JCBA Negotiations and updates for AA AMTS

[bob@las-AA]

That is a report of the PBGCs financial condition and how much money THEY have to cover the plans they are currently trustees of.
.
The IAMNPF is definitely a multi-employer plan and it is NOT under the trusteeship of the PBGC. (Yet) As to the IAMNPF health, well, that's the subject of much debate now isn't it.

"The Street" said this in 2013, "Not only is the IAM fund financially strong but also the IAM has battled to preserve members' access to it, most notably at United ( UAL), which emerged from bankruptcy in 2006 with only IAM-represented fleet service workers and passenger service agents still covered by a defined benefit pension plan."

https://www.thestreet.com/story/11935222/1/pension-plan-helps-iam-in-campaign-at-us-airways.html

You could go to the 2012 Credit Suisse article "Crawling Out of the Shadows" (check out page 4) :

https://doc.research-and-analytics.csfb.com/docView?language=ENG&source=ulg&format=PDF&document_id=957405261&serialid=e7HNjCiguHeLKc/L2JnKohP/MTt9zyVVnhUWwxM/Glk=

Its shows the "actuarial funding" at 108% but the "fair value" at 57.5% -not good, in the red.

And the plan itself say its in the "green zone"
http://mypension.iamnpf.org/media/79948/2016_green_zone_notice.pdf

__________________________________________________________

As for me, since Credit Suisse are the guys with all the money, I'm gonna go with their viewpoint. The thing is underfunded.

It is a "multi employer plan" per the PBGC, and the PBGC doesn't have enough money to cover the plan, (by their own report) so if it fails which to me is likely, there will be benefit cuts.

Finally, don't think for one milli-second that the trustees cant agree to merge the 2 plans, one being the IAMPNF and the other the TWUDPB, they can do that brother. And, don't just take my word for it, call the PBGC and ask them or email them, they will answer you.

looks like anyone that has a pension at LAA just might get screwed if it were to happen. And all this time 700 said it was fully funded. fair value 57.5% not good.

 

[DallasConehead]

looks like anyone that has a pension at LAA just might get screwed if it were to happen. And all this time 700 said it was fully funded. fair value 57.5% not good.

Well, I'll speak to that if I may Bob.

We can only hope that our representative the TWU protects it memberships pension benefits. I can say with conviction, past performance would indicate a fail on their part in this area.

We can also hope this however could be one of those issues that will cause the membership and retirees to wake from their collective slumber and rise up if it goes bad.

 

[Real tired]

That is a report of the PBGCs financial condition and how much money THEY have to cover the plans they are currently trustees of.
.
The IAMNPF is definitely a multi-employer plan and it is NOT under the trusteeship of the PBGC. (Yet) As to the IAMNPF health, well, that's the subject of much debate now isn't it.

"The Street" said this in 2013, "Not only is the IAM fund financially strong but also the IAM has battled to preserve members' access to it, most notably at United ( UAL), which emerged from bankruptcy in 2006 with only IAM-represented fleet service workers and passenger service agents still covered by a defined benefit pension plan."

https://www.thestreet.com/story/11935222/1/pension-plan-helps-iam-in-campaign-at-us-airways.html

You could go to the 2012 Credit Suisse article "Crawling Out of the Shadows" (check out page 4) :

https://doc.research-and-analytics.csfb.com/docView?language=ENG&source=ulg&format=PDF&document_id=957405261&serialid=e7HNjCiguHeLKc/L2JnKohP/MTt9zyVVnhUWwxM/Glk=

Its shows the "actuarial funding" at 108% but the "fair value" at 57.5% -not good, in the red.

And the plan itself say its in the "green zone"
http://mypension.iamnpf.org/media/79948/2016_green_zone_notice.pdf

__________________________________________________________

As for me, since Credit Suisse are the guys with all the money, I'm gonna go with their viewpoint. The thing is underfunded.

It is a "multi employer plan" per the PBGC, and the PBGC doesn't have enough money to cover the plan, (by their own report) so if it fails which to me is likely, there will be benefit cuts.

Finally, don't think for one milli-second that the trustees cant agree to merge the 2 plans, one being the IAMPNF and the other the TWUDPB, they can do that brother. And, don't just take my word for it, call the PBGC and ask them or email them, they will answer you.

Well, now that Ive thrown a dose of the cold hard truth.

Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year!!!

Wow. What a great, information packed post. Good job!!

 

[Real tired]

looks like anyone that has a pension at LAA just might get screwed if it were to happen. And all this time 700 said it was fully funded. fair value 57.5% not good.

Also, don't forget that Fleet had their future benefits already cut, and soon after Maintenance entered the plan in '08, the IAMNPF entered "endangered status".

This allowed the actuaries of the plan the amortize the debt and liabilities of the plan over a longer period. So who really knows how much the plan is funded?

If you want to read the dry stuff about that, it's here:
https://www.worldatwork.org/waw/adimLink?id=15322

But what's really scary is, after all this time of negotiating a JCBA, not one word about the direction this IAM pension thing might go. Kind of reminds me of when they "slipped" it into our contract about 10 years ago.

 

[Buck]

Would someone detail Crew Chief Seniority method? Does anyone lose time? Who has bumping rights etc...

 

[bigjets]

Contract rumor,,,,

Heard that avionics scope of work at the line stations is going to shrink. They will not be working the terminal in great numbers any longer, as their main job will be working problems with deep histories where the wires have to be chased.

