Morale at American Airlines

[CIO]

Being happy is something you have to learn. I often surprise myself by saying "Wow, this is it. I guess I'm happy. I got a home I love. A career that I love. I'm even feeling more and more at peace with myself." If there's something else to happiness, let me know. I'm ambitious for that, too.

- Harrison Ford



In Solidarity,
CIO

 

[Hopeful]

Being happy is something you have to learn. I often surprise myself by saying "Wow, this is it. I guess I'm happy. I got a home I love. A career that I love. I'm even feeling more and more at peace with myself." If there's something else to happiness, let me know. I'm ambitious for that, too.

- Harrison Ford



In Solidarity,
CIO

Is that the same Harrison Ford the actor? Big star? Worth millions from decades of film? Doesnt have to work a day in his life ever again? Worry about bills?

Wow, what a profound statement.......He's happy!

 

[Barfbag]

I don't expect a whole lot from a new contract. Here in Tulsa we don't ask for much. Pay was not a big component in our rejecting of the contract.

There you wrote it........" here on Tulsa ". What Tulsa needs is respect?

Here at JFK, where AA is planning their version of global conquest through it's joint business agreements with British and Iberia, we need money $$$ as in CASH. NYC Housing pricing starts here upwards of $ 500, 000., property taxes average 8-10K yearly, car insurance average 3K.
So you see everyone needs different things. You need respect, we need money.
BTW, What's the cost of living like in TUL, DFW?

So why do we even have a national contract that doesn't reflect local pay issues?

 

[bbrooks1963]

All of you can bicker back and forth about who voted and cry about how we are referred to as bricks in the proverbial backpacks that prevent AA from moving forward and becoming again the premier airline it once was. I’m a FSC at the Local 502. And I’ve seen firsthand the moral of the majority of the people I work with. And at other stations. I cant figure out is this blog is for mechanics only because I’ve never seen FSC mentioned within this blog. What’s up with that? We gave too in 2003! But all of you are forgetting the single fundamental root of the problem we have with getting a contract today. The TWU!!! Those so called geniuses we entrusted with our future and our dues have made all of us think that all those concessions in 2003 were for the good of the membership and the company. Well the only group it benefitted was the CEO’s because they still took their record bonuses and then some. Now AA is once again have identified an opportunity to further enrich then selves. That was made clear from the garbage and table scraps they tried to give us. I see only the pilots and mechanics getting a little bit more and that’s it. We can fool ourselves by thinking that fleet service and flight attendants are worth their salt. But as far as the title 3 goes…. Gone are the days of a good wage and hello to contract workers.
As for you TWU……You gambled with our futures and lost back in 2003. And you didn’t even write in the 2003 contract a give back clause. To restore us back to pre-concession condition. Now I ask how are you TWU going to get us restored?

 

[rolis2559]

I've been working at AA for 20+ years and at the present time i'm at AFW OH as an AMT HC/LC line , and i can tell you that i didn't have a problem with the line vs. base compensation because you can't compare cost of living wise AFW and TULE with any of the line stations . Believe me i worked at JFK and MIA ( 12 years between the two ) and is very hard financially to make it in those cities . My only issues with the proposal was anything the meant job losses for our brothers and sisters currently in payroll . Again if the negotiating committee is able to get all the concessionary language out of the TA ( anything that represents job losses ) than i will be a yes vote .

 

[AV1]

I've been working at AA for 20+ years and at the present time i'm at AFW OH as an AMT HC/LC line , and i can tell you that i didn't have a problem with the line vs. base compensation because you can't compare cost of living wise AFW and TULE with any of the line stations . Believe me i worked at JFK and MIA ( 12 years between the two ) and is very hard financially to make it in those cities . My only issues with the proposal was anything the meant job losses for our brothers and sisters currently in payroll . Again if the negotiating committee is able to get all the concessionary language out of the TA ( anything that represents job losses ) than i will be a yes vote .

Couldn't have said it better myself. I know people in out stations deserve geography pay and don't have a problem with it. Remove the job loss language, retiree medical, etc. and should be easy enough. Can't believe this can't be worked for a contract of all members. I hope somebody is reading this.

 

[Duke787]

Couldn't have said it better myself. I know people in out stations deserve geography pay and don't have a problem with it. Remove the job loss language, retiree medical, etc. and should be easy enough. Can't believe this can't be worked for a contract of all members. I hope somebody is reading this.

