American Airlines and Labor Negotiations

[Talos]

The truth of the matter is we will get a contract when Sito says so. However the IAM will get another year of their medical which was a sticking point with him. Does anybody know what the cap on the TWU medical is? Rumors are saying it’s going up to 16% but I’m pretty sure we have a cap that’s much lower than that.

If the company goes after the unions for millions of dollars Sito will get agreeable pretty quickly. I'm wondering if the offer gets worse when they meet. The legal judgement is a real negative for the Association.

 

[V.O. Reason]

It is beyond me why you guys do not post the actual asso release about this news. Just one guy posting "just announced" WTF?? Here's the related news from the asso.:

Well for one thing the basics of the announcement is all that mattered, especially since it’s a joke where the ASS says they have support of us lol whatever so what difference does it make if I put out the whole thing.
Also I agree the 4 days may produce nothing but hopefully your wrong and they come out with a TA
TWU-IAM Association Contract Talks with American to Resume
September 4, 2019
0 Comments

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2019 — The TWU-IAM Association today announced that mediation for negotiations in the American Airlines/TWU-IAM Association contract talks will restart on Monday, Sept. 16, at 1 p.m. ET and continue through Thursday, Sept. 19. The sessions will be held in Washington, D.C. at the National Mediation Board (NMB).

Association principals Sito Pantoja, Director (IAM General Vice President) and Alex Garcia, Vice Director (TWU International Executive Vice President) met with the NMB on Thursday, Aug. 29 to outline the Association’s views on negotiations and to insist that negotiations resume.

“Our meeting with the NMB was positive and we are optimistic that resumption of negotiations will be productive,” said TWU-IAM Association Director Sito Pantoja. “It’s now time for the company to keep its word and give our members the industry-leading contract they promised. I thank our members for their incredible patience during this process.”

“The delays in this process have been frustrating for our members but they have remained fully supportive of the Association,” said TWU-IAM Association Vice Director Alex Garcia. “We will use this opportunity to finally close these negotiations, if American Airlines is a willing partner.”

PDF version: Association-PR

As some have already posted fellas, DO NOT expect much after these three days. Just don't get your hopes up. We did several times within our nego's and were disappointed every single time until one man finally came in and got it done for us. Thank you KK...

 

[swamt]

The natives (shareholders) are growing restless!

Sounds like the BOD is stepping in to order some changes.

I kinda think that is why GK stepped into our nego's and said get it done. Pressure from the shareholders as well as all the weather delays, Max groundings and maint. write ups increasing.
In hopes of you guys getting something to vote on too, but do you really think timmy's "by thanksgiving" comment will come to reality? I don't. I kinda think the company is gonna want to get through the holidays once again and maybe, just maybe you guys might have something 1Q next year. Also still in hopes you mechanics can bust the top scale in the end as well. Hope part of his post is correct and they will back off of scope for the mechanics as well, and maybe bump up the 401K a bit. A little padding is needed IMO, but not a tone of it. OR the asso will continue their hard stance and come back further apart than they are now, we will see which scenario prevails...

 

[V.O. Reason]

The legal matter will definitely resolve this. So, this morning, the union person (someone who is well known and I've learned to like. Not an asshole like some of the others) called me and said he thinks this will be wrapped up before Thanksgiving.
Of course, he said that any contempt or fines have nothing to do with it, and I think he believes that. He claimed that solidarity and Samuelson were the sole reasons why the company is meeting and that the company is on its knees, due to the stockholders wanting parker to fix this.

Of course, I'm just hopeful for a vote, so who cares if he wants to give Samuelson credit. If Samuelson gets credit, then I'm down with that or Sito.

He thinks that the offer will be enhanced along scope with a few more stations included in the scope. We talked about RSW for much of the call.

I think he thinks I'm in with the company, but I'm not. Told him that the overall contract cost will not increase, other than the delta + 3 which the company is committed to fleet on.

