Feb / Mar 2013 IAM Fleet Service Discussions

[necigrad]

With this update, and what I had heard about last month, I believe we are at an impass, if only because the company is unwilling. I'l say it hear and now.

The Fleet Service Negotiating Committee needs to request that an impass exists and that we must enter a 30 day cooling off period.

The company is not only not taking the NC seriously, but disrespects the entire workgroup to include, IMO, violating its own ethics policy. It's time. The truly sad thing is that the company likely doesn't care as they plan on pawning negotiations off as no longer necessary due to the merger.

 

[mike33]

Maybe it would be beneficial to our group, as we approach a possible representation election as a result of this merger, to consider a third option for representation. A union that puts the members' interests first and not the other way around. How refreshing would that be? Shouldn't this basic expectation, from a member's viewpoint, be the foundation for choosing to be represented? Any union that fails to meet this basic expectation has failed to duly represent and doesn't deserve a vote IMO.
ograc

Cargo.....im a little disappointed in you. Maybe it would be more beneficial, as we approach a possible negotiated contract to reel in some of this dissent and GUESSING, as to what we are in for, and let the negotiators do their jobs. Its hard enough keeping the company at the table, let alone listening to all the VOODOO magic that a few on this board are spewing...... Let UA take care of their own business.... We have people negotiating that need your attention, if you consider yourself a leader at your station... We know how this company operates and are about to embark on some serious decision making real soon. They are testing us as a group and we aren't helpng ourselves by all this talk. .......Especially when we dont have anything on paper that matches some of your sentiments... We have our negotiators.... They have my backing until Proven TO ME.....otherwise....

 

[mike33]

Suprise! Suprise! Suprise! As I have stated in previous posts... the company is "dancing with the IAM" regarding contract negotiations. They no longer have any respect for the IAM Leadership and truly believe, as a result of future representation elections, the IAM won't even be on the property at the newly merged carrier. With this in mind... why would they be the least bit interested in signing contracts with the IAM? The IAM may state they will not support the merger until new contracts are agreed to, but in the end, their opposition is nothing more than hollow threats and will not stop the merger. It is truly time to wake up!! Based on the company's posture and agenda; US Fleet Service employees, along with MTC. and Related, should not expect a contract until representation issues, related to the merger, are settled. Throughout the pre-merger negotiations the IAM, representing US members in both groups, wasn't even invited to the table. Slap! Slap! Slap! Maybe that's the reasoning behind the IAM DL 141 Leadership Team agreeing to such a "company friendly" TA at UA. Regarding the Fleet Service at US... I'm not convinced the TWU is a better option. This labor organization has a history of agreeing to outsourcing jobs. As stated earlier... maybe it's time to consider a third option for both bargaining groups... Fleet Service and MTC. and Related. IMO... one thing seems certain... the IAM is effectively being eliminated as a player in the future of the combined workforce.
ograc

Cargo...You posted that as i was writing....Now i have changed my view ....

I am personally glad you didn't get in........Not only that!.....You are using this whole situation to your future somewhat advantage.........I may be wrong and it may be just a guess on my part that you are possibly in collusion with another for future gain!

If released and cooled for the 30....Im now wondering what you would recommend to your fellow IAM UNION member at your station?

 

[robbedagain]

why not the union districts 141 n 142 take out full page ads in papers similar to the pilots... may be that would garner the attention of people? mgmt type may be

 

[necigrad]

why not the union districts 141 n 142 take out full page ads in papers similar to the pilots... may be that would garner the attention of people? mgmt type may be

Didn't know about ads from the pilots, but, working on the assumption that they were along the lines of "Don't fly US, they're evil." they won't work. Americans do NOT care about labor disputes UNLESS said disputes disrupts their plans. Even then more then half the country will blame the unions for it. Americans care about the fares and dispise anything that they hear will increase them.

 

[mike33]

It's really very simple. Its right under our noses.....we all know it but hardly abide by it to its full extent as we should. ...Its called


T H E G. O. M. !!!!

 

[robbedagain]

going by the exact procedures and if it delays the plane it delays the planes... often ive seen the us planes wait as long as an 1hr to be parked.... though most of the times its around 20 minutes lots of fuel burn...

 

[mike33]

going by the exact procedures and if it delays the plane it delays the planes... often ive seen the us planes wait as long as an 1hr to be parked.... though most of the times its around 20 minutes lots of fuel burn...

