Amfa Runs From Debate

[twuer]

My members put me there to fight for them. I felt that I could have more of an impact from within, so I stayed. Your question is really double Jeopardy, if I had resigned you would say that I am a quiter, since I would not resign you fault me for not resigning. What you really mean is that there is no room for dissent, that Local Leaders who are elected by the members must submit to the will of the International leaders who are not.

You are putting words in my mouth Bob. I have no doubt like I said that you were loyal to your members. But the practice of dual unionism is wrong Bob. I am not going to get into this with you again because everyone knows my opinion. You go right ahead and defend your actions. Noone is stopping you. But noone is stoppng me from giving my opinion. I guess if an amfa officer say at NWA starts to support and criticize amfa and start supporting the TWU noone will do anything about it????

 

[Raptor]

My members put me there to fight for them. I felt that I could have more of an impact from within, so I stayed. Your question is really double Jeopardy, if I had resigned you would say that I am a quiter, since I would not resign you fault me for not resigning. What you really mean is that there is no room for dissent, that Local Leaders who are elected by the members must submit to the will of the International leaders who are not.

You are putting words in my mouth Bob. I have no doubt like I said that you were loyal to your members. But the practice of dual unionism is wrong Bob. I am not going to get into this with you again because everyone knows my opinion. You go right ahead and defend your actions. Noone is stopping you. But noone is stoppng me from giving my opinion. I guess if an amfa officer say at NWA starts to support and criticize amfa and start supporting the TWU noone will do anything about it????

There are some that think that even a regular member can be charged with dual Unionism just for wanting a different Union, now that is definatly not right, I chose to work at AA I did not know anything about Unions at the time and did not care about Unions at the time, when one chooses to work for a company that does not mean they chose that Union as well, and employees can change Unions at their company as we have seen.

 

[local 12 proud]

for some strange reason the twu thinks it's membership "OWE'S" them alliegence but they seem to have forgotten where their paychecks come from......THE UNION WORKS FOR THE MEMBERS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND....and this is why AMFA will defeat the twu.

 

[Checking it Out]

The Union are the members! We as members have an obligation to support the Union. When your sole purpose is to destroy unions(RTW) as Amfa and the organizers are doing than they do not deserve to have the right to hold ofice!

Amfa organizers are on a campaign to destroy the TWU! If they were on a campaign for Amfa than why is it all you here coming out of their mouth is anti TWU?

I would suspect if they really knew anything it would be pro amfa coming out! This is not happening! Even at the airlines they represent!

Remember anti rhetoric destroys the core of Unions! You will never get this back!!! Does'nt matter what group you are in!!!!!

 

[Decision 2004]

The Concept of “Craft or Classâ€￾

This is Federal Legal concept “Craft or Classâ€￾

In accordance with the Railway Labor Act, the Federal Government has decided that certain work groups have a mutuality of interest at the bargaining table and in advancing worker related issues, and that groups outside of that particular craft or class should have no participation in how the union is run or at least in the initial decision as to who represents that work group. And so Pilots vote with Pilots, and Flight Attendants as matter of law are prohibited from voting with the Pilots. And in turn, the Pilots are prohibited by law from voting with the Flight Attendants because they are considered to be in different Craft or Classes by the National Mediation Board. And Mechanic and Related Workers within the Airline Industry are entitled by law to vote just amongst themselves.

Supporters of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) believe that it comprises our mission to remain associated within a union structure with other crafts or classes that according to Federal Government do NOT share our mutuality of interest. The mission is further compromised when we remain associated with other crafts or classes within the union structure of “majority ruleâ€￾ and our particular craft or class is the minority in size. The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) is the only union in this current debate at American Airlines that says “We will forbid ourselvesâ€￾, it will be unconstitutional for us to go and represent baggage handlers, flight attendants, or passenger service clerks, and we will not let ourselves do that because this would compromise our mission. We wish the baggage handlers and other crafts or classes on the property the very best, but they cannot pick our pockets, we wish them to get the very best on their own, but they should no longer be allowed to ride on our backs. In other words, it is time for the airline industry to decouple the mechanic vs. baggage handler pay and benefit structure. It is suffice to say that since deregulation of the airline industry which since enactment has created enormous competition and pressure on airline ticket pricing, and that has resulted in the craft or class of mechanic and related workers suffering in economic buying power, and especially when compared to the Pilots and Flight Attendants who at American belong to craft specific unions. In the mid 1970’s, the Flight Attendants of American Airlines were also represented by the Transport Workers Union of American (TWU), and just as the mechanics today seek a change to a craft specific union, they also left the TWU in favor of the independent Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) The craft or class of Mechanic and Related at American Airlines can no longer afford to remain in an organization that advocates a linking of different work groups that according to law do not share a mutuality of interest.

Regardless of good or bad economic times, and regardless of whether the union is negotiating concessions to prevent a bankruptcy filing or negotiating from economic growth with corporate profits, the formula by which the economic pie is divided amongst the union membership is a union decision. The recent concession are a clear case in point, because American Airlines was demanding $620 Million in concessions from the TWU, but how those give backs were divided up was a union decision, not a company decision. And the facts are clear, that the craft or class of Mechanic and Related at American took more than our fair share of that amount, and it is also clear this was a union decision.

AMFA IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR SKILLED TECHNICIANS

 

[Fridays are Free]

All unionized employees have two contracts. The first contract is their union constitution. The second contract is with the company for wages and benefits.

The union constitution is the contract between the membership and the leaders of the organization. The union constitution is the foundation of our economic house, on which the second contract of wages and benefits are built upon.

Local 562 proved that the TWU constitution is a flawed, unstable and shifting foundation.

The TWU International officers (non-elected by the membership International Union) have used the membership for their gain.

