American Responds

[getreal]

On Friday, September 19, American Airlines presented the TWU with a comprehensive counter proposal aimed at addressing key areas of interest identified by the union while recognizing American's need to be competitive in today's business environment.

The contract negotiations process is complex, but the ultimate goal is to reach an agreement that is in everyone's long-term best interests. American is trying to balance the union's requests for improvements in pay, holidays, sick leave and vacation with the fact it has the highest labor costs in the industry. To offset that disadvantage, American needs improvements in overall work rules to close the gap between the company and its competitors.

American values its strong partnership with the TWU and hopes further discussions lead to a contract benefiting TWU-represented employees and keeping American competitive by giving it the flexibility to respond to an evolving industry.

 

[WeAAsles]

My goodness theres so much baloney in this that they even forgot the bread. Hey AA why don't you put on there what you wanted from us? You know at the end of the day you sow what you reap. This will one day come back to haunt you and if you believe in the afterlife it's gonna be a hot one. Greed Greed Greed Greed Greed :down:

 

[FWAAA]

American Responds, We are the highest paid in the industry

That's not exactly what AA said.

When AA said " . . . the fact it has the highest labor costs in the industry," it was referring to the highest labor costs per ASM, not high wages per individual. Your wages are low, but AA's labor costs are high. That's not an inconsistent position, but it is inconsistent with profits.

 

[getreal]

FWAAA,

Please, this issue here is the ridiculous concessionary contract that was offered. Spin it how you will, they are saying that our pay
(which they have said on numerous occasions is the best in the industry) and benefits are putting them at a disadvantage is total hogwash. Their pocket lining and lack of ability to run an airline is where the disadvantage lies.

 

[FWAAA]

FWAAA,

Please, this issue here is the ridiculous concessionary contract that was offered. Spin it how you will, they are saying that our pay
(which they have said on numerous occasions is the best in the industry) and benefits are putting them at a disadvantage is total hogwash. Their pocket lining and lack of ability to run an airline is where the disadvantage lies.

Looks like the worthless union once again delivered what it delivers best: mediocre contract proposals.

Random bums and winos picked up from skid row might be better negotiators than those representing you.

Not only do you suffer from low wage rates, you also suffer the most ineffective union representation in modern times.

 

[WeAAsles]

Looks like the worthless union once again delivered what it delivers best: mediocre contract proposals.

Random bums and winos picked up from skid row might be better negotiators than those representing you.

Not only do you suffer from low wage rates, you also suffer the most ineffective union representation in modern times.

Maybe true but at the end of the day you're still going to have to pay more to travel than you used to and isn't that a sad shame. I still fly for free though. Oh I think maybe I'll just go to Cancun next week for free. Nah I think I'll fly FIRST CLASS and pay the 20 bucks? SU brother and I think you just might know what I'm talking about huh?

 

[Bob Owens]

That's not exactly what AA said.

When AA said " . . . the fact it has the highest labor costs in the industry," it was referring to the highest labor costs per ASM, not high wages per individual. Your wages are low, but AA's labor costs are high. That's not an inconsistent position, but it is inconsistent with profits.

Having the highest labor costs with the most concessionary contract in the industry is consistant with extremely poor management. If their labor costs are the highest but they pay among the worst it simply means that management is running the company very inefficiently. The workers have no control over that and no matter how much they give back they cant correct mismanagement. In fact it does the opposite, it encourages bad management because it mitigates the effects of bad management and the stockholder is not as badly affected by it because the losses are externalized to the workers.

The best strategy for workers is to shore up their economic situation by extracting as much as possible from the company, stockholders would then have to either replace management or watch their investments dissapear. The time of workers taking money out of their pockets to underwrite the investment of the stockholders who dont properly monitor the management of their investments must come to an end.

In this situation workers suffer on both fronts-poor compensation and poor performance of their employer which inevitably leads to job instability. Having poor compensation along with job instability is a near guarantee of financial disaster.

The fact that management would advertise their incompentance by admitting that they have the highest labor costs, despite having concessions that Walmart would be envious of(half pay for Holidays, one week of vacation for the first five years etc), only further illustrates the deep problems facing AMR and that continued concessions are simply a waste of money.


There is one overwhelming fact that we should focus on. AA is the number one carrier in the country, but we are not the best paid airline workers. WE SHOULD BE. Our sacrifices helped make AA number one. If management cant build a business model that allows them to utilize their workforce as efficiently as competotors who pay their workers more then THEY ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOB. If SWA can manage to pay the highest while manitaining low labor costs then AA should be able to do the same. We should not suffer for managements incompetance-the stockholder should, since they are the only ones who can hold them accountable.

Restore and More!

 

[LGA Fleet Service]

C'mon Bob, you know the TWU won't negotiate that effectively.Look at the latest 'proposal', it contains more concessions than the last proposal.That's not a sign of effective negotiations,that's a sign that the company is laughing at the 'negotiators' and pushing hard against them on all fronts because they know they'll cave in.

