Could It Be That American Unions Are To Blame?

[eolesen]

If USAir could not get permanent part timers with medical benefits, what makes you think that AA could get permanent part timers without medical benefits?

[post="303169"][/post]​

Because AA isn't on its second trip thru bankruptcy??

Permanent PT without full benefits is already happening in Reservations... Home based agents get reduced benefits, and start out/max at lower rates than office based res agents.

So far, there hasn't been a problem finding people to fill those positions.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

Because AA isn't on its second trip thru bankruptcy??

Permanent PT without full benefits is already happening in Reservations... Home based agents get reduced benefits, and start out/max at lower rates than office based res agents.

So far, there hasn't been a problem finding people to fill those positions.

[post="303337"][/post]​

Yup.

Home based employees opens up a whole new source of cheap help, further skewing the supply/demand equation. Remember when AA was one of the first outsourcers, sending bales of paperwork to Haiti instead of paying high-priced American employees? In the '70s.

.

 

[aafsc]

Yup.

Home based employees opens up a whole new source of cheap help, further skewing the supply/demand equation. Remember when AA was one of the first outsourcers, sending bales of paperwork to Haiti instead of paying high-priced American employees? In the '70s.

.

[post="303365"][/post]​

There is a difference between someone sitting in the comfort of their own home taking reservations on a computer for 4 hours and someone working at an airport in extreme tempratures and it is rather difficult to load an aircraft from your home. It is a known fact that USAir was/is having a difficult time getting newhires WITH medical. At Alaska, they got rid of their own ramp people in SEA and replaced them with a vendor. Since they did this, Alaska has been on the bottom in terms of lost luggage and on time performance. It seems as though the "hired help" does not feel the need to report for work on the weekends. If AA wants to go that route fine. You get what you pay for.

 

[Bob Owens]

There is a difference between someone sitting in the comfort of their own home taking reservations on a computer for 4 hours and someone working at an airport in extreme tempratures and it is rather difficult to load an aircraft from your home. It is a known fact that USAir was/is having a difficult time getting newhires WITH medical. At Alaska, they got rid of their own ramp people in SEA and replaced them with a vendor. Since they did this, Alaska has been on the bottom in terms of lost luggage and on time performance. It seems as though the "hired help" does not feel the need to report for work on the weekends. If AA wants to go that route fine. You get what you pay for.

[post="303395"][/post]​

Unfortunately they seem to be willing to go that route in order to lower wages. The question is why do we just keep sitting back and allow them to impliment their plans piecemeal?

We should shut it all down, the sooner the better.

 

[j7915]

Unfortunately they seem to be willing to go that route in order to lower wages. The question is why do we just keep sitting back and allow them to impliment their plans piecemeal?

We should shut it all down, the sooner the better.

[post="303426"][/post]​

Who is keeping you from making a sign and going out on strike?

Maybe your example will inspire others to follow in your footsteps.

 

[aafsc]

Unfortunately they seem to be willing to go that route in order to lower wages. The question is why do we just keep sitting back and allow them to impliment their plans piecemeal?

We should shut it all down, the sooner the better.

[post="303426"][/post]​

That should have been done during EAL.

 

[Bob Owens]

That should have been done  during EAL.

[post="303530"][/post]​

Well we had several opportunities to end the slaughter. But the most recent time to make a stand was when UAL was threatening to abrogate the labor contracts in early 2003. I sent out an E-mail stating that if the Judge abrogates the UAL deals all unions in the industry should strike. Jim Little demanded that I retract that statement, I refused.

The sad truth of the matter is that these have been the best of times for the TWU International. As they sell us cheap they reap the rewards of increasing their membership. In fact, contrary to most other unions the TWU has grown in membership by being a bottom feeder. Volume of dues payers makes up for lower wages for the members. The structure of the TWU makes it so that the leaders who sell us out are not accountable-all we can do is vote out Local leaders who really have no say.


As the membership swells so does the pay and perks of the International. When we took the 25% paycut Jim Little got an 8% pay increase!!! As our wages lag inflation, making our 25% paycut effectively even deeper, Sonny Hall gets an annual 5% (compounded) increase in his pension. So in 2009 when we just got our last increase ( unless Little gives that away next year to "preserve the pension") we will have only recovered 7% of our paycut before inflation, Sonny Hall on the other hand, over the period of 2004 to 2005 will see in excess of of a 25% increase in his pension-courtesy of your dues.
When the TWU at AA "negotiates" the local leaders negotiate between themselves and the International, they dont negotiate directly with the company, the International does that.

 

[Bagbelt]

The laws of my state say if a company does business with a government entity it must pay the union prevailing wage. And we are supposed to get holiday time at 2x. How do they get around this?Is it grievable?

 

[Bob Owens]

The laws of my state say if a company does business with a government entity it must pay the union prevailing wage. And we are supposed to get holiday time at 2x. How do they get around this?Is it grievable?

[post="303760"][/post]​

Unfortunately its a loser.

Thank the new interpretation of the RLA for that.

Now a days the lowest standard applies, so even if state laws are better than our contract language-thank Jim Little for that- contract language prevails.

I guess it never occured to anyone that once you have management (Jim Little came from AA management) in control of the union that workers would be better off without a contract than with one.