2014 Fleet Service Discussion

[psa8979]

AAL/DP decisions on re-staffing Stations will also be decided on by what happens with CWA/IBT ASSOCIATION NMB election 8/14 . Current CBA/ SCOPE is 2 /ML/ Daily  or 14/ Wk. flts. 69+ seats . Decision by 9/14. 

 

[WeAAsles]

 
Yeah.
We (sCO) used to have a COLA increase called "Market Rate Adjustment" for higher cost of living cities like the NYC Metro; BOS; PHL; PVD; DC area - most of the Northeast cities; MIA & SFO had their own rate as well. It was 1.00 per hour more.  That was "red circled" in the new contract.

"Red Circled"? That means?
 
It is no way you can match the vendor's prices. Some about 70% cheaper........ No way you can go lower. That is nuts.
The Hawaii islands was the exception, since everything is higher. So they voted in concessions. But it won't happen no place else. Some of the vendors are offering to honor your present pay for 90 days and then give you a 2.00 premium afterwards. What a joke!

I was able to qualify and afford a Mortgage back in 99 when I was making only $14.00 per hour. The house I bought was only 15 years old and was 1500 SF for $80,000.

Absolutely aren't going to find something like that in any of those areas you spoke of.

 

[WeAAsles]

It's 5 stations where a new vendor is replacing the current vendor and the contract is for 2 years. Piedmont is the name of the vendor, but not sure if they will be doing all 5 cities. The only city I know for sure is MCI and a west coast one, maybe SEA or SAN...not sure. Eagle does quite a bit of AA ramp work, but a VP said they wont put AE in a city unless there is potential for picking up other airline work and he said UA has actually asked for AE in a few cities.

DFWFSC Peidmont is a commuter airline. The IAM contract is for mainline jets.

 

[WeAAsles]

Piedmont... wholly owned subsidiary of us airways lol  thats convenient 

PHX if it's mainline that was outsourced on our side according to your new CBA you will be working them and the vendors will be removed. That's mainline though, not commuters.

 

[WeAAsles]

AA work in phx was farmed out a long time ago to serviceair when their contract came up  LUS took it over.  technically its a contract.. because technically we are still two separate airlines... it didnt displace any american agents. and certainly when we have a jcba then obvioulsy any valid recalls will have to be honored...

It was not farmed out a long time ago. It was lost recently due to the BK and we do have a few people hoping for an offer to return soon.

 

[DFWFSC]

DFWFSC Peidmont is a commuter airline. The IAM contract is for mainline jets.

 
Piedmont is also the name of a ramp handling vendor, and they got the ramp contract at a few AA stations where they fired their current vendor. Some of the AA stations that were outsourced in 2012 have gone thru 3 or 4 vendors already.

 

[WeAAsles]

 
Piedmont is also the name of a ramp handling vendor, and they got the ramp contract at a few AA stations where they fired their current vendor. Some of the AA stations that were outsourced in 2012 have gone thru 3 or 4 vendors already.

Those are stations where there is neither TWU or IAM current staffing right?

 

[DFWFSC]

Those are stations where there is neither TWU or IAM current staffing right?

Maybe some are, but MCI has US ramp I think, and Piedmont is gonna start doing AA ramp there...2 year contract is what I heard. 

 

[WeAAsles]

Maybe some are, but MCI has US ramp I think, and Piedmont is gonna start doing AA ramp there...2 year contract is what I heard. 

I can see where some confusion may come into play. The just ratified IAM contract stipulates that they will work all AA "Mainline" metal in stations where we currently are not staffed and the "Cross Utilization" can allow us to work their metal in stations where they are not currently staffed. Our contract does not stipulate that we are entitled to that work though. In a situation like that the company can give that work to us (TWU) or they can continue to use the sub contractors? The IAM contract does not warrant restaffing those cities.

The confusion comes into play on what type of aircraft are being utilized in those cities? Here was a recent update by AA about their E-175 aircraft.

 
Update at 0420GMT 30JUL14
American Airlines from 02OCT14 will begin placing Embraer E175 aircraft to its Miami hub, initially operating on following routes, until 05NOV14. Planned operation as follow.
 
Miami – Atlanta 3 of 5 daily
Miami – Indianapolis 2 daily
Miami – Jacksonville FL 4 of 7 daily
Miami – Tallahassee 1 of 4 daily

 

Embraer E175 aircraft is operated by Republic Airline, replacing Embraer E145 aircraft.

