All the back and forth statements of what happened this time around v/s the last is going to get all of us NOWHERE. It will just create more animosity between groups of AMT's. Whether it be line v/s Base or carrier v/s carrier.
AA and its legal team knew what they were doing, they beat us. Do you really believe that AA, is going to let any union come here and replace the TWU?. It's like having your own savings account. The TWU just contributes contract after contract.
AMFA maybe did not see the 3.3 section I don't know, do I believe the IBT knew about it as well, maybe. But we all will see when the NMB rules about the cards that the IBT did turn in for an election here at AA.
If there is an election then the IBT did a better job than us. Then we will see how many even vote. BUT if the NMB determines that they are short, then we will know it was the plan all along, just to stop our AMFA movement. We were told that the TWU brought the IBT in to help kill the amfa drive, but it seems to have back fired on them. Hoffa and his gang are trying to take AA and USAir. So what does the TWU and IAM come back with, an association. With support from the AFL-CIO. Just a way to keep the dues coming. Scared that the IBT will take the $7.2Million plus dues from them.
If & when the NMB determines that the IBT is short, no vote the TWU and IAM will fill our mail boxes with junk telling us how great this alliance will be. The IBT will come back and say AA got them as well with inflated numbers. Knowing that they will have a second chance if they win at USAirways. Because they will be able to say we got robbed by AA last time but we are the union on the property at USAir this time so if you really want the TWU gone sign a card and we will be your union, we fight for you.
We will again know soon if they even had enough cards there as well right after the USAir mgmt turns in the required info to verify numbers and cards to the NMB.
By turning in the info when AA did it shut off any more acquisition of cards by the IBT, and it created a small window for AMFA to get the original docs to Washington DC.
AMFA per the NMB did not make it in time, so AA and it's legal team at that point killed the AMFA drive as well. Brilliant move on their part, check and mate.
The merger will then happen late Sept. early Oct. the association will be in place the AFL-CIO/TWU/IAM will do all they can to keep that in place. (with AA's help)
Any further campaigns to remove them will now require cards from both AA and USAir mechanics and complete cooperation between both groups.
But this will be hard since we all know we can't even get our own crew to stick together, by not working O/T just for one week.
It's a shame when big corporations and big unions work together to keep the working men/woman of the USA down. If you think that AA and the TWU screwed you before. Just wait, they now can say we took from them and they still did nothing, NOW (WE) can do what ever we want to them they are a defeated.
I have and always will support the philosophy of AMFA, a union for mechanics, separate from the other work groups a craft union. I did not and will not sign a IBT card. I also will not vote for the IBT just to remove the TWU, even though I hate what the TWU has done to the mechanics here at AA.
Thanks to all of you who did sign AMFA cards and all the organizers and supporters who gave us hope this time, in our attempt to remove the TWU.
