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Posted on Tue, Jun. 22, 2004
Bid to represent American Airlines mechanics not over
By RANDOLPH HEASTER
Columnist
A federal agency's ruling has thwarted a rival airline union's attempt to represent mechanics at American Airlines — at least for now.
The National Mediation Board last week determined that 18,661 American employees in the mechanics-and-related job classifications are eligible to vote if a union election were held. The ruling came about because the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association sought to depose the Transport Workers Union as the bargaining unit for mechanics and related workers at American.
If more than 50 percent of eligible employees had signed valid cards requesting an election, the board would have set an election date. However, the ruling sent to the two unions and American officials did not mention a vote being scheduled.
Based on information previously made public, “this determination indicates that there will not be a representation election at American Airlines between AMFA and TWU,†said Jim Little, director of the transport union's Air Transport Division, in a statement.
Mechanics association officials said they submitted 9,274 election-authorization cards, or 57 cards shy of the number necessary to hold a vote, according to a report in The Tulsa World last week.
“We don't have any way to verify those numbers,†said Gordon Clark, president of TWU Local 530, which represents maintenance workers at American's Kansas City overhaul base. “Even though it's a small number short, we don't know how many cards they (the mediation board) threw out because they weren't valid.â€
A mechanics association official in Tulsa had a different viewpoint about the 9,274 cards signed.
“I believe we actually submitted more cards than that,†said Don Rodgers,
Note: Rogers is all over the place on this issue, He really must have been talked to! Key Organizer does'nt even know what he submitted to the NMB! You have to wonder!!! chairman of AMFA's organizing drive in Tulsa, where most of American's maintenance workers are located. “But given everything I know right now, 18,661 eligible employees would put us just short.â€
In addition to Kansas City and Tulsa, American has maintenance workers in Fort Worth, Texas.
But Rodgers said the mechanics association plans to appeal last week's ruling, saying the union believes certain workers are being counted who should be ineligible to vote.
Earlier this month, Terry Harvey, the group's assistant national director, said his union believes slightly fewer than 17,000 American employees should be eligible to vote.
“If we're treated anywhere fairly, I think they'll set an election after our appeal,†Rodgers said.
Clark disagreed, saying there was a 30-day delay in the board's ruling while the mechanics association challenged the eligibility of thousands of American workers to participate in an election.
“We're having a hard time believing they can do anything more on this,†Clark said. “I'm optimistic there won't be an election, and we're going to move forward as if there's not going to be one.â€
The mechanics association began a push to replace the transport workers as the union for American's mechanics last year, following employee discontent about the wage-and-benefits concessions given to the company by the airline's hourly workers.
Mechanics and related workers agreed to cut wages and benefits by $620 million annually after American indicated that it would be forced into bankruptcy without them. The mechanics association has been critical of the concessions, Clark said.
“Their number one concern is that we took the concessions, and they were not justified,†Clark said. “We believe we did the right thing. If we didn't accept the cuts and American went into bankruptcy, Kansas City and AFW (Alliance Airport in Fort Worth) would have closed or been severely downsized.â€
Clark said the transport workers plan to listen to the workers who supported the mechanics association.
“We want better relations with all our members,†he said. “Our goal in the next few months is to address their problems and make changes if necessary.â€
Little made similar comments in his released statement.
“It is time for all of us to come together and build a strong union that will fight for our future,†he said.
Mechanics association officials appear unswayed regarding any conciliation with the transport workers. Even if the mechanics association's appeal is denied and an election is not held this year, Rodgers said the union will continue its organizing drive and seek a vote after the one-year waiting period.
“We've got no intention of leaving Tulsa,†he said. “One way or another, this will come to a vote.â€
The transport workers represent about 1,735 American workers at the Kansas City overhaul base and at Kansas City International Airport.
The mechanics association has grown in recent years and represents nearly 20,000 employees. Since 1998, the union has won elections to represent mechanics at AirTran Airways, Northwest, Southwest and United airlines.
O.V. Delle-Femine, AMFA's national director, said on the union's Web site that the American setback is similar to previous board rulings during organizing drives at United and Northwest, where the union eventually won.
“We have waited for 42 years for an election on AA (American Airlines) and another year won't hurt our quest to have one,†Delle-Femine said in his statement.
To reach Randolph Heaster, call (816) 234-4746, or send e-mail to [email protected].
