2015 AMT Discussion

[Buck]

At this point , I can't identify the enemy.
Is it the Company or the Association?

I do understand that the company is offering something rare for those of us at the LAA, a large raise....
and it appears that the Association is delaying the process and therefore the DL +7% dropping to 3%.

 

[Hackman]

    You think it matters what name we call our union? I am no TWU loyallist, couldn't be farther from the truth. But if you think all of our problems will vanish if the name over the doorway changes, you're sadly mistaken. Until people start participating in their union, acting like one, and stop this mindless bickering, it will be the same song and dance only with different music.
     I would bet you anything, if we became unified, we would be at the table talking within a week. 

Yes, it does matter what name our union is. I want one without the corrupt AFL-CIO attached to it, (No not the Reamsters either). I want one with recall powers and elections for the president by the membership. The industrial unions are a nothing but a dictatorship, the rank and file vote for local leaders, and that's it. They have no voice in the election of the real power brokers making six figures plus at the top, along with their international union sexrataries pulling in 150k a year. There is no accountability for years of sellouts, as the membership is blamed for voting in concessionary contracts after the lies and back door deals finally come out. Company unionism at it's finest. There is no chance of changing the industrial union, it can only be removed.
 
Finally, I want a union that has my crafts best interests and needs at the forefront. If you look at the industrial union leadership like the TWu, they are dominated by, rampers, stock clerks, cleaners, bus drivers, train operators and the like (Not elitist or a degradation of those jobs, just the truth). They don't give rats ass about the AMT class and craft and our life altering responsibilities, TWu AMT members can't even get an email answered by the TWu international. This has been shown by the years of being at the bottom of the industry with the TWu, and also the IAm. 
 
The pilots and F/A's have their own unions, are they elitist or just smart?
 
So no matter how many free beer and brat parties thrown by your TWu local in ORD, it won't bring any change in representation, or lack thereof. Get involved in what union? Waste of time.
 
The only answer is the removing the TWu-IAm ASSociation off the property.
 
Not one AMT I know wanted this ASSociation BS.  Where's the vote?  MORE industrial union LIES....
 
The AFL-CIO and the IAm wanted this union ABORTION, to save the IAm and the IAm pension fund.
 
All about the UNION DUES. Wake up AMTs.

 

[Albert]

Yes, it does matter what name our union is. I want one without the corrupt AFL-CIO attached to it, (No not the Reamsters either). I want one with recall powers and elections for the president by the membership. The industrial unions are a nothing but a dictatorship, the rank and file vote for local leaders, and that's it. They have no voice in the election of the real power brokers making six figures plus at the top, along with their international union sexrataries pulling in 150k a year. There is no accountability for years of sellouts, as the membership is blamed for voting in concessionary contracts after the lies and back door deals finally come out. Company unionism at it's finest. There is no chance of changing the industrial union, it can only be removed.
 
Finally, I want a union that has my crafts best interests and needs at the forefront. If you look at the industrial union leadership like the TWu, they are dominated by, rampers, stock clerks, cleaners, bus drivers, train operators and the like (Not elitist or a degradation of those jobs, just the truth). They don't give rats ass about the AMT class and craft and our life altering responsibilities, TWu AMT members can't even get an email answered by the TWu international. This has been shown by the years of being at the bottom of the industry with the TWu, and also the IAm. 
 
The pilots and F/A's have their own unions, are they elitist or just smart?
 
So no matter how many free beer and brat parties thrown by your TWu local in ORD, it won't bring any change in representation, or lack thereof. Get involved in what union? Waste of time.
 
The only answer is the removing the TWu-IAm ASSociation off the property.
 
Not one AMT I know wanted this ASSociation BS.  Where's the vote?  MORE industrial union LIES....
 
The AFL-CIO and the IAm wanted this union ABORTION, to save the IAm and the IAm pension fund.
 
All about the UNION DUES. Wake up AMTs.

