American Airlines and Labor Negotiations

[swamt]

You're missing the point. He can't say anything to help his cause.

The point is that his description of why could be tied to the job action and the call to avoid voluntary overtime.

It is something that could be seized by the Airline in their contempt case. It shows how mechanics interpreted the call to action by some Association representatives.

Maybe it won't have an affect or maybe it will, and if it does, it'll be very damaging.

Yes. And the company sees many $$$'s coming their way. Company attorneys are all over this issue. And it will be the top example used in the companies favor. This one dumb arse mechanic just screwed everything up the union could have done as a defence in the courts. However, it will be interesting to see how the asso. tries to wiggle their way around this one.
Here's a question: With our union, every termination is handled by the union representing the mechanic fired. In this case, at AA with this mechanic does the union represent this guy? Or will they say, sorry man, you intentionally did this and there is no way they would help him fight for his job? I predict the later in order to distance themselves as far as possible from this individual. If this were the case here, our LEC would NOT elect to represent this individual. Instead they would tell the individual to go get his own attorneys, fight for getting the job back and then, if he was successful they would reimburse him of the attorney fees and cost. We all know he will not get his job back. Either way, and no matter what this does not look good for the asso. and they better change their attitudes at the table in these upcoming nego's.

 

[swamt]

Another what IF. What if he is a terrorist, planned the doomed crash of another 737 full of passengers, and he is using the contract dispute as an out? What if he really wanted that airplane to take off, and in the crash, all the evidence (foam/superglue) just burned away. Yea they still have the video. But described that they ID'd the mechanic by his limp in his walk. Maybe video not clear on what he did and with what?
Just thinking of all possible scenarios is all, not accusing or blaming.

 

[1AA]

Too many what ifs. According to the media reports and the reports from the FEDS he admitted to doing it. His motivation was to get overtime.
It's best that the company and all unions walk away from this guy as far and as fast as possible. He obviously has psychological issues and has no regards to human life. Just himself. Forget about how this affects negotiations, the stock price, consumer confidence and employee relations. This is a guy who took it upon himself to do something that no one would ever think of for the reasons he admitted too. Sick person. I'm glad he is locked up and held without bond.

 

[robbedagain]

What surprise me was he had been fired from AS but then was back with them as well as worked w AA at same time. At AS he apparently per the article had multiple cases not go his way. It sounds like he was a grumpy disgruntled dude who needs serious help

 

[V.O. Reason]

From the initial reports even had the airplane got airborne all the crew would have had to do was fly the airplane manually.
Sure without most of their instruments but it could have been done.
It seems he knew exactly how to sabotage it so it would gate return and then it would go out of service so he could get the
OT.
I’m not buying the terror theory. He’s just an upset guy who was tired of hearing that pay raises were on the table but the union just kept saying no

 

[Buck]

The ASAP program was partially designed to be anonymous. The ASAP program currently used at American is an internal program with equal participation by the company and union but is not anonymous. It appears that this individual has a known record.

 

[Buck]

From the initial reports even had the airplane got airborne all the crew would have had to do was fly the airplane manually.
Sure without most of their instruments but it could have been done.
It seems he knew exactly how to sabotage it so it would gate return and then it would go out of service so he could get the
OT.
I’m not buying the terror theory. He’s just an upset guy who was tired of hearing that pay raises were on the table but the union just kept saying no

There are more participants in the story in my opinion. Why didn't the union local at MIA hand this member a letter committing not to slow down?

 

[scorpion 2]

Another what IF. What if he is a terrorist, planned the doomed crash of another 737 full of passengers, and he is using the contract dispute as an out? What if he really wanted that airplane to take off, and in the crash, all the evidence (foam/superglue) just burned away. Yea they still have the video. But described that they ID'd the mechanic by his limp in his walk. Maybe video not clear on what he did and with what?
Just thinking of all possible scenarios is all, not accusing or blaming.

I wasn’t going to go there but thanks for bringing up that prospective.
His excuse for doing it seemed like a ready made canned response. What if this guy was just testing the waters or building his resume for more serious things to come? If he’s willing to endanger the lives of hundreds of innocent people for a few bucks an hour and a few more days off with pay, then what would he have done for a real payday? Was he being tested by a sponsor? There’s no way this guy was acting on behalf of some overtime pay imo. If he is that desperate then he needs to be locked up for life because he’s a danger to society. This is deeper and way more serious than a simple union/company disgruntled internal issue. IMO this guy will never have the chance at union representation because he is a terrorist plain and simple. If his intentions were to just get overtime then why not write something up so he can fix it on OT? He had no way of knowing if his actions were going to make a delay or endanger the lives of all on board if the aircraft departed.

