Aircraft maint issues

[OldGuy@AA]

i was at afw from the beginning, yup used to like wasting my time going to the bubba meetings at the holiday inn, roanoke, round the corner from the titty bar.the biggest draw to the juniority system was the $11,500 payout. we lost that in bankruptcy. local 514 was NOTORIOUS for protecting themselves and cutting deals.

Not going to argue about how NOTORIOUS local 514 is/was but I saw hundreds get laid off in the early 90s. Many had to go to JFK, LGA, ORD and LAX to keep their jobs. Doesn't look to me like they protected those guys. AFW guys with much less seniority never got laid off or bumped. Tulsa has NEVER been protected in a layoff. As a matter of fact there was a 5% rule if you remember in effect where no more than 5% of any station (Other than Tulsa) could be affected by a layoff. I know Tulsa has it's faults but we have never been protected during layoffs.

 

[bigjets]

Here’s a fact, there are mechs working at DFW and DWH that have less seniority then mechs who are working at ORD MIA etc who use to work at TAESL.

A straight seniority layoff and bump is the only fair way. It is easy to follow and impossible to manipulate by our own union officials, there by creating contention for our own union. The juniority way has caused nothing but problems for all union members and has not stopped AA from laying off.

Is it true that a OSM from DWH can upgrade to an AMT at DFW before they will transfer in an AMT off the transfer list?

 

[OldGuy@AA]

http://fortune.com/2018/02/02/american-airlines-doug-parker-culture/

changing the culture, but yet delaying improvements for LAA mechs,

Every employee gets a 4% pay raise except for ramp and AMTs.

What kind of culture are they going for here.

Video makes me want to puke.

 

[paul1]

old guydid you hear anything about a bridge to retirement for medical in tulsa

 

[Texmech60]

We were told by management that we are overmanned. They are taking work away and giving it to Tulsa to keep their headcount up. They took our 777 gear changes to Tulsa where 7aa took twice as long to do than we could as an example.

We were doing wifi work on 767's and 757's the past year or so. I think we were doing as well or better than the industry at 11 or 12 days then the 757 went to DWH. They didn't come close to that but it was their first and they probably had issues just like we did when the 777 came to Tulsa for the gear change so we know how you feel. We had to wait 2 days for tooling that didn't get sent. The 767 wifi went to Mobile and they took 39+ days. They got rid of the work tables and other stuff we used. Now we have a 767 heavy in dock with wifi. They're working our 4-10 crews with 11 mechs and 2 crew chiefs per shift and bringing mechs from hangar 5 and 6. We're glad to have the work but never seen one run like that. I guess that's the Usair way. They're talking about bringing 777 mbv's here also.

 

[Buck]

No, just a fact. The work we have cannot support the headcount at current levels.

If there is any validity to Parker and his United 3%, watch to see if there might be an early out?
they had $100000.00 for 20 years, but that needs to be confirmed. Of course, I cannot say when our contract will happen.

 

[Deleted member 14439]

If there is any validity to Parker and his United 3%, watch to see if there might be an early out?
they had $100000.00 for 20 years, but that needs to be confirmed. Of course, I cannot say when our contract will happen.

Oh Buck, lol. I believe NOTHING that comes out of Mr. Parkers mouth nor anything his "team" says. This leadership team has blown ALL credibility. I do not see any early out, signing bonus or anything very beneficial to us. We will most likely see a very generic, ho-hum contract. Maybe a little more on the hourly. I predict 10 holidays at 2x, pre-2003 OT rules and shift differential, 10 days sick time, etc. The Delta/UAL+7% or 3% just isn't going to happen and why should it? The company sees record on time performance and record baggage handling. As far as they are concerned everything is cool and we are happy. Until we put serious and continuous pressure on nothing will change. We have no one to blame but ourselves. "We keep doing what we are doing. We will keep getting what we are getting"

 

[OldGuy@AA]

old guydid you hear anything about a bridge to retirement for medical in tulsa

Nope nothing. Not even rumors. Maybe if we can get the pilots and FAs to complain about it at their monthy meeting with Parker something will happen. Those are the only people he listens to.

 

[Buck]

The only confirmed item is 20 AMTO's being moved to the aircraft docks.

 

[B737 driver]

Oh Buck, lol. I believe NOTHING that comes out of Mr. Parkers mouth nor anything his "team" says. This leadership team has blown ALL credibility. I do not see any early out, signing bonus or anything very beneficial to us. We will most likely see a very generic, ho-hum contract. Maybe a little more on the hourly. I predict 10 holidays at 2x, pre-2003 OT rules and shift differential, 10 days sick time, etc. The Delta/UAL+7% or 3% just isn't going to happen and why should it? The company sees record on time performance and record baggage handling. As far as they are concerned everything is cool and we are happy. Until we put serious and continuous pressure on nothing will change. We have no one to blame but ourselves. "We keep doing what we are doing. We will keep getting what we are getting"

Sounds like us at SWA hog.

