Each US AIRWAYS IAM member ought to be concerned about the present IAM organizing drive at AMR. If the IAM triggers an election and loses, then the MBA protections will NOT apply, and the IAM members would be subject to the TWU's own internal policy. OTOH, if the IAM does NOT force a representational dispute, then and only then, will the MBA apply and force arbitration if the IAM and TWU can not come to a 'seniority integration' agreement. At least, the MBA would provide arbitration instead of a 'sole and exclusive' situation. An Arbitrator would make a ruling based on the seniority clauses in the contracts and some other variants. In other words, the IAM better plan on winning an organizing campaign if it triggers one otherwise its members are clearly at a bigger risk of seniority loss. I understand the IAM wanting to force a last ditch effort to preserve its own membership but it ought to consider the expense it would potentially cost its membership. One thing is clear, it will get POUNDED in an election if it doesn't tend to its own internal squabbles first. regards,
