Iam Secrets
- Thread starter Industry Observer
- Start date
This will not be the end game for the IAM regardless. They still have members throughout the nation is other industries. I was an IAM member back in the early 70's in a small shop and since then they have only grown. It could possibly be the end of the line for aviation representation, but not the IAM period, sorry piney....pitguy said:
usfliboi
Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2002
- Messages
- 2,070
- Reaction score
- 270
For the brothers in need!
International Association of Machinists
Employee Assistance Program
The International Association of Machinists developed the Employee Assistance Program out of members needs to address a myriad of problems. The E.A.P. benefits all I.A.M. members and their families. There is no charge for anyone utilizing E.A.P. services.
The E.A.P. was established to help members and their families who are experiencing life difficulties that may be affecting their job. Employee Assistance Program services address a large variety of life challenges. Drug and Alcohol abuse, marital difficulties, depression, financial problems, stress related illnesses, etc. can be assessed by an EAP representative and an appropriate referral to a community resource will be made. Assistance is individualized, tailored and specific to your situation. Any contact with an E.A.P. coordinator is CONFIDENTIAL. Information can only be shared after you have given express written permission to the representative. Privacy is entirely protected through your right to confidential interactions with E.A.P. personnel.
Characteristics of the Employee Assistance Program
The purpose of the Employee Assistance Program is:
To recognize employees can be affected by a wide array of difficulties that may influence job performance
E.A.P. personnel can help with a wide range of problems
E.A.P. is VOLUNTARY – no one will be coerced to use the services of the E.A.P.
E.A.P. is CONFIDENTIAL (within the limits of laws that apply to mental health professionals)
Use of the E.A.P. WILL NOT jeopardize job security, promotions , or an employees reputation
E.A.P. services are available for all employees and their families.
The E.A.P. is pro-active, attempting to address problems before they become major issues.
Referrals to the E.A.P. come from a variety of sources including shop stewards, peers, supervisors, and other managers
The E.A.P. IS NOT a substitute for the normal disciplinary process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Association of Machinists
Employee Assistance Program
The International Association of Machinists developed the Employee Assistance Program out of members needs to address a myriad of problems. The E.A.P. benefits all I.A.M. members and their families. There is no charge for anyone utilizing E.A.P. services.
The E.A.P. was established to help members and their families who are experiencing life difficulties that may be affecting their job. Employee Assistance Program services address a large variety of life challenges. Drug and Alcohol abuse, marital difficulties, depression, financial problems, stress related illnesses, etc. can be assessed by an EAP representative and an appropriate referral to a community resource will be made. Assistance is individualized, tailored and specific to your situation. Any contact with an E.A.P. coordinator is CONFIDENTIAL. Information can only be shared after you have given express written permission to the representative. Privacy is entirely protected through your right to confidential interactions with E.A.P. personnel.
Characteristics of the Employee Assistance Program
The purpose of the Employee Assistance Program is:
To recognize employees can be affected by a wide array of difficulties that may influence job performance
E.A.P. personnel can help with a wide range of problems
E.A.P. is VOLUNTARY – no one will be coerced to use the services of the E.A.P.
E.A.P. is CONFIDENTIAL (within the limits of laws that apply to mental health professionals)
Use of the E.A.P. WILL NOT jeopardize job security, promotions , or an employees reputation
E.A.P. services are available for all employees and their families.
The E.A.P. is pro-active, attempting to address problems before they become major issues.
Referrals to the E.A.P. come from a variety of sources including shop stewards, peers, supervisors, and other managers
The E.A.P. IS NOT a substitute for the normal disciplinary process.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
libertybell
Senior
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2003
- Messages
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- Reaction score
- 9
If your a fan of the IAM just look at some these facts:
Go to this link........ http://www.nlpc.org/artindx.asp#iam
Remember: If the IAM starts to point a finger at the AGW they will have more than
3 pointing back at them.
Go to this link........ http://www.nlpc.org/artindx.asp#iam
Remember: If the IAM starts to point a finger at the AGW they will have more than
3 pointing back at them.
And where is there anyone in the International listed?
And all the cases against the IAM were found out and reported by the IAM.
So try again.
Lets say Milken, Bozky, Stewart, Lay, Faust, BOA, and the list goes on.
And all the cases against the IAM were found out and reported by the IAM.
So try again.
Lets say Milken, Bozky, Stewart, Lay, Faust, BOA, and the list goes on.
libertybell
Senior
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2003
- Messages
- 320
- Reaction score
- 9
Just a few more facts.........
