Fleet and company talks

[Henderfuzz]

Has anyone heard what if any progress is being made with the company and IAM fleet talks in PHX this week.
It sure seems quiet. Not sure if thats a good or bad thing.

 

[Harry Callahan]

You don't really want to know do you?

 

[roadtrip]

More likely something like this is going on,

Its hard to figure out how the IAM AGCs will explain how they will allow the company to cut our pay and then raise our dues dont you know its hard for AGC's to live on a 100,000 a year!

Just kidding around but you never know with this outfit!

 

[brokenwrench]

[b]It is a good union policy that officers shouldn't earn so much that they drift away from the members.—Harry Bridges[/b]

 

[700UW]

October 27, 2006

US Airways Transition Discussions Continue

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

Substantial and comprehensive discussions seeking to reach a “Final Transition Agreementâ€￾ continued this week in Phoenix, Arizona between your Negotiating Committee and US Airways. Our discussions have recessed to provide the Company with ample time to respond with a comprehensive proposal to your Committee when we next meet.

Progress is being made between the parties and your Committee continues to underscore that the employees who have suffered the pain to keep the airline in the sky; need also to share in the gain that the airline continues to enjoy. There is a need for our members to enjoy the fruits of their labor as have the Shareholders and Officers of the carrier. Your Committee will be returning the week of November 6th, 2006 to receive the Company’s comprehensive response.

To that end we continue our work and discussions in your behalf. Ever effort is being made to bring these discussions to a conclusion… but not at the expense of settling short of your fair share.

Your Committee is unified and it is necessary that you be unified with your Committee as well to reach a successful conclusion to these discussions.

The membership will be advised as our discussions continue.
In Solidarity,

S.R. (Randy) Canale
President & Directing
General Chairman

 

[wings396]

Hopefully they didn't "Forget" about those on furlough from the Outsourced stations during their meaningfull discussions. The end result of this transition agreement will be the IAM's last chance to show the membership IF they really are on their side. We can only hope they stand up to the company this time being that they are not in BK, and are somewhat profitable. A real great thing would be no outsourcing of the small West stations, and the return of fleet work in the East ones. 😉

 

[700UW]

No union can force the company to give them everything they want, remember it takes two to reach an agreement.

 

[cateringguy02]

I was in PHX for the last week, and we talked with a union rep. IAM, from WN and she told us that things went well this week. I believe her as she has been active in IAM for 18 years.

Guys give them a chance to talk and work things out. Its your union please get involved, and stop whining.

I have been in IAM before and I will get involved. You can make a difference in the union. Its time we reurned OUR union into a strong union again. Not only the IAM but all unions.

 

[wings396]

No union can force the company to give them everything they want, remember it takes two to reach an agreement.

Then I suppose you can flip that statement as well..
No Company can force the Union to cave in to all of it's requests...Afterall, it is a two-way street right..
The Union SHOULD have a bit of bargaining power now that a Judge isn't involved and there is some profit being made here. Let them IAM prove for once that they are not
"In bed" with the company. Only time will tell just how much bargaining power they do, or don't have.

Also, the IAM rep that was mentioned in PHX can't be from
WN, as they are not represented by the IAM.

 

[700UW]

Apparently you have not read Section 1113 and your group has always voted for concessions.

And yes WN is IAM, the Customer Service Agents and Reservations.

I have many friends that are WN and IAM.

 

[D M G]

and your group has always voted for concessions.

This is at least the second time I've read this statement from you. Fleet told the IAM to stick the first two T/As they negotiated for us up their *sses, and they weren't concessionary, so it's not beyond fleet's ability to say no. The first T/A that the IAM brought back to fleet was basically the PPG, but with the benefit of paying Union dues. The IAM didn't get serious until they came to PHL with another pathetic T/A and had to have police protection at the meeting. Chandlee was then put on the negotiating committee and fleet finally got an "acceptable" T/A.

It's pretty easy to vote yes on a concessionary contract when it keeps your job safe, even to the detriment of other stations. The IAM knew the offer would pass because they help ensure that the majority would be in a "safe" city. The IAM did what it needed to do in order for the dues stream to continue. IIRC the IAM didn't recommend a 'yes' or a 'no' vote on the companies final offer. Recommending a 'no' vote, like they should have done, may have persuaded one too many people and then there would have been the very real possibility of a disruption in the dues. They couldn't recommend 'yes' because the offer was so pathetic, so they kept silent. Exactly what any good company union would have done.

Keep repeating that fleet voted 'yes' on every concessionary contract that came down the pike, but the IAM help the company put the gun to fleet's head and a knife to their throat, ensuring a 'yes' vote. As I already said, fleet also told the IAM to shove two non- concessionary contracts up their *sses.

 

[700UW]

You voted down your first T/A after you became organized.

Not two.

They were not concessionary as you were not under a CBA.

It was a final offer, not a T/A that you ratified during the last chapter 11 case.

Bottom line is the membership approved it not the leadership, it was the rank and file.

 

[wings396]

I guess that it would be safe to say that the Mtc. and related swallowed everything that came their way too. Let's not forget the one T/A that was voted down, only to have another vote on the same T/A take place a short time afterwards. We all know that due to some change of heart, that one passed the 2nd time around. I was just beginning to think that you had put your Cheeleading outfit away for a while, but it appears that you have it Ready to go at all times.
I thought that the above poster was referring to an IAM fleet person from WN, not C/S.

 

[D M G]

You voted down your first T/A after you became organized.

Not two.

They were not concessionary as you were not under a CBA.

It was a final offer, not a T/A that you ratified during the last chapter 11 case.

Bottom line is the membership approved it not the leadership, it was the rank and file.

Reading is fundamental 700.

I never said fleet voted down two T/As. I said the IAM was told to stick both T/As that they came back to fleet with up their *sses. The first one was voted down and the second never made it out of the informational in PHL. The IAM didn't even put the second one to a vote. Don't try to twist my words.

My post already stated that the first two T/As from the IAM "weren't concessionary", and the contract fleet is under now was "the companies final offer." Why do you feel the need to repeat what I already said?

You are right about the bottom line though. The leadership didn't approve the companies final offer. They didn't make any recommendations either. What the leadership did do, and it's a stretch to call them "leaders", was ensure that the majority would be voting from a "safe" city. Exactly what any good company union looking out for their own interests would do.

I have one question for you 700. Was it the company holding the gun to fleets head and the IAM holding the knife to their throats, or was it the other way around?

Try not to repeat what I already wrote in your response again, it's a waste of bandwidth.

 

[cateringguy02]

She was at the Training center as an IAM union rep. She works at WN. She was wearing union shirt and coat. They could not get the rep. for fleet as he was on vacation, and she was the only one they could get. I don't care what company they work for or what they do, as long as it is someone from the lodge to rep. me or my fellow fleet employees.

You know sometimes I think that I could have a better talk with the wall.