Bid to represent American Airlines mechanics not over
By RANDOLPH HEASTER
Columnist
A federal agency's ruling has thwarted a rival airline union's attempt to represent mechanics at American Airlines — at least for now.
The National Mediation Board last week determined that 18,661 American employees in the mechanics-and-related job classifications are eligible to vote if a union election were held. The ruling came about because the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association sought to depose the Transport Workers Union as the bargaining unit for mechanics and related workers at American.
If more than 50 percent of eligible employees had signed valid cards requesting an election, the board would have set an election date. However, the ruling sent to the two unions and American officials did not mention a vote being scheduled.
Based on information previously made public, “this determination indicates that there will not be a representation election at American Airlines between AMFA and TWU,†said Jim Little, director of the transport union's Air Transport Division, in a statement.
Mechanics association officials said they submitted 9,274 election-authorization cards, or 57 cards shy of the number necessary to hold a vote, according to a report in The Tulsa World last week.
“We don't have any way to verify those numbers,†said Gordon Clark, president of TWU Local 530, which represents maintenance workers at American's Kansas City overhaul base. “Even though it's a small number short, we don't know how many cards they (the mediation board) threw out because they weren't valid.â€
A mechanics association official in Tulsa had a different viewpoint about the 9,274 cards signed.
“I believe we actually submitted more cards than that,†said Don Rodgers,
Note: Rogers is all over the place on this issue, He really must have been talked to! Key Organizer does'nt even know what he submitted to the NMB! You have to wonder!!! chairman of AMFA's organizing drive in Tulsa, where most of American's maintenance workers are located. “But given everything I know right now, 18,661 eligible employees would put us just short.â€
In addition to Kansas City and Tulsa, American has maintenance workers in Fort Worth, Texas.
But Rodgers said the mechanics association plans to appeal last week's ruling, saying the union believes certain workers are being counted who should be ineligible to vote.
Earlier this month, Terry Harvey, the group's assistant national director, said his union believes slightly fewer than 17,000 American employees should be eligible to vote.
“If we're treated anywhere fairly, I think they'll set an election after our appeal,†Rodgers said.
Clark disagreed, saying there was a 30-day delay in the board's ruling while the mechanics association challenged the eligibility of thousands of American workers to participate in an election.
“We're having a hard time believing they can do anything more on this,†Clark said. “I'm optimistic there won't be an election, and we're going to move forward as if there's not going to be one.â€
The mechanics association began a push to replace the transport workers as the union for American's mechanics last year, following employee discontent about the wage-and-benefits concessions given to the company by the airline's hourly workers.
Mechanics and related workers agreed to cut wages and benefits by $620 million annually after American indicated that it would be forced into bankruptcy without them. The mechanics association has been critical of the concessions, Clark said.
“Their number one concern is that we took the concessions, and they were not justified,†Clark said. “We believe we did the right thing. If we didn't accept the cuts and American went into bankruptcy, Kansas City and AFW (Alliance Airport in Fort Worth) would have closed or been severely downsized.â€
Clark said the transport workers plan to listen to the workers who supported the mechanics association.
“We want better relations with all our members,†he said. “Our goal in the next few months is to address their problems and make changes if necessary.â€
Little made similar comments in his released statement.
“It is time for all of us to come together and build a strong union that will fight for our future,†he said.
Mechanics association officials appear unswayed regarding any conciliation with the transport workers. Even if the mechanics association's appeal is denied and an election is not held this year, Rodgers said the union will continue its organizing drive and seek a vote after the one-year waiting period.
“We've got no intention of leaving Tulsa,†he said. “One way or another, this will come to a vote.â€
The transport workers represent about 1,735 American workers at the Kansas City overhaul base and at Kansas City International Airport.
The mechanics association has grown in recent years and represents nearly 20,000 employees. Since 1998, the union has won elections to represent mechanics at AirTran Airways, Northwest, Southwest and United airlines.
O.V. Delle-Femine, AMFA's national director, said on the union's Web site that the American setback is similar to previous board rulings during organizing drives at United and Northwest, where the union eventually won.
“We have waited for 42 years for an election on AA (American Airlines) and another year won't hurt our quest to have one,†Delle-Femine said in his statement.
To reach Randolph Heaster, call (816) 234-4746, or send e-mail to [email protected].
