[SIZE= 14pt]Fellow employees of American Airlines[/SIZE]
You can’t blame the company for trying to get the most concessions from the labor groups. I believe that it has been quite apparent for a long time that they would pay us all minimum wage with no benefits if they could. It should be plain to all employees of American Airlines that the company doesn’t give a damn about our families’ financial future. I can blame this union from the top to the bottom for continuously giving away the future of our profession. In 1991, when we opened the contract at the company’s request, the leadership agreed to contract raises less than the rate of inflation during that period. In 1995, we gave a concessionary contract to the company. During the unprecedented 6-year term of that contract, we lost approximately 12% of our wages as compared with the inflation rates during that period. In addition, we have had increases in our medical, dental, and vision costs while obtaining less and less coverage. The very next quarter after signing the 1995 contract, the company began posting record profits. At no time did they come back to the table to compensate us for the sacrifices that we had made. In the contract dated March 2001, we obtained the rates of pay that we should have been at if we had not given up so much in the 1995 contract. These increases were not the huge raises that some people considered them; they merely brought us back to an industry standard wage. I for one feel like we have already given our share of concessions.
Independent analysts have recently been quoted in the local papers stating that these concession packages will not save the company from going bankrupt if they continue their present business model. They say that the success rate of companies who have demanded wage and benefit concessions in order to save operations is very small. A couple of weeks ago, Bob Crandall appeared on “Larry King Liveâ€. Mr. Crandall is the retired CEO of AMR for those of you who may be unfamiliar with his name. Mr. Crandall said the same thing. He said that the company is better off to take head count reductions while leaving pay and benefits alone. He believes that the remaining workers would still perform during the periods of reductions instead of having the entire workforce disgruntled for the period.
I, like many of you, have tried over the years to suggest to management ways to improve the way that we do business. Almost always we have been ignored, or told that “we don’t see the big pictureâ€, or that “management reserves the right to run their business however that they see fitâ€. As a result of these rebuffs, I believe that it is clear that we are not responsible for the company’s current woes. Could we help? Sure we can, but they haven’t wanted our help before.
I believe that the purpose of collective bargaining is to reach an agreement with our employer that satisfies both the immediate concerns of the membership and the long- term security of our profession. I have been a member of this union for over 12 years now. I must admit that I now hold this union’s top leadership in as much disdain as I hold the company’s top leadership. I want everyone here to understand that I differentiate between the local leadership and the international leadership. I know that many of the men and women here locally put forth their best efforts. I also know that on many occasions that their hands are tied by the international.
As a union member, I understand the most important part of the phrase “collective bargaining†is the word collective. I am as disgusted with the rank and file’s “me now-short term†attitude as I am disgusted of the top leaderships of both the union and the company. From the time that I hired in, I have been stupefied with what I call the “battered wife syndrome†that some of my union brothers and sisters have exhibited. I have actually heard on every voting occasion phrases such as, “ you had better vote for this package, because the next one will be worseâ€, and “Bubba, I have to feed my family you know†and “ oh hell, its still better than working at Walmart or Burger Kingâ€.
I don’t know about you people, but I left a good job to return to school in order to get my A & P certificates. I then moved half way across the country to come to work for American Airlines. I did it because I truly believed that this was where my best chance for a successful career was. The company was strong and established with an excellent reputation and I thought that I’d be proud to be part of it. I’d like to ask each one of you a few questions. When was the last time that you felt proud to be an employee of American Airlines? For me, it’s been a while. When was the last time that you told a young man or young woman that he or she should seek a career with American Airlines? For me, it’s been a while. When was the last time that you considered seeking employment with another company in another field. Well, I’ve been thinking of it for a while now.
Am I willing to give up some things to try to save the career that I’ve spent so much time and effort to obtain? Yes I am. I’m willing to give up my company’s flawed business plan. I’m willing to give up my current management team. I’m even willing to work a little harder and a little smarter. I’m willing to put in a full day’s work for a full day’s wage. I’m even willing to take some work rule changes. But I’m not willing to sacrifice my career and let it be turned into some menial labor position with a menial labor compensation package.
Brothers and Sisters, I encourage each and every one of you here today to ask yourself one more question. Am I to blame for the current failures of American Airlines? I mean truly ask yourselves that question. I believe that the answer is “noâ€. If I understand the proposals being circulated, the term of this T/A is to be 6 years. That’s 6years with no “bounce back†clause. Before any one votes on this package, I strongly urge you to consider every aspect of it.
Consider no system protection.
Consider 17.5 % of your income.
Consider the loss of your short- term disability insurance.
Consider the increases in your medical costs.
Consider the loss of 7 of your sick days per year with the first two used being paid at only 50%.
Consider the loss of your shift differentials.
Consider the loss of one week of vacation per year.
Consider the loss of 5 of your current holidays.
Consider the things that are not in writing before you. As you all know the company has a nasty habit of adding things after we vote because we don’t get to vote on “final languageâ€. That gets filled in later.
Brothers and Sisters, I ask how can this union possibly agree to have this vote conducted electronically or by phone? What happened to a secret ballot? What happened to having witnesses present to assure some accountability in the counting process? What has happened to the integrity of our profession, our union and our company? Let’s work together to show some solidarity for our futures. I encourage everyone to vote no on this proposal.
Written by Scott Kennedy on 1 April 2003, Aircraft Maintenance Technician,
member of the Transport Workers Union-Local 567(AFW)
53 AM rampguy wrote:
