AMFA Organizing Drive to Replace Association

[TWU informer]

Don’t underestimate the power of good over evil. Cheaters and thieves never win in the end!

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

The TWU Constitution gave Jim Little the authority and power to put us in this dual union dysfunctional abomination to begin with, so why the hell would anyone think going back to the TWU and dumping the IAM is the solution?

There were many AMFA card drives at AA, long before the Dual Union Association was demanded by AFL-CIO Richard Trumka and agreed to by TWU Little and IAM Buffenbarger! The IAM isn't the scapegoat for the TWU failures!

It is disingenuous and an outright lie to claim the simply getting rid of the IAM is the solution! Or to claim the IAM is to blame for TWU member's dissatisfaction.

The problem is AFL-CIO industrial unionism period.

The skilled professionals at American Airlines deserve better than sharing union representation with other work groups under the false claim of
"strength in numbers" The M&R professionals are being fleeced at the negotiating table, Is the main reason for Obtaining Craft Unions representation. This needs to be the top priority amongst the AA Maintenance and Related.

Not some smoke screen band aid on career long problems that we have endured by industrial union representation. The (3) TWU Local President's plan of action reeks of the same failed promise of self determination and separate locals offered in response to previous NMB filings for a membership VOTE at American Airlines.

They want to go spend $12 million to organizing AMFA members to give them a right vote, while fighting like hell to prevent you from getting the same opportunity.

 

[4A Mechanic]

I received a text message from a mechanic in Tulsa, he said that a E-board member from the TWU, named Terry Buck, is aware of the IAM considering a card drive, and that he isn't concerned, because he believes that the IAM would lose. It almost sounds like he knows that the TWU and the NMB have an arrangement, after all, AMFA can't get an election when they have 1400 more cards than they need.

Of course he would say that! He hasn't worked on the floor in a decade or more. He is a TWU die-hard for life. Hell, he probably forgot what a plane looks like because he has been couped up in an office to long.

 

[4A Mechanic]

I do have to give the Iam credit they did box in the twu very well.

They not only boxed the TWU in but had them lying on the floor curled up in the fetal position and sucking on their thumbs! Just my opinion of what happened.

 

[dfw gen]

The sad thing is that jim little signed the association agreement because he was convinced the twu would lose an election. So far 20 years the twu has been afraid of its own shadow. I dont think it that time they would have lost the election. But that's all history

 

[chellow]

I haven’t seen anything that states the Association is affiliated with the aflcio. The twu and Iam are no longer on the property so that rule will not apply here. The association was thrown together to protect the flow of dues but it also decertified the 2 unions. If the iam wants to start a card drive I would consider helping if the rumor is true. The mech n related deserve the dignity of a vote. Who you vote for is the individuals choice. Asking someone to sign a card is not asking him to vote for a specific union. You’re asking him to support a democratic choice in representation. Let the people speak. I think the iam must feel they have a good chance at prevailing if a vote were to happen.

Why sign a card, they gave us the Association with out us signing cards.

 

[99Ram]

The way I read it is if the iam is the first to start organizing us then the twu has to step back. Or any other aflcio affiliate that has their eyes on us. The first aflcio affiliate to start the organizing drive gets the honors. I’m not twu or the iam. I’m just an Ass hostage.

I have been receiving text messages and emails from people that I know, from the IAM side, that are hearing the same rumors about an IAM card drive, evidently the letter to Samuelson from the TWU local Presidents has hurt some feelings. They should have known that this Association would eventually blow up in their faces. There is no way that this was going to work long term.

 

[scorpion 2]

I have been receiving text messages and emails from people that I know, from the IAM side, that are hearing the same rumors about an IAM card drive, evidently the letter to Samuelson from the TWU local Presidents has hurt some feelings. They should have known that this Association would eventually blow up in their faces. There is no way that this was going to work long term.

Things have gotten quite on the twu side. The iam must have told them to go sit in the corner and shut up. There’s a lot of interest in Tulsa for an iam card drive.

 

[Rogallo]

There’s a lot of interest in Tulsa for an iam card drive.

 

[BeechDriver]

There’s a lot of interest in Tulsa for an iam card drive.

You must be trolling. I know of no one at TULE that has any interest in joining the IAM.

If there is a successful card drive of any kind, would or could there be a write in option?

 

[99Ram]

You must be trolling. I know of no one at TULE that has any interest in joining the IAM.