When he disputed the value of the station and status protections, I knew that the union isn't committed to the protections for the junior people, in fact, they have publicly denounced the protections as meaningless. In truth, the protections have a value of $14 million a year built into the proposal. So I can see the union proposing to water that down to no layoff language, and shift the core of that value to a few more stations under scope.

Although that would put the union agenda above the interest of the junior agents, I think the union will pull it off since junior agents and most fleet are just too damn ignorant to understand station protection and status protection. As far as Parker, he could probably live with that since the union will give him more flexibility to lay people off in economic downturns.
More scope and Less protection. The union will spin the extra few stations and save face, which is certainly ok with me. But in any economic downturn, junior people will be gone. In fact, immediately after any TA without protections gets signed, there will be movement and layoffs. But junior people couldn't understand the protections offered.

Dunno, certainly all just my opinion.

Based on the interview I read from Isom I would agree the pressure is on the company to get this contract resolved so movement is likely and hopefully a TA.
Yes it won’t be done until late Oct to make sure the IAM keeps medical one more year

 

[V.O. Reason]

I kinda think that is why GK stepped into our nego's and said get it done. Pressure from the shareholders as well as all the weather delays, Max groundings and maint. write ups increasing.
In hopes of you guys getting something to vote on too, but do you really think timmy's "by thanksgiving" comment will come to reality? I don't. I kinda think the company is gonna want to get through the holidays once again and maybe, just maybe you guys might have something 1Q next year. Also still in hopes you mechanics can bust the top scale in the end as well. Hope part of his post is correct and they will back off of scope for the mechanics as well, and maybe bump up the 401K a bit. A little padding is needed IMO, but not a tone of it. OR the asso will continue their hard stance and come back further apart than they are now, we will see which scenario prevails...

Your full of it AA can’t afford this to be unresolved through the holidays.
They can’t afford more disruptions and poor moral this will be done prior to that.
Our summer performance was terrible if we have the same for the holidays we will be on our to bankruptcy again

 

[Zom JFK]

Poor morale is a way of life at American airlines.

 

[swamt]

I too hope for a T/A. But optimistic at this point.
Your right, the basic information was put out there. Were just so drilled that the "only official updates" are the ones from the AMFA's website as it is with the asso.'s and we are always told to ignore any other so called updates. We had so much propaganda and misinformation making their rounds and yes even company misinformation and propaganda where people on the company side of the table were all fired and replaced by a completely new nego team, that's how bad it got here. Pretty sure you guys were also experiencing the same over there.
But, I still will hold hard to the union that promised you guys an ILC, and I would still hold Parker to his promised (even though he back tracked it down to 3%) D or U plus 7% whomever was the highest. And I think that was his exact words.
I hope there is movement forward for you guys, but in reality, I do not expect anything this year. I hope I am wrong, but just going by past nego's and the hard headed union guys that will more than likely blow any kind of advancement that could have been made. Good brothers, wishing you guys the best of luck...

 

[swamt]

Your full of it AA can’t afford this to be unresolved through the holidays.
They can’t afford more disruptions and poor moral this will be done prior to that.
Our summer performance was terrible if we have the same for the holidays we will be on our to bankruptcy again

I hope I am wrong. But this asso. is too stupid to get in there and move a little (hard headed) They want to drag this out for the IAM side to benefit longer for the better.
There shouldn't be any further delays per Perm RO. Anyone that grounds an aircraft, under the order, and they are not legit write ups, would be suicidal don't ya think???

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Your full of it AA can’t afford this to be unresolved through the holidays.
They can’t afford more disruptions and poor moral this will be done prior to that.
Our summer performance was terrible if we have the same for the holidays we will be on our to bankruptcy again

You are talking about a company that asked for concessions, froze pensions (or maybe they did that after bankruptcy, feel free to chime in and correct me if that is so), then turned around and handed out millions in bonuses to the executives.

Then after that they took bankruptcy and double dipped in the ole concession pool.