Sent you a PM robbed

 

[ograc]

Cargo.....im a little disappointed in you. Maybe it would be more beneficial, as we approach a possible negotiated contract to reel in some of this dissent and GUESSING, as to what we are in for, and let the negotiators do their jobs. Its hard enough keeping the company at the table, let alone listening to all the VOODOO magic that a few on this board are spewing...... Let UA take care of their own business.... We have people negotiating that need your attention, if you consider yourself a leader at your station... We know how this company operates and are about to embark on some serious decision making real soon. They are testing us as a group and we aren't helpng ourselves by all this talk. .......Especially when we dont have anything on paper that matches some of your sentiments... We have our negotiators.... They have my backing until Proven TO ME.....otherwise....

Mike33,
Based on what this district leadership agreed to at UA I have no faith, or reason to believe, the district would negotiate something better for our group. It's not VOODOO magic spewing... it's reasonable assumptions based on the past practice of the district negotiating agreements at UA. The same district negotiating our contract. I am a leader at my station... and rest assurred this district and our negotiations have my undivided and more importantly unbiased attention. What will your defense be when you have something on paper and the district agrees, as with the UA TA, it is a great agreement? Do you really believe, based on what this district agreed to at UA, we can expect a superior agreement? I'm sorry I may dissapoint... but I'll call em as I see em. By the time this district proves to you otherwise it will be too late for countless members.

 

[freedom]

lets not start talking about illegal work slow downs ... no one here is stupid , not us , not management reading this ...

let us remain cool calm and collected ... patience is a virtue...

As to taking out a 100K ad in USA today to complain about whatever ,yeah I agree with the other poster who said that no one will care .. ...that's like protesting outside of Wal-Mart because their non-union and don't pay a living wage , their parking lots will still be full and you'll just end up with heat stroke .

I think we need to remind the company that our performance as a work group has been exemplary .... Remember this management group is all about performance vs cost ..

If our union wanted to spend some coin , they should create some graphs that show our MBR before our new contract and our MBR afterwards ...

One of the problems that we have is that our management is for the most part old AWA brass so their much more apt to see the decreased MBR from the west system and assume that further gains would be less likely company wide .

Happy workers are PRODUCTIVE workers , and while we here in the west were VERY happy with our new contract , our fellow brothers and sisters in the former US Air portion of the system only received minimal gains economically ..

We need to argue strongly that increased compensation will result in decreased delays and MBR ...

 

[Tim Nelson]

Well-- It's OFFICIAL !!! The company officially slapped the membership in the face once again ---- not that anyone expected any different outcome of the pace of negotiations---My question is now ----- why the hell didn't the District ask to be released just as District 142 did --- the time has come for the entire membership to WAKE UP and stand up for a change instead of acting like a cowering beat dog --------

http://www.iam141.org/us/index.html

"After we presented the counter proposal to the company, the mediator informed your committee that the company was unable to respond with a revised proposal due to the unavailability of key financial managers and others. This is not only disrespectful, but very unprofessional. The company was well aware that this week was focused on a comprehensive economic proposal, but it is now quite obvious that the company is much more concerned with making sure the merger becomes a reality.
To find other management personnel, that the company claims are required to be involved in decision making, were all away from their offices the same week and apparently unable to be reached through any other form of communication including email, phone, text, Facebook, twitter, or overnight mail, was hard to believe, but shows how much respect management has for you and your family."

That pretty much sums it up in a nutshell------It's NOW time for everyone to WAKE UP !!

Jimmy, the IAM 141 has done nothing to build solidarity at United or US AIRWAYS. All B*& SH*&^ from these guys. The latest update reads like the ones at United for several years. The truth is that the leverage of the IAM at US AIRWAYS is significant as it is the biggest union on the property....and management does in fact need cooperation because of the merger, but, as we saw at United, Delaney and the negotiators pull back the reins and are all talk. Let's face it, if Frank Odonnal can't take care of a fairly basic straight forward grievance of 'robbed again' over 3 years then why should any presume that management would have any respect for him or Delaney and take serious a comprehensive labor accord? Management at United is LTAO at the IAM, and so is the management at US AIRWAYS. Why would Parker give our negotiation team even a penny raise? None of these guys know where the leverage is or how to build leverage. regards,

 

[mike33]

Mike33,
Based on what this district leadership agreed to at UA I have no faith, or reason to believe, the district would negotiate something better for our group. It's not VOODOO magic spewing... it's reasonable assumptions based on the past practice of the district negotiating agreements at UA. The same district negotiating our contract. I am a leader at my station... and rest assurred this district and our negotiations have my undivided and more importantly unbiased attention. What will your defense be when you have something on paper and the district agrees, as with the UA TA, it is a great agreement? Do you really believe, based on what this district agreed to at UA, we can expect a superior agreement? I'm sorry I may dissapoint... but I'll call em as I see em. By the time this district proves to you otherwise it will be too late for countless members.