Brief History on the IAM
Several official IAM publications have featured articles concerning the history of the Machinist Union. As might be expected, the chronicles offered by the industrial unionists are self-serving accounts and ignore unsavory areas of the Machinists past. A few items unearthed during a recent visit to a local library, and unlikely to appear in any edition of The IAM Journal follow:
1888 - Thomas W. Talbot and eighteen railroad machinists organize a union in Atlanta, GA. The IAM emerges from this organization. Membership is limited to white males.
1892 - Thomas W. Talbot, IAM founder and first leader, shot to death defending his daughters good name. Witnesses testify that Talbot shot first and assailants declared innocent.
1893 - J.J. Lamb, Machinist Grand Treasurer, disappears. So does the entire union treasury.
1910-1911 - Evidence surfaces that IAM official George Warner, a close friend of International President James OConnell, has taken bribes from the Erie Railroad.
1911 - William H. Johnston, avowed socialist, becomes IAM International President.
1919 - IAM delegates introduce the following resolution at a Canadian labor conference: Full acceptance of the principle of proletarian dictatorship is sufficient for the transformation of private property into public or communal wealth.
1920s - IAM goes into business. The union buys and operates ship repair yard, printing plant, several machine shops and bank. All businesses, including bank, fail.
1945 - American Federation of Labor (AFL) awards another union jurisdiction over mechanics and machinists in certain fields. The IAM sulks and refuses to pay per-capita tax to the AFL. The AFL suspends the IAM and the Machinist remain independent for five years.
1945 - The IAM begins publication of The Machinist newspaper in order to keep union communications under Grand Lodge control.
1948 - IAM removes racist language from membership ritual. The action was taken only after the NLRB questioned the Machinist Unions right to use its services while discriminating against black citizens. IAM policy had also been questioned in Virginia and Texas.
1959 - Landrum-Griffin Act becomes law. Unions are required to file disclosure forms detailing finances, including officers salaries and expenses. The legislation also imposed federal penalties for officials who misuse union funds or violently prevented members from exercising their legal rights. Union members are guaranteed protection against discrimination, the rights to freedom of speech and assembly, and right to sue. IAM opposed law.
1966-1967 - Members lose right to veto most decisions, including constitutional changes, of Grand Lodge Conventions. IAM officials claim voting is time consuming and costly. IAM literature later admits the action radically altered the IAMs governing process.
1977 - William Winpisinger, a self-proclaimed socialist, becomes IAM International President.
1980 - The IAM, led by a socialist, uses members dues to purchase Learjet for use by Machinist officials.
1992 - IAM business agent and IAM organizer indicted in New Jersey. The two were charged with demanding cash payments in exchange for sweetheart contracts.
1993 - President of IAM District 751 (Boeing), sentenced to prison for embezzling members dues totaling 33,500 dollars.
1998 - The IAM loses 899 members in the Airline Industry from a raid from an Independant union.
1999 - The IAM continues to lose more Airline members, this time 9,504 workers replace IAM representation with an Independant union.
2000 - Raids continue to mount on the IAM when it loses 174 members to another Non AFL-CIO independant union.
2000 - Union Rep. of IAM Local S25 ,pled guilty Apr 3, 2000 to soliciting and accepting illegal payments from an employer who had entered in a collective bargaining agreement with the S. Boston Local.
The IAM Rep. recieved 30,826 dollars in 'no show payments' from a company whose employees were represented by the IAM. The Rep faces up to 5 years in jail and a 250,000 dollar fine.
References:
THE FIGHTING MACHINISTS by Robert G. Rodden, Kelly Press, Inc., Washington D.C.
THE NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA 1994, by Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., Volume 7.
ACADEMIC AMERICAN ENCYCLOPEDIA 1989, by Grolier Incorporated, Volume 12.
DETERMINATIONS OF CRAFT OR CLASS OF THE NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD Volumes 5 and 6.
THE MACHINIST October, 1992.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL December 21, 1993.
STAR-LEDGER - Newark, NJ, June 13, 1992.
NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD CASE R-6572 / APRIL 1, 1998
NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD CASE R-6621 / JUNE 1,1999
NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD CASE R-6712 / JANUARY 19, 2000
USAO D. Mass., Media Release March 24,2000, April 3,2000
Brief History on the IAM
Several official IAM publications have featured articles concerning the history of the Machinist Union. As might be expected, the chronicles offered by the industrial unionists are self-serving accounts and ignore unsavory areas of the Machinists past. A few items unearthed during a recent visit to a local library, and unlikely to appear in any edition of The IAM Journal follow:
1888 - Thomas W. Talbot and eighteen railroad machinists organize a union in Atlanta, GA. The IAM emerges from this organization. Membership is limited to white males.
1892 - Thomas W. Talbot, IAM founder and first leader, shot to death defending his daughters good name. Witnesses testify that Talbot shot first and assailants declared innocent.
1893 - J.J. Lamb, Machinist Grand Treasurer, disappears. So does the entire union treasury.
1910-1911 - Evidence surfaces that IAM official George Warner, a close friend of International President James OConnell, has taken bribes from the Erie Railroad.
1911 - William H. Johnston, avowed socialist, becomes IAM International President.
1919 - IAM delegates introduce the following resolution at a Canadian labor conference: Full acceptance of the principle of proletarian dictatorship is sufficient for the transformation of private property into public or communal wealth.
1920s - IAM goes into business. The union buys and operates ship repair yard, printing plant, several machine shops and bank. All businesses, including bank, fail.
1945 - American Federation of Labor (AFL) awards another union jurisdiction over mechanics and machinists in certain fields. The IAM sulks and refuses to pay per-capita tax to the AFL. The AFL suspends the IAM and the Machinist remain independent for five years.
1945 - The IAM begins publication of The Machinist newspaper in order to keep union communications under Grand Lodge control.
1948 - IAM removes racist language from membership ritual. The action was taken only after the NLRB questioned the Machinist Unions right to use its services while discriminating against black citizens. IAM policy had also been questioned in Virginia and Texas.
1959 - Landrum-Griffin Act becomes law. Unions are required to file disclosure forms detailing finances, including officers salaries and expenses. The legislation also imposed federal penalties for officials who misuse union funds or violently prevented members from exercising their legal rights. Union members are guaranteed protection against discrimination, the rights to freedom of speech and assembly, and right to sue. IAM opposed law.
1966-1967 - Members lose right to veto most decisions, including constitutional changes, of Grand Lodge Conventions. IAM officials claim voting is time consuming and costly. IAM literature later admits the action radically altered the IAMs governing process.
1977 - William Winpisinger, a self-proclaimed socialist, becomes IAM International President.
1980 - The IAM, led by a socialist, uses members dues to purchase Learjet for use by Machinist officials.
1992 - IAM business agent and IAM organizer indicted in New Jersey. The two were charged with demanding cash payments in exchange for sweetheart contracts.
1993 - President of IAM District 751 (Boeing), sentenced to prison for embezzling members dues totaling 33,500 dollars.
1998 - The IAM loses 899 members in the Airline Industry from a raid from an Independant union.
1999 - The IAM continues to lose more Airline members, this time 9,504 workers replace IAM representation with an Independant union.
2000 - Raids continue to mount on the IAM when it loses 174 members to another Non AFL-CIO independant union.
2000 - Union Rep. of IAM Local S25 ,pled guilty Apr 3, 2000 to soliciting and accepting illegal payments from an employer who had entered in a collective bargaining agreement with the S. Boston Local.
The IAM Rep. recieved 30,826 dollars in 'no show payments' from a company whose employees were represented by the IAM. The Rep faces up to 5 years in jail and a 250,000 dollar fine.
References:
THE FIGHTING MACHINISTS by Robert G. Rodden, Kelly Press, Inc., Washington D.C.
THE NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA 1994, by Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., Volume 7.
ACADEMIC AMERICAN ENCYCLOPEDIA 1989, by Grolier Incorporated, Volume 12.
DETERMINATIONS OF CRAFT OR CLASS OF THE NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD Volumes 5 and 6.
THE MACHINIST October, 1992.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL December 21, 1993.
STAR-LEDGER - Newark, NJ, June 13, 1992.
NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD CASE R-6572 / APRIL 1, 1998
NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD CASE R-6621 / JUNE 1,1999
NATIONAL MEDIATION BOARD CASE R-6712 / JANUARY 19, 2000
USAO D. Mass., Media Release March 24,2000, April 3,2000
So now the whole organization is corrupt becuase INDIVIDUALS, are careless? This does not even warrant an reply, show us the facts provide us with the link.
Lets go back to the real question at hand.
