American Airlines and Labor Negotiations

[Buck]

You really should tell the whole story.

You are really anti-union.

So AMFA gets a pass on all the issues they caused?

Gee how did you feel at NW when the good the company to take MORE FROM YOU?

You really have a twisted definition of solidarity.

When a Industrial Unionist states that an Independent Union lacks Solidarity, it means that the Independent wants to be become equal to his peers in the industry, which in the case of AMFA, in my opinion, means the TWU/ Association / IAM can keep the representation of the non-mechanics.

 

[WeAAsles]

Let's hope the 30,000 difference does not destroy the Delta or United +3%(7%) for the mechanics. The loss the LAA employees are riding out now is enough when we are supposed to be unionized.

“FOR THE MECHANICS” In other words F me. You don’t give a chit if I get a raise or a contract or not.

When a Industrial Unionist states that an Independent Union lacks Solidarity, it means that the Independent wants to be become equal to his peers in the industry, which in the case of AMFA, in my opinion, means the TWU/ Association / IAM can keep the representation of the non-mechanics.

In other words the Association can keep the “UNSKILLED” worthless rabble.

You know Buck it’s AMT’s like you that don’t make it easy sometimes. I swear you really don’t make it easy.

 

[B737 driver]

There is too much bad blood between the IAM and Amfa.

Multiple raids at TW, US, the loss at UA and NW.

The IAM reached out to AMFA at NW to make peace and AMFA ignored it and even told NW take more from the IAM groups to lessen concessions for Amfa at NW.

August 9, 2005

O. V. Delle-Femine
National Director
Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association
67 Water Street
Suite 208A
Laconia, NH 03246

O. V. Delle-Femine:
I am in receipt of your letter dated July 27, 2005, in which you requested that the IAM encourage our members to stand with AMFA. You have acknowledged in your letter that there are philosophical differences between our organizations and memberships.

I am surprised by your request in that since 1962 AMFA has preached that a Mechanic does not need the assistance of “unskilled†workers such as myself or many of the people I represent. When you urged the nearly 10,000 Northwest Mechanics (at the time) to join your craft organization in 1998 you declared their strength lies in their skill, not in the numbers of the Machinists Union. You must still believe this to be true because as recently as in a July 26, 2005 news article your Assistant National Director Steve MacFarlane said, “Strength in numbers doesn't necessarily mean strength.â€

However, now when your organization has the first opportunity in its history to
demonstrate this “strength in skill†dogma you preach, you turn to an organization that you have criticized and tried to belittle for more than 40 years, the IAM, for help. It is about time that AMFA recognizes that it cannot win a major labor dispute standing in isolation.

We could recite a litany of issues that have happened since AMFA’s inception that would only distract us from making appropriate decisions as they relate to the situation with Northwest Airlines.

However, we are concerned and currently investigating the many reports of harassment and intimidation by AMFA members against IAM members. These complaints include, but are not limited to, attacks on our female members in Building B in Minneapolis, property damage, and general harassment in the workplace such as the incidents that have happened in Detroit.

In addition, AMFA, as an institution, has proposed, and is actively advocating, that
Northwest Airlines demand $150,000,000.00 more in concessions than the $107,000,000.00 that Northwest has requested from our membership. AMFA negotiators are proud of this proposal and have been actively promoting it to your
membership.

After more than 40 years, your philosophy continues to be that people working in
classifications other than the licensed Mechanic should work for less pay so that the licensed Mechanic could be paid more. That philosophy is once again confirmed by AMFA, the institution, by proposing that the so-called unskilled be made to sacrifice more for the benefit of the licensed AMFA member.

Until your July 27th letter, it has been AMFA’s philosophy that the IAM, as an institution, has prevented the Mechanic classification from receiving the wages and benefits that they deserve because we, the IAM, were negotiating too much money for the so-called unskilled classifications, such as Stock Clerk, Equipment Service, Customer Service, Reservations, Clerical, etc. We, therefore, have refrained from any activity that could be construed as interfering with the internal affairs of the AMFA organization, as opposed to your organization’s history of attempting to raid our organization every time we are involved in difficult negotiations.

