Continental rampers

[Tim Nelson]

If any Continental station needs an IAM member to come and tell you why you don't need the IAM or TWU then contact me at: twuiamelection@aol.com

I'd be more than happy to and it will be based on fact, not opinion.

regards,

 

[700UW]

Facts?

The fact you tried to start your own union three times and appointerd yourself in the leadership role?

The fact you filed short of cards at US and caused a one year bar and the company decimated the workers in that time frame.

Fact you raided the IAM and TWU at US and AA.

Far from the facts Timmy.

 

[Tim Nelson]

Thanks for the emails. As for the one question, yes and no.

Yes, the TWU bailed out but your answer wasn't the reason why. The questioin is why?

That becomes obvious with the attachment I sent you from the IAM/TWU. It's their letter,not mine.
In conclusion, as both unions admitted, the majority of its members didn't want them and union would have lost. That's why there was no election.

700 or other IAM loyalist on this board may point to me and make personal attacks but I had nothing to do with why the majority of TWU's and IAM's members would have voted them out. And to be sure, I'm not the one asking for your vote so it doesn't matter if you trust me or not. I stick to facts.

I mean if the IAm and TWU were the answer then wouldn't you think that the TWU would have had no problem fighting for an election where either them or the IAM would have won?
Quite the contrary, as they stated, it was clear to them that the voters would have kicked out representation altogether since they had enough already.

I share that opinion and if the IAm/TWU got more than a 40% union vote they would have been lucky. Not because of anything else other than 'piss clam' representation that has outlived itself.

Next time a TWU rep tells you to sign one of their cards, don't beleive them when they say you will get a pay raise, more vacation, etc. You'll end up at least $500 less in your pocket each year as the TWU big boys continue to juice up their $200,000 salaries. Go to unionfacts.org for that info.

regards,

 

[Bagbelt]

No union could have stopped what has happened in the last few years, legal contracts have been thrown to the wind as one excuse after another is given. The game is rigged. But, in this business, being an employee at will is the one thing worse than being in the twu.

 

[Tim Nelson]

No union could have stopped what has happened in the last few years, legal contracts have been thrown to the wind as one excuse after another is given. The game is rigged. But, in this business, being an employee at will is the one thing worse than being in the twu.

Being an employee at will has served much better in this industry for rampers. They have less jobs contracted out, make more money, better benefits, the works!

If Continental rampers go union then you can bank on a quick union deal that will sell out even more stations just to get the dues flowing. Continental ramp workers can be thankful they don't have to waste $500 a year for nothing.
American Unions are powerless and corrupt. Ask the NW mechanics?

At any rate, the great majority of TWU/IAM rampers would have voted out both unions at US AIRWAYS and even the unions admitted this. Again, if the unions were so good then why would they even admit the workers would throw them out in a vote?

Your opinion is not supported by any fact. Show where a ramp union has made a difference?

regards,

 

[Bagbelt]

Locally, I can only speak for BOS, they do ok. Continental has been regarded as a lower paying outfit, but as the legacy of the Lorenzo years fades away I cannot say what they are like to work for now. As for aa ramp they still are at $20 an hour, air freight, aircraft fueling are still union jobs long after they are gone elsewhere. This may be due more to aa's culture of keeping control of everything rather than the union. I am not a huge fan of the twu, but it was common before the 2003 deal for senior ramp guys to break $70k a year. Some were making well over $100k a year. If you ask me if that would of happened without union scale wages, I don't know. But having the legal right to challenge co. descisions through the grievance proceedure to me is a better option than to hope for the best.

 

[Tim Nelson]

Locally, I can only speak for BOS, they do ok. Continental has been regarded as a lower paying outfit, but as the legacy of the Lorenzo years fades away I cannot say what they are like to work for now. As for aa ramp they still are at $20 an hour, air freight, aircraft fueling are still union jobs long after they are gone elsewhere. This may be due more to aa's culture of keeping control of everything rather than the union. I am not a huge fan of the twu, but it was common before the 2003 deal for senior ramp guys to break $70k a year. Some were making well over $100k a year. If you ask me if that would of happened without union scale wages, I don't know. But having the legal right to challenge co. descisions through the grievance proceedure to me is a better option than to hope for the best.