If there is a successful card drive of any kind, would or could there be a write in option?

Yes, if someone has a successful card drive, there will be a write in option.

 

[iluvaa]

Things have gotten quite on the twu side. The iam must have told them to go sit in the corner and shut up. There’s a lot of interest in Tulsa for an iam card drive.

What world do you live in nobody wants the IAM in Tulsa

 

[swamt]

Things have gotten quite on the twu side. The iam must have told them to go sit in the corner and shut up. There’s a lot of interest in Tulsa for an iam card drive.

I find that very hard to believe. Why in the world would the Mechanic and Related group go with one of the two already representing them? Especially when the IAM is the controlling entity of this combined asso. that just doesn't make sense. The majority DOES NOT want anything to do with these industrial unions any more, bring on the card drive please...

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD
​

48 NMB No. 19
September 29, 2021

​

NMB Case No. R-7557
American Airlines/TWU/IAM Association and AMFA

For the reasons set forth below, AMFA’s Motion for Reconsideration is denied.

AMFA’S CONTENTIONS​

AMFA requests the Board to reconsider its decision in dismissing its application
and contends that: (1) the Board erred in calculating AMFA’s showing of interest
because it alleges that it submitted a total number of 7,228 valid authorization cards;
(2) the Board erred in its determination that Donnie Gulledge and Larry Swimmer were
eligible to vote because AMFA alleges that both employees died before the cut-off date of
November 6, 2020; (3) the Board erred in its determination that the Flight Simulator
Engineers belong to the craft or class of Mechanics and Related Employees; (4) the
Board erred in its determination that Fleet Service Employees engaged in deicing work
were eligible to vote; and, (5) the Board erred in counting what AMFA alleges to be
duplicate entries for one employee, Jean Pierre Toussaint.

Showing of Interest
​

AMFA contends that it met its showing of interest and submitted a confidential list
containing the names of 7,228 employees whom AMFA alleges submitted cards as part
of its application. It contends that the NMB made errors in calculating its showing of
interest and requests that the NMB provide AMFA with the authorization cards that were
“removed by the Investigator” as well as the corresponding signature samples from
American Airlines. It requests further that it be “provided with copies of any specific
signature samples . . . for any authorization cards that may have been removed as
invalid” so that AMFA can “independently confirm any alleged invalidity.” As a remedy,
AMFA requests that the NMB authorize an election as required by its rules.
The Board’s rules at 29 C.F.R. §1208.4 (b) provides, in part, that “the NMB will treat
as confidential evidence submitted in connection with the showing of interest in a
representation dispute, including authorization cards and signature samples, and other
personally identifying information received during an investigation.” Section 3.0 of the
Manual also requires “the NMB keep all authorizations confidential. This includes the
names of individuals who have signed authorizations and the number of authorizations
submitted. The carrier The carrier or opposing party or parties should not be privy to the number
of percentage of authorizations furnished.”

Deceased Individuals
​

AMFA contends that Board erred in its determination that Donnie Gulledge and
Larry Swimmer were eligible to vote. It asserts that the Memoriam publication dated
September 2020 that it submitted to the Investigator is uncontested evidence that
Donnie Gulledge and Larry Swimmer died before the November 6, 2020 cut-off date.
AMFA asserts that the Memorial publication is more recent and should take priority over
what American Airlines submitted to the Investigator through the declaration of James
B. Weel, Managing Director, Labor Relations dated April 1, 2021. As a remedy, AMFA
requests that the names of both individuals be removed from the List of potential eligible
voters (List).
A review of the record show that AMFA’s contention in its Motion for Reconsideration
is a mere reassertion of arguments previously presented to the Board as it relates to
these two individuals. Accordingly, AMFA’s arguments regarding Donnie Gulledge and
Larry Swimmer are insufficient to warrant reconsideration and relief.1

