At Your Next TWU Local Union Meeting...

[PhatSappy]

For the record I have no animosity to any worker in overhaul or line maintenance.

 

[Hopeful]

Excellent post Strikeforce! My only disagreement may be that I believe the current makeup of our negotiating team is now more autonomous than in the past and less under the international's thumb. Unfortunately I also believe they are more than willing to slash overhaul to achieve AMT line parity.

Just as some line guys on this board want to amputat the bases, there are too few mechanics at the overhaul bases that realize just how good they've got it, and will begrudge the line getting any more than overhaul. This short sightedness may force the company's hand to outsource overhaul. If not for the OSM's the base would already be gone. At least most of the OSM's have a hope of upgrading at some point.

There must be some middle ground found on the pay issue between Base and Line and clearly communicated to the membership as to why it is beneficial to both.

Let's fine tune this debate a bit.

The line pay premium is more about geograpical costs of living. if you look at the unions proposal, all the line stations which staff mechanics would get a different premium based on location.
When we say we want a line premium, it is actually a geographical cost of living adjustment!
The overhaul bases just happen to be in more affordable locations as opposed to many of the line stations.

this is not a Line mechanic is worth more than a overhaul mechanic argument!

LOCATION, LOCATION LOCATION!

 

[Interested]

So, will a line mechanic in JFK, ORD, LAX make more than a line mechanic in Tulsa or Dallas? The same cities that the OH mechanics live in. After all a line mechanic is a line mechanic no matter where, right?

 

[1AA]

So, will a line mechanic in JFK, ORD, LAX make more than a line mechanic in Tulsa or Dallas? The same cities that the OH mechanics live in. After all a line mechanic is a line mechanic no matter where, right?

Line AMT's have 24/7 shifts and work outdoors. OH AMT's work indoors and follow a M-F work schedule. Weekends are O/T. Line AMT's do not get O/T for working weekends.
Another reason for compensation added to cost of living. Oh yea that .10 an hour for line pay. That's a good one. Please do not suggest the line guys go work overhaul or overhaul guys work the line. This posting is not intended to start an argument. Just making a point.
Please correct any error I may have made. Thanks.

 

[Interested]

Let's fine tune this debate a bit.

The line pay premium is more about geograpical costs of living. if you look at the unions proposal, all the line stations which staff mechanics would get a different premium based on location.
When we say we want a line premium, it is actually a geographical cost of living adjustment!
The overhaul bases just happen to be in more affordable locations as opposed to many of the line stations.

this is not a Line mechanic is worth more than a overhaul mechanic argument!

LOCATION, LOCATION LOCATION!

Line AMT's have 24/7 shifts and work outdoors. OH AMT's work indoors and follow a M-F work schedule. Weekends are O/T. Line AMT's do not get O/T for working weekends.
Another reason for compensation added to cost of living. Oh yea that .10 an hour for line pay. That's a good one. Please do not suggest the line guys go work overhaul or overhaul guys work the line. This posting is not intended to start an argument. Just making a point.
Please correct any error I may have made. Thanks.

I'm not suggesting that line mechanics work OH and OH mechanics work line. I'm was referring to Hopefuls statement "The line pay premium is more about geograpical costs of living. if you look at the unions proposal, all the line stations which staff mechanics would get a different premium based on location". (Guess I should have quoted his post to make myself clear before). So, I'll ask again will a Line mechanic in JFK, ORD, LAX (higher cost of living) make more than a line mechanic in Tulsa or DFW (lower cost of living). I feel that a line mechanic sort of works under different kind of rules than an OH mechanic. Different type of time constraints, trying to fix a broke plane that is full of passengers, etc... and should be paid more. There are others that feel different though.

 

[Hopeful]

So, will a line mechanic in JFK, ORD, LAX make more than a line mechanic in Tulsa or Dallas? The same cities that the OH mechanics live in. After all a line mechanic is a line mechanic no matter where, right?

Let me clarify my statement...i did not mention it was GEO pay.
The proposal includes a line premium for all line mechanics, but they added GEO pay which would be different depending what part of country you worked.

 

[strikeforce]

Let's fine tune this debate a bit.

The line pay premium is more about geograpical costs of living. if you look at the unions proposal, all the line stations which staff mechanics would get a different premium based on location.
When we say we want a line premium, it is actually a geographical cost of living adjustment!
The overhaul bases just happen to be in more affordable locations as opposed to many of the line stations.

this is not a Line mechanic is worth more than a overhaul mechanic argument!

LOCATION, LOCATION LOCATION!

No, in the proposal there's Line premium and Geo pay....two different pay classifications.

The argument I made regarding Line vs. OH is market driven by airline operation. Line maintenance is critical to AA's operation. What's more important to AA right now....a 777 delayed at the gate with 250 passengers or 777 in OH? The Line mechanic is much more valuable to the company at this point in time, and throughout the flying day. I recognize both AMT's have the same responsibilities, but not the same value to the overall operation. This is where the $10 difference is referenced by Phatt Sappy. No different than the value of each batter, football player, or position player in sports. Are all player positions paid the same? No! But, they're all baseball players and football players. Does SWA place more value for line maintenance than OH....yes, and they're willing to pay more to line mechanics than OH. That's why they farm OH out.
The TWU doesn't apply that same thought process when negotiating with AA because they're willing to keep wages to AA's liking in order to keep jobs and DUES! So, the real value for Line is diminished artificially by our union.

 

[Tex-Mech]

Does SWA place more value for line maintenance than OH....yes, and they're willing to pay more to line mechanics than OH. That's why they farm OH out.

You may want to tell that to the overhaul mechanics at SWA at Love field. You may want to look at their bid sheets.

http://www.amfa11.com/file_cabinet/Drawer_1/forms/Rebid%20Form%20Rev1.pdf

 

[strikeforce]

You may want to tell that to the overhaul mechanics at SWA at Love field. You may want to look at their bid sheets.

http://www.amfa11.com/file_cabinet/Drawer_1/forms/Rebid%20Form%20Rev1.pdf

Is Love Field an overhaul facility or a line station with B-checks like DFW & ORD? Does SWA have non-licensed support mechanics?

 

[Tex-Mech]

Is Love Field an overhaul facility or a line station with B-checks like DFW & ORD? Does SWA have non-licensed support mechanics?

It is both, a line station and they do C-Checks in their overhaul hangars. They got like 5 or 6 hangars for all kinds of work. I don't know about non-licensed mechanics.

 

[Bob Owens]

Unfortunately I also believe they are more than willing to slash overhaul to achieve AMT line parity.

The Committee is three base guys and three line guys.

There must be some middle ground found on the pay issue between Base and Line and clearly communicated to the membership as to why it is beneficial to both.

I think the proposal meets that criteria.

 

[Bob Owens]

So, will a line mechanic in JFK, ORD, LAX make more than a line mechanic in Tulsa or Dallas?

Yes

The same cities that the OH mechanics live in.

Its currently that way.

After all a line mechanic is a line mechanic no matter where, right?

Yes and no. It costs a line mechanic in NY more to be able to provide Line Maintenance labor in places like JFK than it does in DFW so there's a Geo Premium, it doesnt come close to equalizing the costs but its a move thats long overdue.