Im a fleet agent and Ive been here a long time and I pretty much think all unions are the same. But in this case why not give AMFA a shot ?  You really have nothing to lose

 

[Buck]

Im a fleet agent and Ive been here a long time and I pretty much think all unions are the same. But in this case why not give AMFA a shot ?  You really have nothing to lose

Yes, after losing for 30+ years, I am with the Hackman. 
 
I have no problem with anyone hiring the agent of their choice, but to be forced by a closed shop is anti-American.
 
If that agent is doing the job they were hired to do then there is no reason to be forced into socialism.

 

[Hackman]

Im a fleet agent and Ive been here a long time and I pretty much think all unions are the same. But in this case why not give AMFA a shot ?  You really have nothing to lose

Appreciate the input, but this is an AMT issue.

 

[Tater Salad]

Yes, it does matter what name our union is. I want one without the corrupt AFL-CIO attached to it, (No not the Reamsters either). I want one with recall powers and elections for the president by the membership. The industrial unions are a nothing but a dictatorship, the rank and file vote for local leaders, and that's it. They have no voice in the election of the real power brokers making six figures plus at the top, along with their international union sexrataries pulling in 150k a year. There is no accountability for years of sellouts, as the membership is blamed for voting in concessionary contracts after the lies and back door deals finally come out. Company unionism at it's finest. There is no chance of changing the industrial union, it can only be removed.
 
Finally, I want a union that has my crafts best interests and needs at the forefront. If you look at the industrial union leadership like the TWu, they are dominated by, rampers, stock clerks, cleaners, bus drivers, train operators and the like (Not elitist or a degradation of those jobs, just the truth). They don't give rats ass about the AMT class and craft and our life altering responsibilities, TWu AMT members can't even get an email answered by the TWu international. This has been shown by the years of being at the bottom of the industry with the TWu, and also the IAm. 
 
The pilots and F/A's have their own unions, are they elitist or just smart?
 
So no matter how many free beer and brat parties thrown by your TWu local in ORD, it won't bring any change in representation, or lack thereof. Get involved in what union? Waste of time.
 
The only answer is the removing the TWu-IAm ASSociation off the property.
 
Not one AMT I know wanted this ASSociation BS.  Where's the vote?  MORE industrial union LIES....
 
The AFL-CIO and the IAm wanted this union ABORTION, to save the IAm and the IAm pension fund.
 
All about the UNION DUES. Wake up AMTs.

I can't disagree with everything you said, but unfortunately the TWU is our bargaining agent right now. There may come a time when we will have to bargain for ourselves from the hangar floor. The only way we will be able to do that is through being unified in purpose. 

 

[dfw gen]

I can't disagree with everything you said, but unfortunately the TWU is our bargaining agent right now. There may come a time when we will have to bargain for ourselves from the hangar floor. The only way we will be able to do that is through being unified in purpose. 

Agreed

 

[conehead777]

  The "party" is one of the many efforts the ORD leadership is trying to create unity here. They understand the only way we are going to get anything accomplished is to take matters into our own hands. Agree with it or not, at least they are doing SOMETHING.
      Why don't we stop bickering amongst ourselves and unite against our common enemy? IF we could just realize the power we have in our unity.....

even with unity we can't remove the top intl spots we can't vote them a paycut like they voted to do for us.the internationals are dictators and we cannot remove them. but they can vote on our  contract and say its for our on good .there constitution is written to keep us down . amfa on the other hand is made for us amt.

 

[Tater Salad]

even with unity we can't remove the top intl spots we can't vote them a paycut like they voted to do for us.the internationals are dictators and we cannot remove them. but they can vote on our  contract and say its for our on good .there constitution is written to keep us down . amfa on the other hand is made for us amt.

Once again, I don't disagree with what you are saying, but I'm pretty sure we can agree we will not have a different bargaining agent before the merger contract is signed. The next best thing imo is for all of us to be on the same page and ready to do what is necessary.

 

[DallasConehead]

Why don't we stop bickering amongst ourselves and unite against our common enemy?