 

[swamt]

I wasn’t going to go there but thanks for bringing up that prospective.
His excuse for doing it seemed like a ready made canned response. What if this guy was just testing the waters or building his resume for more serious things to come? If he’s willing to endanger the lives of hundreds of innocent people for a few bucks an hour and a few more days off with pay, then what would he have done for a real payday? Was he being tested by a sponsor? There’s no way this guy was acting on behalf of some overtime pay imo. If he is that desperate then he needs to be locked up for life because he’s a danger to society. This is deeper and way more serious than a simple union/company disgruntled internal issue. IMO this guy will never have the chance at union representation because he is a terrorist plain and simple. If his intentions were to just get overtime then why not write something up so he can fix it on OT? He had no way of knowing if his actions were going to make a delay or endanger the lives of all on board if the aircraft departed.

I know I hesitated on going there, sad we have to do that now days, isn't it?
They are always doing test runs as you say. But also always seem to walk it back, until something really does get through. That's why TSA, us, the airlines have a duty to question anything and everything, and I don't care why the reasons are. If anyone wants to call it racial, or profiling, or whatever, I don't care any longer when it comes to airport and or airline safety. Matter fact I will be frank, my suggestion of a possible test came solely after they released his name. Call it what you want as I no longer care to be politically correct anymore.

 

[V.O. Reason]

I wasn’t going to go there but thanks for bringing up that prospective.
His excuse for doing it seemed like a ready made canned response. What if this guy was just testing the waters or building his resume for more serious things to come? If he’s willing to endanger the lives of hundreds of innocent people for a few bucks an hour and a few more days off with pay, then what would he have done for a real payday? Was he being tested by a sponsor? There’s no way this guy was acting on behalf of some overtime pay imo. If he is that desperate then he needs to be locked up for life because he’s a danger to society. This is deeper and way more serious than a simple union/company disgruntled internal issue. IMO this guy will never have the chance at union representation because he is a terrorist plain and simple. If his intentions were to just get overtime then why not write something up so he can fix it on OT? He had no way of knowing if his actions were going to make a delay or endanger the lives of all on board if the aircraft departed.

If the FBI does its job this aspect of his actions will be investigated.
They will look into his off duty time, such as was he going someplace that was teaching radical ideas.
However if this is not the case then it will just be simply someone who just broke because of whatever was going on in his life

 

[CremaDiLimone]

after reading that he was employed by alaska and aa at the same time and this guy was on the clock for both companies simultaneously - before getting discovered and fired by alaska..then turned around and tried to play a discrimination card for getting fired from alaska...

sounds like a selfish, greedy scammer. probably scammed thousands of OT hours from company during his career.

plenty more scammers throughout the company. they just won't put peoples' lives at risk in the same outrageous fashion.

 

[Vortilon]

From the initial reports even had the airplane got airborne all the crew would have had to do was fly the airplane manually.
Sure without most of their instruments but it could have been done.
It seems he knew exactly how to sabotage it so it would gate return and then it would go out of service so he could get the
OT.
I’m not buying the terror theory. He’s just an upset guy who was tired of hearing that pay raises were on the table but the union just kept saying no

It may not be terror related, but at the very least folks from that culture really are not well known for caring about human life - unless it's for a convenient political gain.

 

[NYer]

. Here's a question: With our union, every termination is handled by the union representing the mechanic fired. In this case, at AA with this mechanic does the union represent this guy?

The union could defend the termination but seeing how this is going down, it is doubtful he'll even have a license or will ever be able to access a security clearance which makes any possible representation a moot point.

 

[NYer]

IMO NYer, it could go either way, but all depends on how the mechanic tells his side with the authorities. He could take full blame on himself, or he could say the union encouraged him to do it, or he could say the union's enforcing the no work overtime aimed at hurting the company is why he did it. Or he could even say he was directed by someone within the asso., but we will not know until the entire investigation is done.

The little that's known seems to imply that negotiations and the job action may of hindered his ability to work OT which created the desperation to do what he did.

At the very least, this seems to throw a brick into the thin appeal that filed and gives a heighten sense of urgency to send a signal in a possible contempt order.

Even in the best case scenario, this issue with the mechanic has raised the stakes for the Association whether it is a JCBA or exposure to liability.

 

[NYer]

Another what IF. What if he is a terrorist, planned the doomed crash of another 737 full of passengers, and he is using the contract dispute as an out? What if he really wanted that airplane to take off, and in the crash, all the evidence (foam/superglue) just burned away. Yea they still have the video. But described that they ID'd the mechanic by his limp in his walk. Maybe video not clear on what he did and with what?
Just thinking of all possible scenarios is all, not accusing or blaming.

This happened in July, he was arrested in September. Very doubtful the FBI would let this guy near any planes if there was a thought if it being a terrorist.

That word only comes up because of his name.