American Airlines and Labor Negotiations

[CremaDiLimone]

All of Envoy is not represented by TWU. Although they may gain 5 more stations if AA doesn't open back any stations. AA and Envoy dont really want union outside of the hubs. Envoy is still a wholly owned subsidiary. We're separate but still all under AAG. Different divisions of the same company. The non union ramp stations can't even get a raise without AA approving it. Yet they want to talk we are separate. BS. The only thing that woukd boost morale is a huge pay increase. It's unfortunate that you have a bunch of slobs from Envoy at your station but as you alluded to, many work hard and have a bit more sense than that. Some TWU Envoy guys just work different. We have one transfer from ORD that gets upset when you tell him bags going around the belt 100 times isn't normal.

believe me, i have nothing against anyone. there are also many aa slobs and a$$holes. i would say that i'm more tolerant towards envoy than others in my work area. some guys are militant. i did have a problem with the envoy guy taking a bird bath and brushing his teeth in the kitchen/cooking sink and i confronted him about it. i'd have done the same if it was an aa guy.


i work in a station where the twu represents both. the same station that saw explosive eagle/envoy growth. there isn't much sympathy or respect for envoy, especially from the 25 year & above club.

 

[Colonel.Ramp]

Here at MIA the TWU doesn’t only represent the Mainline Ramp they also represent both Envoy and Swissport who fuels our Aircraft.

Here’s an update from 2016 for Swissport in MCO.

Published 15 Sep, 2016

Nearly 200 employees at Orlando International Airport now have the benefits of workplace protection, courtesy of TWU. In an overwhelming victory, ramp workers employed by Swissport voted for TWU representation on Sept. 9 and will become part of Local 525.

The workers approached TWU after years of struggling with low wages, long hours, and poor working conditions at the airport. They knew TWU’s proven track record of fighting for its members in the aviation industry and their confidence in their new union is reflected in the vote count. “No matter the size of the work unit, every employee deserves to be treated with dignity and respect,” said TWU Organizing Director Steve Roberts. “And our supporters were able to convince their co-workers to vote for TWU because of our history.”

Even a small unit working for a corporate behemoth such as Swissport, a global provider of ground and cargo handling services, deserve fair wages and the benefits of a strong union contract. Now, with TWU and Local 525 on their side, these new members will be able negotiate for that and more.

Welcome to the TWU family!

Good ole Steve Roberts. Hey some may call it a dues grab but when you have no one to speak out on your behalf and you are waiting for a raise to make ends meet, it is what it is.

 

[Colonel.Ramp]

believe me, i have nothing against anyone. there are also many aa slobs and a$$holes. i would say that i'm more tolerant towards envoy than others in my work area. some guys are militant. i did have a problem with the envoy guy taking a bird bath and brushing his teeth in the kitchen/cooking sink and i confronted him about it. i'd have done the same if it was an aa guy.


i work in a station where the twu represents both. the same station that saw explosive eagle/envoy growth. there isn't much sympathy or respect for envoy, especially from the 25 year & above club.

No argument here. He needed his a$$ whipped for that. Unfortunately outside the hubs there is a fight to get them added to the current negotiations. No one knows how it will end because there is still talk of our station re-opening. TWU knows this but is pushing forward just in case.

 

[CremaDiLimone]

Definitely doesn't make sense to have regionals flying some routes. Especially from key cities. Management believes they are saving money but they lose out on so much more. We just started getting mainline flights to LAX this summer season til November. It's doing so well that they are changing the 175's scheduled to be back in November to 737's. Drastic change. I don't understand how these execs get these jobs because they don't get it.

yup, some RJs were losers before they even took off.

with high oil/jet fuel, you need x-amount of revenue; just to break even and some of the flights couldn't generate enough revenue.

 

[CremaDiLimone]

No argument here. He needed his a$$ whipped for that. Unfortunately outside the hubs there is a fight to get them added to the current negotiations. No one knows how it will end because there is still talk of our station re-opening. TWU knows this but is pushing forward just in case.

this guy used the religion excuse. it failed...aa provides an area to wash yourself and your feet; albeit in the domestic bagroom bathroom.

 

[Colonel.Ramp]

I’m quite sure these Companies factor in ALL manner of costs in comparison to the revenue they believe they can generate before they decide whether or not to add service.

Just because AA is making Billions doesn’t mean they’re going to fly in to a financial market flop or sinkhole if they should actually avoid it.

Did you ever watch this Kev?

Oldie but goodie. Thank Weas.

 

[Colonel.Ramp]

this guy used the religion excuse. it failed...aa provides an area to wash yourself and your feet; albeit in the domestic bagroom bathroom.

Jerk.

 

[Jester]

# 1 Don’t be jealous now if you haven’t put in the hard work to reach that plateau where you can make that six-figure salary, have generous benefits and the occasional, membership-paid, alcohol-fueled convention related trips to upscale jiggle joints.

Reminds me of the criticisms lobbed against Ulysses S. Grant to Abraham Lincoln, as the Civil War General was rumored to be heavily intoxicated to which President replied, "Tell me what brand of whiskey that Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel of it to my other generals." When our union "generals" reach Grant's level of success in battles against Management, then by all means let us allow them all the piña coladas, mai tias, hurricanes, sex on the beaches or any assortment of tiny umbrella garnished drinks at a Las Vegas hotel pool party, but until we get some victories, kindly stop wasting our dues?

