1. PTO stated that there were former union members at NW who are now scabbing; be they former IAM supporters, former AMFA supporters, or former TWU members laid off from AA. Just because I agree with him on a fact does not mean I support his or anyone else crossing a picket line.
2.While I do not know the details of contracts at other airlines, I get a pretty good idea of what those contracts were like from reading the posts on other websites of people who were covered under those contracts. One of them stated NWA could not farm out work IF it resulted in layoffs. In other words NWA could farm out on the condition that there would be no layoffs. This makes sense since even though the 747 and DC-10 were farmed out under the IAM, NWA still had all on payroll,about 10,500, and according to the poster, there was ample overtime.
3. You castigate the IAM, but the fact is the IAM at EAL had the "knowledge, skill and integrity" in terms of knowing how to keep it's picket lines intact FOR TWO YEARS and win a strike (EAL died). AT EAL, the IAM worked closely with the other unions (which honored the IAM lines), helped it's membership through hard times ($100 per week, foodbanks, etc.), and worked tirelessly to have Lorenzo and his team ousted (they almost succeeded twice). Is the IAM as good today as it was back then? Probably not. As you said look at US and UA. My point is AMFA HAD NO PLAN. Comparing the way the IAM handled the EAL strike with the way AMFA handled the NW strike, the IAM at EAL wins hands down.
4. If the IAM/NWA members reject NWA's final offer and strike, they will shut NWA down; something AMFA proved it could never do.
1) I would venture to say that 80% of the former union member scabs are ex-IAM believers. They cried about not getting to vote on any of the crap Scab Air presented to AMFA, which all of the offers presented were not worthy of a vote. They use this a reason they had to scab. Now, the ones that didn't scab got to vote on the worst offer by far, and it was defeated by 57%, and still the IAM believers deride AMFA. Most of the strikers have planned on leaving Scab Air for good long ago, all my personal NWA friends have said good riddance to Scab Air.
2) The other websites? Who, the AMFAnuts IAM sponsered and highly sensored BB? The IAM brought back one of the worst concessionary contracts at NWA before they were replaced, during one of the most profitable times in airline history, and its the main reason they were replaced. This would have been an even worse story if the IAM had been at NWA during the horrible past few years, they would never have fought as AMFA has. Need proof? Again, look at US Air and UAL, they bent over time and again. Case closed....
3) The IAM did honorably stand at EAL, but have not since then. The IAM has wrongly stated AMFA never honored any IAM picket line, this is a lie. AMFA honored the IAM picket line at Ozark in '84, I have read the letter from the IAM to the Delle, thanking him for his support. I don't have a copy, but I am sure I can find one. In addition, the afl-cio has done nothing since then but posture and whine about how the labor movement needs strengthening with more organizing, but what have they done in the fight against corporate greed? NOTHING... ALL TALK, NO ACTION, I GOT MINE IN MY BUSINESS UNION. AMFA attempted several times to enlist the other unions support at NWA, but was rejected because the AMFA has taken dues monies away, which is all the industrial unions care about. If the IAM, TWU, and IBT would have represented the members instead of fighting pleads for change at every turn, there would be no organizing drives for AMFA.
4) Now its time for the other unions to pay the pipper at NWA, and pay they will. Will the IAM strike when they get violated again at NWA in January? I highly doubt it, as they will be replaced easier then the mechanics. Will the ALPA strike when its their turn in the fire? Yeah right. Will the PFAA? They had a vote, but the members voted no, too bad for them.
AMFA did the only the only honorable action they could have, strike. Win or lose (and this isn't over yet), they fought draconian Scab Air management. As this plays out at Scab Air, it might be the end of the airline looking at the situation they are in now.