MCI AFL-CIO said:
Good Morning Dave,
Thats what I have said all along, If we once voice our concern about AMFA, we must be card carrying members. This might surprise you Dave, No I dont carry a communist card, I cary the oath of the democratic progress, I carry the oath of caring for all, not just those who can defend themselves
Brother Dave, We are in a mechanics union, WHy would AMFA be the only mechanic union? I still am not convinced how you beleive that those mechanics working plant maintenace, theplumbers, welders, auto repair, how could AMFA include those as their mechanics when AMFA stated they want to be the only airline union? To me your putting the machinist, welders, plumbers, auto repair out of your league? Could it be that the only reason AMFA will represent those classes is because of numbers?
If you are currently a mechanics union, then why is your Int'l President a Bus Cleaner/Operator?
SONNY HALL is International President of the Transport Workers Union of America, representing more than 110,000 men and women employed in the nations transportation and allied industries. Hall was elected to this post at the Unions 19th Constitutional Convention in October,1993. Previously Hall had served as President of TWU Local 100, the largest Local union of TWU, representing nearly 38,000 members who operate the New York City subway system and both public and private bus lines.
Mr. Hall served in virtually every Union position from Shop Steward on up. He was named President of Local 100 in May, 1985 and subsequently elected to full three-year terms in December,1985,1988 and 1991.
He joined TWU in 1950 as a Bus Cleaner for the old Omnibus Corp. and became a Bus Operator in 1957. In between, he served tours of duty in both the Marines and the Army.
Mr. Hall was elected an International Vice President at TWUs 17th Constitutional Convention in September, 1985. He was appointed Executive Vice President by the International Executive Council on January 9, 1989, and was elected to that post for a four-year term at the Unions 18th Constitutional Convention in October, 1989.
Mr. Hall was elected Secretary Treasurer to the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department in 1995 and President of that organization in 1998. He was elected to the AFL-CIO's Executive Council at the Federations convention in October, 1995. In addition to the aforementioned duties Mr. Hall is also a Board Member of the Mount Sinai Hospital Health and Safety Department; on the Board of Governors of the New York Chapter Arthritis Foundation, and the Presidents Advisory Council of the Deborah Heart and Lung Center of the Deborah Heart and Lung Foundation. He also serves as President of S.T.A.R.T. (Safe Transit And Rail Transportation).
Mr. Hall holds a B.A. from the Cornell Labor College and studied military and criminal law at the University of New Mexico. He is the son of a retired New York City Bus Operator, now deceased, who served the riding public for 30 years and was an early member of Local 100.
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BTW, AMFA does not determine the make-up of the Craft or Class definition. Under the Railway Labor Act, the National Mediation Board determines this issue based on "mutuality of interest" of perponderence of work accomplished.
The Federal Government (Your Politicians) has determined that Aircraft Mechanics do
NOT have a mutual interest with Bus Drivers, Fleet Service Clerks, Stock Clerks, ect.
And they have determined that Welder, Machinist, and Faclilities Mechanics and Cleaners do have a mutual interest with the Aircraft Mechanic.
That brings us to the word the TWU likes to use on Slogans and on their Mail-outs.
SOLIDARITY
sol•i•dar•i•ty
Pronunciation: (sol"i-dar'i-tE), [key]
—n.,
—pl. -ties.
1. union or fellowship arising from
common responsibilities and interests, as between members of a group or between classes, peoples, etc.: to promote solidarity among union members.
2. community of feelings, purposes, etc.
3. community of responsibilities and interests
If the Federal Government has determined that you are currently in a union of mixed responsibilities and interest. And the Federal Government has determined that the Mechanic and Related is a different class, than Fleet Service, Bus Drivers, Stock Clerks, ect. Then by definition, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have SOLIDARITY within the TWU, and thus the word is nothing more than slogan as is the case with most TWU principles.
Likewise, the AMFA Consitution restricts membership to those in the Mechanic and Related Craft or Class. Which SOLIDARITY by definition is very likely.