BTW... Speaking of alcohol, I liked you better when you imbibed, as you were less of a curmudgeon. Just sayin'.

 

[WeAAsles]

Reminds me of the criticisms lobbed against Ulysses S. Grant to Abraham Lincoln, as the Civil War General was rumored to be heavily intoxicated to which President replied, "Tell me what brand of whiskey that Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel of it to my other generals." When our union "generals" reach Grant's level of success in battles against Management, then by all means let us allow them all the piña coladas, mai tias, hurricanes, sex on the beaches or any assortment of tiny umbrella garnished drinks at a Las Vegas hotel pool party, but until we get some victories, kindly stop wasting our dues?

Oh how soon we forget huh Jester. Let’s see I think it was only 4 years ago where you received a $4.00 per hour increase, kept your spectacular Medical Plan costs, 1 Flight per day Station Staffing language and some other candy?

2 years later, 2 years ago we all received another $6.00 per hour raise. Bringing you up by $10.00 per hour in only the last 4 years.

Seems to me as if they have had some fairly great successes in Battle there.

Now if you’re back to talking about how short staffed you are in your Station and how your arms are falling off from all the work. Well it’s the Generals who design the War plans and the Soldiers who win those battles. So go win your battles man.

BTW... Speaking of alcohol, I liked you better when you imbibed, as you were less of a curmudgeon. Just sayin'.

Um ok. Haven’t been much of a drinker in the last 10 years and have usually had better things to do than to be on here when I was “out” having a few frosty beverages but if you want to maybe paint a false picture of me, more power to you I guess buddy.

Next time I raise a glass of Guinness I’ll make a toast just to you though.

 

[WeAAsles]

Good ole Steve Roberts. Hey some may call it a dues grab but when you have no one to speak out on your behalf and you are waiting for a raise to make ends meet, it is what it is.

Exactly. I think sometimes the people who call it nothing more than a dues cash grab either have never experienced what life is really like on the other side or just forgot or want to forget that badly?

Doesn’t always matter how much one makes either sometimes if you don’t have the ability to speak out when you’re being treated like chit.

 

[WeAAsles]

No one touched this yesterday so let’s try again.

“RUMOR” has it that our Medical is going UP again for next year. (LAA)

Apparently the Standard plans will be going up by 7% and the Value plans will be going up by 11%.

So an 11% increase for the Family plans in the Value category will now be over $700.00 per month.

I bet the IAM just can’t wait to join our “must have” Medical plans, LMFAO.

 

[B737 driver]

I notice you avoided my UPS posting? Lol.



Al I’ve already said and still maintain that I think it’s absolute BS too. And I’ve even argued it with my bud Angelo.

System wide vote though? Oh hell no!!!!!



Well if you want to put it that way you can say the exact same thing about Churches too. I wish Churches got the same bad rap in America that Unions do.

Can someone please buy Joel Osteen a new Jet now?

You need to make money as a union, or you can't function to get contracts.

 

[WeAAsles]

You need to make money as a union, or you can't function to get contracts.

Of course and even charities need donations to survive. But the comment of a “dues cash grab” implies that someone is just stealing money from a group and they’re getting or gaining nothing in return for it. I think that insults the individuals who were a part of and work very hard on these drives. And it insults those who want to be in a Union and maybe gain some respect.

Maybe I should say the same thing about those IBT drives or raids? Or I can say that this AMP Drive is nothing more than a dues cash crab started by half a dozen clowns in Tulsa Oklahoma?

I’m not sure they would take too kindly to being called “Cash grabbing dues clowns” ?

 

[CremaDiLimone]

Exactly. And the Catch 22 though being that the “Fight for 15” and many Airports implementing “Airport Minimums” is over time eroding the cost effectiveness of shifting Mainline Flying over to Regional. And a tightening job market also isn’t helping.

Eventually and I’ve been saying this for years, small towns and cities are going to lose all Air service as they won’t be able to generate the Revenue to afford the cost of flying to them.

BTW extending out the wage steps to reach TOS could be the first step in bringing that work back to us Mainline handlers? Eventually it could reach a stage of critical mass that the turnover rate for sub contractors gets to a point where it’s not worth hiring them or them even existing much longer?

About a year ago now Management discontinued any cross over agreements for ENVOY Employees to come over to the Mainline and keep their Company time. Now they have to quit to even consider being hired at AA. Seems to me as if they are trying to hold them Prisoner to those crappy wages and benefits?

good stuff.

when i went for my interview...a c/c interviewed me..and then there was a woman who handled the hiring in my station. given the wages and benefits..an aa fsc job was akin to getting a police/fireman job, save the super pensions - maybe $2k-$2.5k a month less at the end of your career. i was looking at $2.3k-$2.5k a month.

nowadays, i have no idea who hires and what they are hiring. extending the TOS progression...well, we'll get our fair share of riff-raff and gang-bangers sniffing around, it's up to whomever to vet them out.

i believe a 3rd party was instrumental in making hiring recommendations, only to get rubber-stamped by coasting managers for awhile, the past 3-4 years. to me, that's not a good thing. i'd rather see us take envoy than swissport.

 

[cltrat]

Cream I have no idea who’s doing hiring but after they get here nothing short of a killing will get them in there 90 day period.
I have a friend who was in a class with a guy who is a lazy sorry ass worker,this guy fell asleep in class they didn’t deal with him then now the rest of us are dealing with his lazy ass now
It’s disgraceful