A message for executives of AA

[bigjets]

A message for the executives of AA, everybody likes to be part of a team, nobody likes to be taken advantage of. I think it is easy to say that the management of AA is doing a great job when it comes to running the airline, the load factors are high, dealing with the travel websites, replacing the S80's, and keeping the number of employee's on the payroll relatively high. On the other hand when it comes to employee relations the AA executives have the capacity to improve.

In 2003 the unions voted to take the concessions to help the airline. Then the executives took care of themselves, then year after year the executives gave themselves bonus's, we can understand that the bonus's are part of their contract, but for the executives to continue to delay the union contracts for YEARS is taking advantage of the unions. It is no mystery why the employee's of AA have a low opinion of management. I think it is a testament to the professionalism of the union members of AA that the airline is running as smooth as it is. Please remember it is acceptable to be ruthless against AA's competition, but not acceptable to be ruthless to the employee's of AA.

 

[boston]

A message for the executives of AA, everybody likes to be part of a team, nobody likes to be taken advantage of. I think it is easy to say that the management of AA is doing a great job when it comes to running the airline, the load factors are high, dealing with the travel websites, replacing the S80's, and keeping the number of employee's on the payroll relatively high. On the other hand when it comes to employee relations the AA executives have the capacity to improve.

In 2003 the unions voted to take the concessions to help the airline. Then the executives took care of themselves, then year after year the executives gave themselves bonus's, we can understand that the bonus's are part of their contract, but for the executives to continue to delay the union contracts for YEARS is taking advantage of the unions. It is no mystery why the employee's of AA have a low opinion of management. I think it is a testament to the professionalism of the union members of AA that the airline is running as smooth as it is. Please remember it is acceptable to be ruthless against AA's competition, but not acceptable to be ruthless to the employee's of AA.

You have expressed it so well, and with such dignity.

Thank You

 

[Deleted member 17588]

The damage has been done. We've been making the same impassioned plea for years. Management has had the opportunity and the ability to make company/worker relations better, but apparently they just don't give a rat's ass about anyone but themselves. To them we're just a mere cost liability on an accounting spread sheet. They've dehumanized us and in doing so have done the same to themselves. They are so far removed from the human experience and the real world.

 

[toroshark]

I think the proper term is "morally bankrupt".

 

[Deleted member 14439]

Nicely written,futile but well done. This all falls on deaf ears as executives and others of their ilk live in a different reality than the working men and women of this airline.

 

[bigjets]

Another way to look at AA employee relations. We all know how important the executive platinum passengers are. We know how well AA takes care of those important passengers. It would be admirable of the executives of AA to treat the employees with the same kind of adoration as the premium passengers, instead of using all the delay tactics of the Railway Labor Act.

 

[Deleted member 14439]

Another way to look at AA employee relations. We all know how important the executive platinum passengers are. We know how well AA takes care of those important passengers. It would be admirable of the executives of AA to treat the employees with the same kind of adoration as the premium passengers, instead of using all the delay tactics of the Railway Labor Act.

ROTFLMAO, OOOOHHH Boy, now THATS funny. Treat the employees well. Bigjets, thanks for the chuckle...lol

 

[frontline]

I mostly agree with you, except that I don't see management as the one's delaying the contracts. I have heard very little (if any) hint of compromise from our negotiators either, so at the very least both sides are to blame. Some of the wage demands are just CRAZY (more pilots and FA's than TWU).

 

[Rogallo]

I mostly agree with you, except that I don't see management as the one's delaying the contracts. I have heard very little (if any) hint of compromise from our negotiators either, so at the very least both sides are to blame. Some of the wage demands are just CRAZY (more pilots and FA's than TWU).

"Sometimes your wealth of ignorance astounds me."

 

[Hopeful]

I mostly agree with you, except that I don't see management as the one's delaying the contracts. I have heard very little (if any) hint of compromise from our negotiators either, so at the very least both sides are to blame. Some of the wage demands are just CRAZY (more pilots and FA's than TWU).

