2015 AMT Discussion

[topDawg]

I will be the first to admit that there is no hope in changing unions. Maybe when the outsourcing percentage is considerably increased, more people might change their minds. Many of our OH members are finding themselves squeezed more and more. Look at TAESL....Wait until the rest of the MD80's are gone...Wait until we are left with a dozen each of 757 and 767s....This ain't over yet.

If your union does its job this is wrong. 
 
The outsourcing % isn't 737/757/767/777/S80 only. At some point as the maintenance budget grows more work will have to come in-house. 
 
but again, that is assuming the TWU does its job. Big assumption 

 

[Overspeed]

I believe all long term storage of aircraft or engines is done by an outside vendor. The contract on scope does address if the engine or aircraft needs to have a check or some type done before being returned if it is done by an outside vendor its considered outsourced work. That chanes though of AA buys itself out of the lease return requirements. AA could pay the leasing company to accept the aircraft or engine as-is instead of zeroing out the C for example.

 

[Overspeed]

topdawg,
The current TWU scope can have the percentage adjusted now since the TAESL shop is being closed. The reason is that since work at TAESL was listed as outsourced on the DOT F41 the union considered it insourced because it was done by TWU labor. Now that the RB211 and Trent will be outsourced to RR I assume, that work will be considered outsourced entirely since TWU labor is no longer involved. The percentage of outsourcing should be adjusted down from the 35% but I bet it's not a lot. I would have to look at the F41 757 and 777 engine costs for 2015 but I bet the annual cost of labor and material was in the area of $100M for those fleets. While the 777 should remain constant the RB211 is declining because AA is retiring so many 757s. That work was leaving anyway. The question is what will happen with the V2500, GEnX, and GE90 work. AA has no tooling for any of those engines but they have test cells tha could handle the V2500. The GE90 and GEnX are an unknown for me. I bet since the number of engines are low and the shop visits for the new gen engines are probably a lot less than the CF6-80 and RB211, getting that work in-house probably won't protect a ton of jobs. DL Tech Ops I was told keeps their shop size up by filling capacity up with 3P work. AA MRO/TAESL was supposed to do the same but it seems the new management at AA isn't interested. DL should reap some benefits from that decision.

 

[WeAAsles]

I believe all long term storage of aircraft or engines is done by an outside vendor. The contract on scope does address if the engine or aircraft needs to have a check or some type done before being returned if it is done by an outside vendor its considered outsourced work. That chanes though of AA buys itself out of the lease return requirements. AA could pay the leasing company to accept the aircraft or engine as-is instead of zeroing out the C for example.

Thanks E.

I told my friend he needs to get the business up and running and get a few contracts from smaller carriers before I'd see if I could talk to some people here at AA for him. He already has a contact at DL and is looking for a suitable warehouse now to lease.

He says he knows the other companies that do engine storage and says they can't handle the work they have now.

 

[OldGuy@AA]

OldGuy,
The AMTs have to take a line test? You'd think the AMTs who work the docks would at least be considered pre-qualified. I guess it's time to start getting pre-qual'd for line if you work the base. Strange that the line is working C checks on the Airbus and they didn't take an overhaul test. Grievance?

There has never been a test for line guys coming to O/H and this has been discussed for many years.  The union would never grieve it either.  I have heard the IAM does not allow the company to give this or any other qualifying test.  As you well know, the test can be manipulated to pass or not pass an individual.  It all depends if they are wanted or not.  I would hope this test and other BS qualifying tests are soon abolished but I do not have any faith in the TWU making it happen.  If AA wants it the TWU will allow it.  Also the new line test is basically unpassable and the TWU gave it's blessing to it without so much as a look at it.  Interestingly enough the line local in DFW were the ones to protest the fairness of the questions on this test.  You can't make this stuff up folks.  But the bottom line is no matter where you go there is always OJT required so qualifying tests are not needed.  I know quite a few guys who went from TUL to the line stations and to my knowledge none of them was ever the cause of any kind of violation or accident.  The test is there just to keep (so called) undesirables out.  I would think anyone with seniority right now would be deemed undesirable.