We have, and I reiterate, refrained from any interference in your internal affairs.
However, in stark contrast, you will remember that in your last round of negotiations,
AMFA, the Association, negotiated with Northwest Airlines to rob IAM members of work and ultimately jobs.

If your letter of July 27, 2005, was an attempt to “heal the wounds†that have been
inflicted upon the IAM, our members, and the personal attacks that have been levied against IAM leadership, then we must inform you that mere words will not start the healing process. It is AMFA, the institution’s, deeds that will tell if you are truly serious about healing the wounds.

Therefore, we demand:

1) AMFA conduct an investigation into the allegations of intimidation
of our members, especially our female members, and upon conclusion
of such investigation take whatever action is necessary under your
Constitution and Bylaws to hold those responsible accountable.

2) AMFA, as an institution, publicly apologize to IAM members who have
been harmed by the AMFA rhetoric.

3) AMFA, as an institution, and its negotiators denounce publicly, and withdraw
in writing from the negotiation table, its proposal for IAM members to pay more
in wage and benefit concessions than the carrier has requested.

In addition, we need answers to the following questions.

1) Does AMFA, the institution, have a strike fund with sufficient assets to protect IAM members?

2) Does the so-called AMFA “back to work agreement†provide for financial support to any IAM member that stands with AMFA?

3) Does AMFA guarantee that no AMFA-represented member will come back to work while IAM members who have stood with AMFA have not been returned to work?

4) Will the AMFA membership be allowed to vote whether or not to accept a contract to strike or will it be an elite few that make that decision?

IAM members will not be duped into standing with AMFA. AMFA has never honored an
IAM picket line. To represent otherwise, as stated in your July 20th letter to all members on NWA property, is nothing more than an attempt to use trickery and deceit to persuade IAM members to stand with you.

The IAM is monitoring the situation very closely with ALPA representatives.

The Machinists Union takes our moral and legal responsibility to protect our members seriously, and whatever action we recommend will be in the best interests of the Machinists Union membership at Northwest Airlines.

In your July 27th letter you requested that we encourage our members to stand with
AMFA, thereby recognizing that whether or not someone stands with your organization is an individual choice. However, it would be very difficult for any IAM member to stand with your organization knowing full well that if AMFA wins, the IAM members lose, because AMFA, the institution, is fighting for IAM members to pay more in sacrifices than is currently proposed by Northwest Airlines.

Our members can rest assured that whatever action the IAM takes will be in the best
interests of its members.


Robert Roach, Jr.
GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT

RR/tlm

cc: Buffenbarger
Executive Council
Trans. GL Staff
Trans. P/DGCs
AT LL Pres. & RSs
IAM NWA Members

AMFA is a disaster, and let it be a lesson to all mechanics, look at their track record. And so we have our issues now at SWA.

 

[WeAAsles]

”IAM members will not be duped into standing with AMFA. AMFA has never honored an IAM picket line. To represent otherwise, as stated in your July 20th letter to all members on NWA property, is nothing more than an attempt to use trickery and deceit to persuade IAM members to stand with you.”

So much for solidarity...

The IAM and AMFA have more of a confrontational History against each other than the TWU and AMFA has had.

You also have to remember that the TWU is massive at SWA. By far the largest Labor organization covering the FA’s and the Ramp.

It seems to me though as if all the Labor groups at SWA realize they are in it together.

 

[swamt]

I was in high school in 1983.

And what about 1993?
2003? 2012? Almost all of them every 10 years, Hmmmm.

 

[swamt]

fwiw he actually was on a negotiating committee but he didnt even know they contracted out his entire craft. Then he was forced to resign as there was some sorta deal due to money disappearing from thelocal

Figured that much, typical.

 

[swamt]

The IAM did all they could to support, facilitate and encourage what NW did to AMFA. You are seriously delusional if you believe otherwise. Performing struck work makes you a scab. Full stop.


“IAM members will not be duped into standing with AMFA” -Robert Roach Jr., IAM GVP Transportation 2005

Josh

Does not change that IAM is a scab union.

