1995, the TWU puts in place yet another industry leading concessionary contract.
This contract followed a recession and preceded what was perhaps one of the biggest economic expansions in US history but TWU members would not benefit from it since they would be locked into a concessionary contract for six years. The members had to endure this concessionary contract as the rest of the economy boomed.
The preceding recession finished off two long time failing legacy carriers and the media was full of articles predicting the collapse of the entire industry. What turned out to be false predictions of inevitable and imminent doom and gloom for the industry were everywhere.
Prior to the agreement the TWU conducted a biased survey that was designed to reinforce a position that the TWU was trying to sell to the membership. The TWU claimed that job security should take precedence over all other issues so they agreed to a six-year six percent contract along with a host of other concessions. It was one of the worst deals in the industry.
By 1995 the economy was well into its rebound, despite that the TWU assisted the company in its doom and gloom campaign designed to lower the expectations of the members, however that still would not be enough to get the concessionary contract passed, so the TWU said that there would be a buyout for senior employees and a “Me Too Clauseâ€. The TWU then defrauded the members by saying that if we voted for this contract we probably would get much more than six percent because they claimed that our contract was tied to the pilots contract and there is no way the pilots would settle for an end loaded contract with only six percent over six years. Without the “Me Too†clause and the buyouts the contract would have failed, it passed with a less than 1% margin.
The “Me Too†clause was useless and the company knew it, more than likely the TWU knew it too.
In 1995 we screwed up by trusting the TWU and by settling before the pilots. The pilots have been in negotiations longer than we have and they have already sought out mediation as the first step towards self -help. The TWU is not only trying to screw us but they are trying to screw the pilots. When you have the TWU negotiating for you the best you can hope for is to let someone else, like the pilots now and in 1995 or AMFA in 2000, negotiate for you by settling ahead of you.
Recently there has been a petition sent out from MIA asking for the contract offer to be put to a vote. All of a sudden the International is the champion of democracy. Normally I’d say “let the members vote†but having a vote should follow free and open debate. The APA has been posting tons of information so their members can make an informed decision. The TWU has done nothing but reinforce the company’s doom and gloom campaign aimed at lowering expectations. Only doom and gloom can be found on the negotiations website. One of the reasons why they wont release what we are asking for is they hope this will pass, then after it becomes apparent that we got screwed again they will say “We were asking for 28% but you guys voted in the first offerâ€.
Don’t let the International off the hook. Don’t let them screw us again. Don’t request a vote before the pilots settle.
In 1995 we got screwed when we accepted 6% pay raise, 10 paid holidays @ 2.5X for all hours worked or automatically off, 80 day IOD bank, full vacation allotment, 2x after 12 hrs, full sick pay, full uniform allotment and cleaning, less out of pocket medical etc etc, now the International wants you to accept a contract that has ZERO increase in pay, less holidays only at 2X pay for a max of eight hours and you are automatically assigned to work, less sick pay, half the uniforms that you have to clean yourself, more out of pocket medical plus other concessions that we haven’t even heard about yet and probably wont until its signed.
The TWU International has worked hand in hand to screw us again. They have attempted to brainwash our negotiations committee by having the airline industry’s lobbying group-the ATA, “teach†the committee about airline economics. They have kept the membership in the dark, not even revealing what our proposal was even after we got word of the company’s offer-I already explained why they did that. They even propagate doom and gloom on the negotiations website. Instead of capitalizing on what we have given to the company already, things such as revenue from contract work, increased productivity, reduced headcount, and massive concessions they cite oil prices and the price of AMR stock. Don’t be fooled yet again. Don’t sign the petition and if the International comes back with anything less than what they promised in 2003-Full restoration, vote no and find a card for any union and send it in.
This contract followed a recession and preceded what was perhaps one of the biggest economic expansions in US history but TWU members would not benefit from it since they would be locked into a concessionary contract for six years. The members had to endure this concessionary contract as the rest of the economy boomed.
The preceding recession finished off two long time failing legacy carriers and the media was full of articles predicting the collapse of the entire industry. What turned out to be false predictions of inevitable and imminent doom and gloom for the industry were everywhere.
Prior to the agreement the TWU conducted a biased survey that was designed to reinforce a position that the TWU was trying to sell to the membership. The TWU claimed that job security should take precedence over all other issues so they agreed to a six-year six percent contract along with a host of other concessions. It was one of the worst deals in the industry.
By 1995 the economy was well into its rebound, despite that the TWU assisted the company in its doom and gloom campaign designed to lower the expectations of the members, however that still would not be enough to get the concessionary contract passed, so the TWU said that there would be a buyout for senior employees and a “Me Too Clauseâ€. The TWU then defrauded the members by saying that if we voted for this contract we probably would get much more than six percent because they claimed that our contract was tied to the pilots contract and there is no way the pilots would settle for an end loaded contract with only six percent over six years. Without the “Me Too†clause and the buyouts the contract would have failed, it passed with a less than 1% margin.
The “Me Too†clause was useless and the company knew it, more than likely the TWU knew it too.
In 1995 we screwed up by trusting the TWU and by settling before the pilots. The pilots have been in negotiations longer than we have and they have already sought out mediation as the first step towards self -help. The TWU is not only trying to screw us but they are trying to screw the pilots. When you have the TWU negotiating for you the best you can hope for is to let someone else, like the pilots now and in 1995 or AMFA in 2000, negotiate for you by settling ahead of you.
Recently there has been a petition sent out from MIA asking for the contract offer to be put to a vote. All of a sudden the International is the champion of democracy. Normally I’d say “let the members vote†but having a vote should follow free and open debate. The APA has been posting tons of information so their members can make an informed decision. The TWU has done nothing but reinforce the company’s doom and gloom campaign aimed at lowering expectations. Only doom and gloom can be found on the negotiations website. One of the reasons why they wont release what we are asking for is they hope this will pass, then after it becomes apparent that we got screwed again they will say “We were asking for 28% but you guys voted in the first offerâ€.
Don’t let the International off the hook. Don’t let them screw us again. Don’t request a vote before the pilots settle.
In 1995 we got screwed when we accepted 6% pay raise, 10 paid holidays @ 2.5X for all hours worked or automatically off, 80 day IOD bank, full vacation allotment, 2x after 12 hrs, full sick pay, full uniform allotment and cleaning, less out of pocket medical etc etc, now the International wants you to accept a contract that has ZERO increase in pay, less holidays only at 2X pay for a max of eight hours and you are automatically assigned to work, less sick pay, half the uniforms that you have to clean yourself, more out of pocket medical plus other concessions that we haven’t even heard about yet and probably wont until its signed.
The TWU International has worked hand in hand to screw us again. They have attempted to brainwash our negotiations committee by having the airline industry’s lobbying group-the ATA, “teach†the committee about airline economics. They have kept the membership in the dark, not even revealing what our proposal was even after we got word of the company’s offer-I already explained why they did that. They even propagate doom and gloom on the negotiations website. Instead of capitalizing on what we have given to the company already, things such as revenue from contract work, increased productivity, reduced headcount, and massive concessions they cite oil prices and the price of AMR stock. Don’t be fooled yet again. Don’t sign the petition and if the International comes back with anything less than what they promised in 2003-Full restoration, vote no and find a card for any union and send it in.