Then they turned around and bought all new shiny airplanes.

Moral is at the bottom of the list.

You need to learn a few things about nonverbal communication.

What does that seem like American Airlines is telling you?

 

[V.O. Reason]

You are talking about a company that asked for concessions, froze pensions (or maybe they did that after bankruptcy, feel free to chime in and correct me if that is so), then turned around and handed out millions in bonuses to the executives.

Then after that they took bankruptcy and double dipped in the ole concession pool.

Then they turned around and bought all new shiny airplanes.

Moral is at the bottom of the list.

You need to learn a few things about nonverbal communication.

What does that seem like American Airlines is telling you?

Well even though I tend to not always be optimistic, I can’t believe the executives want to run this company into the ground.
Isom all but said we sucked this summer and that we need to fix it and that begins with getting something done with the unions
So you can believe he’s lying or that he wants improvements.

Personally from what I’ve seen out of the idiots in the Ass I tend to believe the guys who run things, but only so far

 

[dfw gen]

The legal matter will definitely resolve this. So, this morning, the union person (someone who is well known and I've learned to like. Not an asshole like some of the others) called me and said he thinks this will be wrapped up before Thanksgiving.
Of course, he said that any contempt or fines have nothing to do with it, and I think he believes that. He claimed that solidarity and Samuelson were the sole reasons why the company is meeting and that the company is on its knees, due to the stockholders wanting parker to fix this.

Of course, I'm just hopeful for a vote, so who cares if he wants to give Samuelson credit. If Samuelson gets credit, then I'm down with that or Sito.

He thinks that the offer will be enhanced along scope with a few more stations included in the scope. We talked about RSW for much of the call.

I think he thinks I'm in with the company, but I'm not. Told him that the overall contract cost will not increase, other than the delta + 3 which the company is committed to fleet on.

When he disputed the value of the station and status protections, I knew that the union isn't committed to the protections for the junior people, in fact, they have publicly denounced the protections as meaningless. In truth, the protections have a value of $14 million a year built into the proposal. So I can see the union proposing to water that down to no layoff language, and shift the core of that value to a few more stations under scope.

Although that would put the union agenda above the interest of the junior agents, I think the union will pull it off since junior agents and most fleet are just too damn ignorant to understand station protection and status protection. As far as Parker, he could probably live with that since the union will give him more flexibility to lay people off in economic downturns.
More scope and Less protection. The union will spin the extra few stations and save face, which is certainly ok with me. But in any economic downturn, junior people will be gone. In fact, immediately after any TA without protections gets signed, there will be movement and layoffs. But junior people couldn't understand the protections offered.

Dunno, certainly all just my opinion.[/

jeez Timmy your all over the place, we are on ice, we arent on ice. come on man take the bull by the horns and fix it.again your in command till lunch should be plenty of time for a man of your legendary status.

 

[1AA]

Poor morale is a way of life at American airlines.

Correction, AmericaWest.

 

[Rogallo]

So you can believe he’s lying or that he wants improvements.

Personally, when I see Isom's or Parker's lips moving, I only believe one thing!

 

[ALUS78]

Based on the interview I read from Isom I would agree the pressure is on the company to get this contract resolved so movement is likely and hopefully a TA.
Yes it won’t be done until late Oct to make sure the IAM keeps medical one more year

So he waits till the summer is over to give us a contract? Why didnt he give us one to avoid the meltdown.?? Thats like putting oil in your car after the engine ceased.Nope is the company that has the leverage with the upcoming money damages against the union

 

[V.O. Reason]

So he waits till the summer is over to give us a contract? Why didnt he give us one to avoid the meltdown.?? Thats like putting oil in your car after the engine ceased.Nope is the company that has the leverage with the upcoming money damages against the union

Well there was deals on the table prior to summer but the ASS just kept saying no then the video meltdown happens and well here we are and I mostly blame the Ass for this but the company does have some accountability too