We will never be able to restore the economic house of wages and benefits until we replace the foundation. It must be a foundation built on the rock of empowering the membership and not on the shifting sands of TWU International Union deal cutting.

Thomas Jefferson: In questions of power, then let no more be said of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the (U.S.) Constitution.

AMFA NOW!

 

[twuer]

The Concept of “Craft or Classâ€￾

This is Federal Legal concept “Craft or Classâ€￾

In accordance with the Railway Labor Act, the Federal Government has decided that certain work groups have a mutuality of interest at the bargaining table and in advancing worker related issues, and that groups outside of that particular craft or class should have no participation in how the union is run or at least in the initial decision as to who represents that work group. And so Pilots vote with Pilots, and Flight Attendants as matter of law are prohibited from voting with the Pilots. And in turn, the Pilots are prohibited by law from voting with the Flight Attendants because they are considered to be in different Craft or Classes by the National Mediation Board. And Mechanic and Related Workers within the Airline Industry are entitled by law to vote just amongst themselves.

Supporters of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) believe that it comprises our mission to remain associated within a union structure with other crafts or classes that according to Federal Government do NOT share our mutuality of interest. The mission is further compromised when we remain associated with other crafts or classes within the union structure of “majority ruleâ€￾ and our particular craft or class is the minority in size. The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) is the only union in this current debate at American Airlines that says “We will forbid ourselvesâ€￾, it will be unconstitutional for us to go and represent baggage handlers, flight attendants, or passenger service clerks, and we will not let ourselves do that because this would compromise our mission. We wish the baggage handlers and other crafts or classes on the property the very best, but they cannot pick our pockets, we wish them to get the very best on their own, but they should no longer be allowed to ride on our backs. In other words, it is time for the airline industry to decouple the mechanic vs. baggage handler pay and benefit structure. It is suffice to say that since deregulation of the airline industry which since enactment has created enormous competition and pressure on airline ticket pricing, and that has resulted in the craft or class of mechanic and related workers suffering in economic buying power, and especially when compared to the Pilots and Flight Attendants who at American belong to craft specific unions. In the mid 1970’s, the Flight Attendants of American Airlines were also represented by the Transport Workers Union of American (TWU), and just as the mechanics today seek a change to a craft specific union, they also left the TWU in favor of the independent Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) The craft or class of Mechanic and Related at American Airlines can no longer afford to remain in an organization that advocates a linking of different work groups that according to law do not share a mutuality of interest.

Regardless of good or bad economic times, and regardless of whether the union is negotiating concessions to prevent a bankruptcy filing or negotiating from economic growth with corporate profits, the formula by which the economic pie is divided amongst the union membership is a union decision. The recent concession are a clear case in point, because American Airlines was demanding $620 Million in concessions from the TWU, but how those give backs were divided up was a union decision, not a company decision. And the facts are clear, that the craft or class of Mechanic and Related at American took more than our fair share of that amount, and it is also clear this was a union decision.

AMFA IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR SKILLED TECHNICIANS

Words are cheap Decision!!! You keep posting this as if amfa has done something. The only thing they have done is allow a huge amount of work to be outsourced and allowed thhousands of mechanics to be laid off. (that's not in your little artlice!!)

That's breaking down the craft and class not promoting it!!




By the way, why don't you post who the author of this artlicle is??

 

[local 12 proud]

twu'er where do you draw the line on concessions? if the company says ok guys we need to layoff or you fellas can work for burger king coupons and it will save jobs......you keep giving in order to preserve jobs? btw the union does'nt lay off the company does, your paycheck comes from AA not the twu!!!!!!!!!.........well then again perhaps thats what your really worried about huh? losing duel paychecks :blink:

 

[Drip E. Kwill]

twu'er where do you draw the line on concessions? if the company says ok guys we need to layoff or you fellas can work for burger king coupons and it will save jobs......you keep giving in order to preserve jobs? btw the union does'nt lay off the company does, your paycheck comes from AA not the twu!!!!!!!!!.........well then again perhaps thats what your really worried about huh? losing duel paychecks :blink:

Knock me on the floor and call me stupid...but isn't it the unemployed AMFA workers using the "coupons"? Was your pension touched? Did the most retain a job and continue their profession?

You amfa boys do not want to take responsibility for amfa's ability to wreck airlines, but the TWU must, and does, take responsibility for the concessionary package...sounds like Dave Stewart philosophy..and that doesn't amount to nothing.

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

The Union are the members! We as members have an obligation to support the Union. When your sole purpose is to destroy unions(RTW) as Amfa and the organizers are doing than they do not deserve to have the right to hold ofice!

Amfa organizers are on a campaign to destroy the TWU! If they were on a campaign for Amfa than why is it all you here coming out of their mouth is anti TWU?

I would suspect if they really knew anything it would be pro amfa coming out! This is not happening! Even at the airlines they represent!

Remember anti rhetoric destroys the core of Unions! You will never get this back!!! Does'nt matter what group you are in!!!!!

cio,

THE UNION HAS AN OBLIGATION TO SUPPORT THE MEMBERS FIRST! Why should I support a union that does not support my profession?

The twu is on a campaign to destry the twu, not the members. The members did not remove Bob Owens & Chuck Schalk. The members did not promise a full revote. The members did not decide to allow the concession vote to be conducted where you could CHANGE your vote. The members did not vote for the international officers. Your logic is as screwed up as the twu's ability to protect our profession.

What about the airlines AMFA represents? Where are the twu, ibt, iam drives at these airlines?

Anti-rhetoric does not destroy unions cio. It is greed, ineptness, lies and more lies that accomplish that. And the twu has an "A" in each of these catagories.

The twu smells fear... and it is their own!

GO AMFA!

GO DEMOCRACY!