How is Mike Pruitt and Tim Nelson, SELF-APPOINTED Dictators of the agw who have no members, no money and no experience against company's labor relations departments and lawyers going to represent you?
Nelson tried to start his own union before, filed short of cards and had the NMB impose a 12 month bar on any union organizing you and let the company rewrite the PPG at its whim.
Nelson tried to sell his name list to the Teamster for a cush job with them.
Nelson and Pruitt once against start their own boys club Fleet Service Workes United and once again self-appoint themselves as dictators and fail to garner any support.
Now they try the samething with the AGW.
Lets get the questions a previous poster provided and the self-appointed interim dictator did not answer.
Posted by Diognes:
1. What other enterprises does AGW represent?
2. What is their current membership?
3. What is their annual budget, and what reserves does AGW have?
4. Give an example of an AGW win that IAM would do well to emulate.
5. How does AGW interface with the local, state and federal governments to advance the cause of their membership? Specific examples, if you please.
6. As AGW is democratic, name three officers the membership has voted out of office.
Lets go back to the real question at hand.
How is Mike Pruitt and Tim Nelson, SELF-APPOINTED Dictators of the agw who have no members, no money and no experience against company's labor relations departments and lawyers going to represent you?
Nelson tried to start his own union before, filed short of cards and had the NMB impose a 12 month bar on any union organizing you and let the company rewrite the PPG at its whim.
Nelson tried to sell his name list to the Teamster for a cush job with them.
Nelson and Pruitt once against start their own boys club Fleet Service Workes United and once again self-appoint themselves as dictators and fail to garner any support.
Now they try the samething with the AGW.
Lets get the questions a previous poster provided and the self-appointed interim dictator did not answer.
Posted by Diognes:
1. What other enterprises does AGW represent?
2. What is their current membership?
3. What is their annual budget, and what reserves does AGW have?
4. Give an example of an AGW win that IAM would do well to emulate.
5. How does AGW interface with the local, state and federal governments to advance the cause of their membership? Specific examples, if you please.
6. As AGW is democratic, name three officers the membership has voted out of office.
BillLumbergh
Veteran
OK....I'm starting to agree with 700 that this thread is not really airline specific, but is more of a IAM v. non-union v. other union debate.
Hence, it goes elsewhere.
Hence, it goes elsewhere.
Libertybell,
Here's the rest of the story.
Buffenbarger has acknowledged the racist elements of the IAM's history. The instructors at Placid Harbor teach it.
Their message is consistent - Never again!
The first and last thing out of their mouths at the Harbor is "you cannot be a racist, sexist or elitist, and be a good union member."
Look at the dates in your timeline. Kindly name ANY institution during that time that was not racist.
American corporations, that exist unto this day, profited from the slave trade. Should we now abolish them?
Our comander-in-Chief's grandfather had dealings with the Nazi's after it was illegal. Should we impeach Bush as a result?
My view is, we acknowledge the unsavory parts of history with an eye towards "never again."
Here's the rest of the story.
Buffenbarger has acknowledged the racist elements of the IAM's history. The instructors at Placid Harbor teach it.
Their message is consistent - Never again!
The first and last thing out of their mouths at the Harbor is "you cannot be a racist, sexist or elitist, and be a good union member."
Look at the dates in your timeline. Kindly name ANY institution during that time that was not racist.
American corporations, that exist unto this day, profited from the slave trade. Should we now abolish them?
Our comander-in-Chief's grandfather had dealings with the Nazi's after it was illegal. Should we impeach Bush as a result?
My view is, we acknowledge the unsavory parts of history with an eye towards "never again."
Hi guys.
Remember me? I was the TWU Treasurer from AA that was putting in his 2 cents way back when USAIR came for their first round of concessions.
Well I'm here to do it again.
I urged you guys to reject concesions citing that it would cause a Domino effect and not fix the problem, hence they would come back for more concessions.
Needless to say, time has proven me right.
I urged our union leaders to take the position that if any contract is abrogated that all the affilliated unions should walk out. Our ATD Director demanded that I retract that statement, I refused.
Instead every AFL-CIO union stood alone and surrendered to the company. So much for how our AFL-CIO affiliation makes us strong. Any gains from concessions were cancelled by gains recieved by their competitors. We all lost.
Even though I was elected by an overwhelming majority of my coworkers the TWU International removed me from office after I openly criticized them and the lack of democracy and accountability we have with our union. Yours appears to be no different.
