I want to thank all of the voters who voted for Occupy 141. It was truly humbling to have folks vote for us. In the end, we got smoked. LFP is still kicking some but they will have to have a huge turnout in EWR to have a chance since KA is down by 1,100 with only 3,200 left to vote. Unlikely indeed.
In the end, it was not nearly enough but we gave it our best shot. It was great getting out and meeting many brothers and sisters, some who supported us and some who didn't but we have to move on now.
For US AIRWAYS, I remain concerned that Delaney will continue the course he set you on, and it is the same charted course that he put UA/CO on, and that now, no contract will be seen until any apparent merger, in which the US AIRWAYS members would be a part of a transition agreement about 5 years out. As I said before the District elections, this is not the preferred path but the one that Delaney/MF have chosen. Roabily, PJ, 700, and Mike33....I hope they are right about that path working, and I am wrong, but there remains no evidence that any progress is being made at all, and neither should we expect any, under the same merger plan that Delaney used at CO/UA. Guys like Charlie Brown, Mike, Roabilly, are all good honest guys IMO who want to believe that somehow sitting at a table using the same template used at UA/CO that followed management's directives is going to produce a different outcome. I hope they are right and time will tell. Of course, my opinion only. Again, I hope I'm wrong and they are right but I have never felt comfortable teaming up with management during a merger. Didn't work at UA/CO for our members there and won't work at US AIRWAYS. Just my two cents.
The question of seniority was somewhat answered on June 4 with the TWU/IAM arbitration award in which each TWU member was credited with an additional 2.5 years of seniority systemwide over IAM members. The exception that the arbitrator ruled on was the airtran hub, ATL. All ATL IAM members were also credited with an additional 2.5 years of seniority so no hub IAM member lost any time. This arbitration award is significant because unless the IAM does a blistering organizing attempt against the TWU, if we apply the Southwest/Airtran arbitration award then no IAM member in PHL, PHX, CLT should lose any seniority, regardless of who buys who.
Again, the focus should be on getting a contract before a merger like the AFA, IBT and other unions did at UA/CO and at Airtran, but unfortunately, 141 rising has NOT charted us on that course at UA/CO or US AIRWAYS. Sad indeed.
UA/CO. For our members at UA/CO, the 141 rising win means more of the same and no way out. I'm not saying that Delaney will sign on the current offer of $22 and no scope but he hasn't found a way to get the company to negotiate in good faith due to his fear of getting the members involved. IMO, more stations will close and all cargo will be lost. The IBT has already started up its engines and is coming back saying "I told you so" presumably in the next 60 days. IMO, Delaney should resist bringing back a lame contract that the IBT could then use as a catalyst to pick up those 11 votes that it lost by last year. The members win and the IAM win if Delaney comes through on his word but bringing back a lame contract to get turned down will be a fatal mistake.
Unfortunately, our UA members have not received a simply pay raise in 4 years due to Delaney's insistence of organizing more IAM members first and then insisting on transition talks, as opposed to normal talks. [this is the same plan being used at US AIRWAYS BTW]. The bottom line is that although more members for the IAM may help reduce the yearly membership losses at the IAM, it still doesn't put more money into the pockets of our members.
Tim Nelson
My run for presidency was fun and it forced the AGC's to finally get up off of their collective arses and hit the breakrooms after 4 years. But I got destroyed at United and that was pretty much the best that I could do. Moving forward, I'm staying active. What was truly disappointing, IMO, was that only 19% of our membership showed up to vote. 30,000 members and only 6,000 participated. This is a reflection on leadership. The real problem that the leadership faces is getting the membership to participate and IMO they don't have a clue and will blame the membership instead of themselves.
Negotiations
Retirement options. I remain very concerned about having my pension collared by the IAM trustees. The US AIRWAYS members got it whacked almost in half once and with the additional losses of membership last year with the additional gains of retirees, the pension remains a ponzie scheme at best. Unfortunately, our negotiators [UA/CO/US] are not negotiating retirement options and are fixated only on company contributions to the IAM pension plan. I was hoping that for those of us who want to control our money, that they would at least hear our voices and negotiate options so that the members can decide where to put their money, i.e., IAM pension plan, 401k, 401roth, etc. I know some prefer putting it into the IAM pension even though it can [and most likely] be looted again, but many, including myself prefer a roth plan for the company to contribute to. Just my two cents. But, it would be cool for the union to listen and to negotiate options for the members instead of the exclusive IAM pension plan.
Onward!
