Bob, I do understand your desire for AMFA. I do not however see AMFA as being a key to preserving your job, my job, or any other mechanic's longevity in this industry.
I see uniting the mechanics in one union as the way to preserve our careers. Only one union seeks to unite all the mechanics-AMFA.
AMFA has yet to prove they are anything other than a different union to bleed dues from us. AMFA is the same body of members they were when they were the IBT and the IAM, membership has not changed. The same membership is now accepting concessions as the wave of the future, of course, laying blame to others instead of taking a stand against the companies that demand them. Real easy to state that the TWU began the concession so AMFA has no other alternative but to follow.
Well we did not follow anybody, our concessioons surpassed everybody.
I have yet to read where AMFA has done anything accept to spend money in frivolous law suits, no floor action has been initiated by them, and they are tough group?
Well I guess you missed the fact that AMFA at NWA was the first mechanics group to be hit with a PEB since 1966. The mechanics at AA under the TWU has not fought since 1969.
For argument's sake Bob, let's say AMFA has an edge over the TWU because it can oust it's elected officials cleanly. What did that do for the NWA negotiators when they were forced to rid themselves of the observers?
What does one have to do with the other? What do either have to do with uniting all the mechanics under one union?
NW people owned that AMFA group. They,NW, ridiculed the very constitution you proudly defend as our salvation to keeping our profession intact. Instead of reacting they filed a law suit.
Thats more of a reaction than we have seen from the TWU since 1969.
Again Bob, I do not see the TWU as my knight in shining armour, however, I do not see where AMFA is lighting the contract world on fire.
Well I dont know where you were a few years back when AMFA did precisely that, mechanics saw the biggest increases ever, far more than other workers who did not have the benifit of unions that were competing for members instead of competing for companies.Once again you ignore the goal of uniting all the mechanics in one union. Of course AMFA will be limited as to what gains they can make when mechanics are in all these unions that agree to massive concessions. Hey why not try it, if you dont think its worked out you could always start a card drive for the TWU or some other union.
In fact, when they are not being punked, they are extending the same contracts they so badly wanted to rid themselves of ( ref. earlier reading where AMFA members stated they were "inheriting" the contracts of the IAM and the IBT).
Well when everyone else is opening up contracts to give massive concessions extending one is by far a better option.
Bob, I do not see you as one that would throw support towards a union you do not see as legitimate. Why then, do you expect me to?
Well what do feel makes a union legitimate?
And again, as you and CIO and others continue this multi-year debate as to who's union is more deserving, our contracts are being abrogated, concessionary packages are being served to all unions, and we all lose.
Well thats a pretty broad statement, to date AMFA has not agreed to concessions even though two years ago we gave massive concessions to a company that was not bankrupt. We gave more than the unions at the bankrupt companies gave!! Sure we all lose, part of the reason is that we are not united. When UAL announced that they would seek to have the judge abrogate labor agreements I sent out an E-mail saying that if they abrogate any agreement we all should walk off the job. Jim Little demanded that I retract that statement. So much for unity. If we had taken that position then do you think we would have been screwed like we were?
I wish I held the answer or the means to repair this dilema but I do not.
Well then why not seek an answer? Why do you feel that uniting all the aircaft mechanics is not a good idea? Try looking beyond the personalities, then tell me why you feel that mechanics should not be organized like the pilots, flight attendants, plumbers, electricians, construction workers and scores of other strong unionists who have unions that are focused specifically on their proffesion.
The fact is even you admit that what we have is not working, why not try something else?