I say two contracts, one for line one for overhaul, that way TUL can sacrifice their pay for 5 day schedule, and the line stations can get a pay raise, and hopefully 15% aft and 20% shift diff. pay.

TUL can negotiate against the ASM's and line can negotiate for pay.

 

[Deleted member 14439]

Duke, as I have stated, at least at AFW we may be more willing to go to a 24/7 if it were staffed to operate as such. That means A LOT more heads. The other thing,let us use our senority. Currently we have rotating shifts. Let us bid our shifts and days off. As far as your notion of 2 different contracts. Is that a can of worm you really want to open? The first thing that pops into my brain is transfers. In your scenerio would there be provisions for transfers between the two? Also, this is the classic divide and conquer that has been used in warfare forever.

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

Bell Helicopter had a strike recently. When asked what they were striking over, one of the things mentioned was that they were going to outsource building cleaning and cleaners were going to lose their jobs. This is one of the things mentioned they were striking for. I would then call this a real union principal, the cleaners were able to keep their jobs. By the way, most overhaul can bump the system, still the first in, last out mentality.

Bump away tough guy the North East is waiting for for the overhaul mentality but dont worry the sticker shock on housing and taxes is only temporary. A refridgerator box under the LIE will do just fine to help make ends meet

 

[frontline]

I hear those of you who are saying respect wont pay the bills. It is work not play, and I am at AA for the money not for fun time. I want the biggest raise the company can afford to give without jeopardizing other important things like my employment for the next ten or so years and my pension at retirement. We had a chance to get back on stable footing but most of us turned it down.

There are many of us who might do better in other industries, and that is what supply and demand is all about.

 

[eolesen]

As far as your notion of 2 different contracts. Is that a can of worm you really want to open? The first thing that pops into my brain is transfers. In your scenerio would there be provisions for transfers between the two? Also, this is the classic divide and conquer that has been used in warfare forever.

When stores was split out as a separate contract, was that considered divide and conquer as well?...

Doesn't the APFA contract have a supplement on international vs. domestic?

Doesn't seem to be all that hard of an issue to resolve. You have one set of workrules which govern everything outside of overhaul, and another set of rules to govern everything inside of overhaul. If you transfer from one "division" to the other, then your hourly rate changes accordingly to the seniority step you're on.

 

[Duke787]

Duke, as I have stated, at least at AFW we may be more willing to go to a 24/7 if it were staffed to operate as such. That means A LOT more heads. The other thing,let us use our senority. Currently we have rotating shifts. Let us bid our shifts and days off. As far as your notion of 2 different contracts. Is that a can of worm you really want to open? The first thing that pops into my brain is transfers. In your scenerio would there be provisions for transfers between the two? Also, this is the classic divide and conquer that has been used in warfare forever.

It's not your concern how AA staff's the shifts, just as long as it is safe for you to work. If you go 24/7 you would have to bid, it's not that complicated, we do it every three month's at ORD. The big question will you go 3,6,or 12 month bids with fixed or rotating days off. These are all things your local, and management will work out. As far as transfers go, why would that be an issue. If AA and the TWU decide we can't transfer that is something that our union will handle for us. I don't see it as divide and conquer, we have separate contracts from ramp and tech, we have different jobs and different work rules.

 

[Hopeful]

Just curious....Would going to a 24/7 in exchange for SWA wages be acceptable to the OH folks?

 

[737823]

Bump away tough guy the North East is waiting for for the overhaul mentality but dont worry the sticker shock on housing and taxes is only temporary. A refridgerator box under the LIE will do just fine to help make ends meet

I agree this is outrageous. Why doesn't AA provide cost of living adjustments for employees in Metro NYC versus DFW or Tulsa? That seems like the correct and sensible thing to do. I grew up in NYC and know first hand living there ain't cheap and sometimes we make trade-off but I hope your new contract includes a cost of living provision. Why should a worker in NYC or BOS make the same as in DFW or TUL where the price level is lower-food, utilities, ample affordable housing, etc.

Josh

 

[telebender1956]

This issue should have been resolved 50 years ago. I agree that COLA's should be made in the contract depending on where you work in the AA System.I have worked my whole AA career at TULE and understand the need for COLA'S in places like LGA-LAX-ORD-SAN-PHX-MIA ect. I would even consider exercising my seniority with a transfer tp SAN or PHX.This issue should be resolved in the current contract.