Four years ago when I was elected the first time I contacted John Sweeney, Thomas Buffenbarger, Sonny Hall and James Hoffa. I urged these leaders to take all their ATDs and merge them into one union. The concept being that once such a union was established that instead of competing against each other, labor would speak with one voice. I felt that such a controlled evolutionry change for airline workers was inevitable and in the best interests of the labor movement. I felt that the current structure was not performing well, since it was in fact a structure that was designed under the CAB, back before the days of deregulation and competition.
We need a complete reorginazation. We need new unions since the barriers to change the current ones are so formidable, they are almost insurmountable.
We need to establish ties across the industry.
We need unions that will not set baggage handlers at USAIR against those at AA, unions that will not set mechanics at NWA against UAL. We need unions that will seek to elevate the standards, not sell them out in order to help one employer grow at the expense of others. We need unions that focus on the workers, not the employer. This is a basic union concept.
No one could ever explain to me what the advantage was to any class of worker in being divied up between three different unions where none of those unions was primarily interested in, or led by someone from this industry. We have several huge groups of workers that are mere adjuncts to unions and aligned in such a way that benifits none. Despite what is claimed to be Industrial unions, negotiations and contracts have been set along class and craft lines for years. We have class and craft negotiations done by part time unions in this industry that have no intententions towards unifying the workers of the industry. Sweeney to his credit liked the idea of consolidating the ATDs. Sonny Hall would not, could not deny its merits, the other two refused to address it.
I can understand seperate class of workers having different unions. Why? Because if I lost my job as a mechanic at AA, I would likely seek another job as a mechanic, not another job with the TWU per se. I feel that since my vocation is fixed, that the union that represents me in that capacity should also be fixed, not the result of one particular employer or another. The current structure places the union as a by product of the company, not the profession or the industry. The same goes for most other workers who will tend to stay with the profession that they have become proficient in like a stock clerk, baggage handler etc. Even though the jobs are almost identical in every airline they are split up between all these non-airline unions. And none of these unions have done a good job over the last twenty years. With such a structure, how could they?
Size is not everything. Solidarity is more critical than size. Just because you belong to a big union that does not mean that you will end up with a better bargaining position. The key to union power is not size, its your ability to stop production. Size can aid in this, but not automatically. For instance lets say you belong to a 1 million member union. But that union only represents a small percentage of the people available with the skills required to do the job, and you are only a small percentage of that union. Your leverage will be weak. Why? Because the 1 million other members have no real connection or interest in you and you dont have the power to stop production.
So if you are a baggage handler what would be better? To have baggage handlers all belong to different, but big million member unions, none of which could stop production, or to all belong to one union, with only a few hundred thousand members that could shut down the entire airport, all the airports?
The choice before you is clear. Stay with and accept what we all know is a failed system. One that has been in retreat for over two decades with no plan or strategy to change direction, where the unaccountable leaders blame the members and the fustrated members blame the leaders, or, try something new, something that could be much more effective and efficient, where you have a say, a union that is built around this industry and your profession, not just collecting dues from anyone anywhere.
We are at an all time low in this industry, The unions we have in place brought us here without any fight whatsoever. In fact they often blame us despite the fact that they have been taking our money for years and denying us the right to choose our leaders.
Try doing it yourselves, with leaders that you choose. In organizations that are tailored to our needs in our industry. Try the AGW. They couldnt be worse that the ones we have now, and now is the time.
Same for mechanics with AMFA. At AA we just filed for an election with the NMB.
The pilots pretty much already have that.
Some will say "This is not the time" or "Dont change the roof while its raining". Well its not raining, its on fire, and now is as good a time as any to get the hell out of these failed unions. You gave your unions the opportunity to defend your living standards. They had the opportunity to deliver that advantage of AFL-CIO affiliation they always talk about and they either failed or they lied. Why give them the opportunity to do more damage? The sooner we get started the better. We should have started on this track twenty years ago with dergeulation.
Better late than never. One union right across the industry. Its time has come. AGW Now!
Remember me? I was the TWU Treasurer from AA that was putting in his 2 cents way back when USAIR came for their first round of concessions.
Well I'm here to do it again.
I urged you guys to reject concesions citing that it would cause a Domino effect and not fix the problem, hence they would come back for more concessions.
Needless to say, time has proven me right.
I urged our union leaders to take the position that if any contract is abrogated that all the affilliated unions should walk out. Our ATD Director demanded that I retract that statement, I refused.