You take the no lose position... ur right and im wrong.....im right and you gain also......its not about being right or wrong. Its about support and i understand that you use other companies negotiations as a footnote, but i don't. The negotiating parties are made up a little different. If anything is holding them back it is your line of thinking and your willingness to throw them to the wind knowing all along the company is reading your remarkes....Yes i know you are the leader at your station i know. I am still a little disappointed in your forthrightness of convicting with nothing on paper yet

 

[freedom]

Jimmy, the IAM 141 has done nothing to build solidarity at United or US AIRWAYS. All B*& SH*&^ from these guys. The latest update reads like the ones at United for several years. The truth is that the leverage of the IAM at US AIRWAYS is significant as it is the biggest union on the property....and management does in fact need cooperation because of the merger, but, as we saw at United, Delaney and the negotiators pull back the reins and are all talk. Let's face it, if Frank Odonnal can't take care of a fairly basic straight forward grievance of 'robbed again' over 3 years then why should any presume that management would have any respect for him or Delaney and take serious a comprehensive labor accord? Management at United is LTAO at the IAM, and so is the management at US AIRWAYS. Why would Parker give our negotiation team even a penny raise? None of these guys know where the leverage is or how to build leverage. regards,

sadly I have to agree with you about building solidarity ... that is SO important .. we tend not to ask ourselves how can we build solidarity ?

Does anyone have any ideas on how we can build solidarity here at US Airways ?

 

[ograc]

Cargo...You posted that as i was writing....Now i have changed my view ....

I am personally glad you didn't get in........Not only that!.....You are using this whole situation to your future somewhat advantage.........I may be wrong and it may be just a guess on my part that you are possibly in collusion with another for future gain!

If released and cooled for the 30....Im now wondering what you would recommend to your fellow IAM UNION member at your station?

mike 33,
You really need to put the conspiracy and collusion accusations aside. Nothing is further from the truth. I speak based on the obvious past performance of the current district leadership team. Additionally, your accusation of using this whole situation, which the district leadership has put themselves in, to my future advantage is also way off the mark. My fellow IAM union members in my station have been around long enough to form their own opinions. Would you like to know what they think of the district's TA at UA? This leadership team was elected over 5 years ago with the promise of change and a closing of the concession stand. Nothing has changed and the concession stand remains open for business. If anything... it has gotten worse. You may disbelieve if you so choose... but it doesn't change the truth. Again.. this is not at all about me but about the accountability of our chosen union leadership. Please quit trying to deflect blame.
ograc

 

[mike33]

mike 33,
You really need to put the conspiracy and collusion accusations aside. Nothing is further from the truth. I speak based on the obvious past performance of the current district leadership team. Additionally, your accusation of using this whole situation, which the district leadership has put themselves in, to my future advantage is also way off the mark. My fellow IAM union members in my station have been around long enough to form their own opinions. Would you like to know what they think of the district's TA at UA? This leadership team was elected over 5 years ago with the promise of change and a closing of the concession stand. Nothing has changed and the concession stand remains open for business. If anything... it has gotten worse. You may disbelieve if you so choose... but it doesn't change the truth. Again.. this is not at all about me but about the accountability of our chosen union leadership. Please quit trying to deflect blame.
ograc

I am not trying to deflect blame....you keep using the UA TA as a threshold . I will not. They will accept or deny the TA on their own. My concern is here at US. Ive been around for 39 yrs and was around in the early 70's when the company tried to bully the teamsters. Well we stuck together and made great strides with our solidarity. All im saying is that im not willing to throw anyone under the bus till they have earned it. And i dont think you know who and for what airlines the UA neg committee was made up of. Yeah its the same district but i dont believe any outcome is copyrighted because of that!

As far as conspiracy?........."This labor organization has a history of agreeing to outsourcing jobs. As stated earlier... maybe it's time to consider a third option for both bargaining groups... Fleet Service and MTC. and Related. IMO... one thing seems certain... the IAM is effectively being eliminated as a player in the future of the combined workforce." ..........your words not mine.....

So, What would be your suggestion ?