairing, etc. The status quo represents a dead end with no way out.
During TA2 talks, the company had insisted on diluting Scope as well as stripping away the LPPs (except for those that are already included in the McCaskill/Bond Amendment) if there was any discussion of an "early out". With this TA, Scope and the LPPs remain in tact.
Should this TA pass, the company will be required to begin four (4) party talks in order to negotiate an MOU. Without this language, the company had no obligation to enter MOU discussions with us. Additionally, we enter into those talks under our terms.
There's still going to be those who slam this TA. Already we are being called "liars, selling out the FAs, weak, etc.....so be it. This go around I won't be telling people to vote what's (individually) best for them. Instead we (as a work force) need to come to the realization that anything other than ratification is reckless. The status quo doesn't hold any benefit for this work force in the face of a merger......whether it's this merger or the next merger. At no time is it advisable to stay at these wages and allow other parties determine our future.
As always, we need to be respectful to each other, but also be clear when we speak to our co-workers. This TA is our "Professional Life Line".....voting now ensures we stay on life support with the company standing by ready to "pull the plug".
). We can be scheduled a lot more hours than the pilots. And, it is highly doubtful that AMR management would be the least bit interested in going back to a co-pairing agreement. On a recent 3-day trip, 3-2-3 legs, I had the same cockpit for only two of those legs.