 

[WeAAsles]

 
Piedmont is also the name of a ramp handling vendor, and they got the ramp contract at a few AA stations where they fired their current vendor. Some of the AA stations that were outsourced in 2012 have gone thru 3 or 4 vendors already.

If what you're saying here is correct that's a very good sign and a very good reason why AA may want to bring that work back inhouse? Eventually the company will run out of vendors who can do the work for the price they want to pay and either the routes will be dropped as not cost effective to operate any longer or that work can return to us on either side of the aisle?

 

[Kev3188]

There came a point at NW where they decided that it was just easier to keep a couple places in house, even though they "qualified" to be farmed out...

 

[DFWFSC]

 

I can see where some confusion may come into play. The just ratified IAM contract stipulates that they will work all AA "Mainline" metal in stations where we currently are not staffed and the "Cross Utilization" can allow us to work their metal in stations where they are not currently staffed. Our contract does not stipulate that we are entitled to that work though. In a situation like that the company can give that work to us (TWU) or they can continue to use the sub contractors? The IAM contract does not warrant restaffing those cities.

The confusion comes into play on what type of aircraft are being utilized in those cities? Here was a recent update by AA about their E-175 aircraft.

 
Update at 0420GMT 30JUL14
American Airlines from 02OCT14 will begin placing Embraer E175 aircraft to its Miami hub, initially operating on following routes, until 05NOV14. Planned operation as follow.
 
Miami – Atlanta 3 of 5 daily
Miami – Indianapolis 2 daily
Miami – Jacksonville FL 4 of 7 daily
Miami – Tallahassee 1 of 4 daily

 

Embraer E175 aircraft is operated by Republic Airline, replacing Embraer E145 aircraft.

 

Is there a written timeline on how soon US/IAM can take over AA mainline flights in non TWU stations. If it does happen, US will have to hire at least 600 or 700 people system wide to take over AA work. I know cities like SEA SAN DEN had at least 80 or 90 TWU FSCs at those stations.Im sure US management in a place like SEA or DEN will be excited to have to hire 90 off the street.

 

[DFWFSC]

If what you're saying here is correct that's a very good sign and a very good reason why AA may want to bring that work back inhouse? Eventually the company will run out of vendors who can do the work for the price they want to pay and either the routes will be dropped as not cost effective to operate any longer or that work can return to us on either side of the aisle?

No....they will put American Eagle people in there as a last resort before AA TWU gets back.  The AE people are more expensive and get benefits that the vendors don't, but still cheaper than TWU guys.

 

[WeAAsles]

Is there a written timeline on how soon US/IAM can take over AA mainline flights in non TWU stations. If it does happen, US will have to hire at least 600 or 700 people system wide to take over AA work. I know cities like SEA SAN DEN had at least 80 or 90 TWU FSCs at those stations.Im sure US management in a place like SEA or DEN will be excited to have to hire 90 off the street.

You would have to remember that those cities also must be currently staffed by IAM if they are not staffed by us. I doubt it would affect a number as high as 6 to 700 but who knows?

On how long that might take I'm sure that there will be negotiations on timelines. First the vendors would have to be notified that their services would no longer be required and possibly AA would have to pay penalties for breaking any agreements. Then the logistics would have to be figured out? If there is an agreement for those positions to be offered to people still on the recall list, they would have to be notified and given time to accept or decline and time would need to be given to get their Airport badges as well.

Anyway you cut it I would have to guess that the process would still take a few months to play out?

 

[WeAAsles]

No....they will put American Eagle people in there as a last resort before AA TWU gets back.  The AE people are more expensive and get benefits that the vendors don't, but still cheaper than TWU guys.

Good point. But don't forget AE proper is also TWU represented. The company is actually in the process of downsizing AE proper and have a unit called "Eagle Ground Handling" which is not represented and the company has said is doing very well? (They say)

Good possibility that they will try to utilize that service but the issue is as the economy get's better people are less and less willing to work for minimal wages. If they can qualify for an FBI background check airport ID they can also probably get a better paying job as well.

I remember back in the late 90's how the company had to offer a higher wage in many cities because they just weren't getting people to accept the job at the bottom of our contractual payscale.

In other words in the future the Ground Handling biz may not go over as well as the company would hope it would? Look at the current problems among regional pilots and how they're beginning to say F off to the offered wages.