 

[dfw gen]

You mean the Leaders and Negotiators for the TWU at those times right? TWU is nothing more than an acronym.

Are any of those people especially the ones from 1983 still living? People......

Have YOU ever tried to reach out and get the vibe of those who are in those positions today? Send an e-mail? Ask to talk to any of them on the phone? Just curious?

every time you  worldport or 700 come on the maintenance thread it turns into a mud slinging  joke, why dont you stay on the fleet thread where you belong? moderator?

 

[Rogallo]

There has never been a test for line guys coming to O/H and this has been discussed for many years. 
 

 
So what was the structures test I took years ago?

 

[WeAAsles]

every time you  worldport or 700 come on the maintenance thread it turns into a mud slinging  joke, why dont you stay on the fleet thread where you belong? moderator?

Where I belong?

"What part of a message board do you not understand"

This is not a Turkish bath house here you know.

 

[OldGuy@AA]

 
So what was the structures test I took years ago?

There have always been qualifying tests for new hired AMTs.  I took a systems test.  But they do not test anyone that bids from the line to Tulsa.  If they gave you a test after you bid from the line you are the first I have ever heard of.  They have given Crew Chief or Inspector tests but everyone has to take those regardless of where you are.

 

[Buck]

Interesting story developing in Tulsa by the way.  A 737 B check line is going to be created and all AMTs who bid will have to pass a line test so they'll be considered line mechanics.  In the event there is a RIF are they considered one group with the Tulsa line guys?  Would you know the answer Buck?

The 737 Heavy is said to be going to Hangar 3. They are already performing 737 work. 
 
The B Check is said to go to Hangar 80 with no other information.
 
I have no information about the qualifying parameters, however :
 
75 CFM 56 (737 Engine) mechanics are being surplussed and 17 Machinists from the Mill area are also being surplussed.
 
Contractually, the machinists can perform AMT OH work, as to a line test or any other qualifying issues nothing is in writing.

 

[Buck]

There have always been qualifying tests for new hired AMTs.  I took a systems test.  But they do not test anyone that bids from the line to Tulsa.  If they gave you a test after you bid from the line you are the first I have ever heard of.  They have given Crew Chief or Inspector tests but everyone has to take those regardless of where you are.

When I came on in 1984, the Junior Mechanic Program was still in effect. 
 
Working for 1 year and then testing for your area. ( I was in the JT8 shop at the time.)

 

[Buck]

The 737 Heavy is said to be going to Hangar 3. They are already performing 737 work. 
 
The B Check is said to go to Hangar 80 with no other information.
 
I have no information about the qualifying parameters, however :
 
75 CFM 56 (737 Engine) mechanics are being surplussed and 17 Machinists from the Mill area are also being surplussed.
 
Contractually, the machinists can perform AMT OH work, as to a line test or any other qualifying issues nothing is in writing.

These numbers are changing. As of today 28 CFM 56 Mechanics and 9 Machinists.
 
One issue is the compensation for the OSM's  not being on the AMT scale.
 
The New B Check in Hangar 80 will have 28 mechanics.

 

[enough already]

These numbers are changing. As of today 28 CFM 56 Mechanics and 9 Machinists.
 
One issue is the compensation for the OSM's  not being on the AMT scale.
 
The New B Check in Hangar 80 will have 28 mechanics.

Add to that 12 Welders...

 

[Show me the money]

Any news from todays negotiating session? My guess is they agreed it was Monday and adjourned to next week with both parties laughing at us.

 

[Deleted member 14439]

It would be nice to get daily updates. However we all know that won't happen. I'm hoping for an update each Friday afternoon for the next 3 weeks. I'm still betting on summer before we get something to vote on. Ha, at least I'm hoping we get to vote!