Now's The Time

[TWU informer]

Actually it wasn't a lawn mower that CIO was re-fueling, it was a chipper-shredder.

He heard the SEC was investigating insider stock trading of AMR stock during the so-called Negotiations that led to the without further ratfication sell out.

Once CIO heard this news, he was advised to "shred" any evidence.

He rented and chipper-shredder from the local equipment rental service to dispose of documents that could lead to incarceration.

He did not know that Office Depot has document shredders, he rented the wood chipper-shredder, and upon re-fuel, had an incredible hairy fire experience.

There must have been many documents to require re-fuel?

This is the story behind the accident as I understand it...

 

[proAMFA]

Sending out the battle cry, then turning tail and running away is worse (like what happened with AMFA at UAL), in my opinion, than knowing I can ease my fears/concerns knowing the TWU will do absolutely nothing to look out for my interests now or in the future. Pick your poison.

Man of the People,

I don't think that it is a good observation on your part to say that AMFA turned tail and ran. A Federal Judge was going to establish the terms of the new contract if an agreement hadn't been reached. How do you think it would have went if AMFA brought nothing back for the membership at UAL to vote on? If blame is to be attached to anyone it would have to be attached to the membership for voting yes to terms that were reached under anything but normal conditions. They had the authority to challenge the Judges right to change the terms of the contract. UAL had the Judge in their hip pocket and if AMFA had not attempted to bring back some kind of agreement the Judge would have slash and burned. Sure AMFA could have challenged the legality of the Judges actions while people were on the streets picketing and they would have had the membership wished to pursue this course of action. Have you noticed labor's record in the courts lately? Just Friday the court threw out NWA flight attendents complaint against having to train their scabs.

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

He rented and chipper-shredder from the local equipment rental service to dispose of documents that could lead to incarceration.


That must be some rental service. You can rent everything from chipper-shredders to caskets. It is a shame that they can't rent a spine.

 

[Man of the People]

Man of the People,

I don't think that it is a good observation on your part to say that AMFA turned tail and ran. A Federal Judge was going to establish the terms of the new contract if an agreement hadn't been reached. How do you think it would have went if AMFA brought nothing back for the membership at UAL to vote on? If blame is to be attached to anyone it would have to be attached to the membership for voting yes to terms that were reached under anything but normal conditions. They had the authority to challenge the Judges right to change the terms of the contract. UAL had the Judge in their hip pocket and if AMFA had not attempted to bring back some kind of agreement the Judge would have slash and burned. Sure AMFA could have challenged the legality of the Judges actions while people were on the streets picketing and they would have had the membership wished to pursue this course of action. Have you noticed labor's record in the courts lately? Just Friday the court threw out NWA flight attendents complaint against having to train their scabs.

[post="286189"][/post]​

 

[TWU informer]

He rented and chipper-shredder from the local equipment rental service to dispose of documents that could lead to incarceration.
That must be some rental service. You can rent everything from chipper-shredders to caskets. It is a shame that they can't rent a spine.

[post="286247"][/post]​

I about choked on my dinner laughing so hard at that one.

You should be careful, someone could be in need of CPR from reading postings that are so funny.

 

[Hackman]

Yeah, I have to agree Ken had a good one there, too funny.

 

[Bob Owens]

If Amfa has so much Solidarity why did they not walk when Alaska laid off 45% of the membership recently?

[post="285992"][/post]​

Perhaps you could explain why the TWU has done nothing to settle the "Force Majeure grievance? The company claerly violated the contract when they put guys with a "P" out on the street yet nearly four years later they still have not brought forth the Force Majuere Grievance.

By the way didnt Alaska lockout 45% of their IAM members? Another clear violation of the contract. What did the almighty AFL-CIO do about that?

 

[TWU informer]

Perhaps you could explain why the TWU has done nothing to settle the "Force Majeure grievance? The company claerly violated the contract when they put guys with a "P" out on the street yet nearly four years later they still have not brought forth the Force Majuere Grievance.

By the way didnt Alaska lockout 45% of their IAM members? Another clear violation of the contract. What did the almighty AFL-CIO do about that?

[post="286446"][/post]​

Those questions will likely end this thread, just like every other thread that CIO arrives at posting his lies and venom, and then promptly leaves when too much truth is spoken or a legitimate question regarding TWU's very poor representation.

TWU sucks to high heaven and everyone except to those on the TWU payroll or married to a payroll recipient know this fact too well.

 

[Bob Owens]

Man of the People,

I don't think that it is a good observation on your part to say that AMFA turned tail and ran. A Federal Judge was going to establish the terms of the new contract if an agreement hadn't been reached. How do you think it would have went if AMFA brought nothing back for the membership at UAL to vote on? If blame is to be attached to anyone it would have to be attached to the membership for voting yes to terms that were reached under anything but normal conditions. They had the authority to challenge the Judges right to change the terms of the contract. UAL had the Judge in their hip pocket and if AMFA had not attempted to bring back some kind of agreement the Judge would have slash and burned. Sure AMFA could have challenged the legality of the Judges actions while people were on the streets picketing and they would have had the membership wished to pursue this course of action. Have you noticed labor's record in the courts lately? Just Friday the court threw out NWA flight attendents complaint against having to train their scabs.