Acars, A/P, etc that can be fixed with basic troubleshooting and easy repairs (replace a box) will now be done by general mechs. I for one am looking forward to it, and I haven't heard one complaint from a non avionics guy. Sometimes I think the avionics guys have an over inflated opinion of their value, not all, but some.

 

[MetalMover]

Contract rumor,,,,

Heard that avionics scope of work at the line stations is going to shrink. They will not be working the terminal in great numbers any longer, as their main job will be working problems with deep histories where the wires have to be chased.

Acars, A/P, etc that can be fixed with basic troubleshooting and easy repairs (replace a box) will now be done by general mechs. I for one am looking forward to it, and I haven't heard one complaint from a non avionics guy. Sometimes I think the avionics guys have an over inflated opinion of their value, not all, but some.

This should come as no surprise. Our current contract allows for this but has never been enforced. Check out the contract Letter of Memorandum 9 - Avionics Utilization.

 

[OldGuy@AA]

Contract rumor,,,,

Heard that avionics scope of work at the line stations is going to shrink. They will not be working the terminal in great numbers any longer, as their main job will be working problems with deep histories where the wires have to be chased.

Acars, A/P, etc that can be fixed with basic troubleshooting and easy repairs (replace a box) will now be done by general mechs. I for one am looking forward to it, and I haven't heard one complaint from a non avionics guy. Sometimes I think the avionics guys have an over inflated opinion of their value, not all, but some.

I got a few friends that were avionics and yes they thought they should get a higher premium. I used to call it "Gravyonics". haha. The guys I knew were really sharp but I have to say some gravyonics guys had trouble changing light bulbs. As we speak I know a welder who was surplussed out of his shop into the hangar and they put him in avionics. Like everything else this makes no sense at all. But we have the worst management there is.

 

[Deleted member 14439]

Very quiet since the hush money came thru. Next week we will learn of the UAL vote and we begin the last two weeks of negotiations for the year. Still no response from the Association on the latest Delta 6% raise. Finally we are coming up on 2 years since the good will 4% raise was announced for all but the Association members. Just a few random thoughts.

 

[dfw gen]

whats really sad is if they had given EVERYONE the 4% raise as a sign of good will i think a lot of people would have said ok lets give them a chance. and then once the association got THEIR act together (i know dont even go there) they actually bargained in good faith and accomplished a reasonable contract in a reasonable amount of time it could have almost given them a chance for a clean slate. their excuse of its an inducement to negotiate just is not accepted on the floor. instead its business as usual at American airlines where they are not happy till your not happy.....

 

[Matt1200]

Talking to some fellow IAM brothers last night and they hope the union can get a signing bonus. The union Rep who is on the negotiating committee tells us how much TWU likes our current contract. We asked him, then why is everything taking so long! I am happy with the money and want to keep my medical as it is today. I want more vacation and more put in my pension. One more thing I want the 4% all other groups received.

 

[Buck]

Any improvement in Holidays and Vacation and Retiree Medical, plus the promise of the percentage above the other Commercial Carriers, excluding FEDX and UPS will be voted in.

 

[Deleted member 14439]

Talking to some fellow IAM brothers last night and they hope the union can get a signing bonus. The union Rep who is on the negotiating committee tells us how much TWU likes our current contract. We asked him, then why is everything taking so long! I am happy with the money and want to keep my medical as it is today. I want more vacation and more put in my pension. One more thing I want the 4% all other groups received.

Signing bonus? The only bonus I can remember is the 2001 contract. TWU rode the AMFA coattails at NWA resulting in us getting a nice bump. Since we were in section 6 and past our amenable date we received retro checks. If I remember correctly mine was about $6k take home. That's the only bonus or retro of any significance that I remember . I very much doubt we will see anything like that here. As far as holding on to LUS cheap medical? Well, I wouldn't hold my breath. I've got a feeling you fellas will be moved to the LAA plan. I pay $250/month for me +1. Something along the lines of a $2500 deductible and $5k max out of pocket. I'd have to go double check to be sure.
I agree on the vacation and I'd like a bump in 401K contributions from the company. We lost a week of VC and our ability to buy a week as well. I still have not figured that one out.

 

[SkydrolJunkie]

Yeah, cheap(er) medical you had at LUS is "Done and Down" bubba!

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

Contract rumor,,,,

Heard that avionics scope of work at the line stations is going to shrink. They will not be working the terminal in great numbers any longer, as their main job will be working problems with deep histories where the wires have to be chased.

Acars, A/P, etc that can be fixed with basic troubleshooting and easy repairs (replace a box) will now be done by general mechs. I for one am looking forward to it, and I haven't heard one complaint from a non avionics guy. Sometimes I think the avionics guys have an over inflated opinion of their value, not all, but some.

Wow. I didn't know you guys had that at AA. At NWA, we at line maintenance outstatons were leads and mechanics. We had no Avionics, or GSE. We maintained the entire station and were left alone to do it. All of my crew were good with everything or they were peer pressured to the midnight shift as oilers and brake/tire changers and scheduled checks. The top notch guys who could do it all worked the live flights. At the hubs MSP/DTW, we did have Avionics guys who would cover a number of gates on the line to handle complex troubleshooting...helping the assigned gate mechanic.

In my opinion, every mechanic should be an "Avionics" guy in this age.

Good luck on your contract!