IAM Ratification Passes 55% YES

[chipmunn]

Machinists Ratify US Airways’ Restructuring Proposal

Washington D.C., September 17, 2002 – Mechanic & Related employees at US Airways today ratified contract amendments proposed by the company as part of the bankrupt carrier’s restructuring program. The vote carried by 57 percent, according to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).

Today’s vote marks the second time US Airways’ Mechanic & Related employees were polled on the company’s restructuring proposal. An initial vote, held on August 28, 2002, resulted in membership rejection. A re-vote was scheduled after US Airways’ CEO David Siegel acknowledged statements he made prior to the initial vote might have led to confusion over the consequences of rejection.

Bankruptcy proceedings are complex and can have serious consequences for employees, said IAM District 141-M President Scotty Ford. The decision to hold a re-vote was made when it was clear that numerous employees received misleading information.

The proposal ratified today covers US Airways’ 6,800 Mechanic & Related employees represented by IAM District 141-M. The carrier’s 5,400 Fleet Service Employees, represented by IAM District 141, approved a separate US Airways proposal on August 28, 2002.

Ratification of this proposal restricts US Airways from seeking further cost reductions from IAM members in bankruptcy court, said Ford.

The IAM is the largest transportation union in North America representing 150,000 airline and railroad employees in the United States and Canada. For more information about the Machinists Union, visit www.goiam.org.

 

[W:EXCH:INVOL]

Good things?..probably..for some. World class?..nah

Ever the pessimist,

INVOL

 

[DCAflyer]

Congratulations to all of us. It is now time to move forward and work together to rebuild what past management teams have crumbled. I am confident we will emerge from this crisis and, at the risk of regurgitating a Wolf phrase, become a world class carrier of choice.

I believe good things are in store for all of us.

 

[Lynx_plyr02]

You people make me sick.Like in that movie SAVING PRIVATE RYAN ,when the jurnalist was in the stairwell and he was listening to his buddy getting killed and didnt do anything about it because he was so scared.I see we have alot of jurnalist working for US Airways .This is a sad day for a mechanic.Two steps forward three steps back.eom

 

[WilliamLumbergh]

[P]OK folks, lets avoid the personals and the parental comments.[/P]
[P]Just because the thing passed doesn't mean that the rules are dispensed with.[/P]
[P]You may celebrate or bemoan the vote, but please be sure to remember that your actions still reflect upon those you work with, those you work for, and those you are there to facilitate (the passengers).[/P]

 

[chipmunn]

N513AU:

Would you kindly identify yourself?

Chip

 

[JetsMom]

Well, his profile (N513AU) says he's from Neptune, so he's obviously out there.

 

[tadjr]

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Now the slowdown starts. You pay a mechanic less, he produces less work. You pretend to pay me, I pretend to work.
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[/blockquote]

And on behalf of all the rest of your fellow employees who, by the way, are also taking paycuts, but will have to work harder because you're upset, thanks in advance. How is YOUR slowdown because YOU'RE taking a paycut going to affect the gate agent who has to work twice as hard now to reroute pax on a plane that isnt fixed? How is YOUR slowdown going to affect the rez agent who has to call people on the downline flight thats late to reroute cause YOU'RE taking a paycut? How is YOUR slowdown going to affect the flight attendants who are going to have to listen to the pax fret about making their conx because the flights late because YOU'RE taking a paycut? Get the idea?
PS- Maybe the next time you're nonreving and the agent is pretending to work and forgets or doesnt feel like clearing the standby list cause they arent getting paid to do it and you're left standing there while the plane pushes you'd get the big picture??? Nah, didnt think so.

 

[RV4]

2001 AMFA lead the mechanics to a new high in wages.

and now,

2002 The Industrial Unions begin the return to the old standards.

I can understand why someone would vote to save their job. What I dont understand is why anyone would take the industrial unions way of handling these situations and not sign cards to hold an election and eliminate this travesty from the industry.

The ignorance makes the Gomer the Mechanic persona look intellingent in comparison to these happenings.

 

[Peetah Griffin]

I was literally pumping my fists in the air with optimism, reading all the positive posts on this thread, when I had the misfortune to come across the post by N513AU.

 

[Trish]

Peetah G. posted:

I was literally pumping my fists in the air with optimism, reading all the positive posts on this thread, when I had the misfortune to come across the post by N513AU.

Trish comments:

Peetah, we had the same thoughts. I was so excited to read all the positive comments as this has been such a drain on employees and their families, so it should be a time of jubilation for most. I know that ALL cannot be happy about the result, but the comment by N513AU was a bit disheartening. I hope he will mend in time. I am sure he was as disappointed as much as we are excited. But,no one likes someone to rain on their parade!

Congratulatons to all at USAirways on this giant step toward reconstruction.

 

[airlineorphan]

Chill out folks!

The sniping at yes and no voters is really getting out of hand here. There are a lot of legitimate reasons for folks to have chosen to vote one way or another, and everyone has that right in a democratic process. They also have a right to vigorously argue their positions. Go ahead and have strong opinions as you assess things now that the votes have been counted. No problem!

But telling people to quit because they voted no is over the top.

By the same token, telling people who voted yes that they are sellouts is also ridiculous.

IMHO, many people voted no because they have seen a long history of companies (like this one) take concessions and then squander the considerable donations employees gave them. Many voted yes because of rather credible fear of job loss and lack of credible leadership for alternative strategies.

Now is a time, I think, whether you voted yes or no, when everyone needs to watch each others backs. Employees have donated a staggering amount of money to a company with a bad track record of mismanagement. Folks have voted to grant the company a great deal of flexibility in reorganizing work in ways that will certainly mean job loss. Most made the Yes vote decision in hopes of salvaging something in a difficult situation. Now that hope will be tested by management's moves over the next several years.

Keep your eye on that for a while. Right now, time to chill out and start looking out for each other.

-Airlineorphan

 

[B707B]

The parents of N513AU must be so proud.... I am trying to instill the exact same work ethic into my kids...... I hope that he finds work else where... Hey maybe BOB OWENS can get him a job over at American. Oh yeah.. they are going to be taking some cuts too.

 

[MarkMyWords]

I agree whole heartedly that this is a time to breath a collective sigh of relief from the tensions of the negotiating process. I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that it is over! Now is the time for each of us to stand arm in arm and focus on the task at hand. Running the best airline we can.

Each person had a vote and exercised their right according to their personal circumstances and interpretations of what was right for them. No one can begrudge them their right to vote they way the felt necessary. That being said, the voting is over, the contracts are closed until 2008. Any employee that feels that a work slow down is going to prove a point will be an exception to the rule. That individual will hopefully be weeded out and their job given to someone who appreciates having a job and is greatful for even one weeks vacation.

Now is the time to join together as an employee group and work together to take on the likes of DL and WN. Let's put the airline back on its feet and let the profit checks start rolling in!

 

[G4G5]

Good luck.

While I honestly thought that it would not pass, I must admit that I was wrong.

Again, good luck.