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On 11/21/2002 11

40 AM LDKIAM wrote:
Steiner, AMFA not the IAM negoiated this language in their contract not the IAM:
If Northwest gets a new fleet type that is not a fleet replacement, the work does not belong to the mechanics and they work can be vendored out and does not count againt the 38% farm out rate that NWA currently has.
Also the IAM negotiated the best scope at US Airways, you won't see a US Airways airplane sent to Singapore like Northwest does with their DC-10s and their DC-9s sent to GSO to be overhauled by TIMCO.
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LDKIAM, what you say is technically true, but in a quibbling manner. AMFA did negotiate farm-out language in the contract to limit the amount of farmed-out work being lost. In the previous IAM contract there was only a promise of a farm-out committee to work with the company to control farm-outs. This committee was ineffective, as was the IAM practice of grieving farmed out work. After all, what good is a grievance if it is never brought before an arbitrator or given away during contract negotiations?
You are also technically correct about the new fleet type work, as NW AMFA mechanics are not working on any of the smaller airplanes that NW is buying that are used by the commuters affiliated with NW.
As for your chest beating about scope at US Airways, it may be early in the game to say “neverâ€. This business has a way of changing every day, and you may find yourself in a position where some (or all) of your work is farmed-out. Has your company ever violated your contracted and challenged you to grieve it? The farm-outs at NW started while the IAM was representing the mechanics and related, as has the farming out of work at UAL. The mighty IAM was unable (or unwilling) to stop it. Is the IAM ready to do something about this at US Airways? Is the IAM lobbying to have the same safety and FAR enforcement at the farm-out shops that airlines have to live with?
DELLDUDE, all that AMFA could do for you if voted in is represent you and enforce the contract. At NW AMFA has had a better record of arbitration cases for grieved contract issues than the IAM at NW previously had, and enforces the contract better than the IAM ever did. AMFA at NWA is not perfect and has a practice of hanging all of its dirty laundry out in the breeze, but there isn’t any push to get the IAM back. The IAM has had over two years to get back in at NWA through a representational election. Why haven’t they?