Instead every AFL-CIO union stood alone and surrendered to the company. So much for how our AFL-CIO affiliation makes us strong. Any gains from concessions were cancelled by gains recieved by their competitors. We all lost.
Even though I was elected by an overwhelming majority of my coworkers the TWU International removed me from office after I openly criticized them and the lack of democracy and accountability we have with our union. Yours appears to be no different.
Four years ago when I was elected the first time I contacted John Sweeney, Thomas Buffenbarger, Sonny Hall and James Hoffa. I urged these leaders to take all their ATDs and merge them into one union. The concept being that once such a union was established that instead of competing against each other, labor would speak with one voice. I felt that such a controlled evolutionry change for airline workers was inevitable and in the best interests of the labor movement. I felt that the current structure was not performing well, since it was in fact a structure that was designed under the CAB, back before the days of deregulation and competition.
We need a complete reorginazation. We need new unions since the barriers to change the current ones are so formidable, they are almost insurmountable.
We need to establish ties across the industry.
We need unions that will not set baggage handlers at USAIR against those at AA, unions that will not set mechanics at NWA against UAL. We need unions that will seek to elevate the standards, not sell them out in order to help one employer grow at the expense of others. We need unions that focus on the workers, not the employer. This is a basic union concept.
No one could ever explain to me what the advantage was to any class of worker in being divied up between three different unions where none of those unions was primarily interested in, or led by someone from this industry. We have several huge groups of workers that are mere adjuncts to unions and aligned in such a way that benifits none. Despite what is claimed to be Industrial unions, negotiations and contracts have been set along class and craft lines for years. We have class and craft negotiations done by part time unions in this industry that have no intententions towards unifying the workers of the industry. Sweeney to his credit liked the idea of consolidating the ATDs. Sonny Hall would not, could not deny its merits, the other two refused to address it.
I can understand seperate class of workers having different unions. Why? Because if I lost my job as a mechanic at AA, I would likely seek another job as a mechanic, not another job with the TWU per se. I feel that since my vocation is fixed, that the union that represents me in that capacity should also be fixed, not the result of one particular employer or another. The current structure places the union as a by product of the company, not the profession or the industry. The same goes for most other workers who will tend to stay with the profession that they have become proficient in like a stock clerk, baggage handler etc. Even though the jobs are almost identical in every airline they are split up between all these non-airline unions. And none of these unions have done a good job over the last twenty years. With such a structure, how could they?
Size is not everything. Solidarity is more critical than size. Just because you belong to a big union that does not mean that you will end up with a better bargaining position. The key to union power is not size, its your ability to stop production. Size can aid in this, but not automatically. For instance lets say you belong to a 1 million member union. But that union only represents a small percentage of the people available with the skills required to do the job, and you are only a small percentage of that union. Your leverage will be weak. Why? Because the 1 million other members have no real connection or interest in you and you dont have the power to stop production.
So if you are a baggage handler what would be better? To have baggage handlers all belong to different, but big million member unions, none of which could stop production, or to all belong to one union, with only a few hundred thousand members that could shut down the entire airport, all the airports?
The choice before you is clear. Stay with and accept what we all know is a failed system. One that has been in retreat for over two decades with no plan or strategy to change direction, where the unaccountable leaders blame the members and the fustrated members blame the leaders, or, try something new, something that could be much more effective and efficient, where you have a say, a union that is built around this industry and your profession, not just collecting dues from anyone anywhere.
We are at an all time low in this industry, The unions we have in place brought us here without any fight whatsoever. In fact they often blame us despite the fact that they have been taking our money for years and denying us the right to choose our leaders.
Try doing it yourselves, with leaders that you choose. In organizations that are tailored to our needs in our industry. Try the AGW. They couldnt be worse that the ones we have now, and now is the time.
Same for mechanics with AMFA. At AA we just filed for an election with the NMB.
The pilots pretty much already have that.
Some will say "This is not the time" or "Dont change the roof while its raining". Well its not raining, its on fire, and now is as good a time as any to get the hell out of these failed unions. You gave your unions the opportunity to defend your living standards. They had the opportunity to deliver that advantage of AFL-CIO affiliation they always talk about and they either failed or they lied. Why give them the opportunity to do more damage? The sooner we get started the better. We should have started on this track twenty years ago with dergeulation.
Better late than never. One union right across the industry. Its time has come. AGW Now!
:huh: 
