goingboeing said:
I'll be the 1st to agree that the TWU is a pathetic excuse for a union that represents its employees.
AMFA had their chance at UAL to make a goal line stand and the membership caved in to management's demands.The results of their vote state that they agree with UAL stealing their retirement and cutting their pay and benefits.They are no better than the TWU at protecting the wages and benefits of AMT's and this is sad because I was hoping for a reason to vote for AMFA.[I can't stand the TWU but I'm not willing to trade one piece of carp for another piece of carp. Both are dead fish that stinks]
AMFA is ready to lose about 2000 jobs at NWA and this is their LAST CHANCE to prove themselfs a union any better than the others.
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Regardless of what happens at UAL or NWA we know that the current structure simply does not work. We still have to go AMFA because that is the only means available to try and unite the profession.
Having mechanics at one airline under the IAM, others under the TWU, others under the IBT, none of which are "airline unions" nevermind mechanics unions, others non-union and others under AMFA leaves our profesion all split up. Amfa's effectiveness is compromised when mechanics under the IAM and TWU undercut everybody else as unaccountable leaders lead their members in a race to the bottom.
Lets not forget that the IAM started this most recent downward spiral at USAIR. The mechanics voted NO and the IAM made them vote again. Then the IAM slamed the mechanics at UAL. The TWU then undercut everybody with the most extreme concessions ever, put in place by Jim Littles signature, that set a new low for the Industry. Al Blackman, AAs #1 mechanic remarked about how they had more before they got the TWU than they have now, and he would know, he was here before the TWU was.
The democracy and accountability AMFA offers cant stop the damage that the TWU and IAM commit to the profession. As the IAM and TWU undercut each other in the pursuit of dues (the TWU to fund International pensions and the IAM to try and stop the huge exodus of members) they drag down the whole profession. Even with the cuts at UAL they still get more for holidays and vacation than we do.
The fact is we must get united into one union. Since the IAM, TWU and IBT are affiliated under the AFL-CIO we cant chose to unite through any of those unions we only have one option to try something else, AMFA.
We know what we have does not work.
Instead of being pulled five different ways if we unite under AMFA there will be a much more managable situation, you will either have union(AMFA) or non-union mechanics.
We know that there will be no change from within with the TWU. According to Jim Little, the 2000 or so responses to the survey they put out proves that the members do not want structural change, despite the fact that over 9700 mechanics filled out cards to have a vote for a change in representation.
Our choice is simply accept the ILCs of the TWU or try something new. I've had enough Industry Leading Concessions, I'm ready for ANYTHING else.