You are either naive or just too pro company to see what has been going on.
The company has been dragging their feet for three years.
Do you know why? Because every day that goes by without a contract is another day of concessions by employees. And that means more money in their pockets.

And as long as there is no threat of a "penalty" or "retro" pay, then the company will drag their feet as long as the NMB allows them to.
Until all the workers wake up and send the company and NMB a stron message about the bad morale and discontent, they will continue to drag this on.

 

[eolesen]

Since two of the three NMB members are former union officials, why would you think they're dragging their feet?

 

[Hopeful]

Since two of the three NMB members are former union officials, why would you think they're dragging their feet?

That means nothing....
The TWU has been on the company's side since their inception.
Jim Little was formerly AA management....

And look where that got us!

 

[Bob Owens]

Since two of the three NMB members are former union officials, why would you think they're dragging their feet?

So are some of the members of the companys negotiating team, they (the company) are dragging their feet because they save money every day they drag talks out.

They also figure that if they drag it out desperation will set in and the members will accept less, its a gamble, because the workers could revolt instead, but so far they havent seen any indication of that. I think they believe that we are too old and beaten and not up to the fight. Crandall thought the FAs werent up to the fight either. Time will tell if us old dogs can still bite. The thing is some old dogs dont growl before they bite.

As far as the NMB, their job now is to try and prevent interuptions to commerce, so as long as workers continue to produce and there are no interuptions that could attributed to worker discontent they have no reason to pressure the carrier to come to an agreement.

 

[strikeforce]

So are some of the members of the companys negotiating team, they (the company) are dragging their feet because they save money every day they drag talks out.

They also figure that if they drag it out desperation will set in and the members will accept less, its a gamble, because the workers could revolt instead, but so far they havent seen any indication of that. I think they believe that we are too old and beaten and not up to the fight. Crandall thought the FAs werent up to the fight either. Time will tell if us old dogs can still bite. The thing is some old dogs dont growl before they bite.

As far as the NMB, their job now is to try and prevent interuptions to commerce, so as long as workers continue to produce and there are no interuptions that could attributed to worker discontent they have no reason to pressure the carrier to come to an agreement.

Bob,
The war starts in the war room, not on the ground. When the troops get the war plan, then it's game on! This war needs to start at the negotiating table. When the troops see strong rhetoric from it's leaders towards the enemy, the troops will stand up and support the leadership. This isn't the case from our so called leaders. It's the business as usual attitude from the TWU...thinking by helping the company will lead us to paradise. It's not going to happen! The leaders....you......need to be proactive. Negotiations....defined by old school union bosses means psychological warfare. The company, although terrible at running their operation, is very good at wearing down the enemy...us...by using the Railway Labor Act in it's favor. The company has no timetable in reaching an agreement. 2012....2014...2020. It's not costing them a dime.

The NMB.....sympathetic towards business. I'm not amazed by the casual approach the NMB (democrats) has taken. Dragging feet would be an understatement. It's more like two steps back, one step sideways. typical stuff. Look what happened at Amtrak.....8 years. Well, we're pretty close!
WHATCHA GONNA DO GENERAL BOB OWENS?

 

[bigjets]

This is what I'm talking about, I don't think the employee's of SWA or UPS consider their employer's the ENEMY, but of course their executives don't give themselves bonus's when the company is losing money and turn around and say we can't give the employees one even though the employee's kept AA out bankruptcy. I don't understand why the AA executives continue to have an adversarial relationship with the employees. I really don't care for the socialist aspect of unions, but if management was good employee's wouldn't need a union. It looks like the gate agents are trying to organize again. At SWA the unionized workers are paid very well and SWA has high morale and high profits. It would be refreshing to have that kind of relationship at AA.


http://www.teamster.org/sites/teamster.org/files/12611ta%20ltr001.pdf