There is too much bad blood between the IAM and Amfa.

Multiple raids at TW, US, the loss at UA and NW.

The IAM reached out to AMFA at NW to make peace and AMFA ignored it and even told NW take more from the IAM groups to lessen concessions for Amfa at NW.

August 9, 2005

O. V. Delle-Femine
National Director
Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association
67 Water Street
Suite 208A
Laconia, NH 03246

O. V. Delle-Femine:
I am in receipt of your letter dated July 27, 2005, in which you requested that the IAM encourage our members to stand with AMFA. You have acknowledged in your letter that there are philosophical differences between our organizations and memberships.

I am surprised by your request in that since 1962 AMFA has preached that a Mechanic does not need the assistance of “unskilled†workers such as myself or many of the people I represent. When you urged the nearly 10,000 Northwest Mechanics (at the time) to join your craft organization in 1998 you declared their strength lies in their skill, not in the numbers of the Machinists Union. You must still believe this to be true because as recently as in a July 26, 2005 news article your Assistant National Director Steve MacFarlane said, “Strength in numbers doesn't necessarily mean strength.â€

However, now when your organization has the first opportunity in its history to
demonstrate this “strength in skill†dogma you preach, you turn to an organization that you have criticized and tried to belittle for more than 40 years, the IAM, for help. It is about time that AMFA recognizes that it cannot win a major labor dispute standing in isolation.

We could recite a litany of issues that have happened since AMFA’s inception that would only distract us from making appropriate decisions as they relate to the situation with Northwest Airlines.

However, we are concerned and currently investigating the many reports of harassment and intimidation by AMFA members against IAM members. These complaints include, but are not limited to, attacks on our female members in Building B in Minneapolis, property damage, and general harassment in the workplace such as the incidents that have happened in Detroit.

In addition, AMFA, as an institution, has proposed, and is actively advocating, that
Northwest Airlines demand $150,000,000.00 more in concessions than the $107,000,000.00 that Northwest has requested from our membership. AMFA negotiators are proud of this proposal and have been actively promoting it to your
membership.

After more than 40 years, your philosophy continues to be that people working in
classifications other than the licensed Mechanic should work for less pay so that the licensed Mechanic could be paid more. That philosophy is once again confirmed by AMFA, the institution, by proposing that the so-called unskilled be made to sacrifice more for the benefit of the licensed AMFA member.

Until your July 27th letter, it has been AMFA’s philosophy that the IAM, as an institution, has prevented the Mechanic classification from receiving the wages and benefits that they deserve because we, the IAM, were negotiating too much money for the so-called unskilled classifications, such as Stock Clerk, Equipment Service, Customer Service, Reservations, Clerical, etc. We, therefore, have refrained from any activity that could be construed as interfering with the internal affairs of the AMFA organization, as opposed to your organization’s history of attempting to raid our organization every time we are involved in difficult negotiations.

We have, and I reiterate, refrained from any interference in your internal affairs.
However, in stark contrast, you will remember that in your last round of negotiations,
AMFA, the Association, negotiated with Northwest Airlines to rob IAM members of work and ultimately jobs.

If your letter of July 27, 2005, was an attempt to “heal the wounds†that have been
inflicted upon the IAM, our members, and the personal attacks that have been levied against IAM leadership, then we must inform you that mere words will not start the healing process. It is AMFA, the institution’s, deeds that will tell if you are truly serious about healing the wounds.

Therefore, we demand:

1) AMFA conduct an investigation into the allegations of intimidation
of our members, especially our female members, and upon conclusion
of such investigation take whatever action is necessary under your
Constitution and Bylaws to hold those responsible accountable.

2) AMFA, as an institution, publicly apologize to IAM members who have
been harmed by the AMFA rhetoric.

3) AMFA, as an institution, and its negotiators denounce publicly, and withdraw
in writing from the negotiation table, its proposal for IAM members to pay more
in wage and benefit concessions than the carrier has requested.

In addition, we need answers to the following questions.