Who is the common enemy? I say the association itself is the common enemy. They are the worst kind, taking our money, claiming to work for us, when in fact they rob us blind and do nothing for us. I grew up in a union household, I believed in unionism, what we have is abhorrent and has nothing to do with that, it is common thievery and misrepresentation.

So, go have your "party" and unite with your alcohol infused bull ****.

 

[Tater Salad]

Who is the common enemy? I say the association itself is the common enemy. They are the worst kind, taking our money, claiming to work for us, when in fact they rob us blind and do nothing for us. I grew up in a union household, I believed in unionism, what we have is abhorrent and has nothing to do with that, it is common thievery and misrepresentation.

So, go have your "party" and unite with your alcohol infused bull ####.

  I don't get your anger directed toward a local leadership because of throwing a party. I compare it to bashing a soldier you see on the street because you are pissed off at Obama and his policies. They are resisting the company's daily attacks on us, and doing a job that needs to be done whether or not you are satisfied with the upper leadership. What's the alternative? Just not participate and let the company run roughshod over the membership?

 

[bigjets]

  The "party" is one of the many efforts the ORD leadership is trying to create unity here. They understand the only way we are going to get anything accomplished is to take matters into our own hands. Agree with it or not, at least they are doing SOMETHING.
      Why don't we stop bickering amongst ourselves and unite against our common enemy? IF we could just realize the power we have in our unity.....

 
"Common enemy" one of the dumbest statements I ever read!!!!
 
You're talking about the company that pays you money to work for them. You don't have to work at AA. If you consider AA the enemy you should move on to AAR, I'm sure they will pay you much better. Spirit is hiring for ORD and DFW. We the union membership have refused to take pay raises twice from AA, because AA wouldn't give you everything you wanted, so AA didn't give us anything.
 
In 2008 we were offered a contract extension with a pay raise and better contratual items, our union said NO, in 2010 same thing, we voted NO (not me) I remember reading on here Cobb@AFW writing, "I'm not working weekends, I did my time on the line" now all these guys are coming to the line without the money we would have had, or a better items in the contract. All the labor laws since the 80s have been written to help corporations deal with unions, look around your break room and all the guys voting republican have hurt union power. Now all of a sudden you want the unions to stand up to AA so you can get everything you want, well that's not how negotiations work, especially when Tulsa, a very republican town, votes in labor unfriendly politicians to cut unions at the knees. 
 
It didn't help when we have union leaders sending out letters of pure rhetoric giving out unrealistic expectations. Hopefully that won't happen this time.
 
That said, AA is our employer, not our enemy, and the association, like or not is our bargaining agent. 
 
 
just an example of what politicians do to unions. Yes I still prefer to be non-union, I don't think our union should have just taken some of our equity, and should have taken vote for representation. If only the IAM had the guts, they probably would control ALL of AA's ground staff.
 
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-17/nikki-haley-proud-union-buster-at-boeing-south-carolina-i8lpjuao

 

[Kev3188]

Tater Salad--

You're on the right track here, IMO.

 

[Buck]

This " they are our agent like it or not"  wherever it originated, is a sorry excuse when we have had multiple opportunities to change.
 
That being said, I will feel no remorse when someone junior to me hits the street. I never felt that way until I heard this agent statement.
 
Common Enemy? 
 
It seems the only one attempting to raise the mechanics standard of living is the company and Doug Parker. 

 

[xUT]

 
Isn't that funny how AMFA was criticized at NW for not bringing back a vote to the membership when NW was eliminating 53% of the AMT membership and a 25% cut in pay for the remaining but your statement somehow holds water. You're correct no union would ever agree to that and shouldn't.  

That's because you were an "association' and not a real onion... LOL
Hypocrisy has no bounds and the lemmings that follow this and justify it is 'anti-worker'.
Take Care, glad you landed in a happy place.
 
Maybe these folks will not continue to degrade the 'craft' and put you at min wage... DOH!
 
But I have my doubts...
 
----------------Edited by ME -------------------
My bad, MODS please move these to the AMT thread...
 
B) xUT