When the industry is looked at as a whole, the continental rampers are among the highest paid, certainly above the avg union wage, and don't pay union dues. WN is the highest next is AA, then Continental at about $19.45. If you add union dues to a wage fee then AA rampers are similar to the $19.45 of the continental rampers.

AA is now looking at going back to its rampers and other employees to get more. And the NW rampers just got a new tentative that includes yet another 15% or 16% pay cut.

Looking at the state of the industry, job protection is always based on the growth of your particular company, whether union or not. And even though Delta followed the IAM's lead at US AIRWAYS and contracted out all non-hub/non-big stations, the unions have led the way of contracting out more work than the non-union airlines.

regards,

 

[Kev3188]

AA is now looking at going back to its rampers and other employees to get more. And the NW rampers just got a new tentative that includes yet another 15% or 16% pay cut.

The T/A at NW asks for an 11.5% cut in base pay, but also includes loss of vacation, shift differential, and many other items that will, in all reality, make the cut much more than the 15 or 16% mentioned......

 

[Bagbelt]

The contract isn't amendable until 2008. Mgt. can come back all they want, but short of going ch.11 it's not going anywhere. And no one in mgt. is talking about pay cuts. Bankruptcy was not intended as a tool to violate contract and labor law. We all know of the circumstances that led this industry to where it is now. Under the old contract a topped out crew chief would have been at $27 an hour by now, never mind 2.5x pay etc. I doubt Continental would have seen that, only WN is holding on. It doesn't matter, it's gone. But you asked what had collective bargining ever done for anyone.

 

[Tim Nelson]

The contract isn't amendable until 2008. Mgt. can come back all they want, but short of going ch.11 it's not going anywhere. And no one in mgt. is talking about pay cuts. Bankruptcy was not intended as a tool to violate contract and labor law. We all know of the circumstances that led this industry to where it is now. Under the old contract a topped out crew chief would have been at $27 an hour by now, never mind 2.5x pay etc. I doubt Continental would have seen that, only WN is holding on. It doesn't matter, it's gone. But you asked what had collective bargining ever done for anyone.

Bagbelt,

would you happen to know if the AA ticket agents are unionized and is there pay comparable to the TWU rampers?

regards

 

[LGA Fleet Service]

Bagbelt,

would you happen to know if the AA ticket agents are unionized and is there pay comparable to the TWU rampers?

regards

The agents aren't organized, they've been trying for years only to be brought up short by a lot of senior heads in Res who always voted against the CWA.As a result the management does as they please with regards to the ATO.

Pay wise they used to top out at $21.00 per hour, since the concessions I'm not sure what the top of scale rate is.The top out was always 2-3 dollars per hour below the ramp.

 

[ICEMAN]

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[ICEMAN]

When the industry is looked at as a whole, the continental rampers are among the highest paid, certainly above the avg union wage, and don't pay union dues. WN is the highest next is AA, then Continental at about $19.45. If you add union dues to a wage fee then AA rampers are similar to the $19.45 of the continental rampers.

AA is now looking at going back to its rampers and other employees to get more. And the NW rampers just got a new tentative that includes yet another 15% or 16% pay cut.

Looking at the state of the industry, job protection is always based on the growth of your particular company, whether union or not. And even though Delta followed the IAM's lead at US AIRWAYS and contracted out all non-hub/non-big stations, the unions have led the way of contracting out more work than the non-union airlines.

regards,

You know Tim I can see that you don't work at American Airlines. Do to the fact that American has stated several times that they are not going back to the employee's for more concessions. You and your little amfa boys need to find something new to SPEW.

 

[700UW]

Tim is not an amfa boy he is a us airways ramper, who tried to start his own union several times.

 

[brown]

Tim is not an amfa boy he is a us airways ramper, who tried to start his own union several times.

Yes sir, and you are a unskilled stock clerk working for the IAM hanging on the AMT's coattails!!!!!!!