Look at some of the crap contained in that proposal,'elimination of retiree medical benefits at 65' are they serious? Most people are retiring at 65 or beyond these days.I'm sure the AMR executives have negotiated comprehensive lifetime medical coverage as part of their employment contracts,why do they begrudge it to the working class dogs that make this place run?


Why do nonrevenue management passengers get treated better than the rest of the full fare first class passengers? Aren't they always telling us 10% of the passengers generate 25% of the revenue?

We had Jeff Brundage on an inbound from Dallas last week, and the way local management was carrying on you would have thought Jesus H.Christ was on this airplane.We had three CSM's and the manager of ramp services on the gate a full half hour before arrival to ensure we had working equipment,everyone was outside and everyone was wearing their vest.

Any other inbound they don't give a crap about, but they move heaven and earth when management is flying in or out of the station.


The MBA kids better wake up...

 

[TWU informer]

Maybe one the financial gurus can shed some light for us.

Is Supervisor, Administrtive Supervisor, Manager, Managing Director, Vice-President, Staff Assistant, Planner, Analyst, Web Desinger, EAP Personel, Medical Staff, Purchaser, Engineer, Marketing, Yield Management, Legal Counsel, Consulting Firms...ect, Pay, Benefits, and Bonus Programs included in Labor Cost per ASM?

 

[lpbrian]

That's not exactly what AA said.

When AA said " . . . the fact it has the highest labor costs in the industry," it was referring to the highest labor costs per ASM, not high wages per individual. Your wages are low, but AA's labor costs are high. That's not an inconsistent position, but it is inconsistent with profits.

They are the same. If wages are the highest, then labor costs are the highest. It's simple math....

 

[phlgreaser]

Looks like the worthless union once again delivered what it delivers best: mediocre contract proposals.

I would gladly trade my union (IAM) for another. Even the TWU!

 

[Bob Owens]

They are the same. If wages are the highest, then labor costs are the highest. It's simple math....

...for simpletons.?

The statement that "Our labor costs are the highest" is deliberately misleading even if its factual. These statements are meant to imply that they pay their workers the most, therefore we should not ask for a raise, but FWAAA is right, they are not saying that they pay the highest wage although thats probably how they want it interpreted. This way when the truth is revealed the company can claim that they werent lying.

If you pay the lowest wage its still very possible that you could still have higher labor costs than someone who pays the highest wage. Effeciency and productivity are the factors that must be added in, its not quantum mathematics but its a little more complicated than A+B=C.


If we had true union leadership they would be the ones rebutting that if AAs labor costs are the highest its because management is not running the company properly because its not the wages that are putting AA in the top spot as far as labor costs its the way the company utilizes labor.

 

[MCI transplant]

I would gladly trade my union (IAM) for another. Even the TWU!

<_< ------ Form someone that's had both, "Be careful of what you wish for!"

 

[TWU informer]

Maybe one of the financial gurus or at least someone that knows airline fuzzy math accounting can help out and shed some light for us.

Is the pay/cost/benefits and bonus awards of the Supervisor, Administrtive Supervisor, Manager, Managing Director, Vice-President, Staff Assistant, Planner, Analyst, Web Desinger, EAP Personel, Medical Staff, Purchaser, Engineer, Marketing, Yield Management, Legal Counsel, Consulting Firms...ect, included in Labor Cost per ASM?

 

[eolesen]

If management cant build a business model that allows them to utilize their workforce as efficiently as competotors who pay their workers more then THEY ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOB. If SWA can manage to pay the highest while manitaining low labor costs then AA should be able to do the same.

First of all, you have this idea that SWA wages are great, but totally ignore the differences in their benefits / retirement packages.

If you want SWA wages, then take their workrules and benefits. That's where your "it's management's job" argument stops, because wages and benefits are entirely within the realm of the contract.

I suspect if SWA tried to adopt AA's workrules and benefits with SWA wages, they'd be in worse economic shape than AA is.

Maybe true but at the end of the day you're still going to have to pay more to travel than you used to and isn't that a sad shame.

You seem to think that people will continue to fly at all costs. Flying isn't like buying a gallon of milk or putting gas in the car. Prices go up, and a proportionate number of people stop flying (business & leisure alike). Others, like me, stop paying for the higher flexi fares and start buying non-refundables in coach.

I still fly for free though. Oh I think maybe I'll just go to Cancun next week for free. Nah I think I'll fly FIRST CLASS and pay the 20 bucks?

Hmmm.... You're overworked, underpaid, and on the verge of food stamps.

Yet, you want to fly off to Mexico... Figure out how you're going to pay for the hotel & meals yet?? They don´t accept food stamps...

And please, we all know you roll the dice every time you put your name on a standby list. You might want to save that $20 for when you get stuck overnight in CUN or a connecting hub because the flight went out full with paying customers.

And F for $20?? Reality is the FF's like me with free automatic upgrades will be sitting in the seat before you will....