 

[swamt]

The sad reality is this the juniority system at work, about as anti union as it gets. We have guys with less seniority on payroll locally, while more senior guys are commuting or on the street. Those hit by the base closure have had their careers turned upside down. Where once they had good shifts and days off. Now they are stuck commuting and/or with undesirable shifts and days off. Now queue the guys with the "you had a chance to leave afw". Very few of us would willingly give up what that good gig. That's just human nature. I'm sure most of the career line guys would hold on to those good days off and shifts if given the same chance. They would be just as bummed had roles been reversed. They would be screaming bloody murder if exposed to the juniority RIF process. It is what it is. I'm hoping we adopt the straight seniority system for the next RIF.

Never said line guys had not been exposed. Now how do you suppose a DFW guy with 1990 seniority would feel getting bumped to LAX. While a DWH guy with 1999 seniority stayed put, unaffected. My point being our system is broken. It in no way benefits or considers the affected members seniority.

I am one of those that just don't understand this "juniority" system. And your example is perfect, why in the world would a 1990 person get bumped over a 1999 person? I hope you guys get this changed in the new contract. I am a firm believer that your seniority takes you wherever it can as long as there are openings. If co. started to rif, then you should bump where your seniority takes you period, it's the company's problem on how far the trickle bids go and for how long, it was them that wanted to do it all. Also the company should be on the hook for any involuntary rif relocation cost. This would drastically reduce the company just randomly doing rif's when they know the rif's will cost them many, many moves and relocation cost.

 

[Topcat187]

I am one of those that just don't understand this "juniority" system. And your example is perfect, why in the world would a 1990 person get bumped over a 1999 person? I hope you guys get this changed in the new contract. I am a firm believer that your seniority takes you wherever it can as long as there are openings. If co. started to rif, then you should bump where your seniority takes you period, it's the company's problem on how far the trickle bids go and for how long, it was them that wanted to do it all. Also the company should be on the hook for any involuntary rif relocation cost. This would drastically reduce the company just randomly doing rif's when they know the rif's will cost them many, many moves and relocation cost.

Its not really the companies problem, they will do what they call a virtual RIF and let you know where your final location is. A long time ago it would have been a major problem for the company, but technology has taken care of that.

 

[OldGuy@AA]

This was a comment on jetnet by a mechanic in BOS that was removed by the company. Inquiries to TWU were not taken seriously and pretty much blown off. Read this comment and ask your local union officials why there is no action or comment by them. Here it is:

"Open Skies" is supposed to save American jobs. I find it interesting that on the Tech Ops MAPS page the following places are listed as "BASE MAINTENANCE STATIONS".
Here is the list of Stations along with the countries they are located in.
AMO - Chad PAO - USA
ARO - Columbia RDV - Russia
BFO - Zimbabwe SLO - Illinois
GSV - USA SNO - Thailand
GUO - Honduras STO - Sweden
HKO - Hong Kong TPO- USA
MLO - Greece TSO - U.K.
MMO- Cape Verde VLO - Brazil or Venezuela (code shows both)

Only 3 of the 15 stations listed are in the U.S. I think the Company along with the TWU/IAM need to clarify and explain to the AMT work group how this IS going to impact us. As it appears now, saving American jobs appears to mean "saving" management, pilot and flight attendants jobs with absolutely no concern for saving Aircraft Maintenance jobs. Would Mr.Parker, Mr.Isom or the Presidents of the TWU or IAM care to comment on this?
We need an answer to this and many other items BEFORE we vote on a new contract. It is up to all union members to know exactly what we are voting on and the impact it will have on our future.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Its not really the companies problem, they will do what they call a virtual RIF and let you know where your final location is. A long time ago it would have been a major problem for the company, but technology has taken care of that.

The problem with a "virtual RIF" is it cannot predict the decision of the individual. Case in point when I got my layoff papers I chose to take the (indefinite) layoff rather than exercise my bumping rights. I could have bumped someone but that never happened. Your "virtual RIF" could not predict the decision I made.

That individual that would have gotten bumped in that "virtual RIF" was in fact never impacted.

 

[Topcat187]

The problem with a "virtual RIF" is it cannot predict the decision of the individual. Case in point when I got my layoff papers I chose to take the (indefinite) layoff rather than exercise my bumping rights. I could have bumped someone but that never happened. Your "virtual RIF" could not predict the decision I made.

That individual that would have gotten bumped in that "virtual RIF" was in fact never impacted.

You are 100% correct, thats why when they do it, each person is given options that include your picks. The virtual RIF is then set into motion "virtually" and you are given the end result. Each person that is affected in the virtual RIF will still make a decision and when its finished the people affected are notified of where or how they ended up.