Flight Simulator Engineers
​

AMFA contends that the Board erred when it did not consider the substantive
evidence AMFA provided in its Appeal demonstrating what it alleges to be a change in
circumstances that warrants a departure from the Board’s 2015 determination regarding
the Flight Simulator Engineers. That evidence consisted of a “copy of the 3rd Shift
Equipment Assignments for the Flight Simulator Engineers, dated March 1, 2021, which
indicates that Group 3, Repair and Test, perform the repairing and testing of the flight
simulators” and listed as exhibit Q2. AMFA asserts that Exhibit Q2 shows that only five
(5) Flight Simulator Engineers possess the skills to make repairs and perform hardware
maintenance. AMFA asserts further that the other “125 Flight Simulator Engineers do
not perform such hardware maintenance and do not possess the skills to perform such
hardware maintenance.” Thus, AMFA requests that the Board remove all Flight
Simulator Engineers from the List with the exception of Mike Attaway, Christopher
Vaugh, Robert Shull, and James Palmer.
The Board considered all evidence submitted by all participants and determined
that the Flight Simulator Engineers will remain in the craft of class of Mechanics and
Related Employees. AMFA’s arguments that Flight Simulator Engineers do not perform
hardware maintenance and do not possess the skills to perform hardware maintenance
are mere reassertions of the arguments previously presented to the Board. AMFA’s
reassertions are insufficient to warrant reconsideration and obtain the relief requested.

Fleet Service Employees Engaged in Deicing
​

AMFA contends that the Board erred in its determination that the Fleet Service
Employees engaged in deicing were eligible to vote. AMFA reasserts the same arguments
previously presented to the Board and insist that “it is error to ignore the patently
obvious, namely that notwithstanding that a Fleet Service Employee has successfully
bid to perform deicing work, if the weather doesn’t create ice on the planes and no deicing
is required, deicing is not performed.”
In its determination, the Board considered the evidence and arguments submitted
by the participants and found that the Fleet Service Employees, who bid for and were
awarded the deicing positions in the locations where deicing is performed exclusively for
the time period that includes the cutoff date, were eligible to vote. The Board relied on
the following undisputed facts in its determination: the declarations made by the
employees who performed deicing work exclusively pursuant to the TWU/IAM Fleet
Association agreement; the declarations of Lynn Vaughn, Managing Director, Labor
Relations, who confirmed the locations where deicing functions are to be performed by
Fleet Service employees who bid for and are awarded positions devoted exclusively to
deicing; the confirmation by Lynn Vaughn of the names of the employees who bid for
and were awarded the deicing assignments for a specific period that includes the cut-off
date of November 6, 2020; and AMFA’s concession that deicing is in fact work that
belongs to the Mechanics and Related Employees craft or class. The lack of deicing
work, which AMFA argues is the error in this case, does not obliterate the contractual
rights of those employees who bid for and were awarded those deicing positions. AMFA
may disagree with the Board’s assessment of the evidence, however, AMFA’s reassertions
are insufficient to obtain the relief requested.

Duplicate Entries for Jean-Pierre Toussaint
​

AMFA contends that the employee on page 17 of the Investigator’s ruling engaged in
aircraft movement at the Carrier’s Boston station from September 28, 2020 through
November 8, 2020 and the employee on page 10 of the Investigator’s ruling engaged in
lavatory services at the Carrier’s Dallas Forth-Worth station from October 5, 2020
through November 22, 2020 is the same person. AMFA requests that at least one
duplicate entry for the employee be removed from the eligibility list for the purpose of
calculating the showing of interest.
A review of the evidence presented to the Investigator reveals that the Investigator
made a typographical error in her ruling, however, the error did not result in counting
the employee twice when determining the number of potential eligible voters as alleged
by AMFA. The Carrier’s evidence through the second declaration of Lynn Vaughn
confirmed that there are in fact two employees covered by the Investigator’s ruling.
Jeanne Pierre Picado 1292 L3 was engaged in lavatory services and Jean Pierre
Toussaint 1297 L3 was engaged in aircraft movement. Thus, the Investigator was
correct in counting both employees and the Investigator’s typographical error did not
impact the number of potential eligible voters as determined by the Investigator and
affirmed by the Board. Accordingly, AMFA has failed to demonstrate a material error of
fact made by the Board in its determination and AMFA’s request for reconsideration is
denied.

CONCLUSION
​

AMFA has failed to demonstrate a material error of law or fact or circumstances
on which the Board’s exercise of its discretion to modify the decision is important to the
public interest. Furthermore, the Board finds that AMFA has failed to show the prior
decision is fundamentally inconsistent with the proper execution of the Board’s
responsibilities under the Railway Labor Act, 45 U.S.C. §151, et seq. Accordingly, any
relief upon reconsideration is denied.

By direction of the NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD.​

 

[scorpion 2]

What world do you live in nobody wants the IAM in Tulsa

What world do you live in?? A card drive isn’t a vote for the entity doing the drive.