1) Does AMFA, the institution, have a strike fund with sufficient assets to protect IAM members?

2) Does the so-called AMFA “back to work agreement†provide for financial support to any IAM member that stands with AMFA?

3) Does AMFA guarantee that no AMFA-represented member will come back to work while IAM members who have stood with AMFA have not been returned to work?

4) Will the AMFA membership be allowed to vote whether or not to accept a contract to strike or will it be an elite few that make that decision?

IAM members will not be duped into standing with AMFA. AMFA has never honored an
IAM picket line. To represent otherwise, as stated in your July 20th letter to all members on NWA property, is nothing more than an attempt to use trickery and deceit to persuade IAM members to stand with you.

The IAM is monitoring the situation very closely with ALPA representatives.

The Machinists Union takes our moral and legal responsibility to protect our members seriously, and whatever action we recommend will be in the best interests of the Machinists Union membership at Northwest Airlines.

In your July 27th letter you requested that we encourage our members to stand with
AMFA, thereby recognizing that whether or not someone stands with your organization is an individual choice. However, it would be very difficult for any IAM member to stand with your organization knowing full well that if AMFA wins, the IAM members lose, because AMFA, the institution, is fighting for IAM members to pay more in sacrifices than is currently proposed by Northwest Airlines.

Our members can rest assured that whatever action the IAM takes will be in the best
interests of its members.


Robert Roach, Jr.
GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT

RR/tlm

cc: Buffenbarger
Executive Council
Trans. GL Staff
Trans. P/DGCs
AT LL Pres. & RSs
IAM NWA Members

”IAM members will not be duped into standing with AMFA. AMFA has never honored an IAM picket line. To represent otherwise, as stated in your July 20th letter to all members on NWA property, is nothing more than an attempt to use trickery and deceit to persuade IAM members to stand with you.”

So much for solidarity...

Still does not change the fact that IAM is a scab union, even the teamsters truckers turned their trucks around and refused to cross the AMFA picket lines to deliver parts and equipment while the AMFA strike was active. Every single one of them did not cross the picket lines. The IAM on the other hand, publically in writing said they will cross, scabs--period and never forgotten...

 

[swamt]

The wolf of NWA went after the IAM a few short months later. The difference is AMFA fought back, the IAM rolled over and gave the company exactly what they wanted.

Josh

And now you know the rest of the story.
All true. They were warned. At least AMFA fought for the industry while the others just caved and gave up.

 

[GVPSPIAM]

Figured that much, typical.

You are truly an ignorant idiot.

https://www.post-gazette.com/busine...-out-by-bankruptcy-court/stories/200501070161

US Airways' pact with 8,800 machinists tossed out by bankruptcy court

 

[GVPSPIAM]

Does not change that IAM is a scab union.




Still does not change the fact that IAM is a scab union, even the teamsters truckers turned their trucks around and refused to cross the AMFA picket lines to deliver parts and equipment while the AMFA strike was active. Every single one of them did not cross the picket lines. The IAM on the other hand, publically in writing said they will cross, scabs--period and never forgotten...

Champion Air flew struck work for NW and their pilots were IBT.

You are truly ignorant.

 

[GVPSPIAM]

And what about 1993?
2003? 2012? Almost all of them every 10 years, Hmmmm.

Here I’m not going to do your research for you, do it yourself.

How do you like it?

 

[737823]

You are truly an ignorant idiot.

https://www.post-gazette.com/busine...-out-by-bankruptcy-court/stories/200501070161

US Airways' pact with 8,800 machinists tossed out by bankruptcy court

We are into 2019, enough with what happened 2002-2005. How long will the IAM use the tired bankruptcy excuse?

Josh

 

[GVPSPIAM]

Kevin,

How bad were your concessions and was the IAM represented employees at NW devastated as others claim on here?

How were your negotiated terms compared to forced concessions to DL?

Didn’t you as NW get equity while your DL counterparts didn’t receive any equity?

 

[WeAAsles]

Yes I understand this. I was worried of the bankruptcy conditions. Thanks

 

[WeAAsles]

First paragraph.