[post="286189"][/post]​

I think its clear that labors record in the courts is a direct result of their abscence from the picket lines. The only thing the rich and powerful understand is a strike. They know we dont have the stomach to resist so they walk all over us.

While the actions over at UAL were more understandable compared to our actions with the TWU at AA I have to admit that I was disappointed in the leadership of AMFA at UAL.

Unfortunately AMFA has been caught at a bad time. Unable to complete its mission of uniting the mechanics because of chicainery at the NMB it can not deliver what the profession needs. The problem we face is a systemic one, until we all get in one union, either along craft or industrial lines, any unions ability to resist the combined efforts of the airlines and the courts is limited. I have no doubt that the airlines and the incumbant unions would like nothing more than to see AMFA fail, at any price. Its a sad state and it just illustrates that the business interests of todays unions trump union ideology. All this "United invinceable", "Solidarity Forever" etc is nothing more than rhetoric, for speech purposes only, because when the time comes to fight its every man for themselves. The same leaders who chant these slogans are the biggest opposition to real resistance. As the members see their benifits disappear and wages slashed our leaders only concern is funding their own benifits and pensions from reduced dues.

 

[eolesen]

By the way didnt Alaska lockout 45% of their IAM members? Another clear violation of the contract. What did the almighty AFL-CIO do about that?

[post="286446"][/post]​

They weren't locked out. Lockout implies that they sought self-help. What Alaska did was permitted per their contract, or at least that's what the court said when they dismissed the IAM's request for an injunction.

The IAM contract allegedly had language which permitted outsourcing what we call fleet service once the cost of insourcing exceeded outsourcing by X percentage points. Sometime in late 2003 or early 2004, it finally passed the threshold, and the IAM and AS had been negotiating trying to find a way to keep the work insourced. After 18 months, the IAM reportedly called the company's bluff, and the rest is history....

 

[Bob Owens]

They weren't locked out.  Lockout implies that they sought self-help.  What Alaska did was permitted per their contract, or at least that's what the court said when they dismissed the IAM's request for an injunction.

The IAM contract allegedly had language which permitted outsourcing what we call fleet service once the cost of insourcing exceeded outsourcing by X percentage points.  Sometime in late 2003 or early 2004, it finally passed the threshold, and the IAM and AS had been negotiating trying to find a way to keep the work insourced.  After 18 months, the IAM reportedly called the company's bluff, and the rest is history....

[post="286668"][/post]​

Lockout or simply doing what the company was allowed to per the contract, either way workers lost their jobs and were replaced. I guess its like when the company accuses mechanics of having a job action when they are simply following the paperwork as written by the company. In both cases the party affected in an undesirable way labels it in a way that favors them. Mechanics are permitted, no not permited but officially "expected" to follow the paperwork to the letter but when they actually do that the airlines create graphs and charts and shows them to a judge and claims that the mechanics must be having a job action.

 

[TWU informer]

They weren't locked out. Lockout implies that they sought self-help. What Alaska did was permitted per their contract, or at least that's what the court said when they dismissed the IAM's request for an injunction.

The IAM contract allegedly had language which permitted outsourcing what we call fleet service once the cost of insourcing exceeded outsourcing by X percentage points. Sometime in late 2003 or early 2004, it finally passed the threshold, and the IAM and AS had been negotiating trying to find a way to keep the work insourced. After 18 months, the IAM reportedly called the company's bluff, and the rest is history....

[post="286668"][/post]​

Judges do not decide contract issues.

He may have dismissed the case due to lack of jurisdiction and sent the matter to arbitration, but I highly doubt any Judge rules on a contract violation.

 

[Bob Owens]

Judges do not decide contract issues.

He may have dismissed the case due to lack of jurisdiction and sent the matter to arbitration, but I highly doubt any Judge rules on a contract violation.

[post="286710"][/post]​

True. When considering Injunctions and TROs the criteria lies with irreparable damage. In other words the plaintiff is asking the court to take a drastic step because if they dont the damage can not be recovered. If a company violates the rules and terminates employment or denies pay the courts do not consider that irreparable damage because if they are proven to be in violation, after a legnthy trial that can take years, the victim can recover the lost wages. They fail to take into account the damage the violation does to the psyche of the worker in the intervening years between the incident and the trial. Now the airlines on the other hand have a very easy time getting injunctions because they claim that revenue lost due to cancelled flight is not recoverable.

 

[TWAnr]

Judges do not decide contract issues.

[post="286710"][/post]​

Of course judges have the legal power to decide contract issues.

Arbitration is a voluntary procedure to which both side must consent. One does not have the option whether to permit a judge to hear a case.

 

[Checking it Out]

August 9, 2005



O. V. Delle-Femine
National Director
Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association
67 Water Street
Suite 208A
Laconia, NH 03246

O. V. Delle-Femine:

I am in receipt of your letter dated July 27, 2005, in which you
requested that the IAM encourage our members to stand with AMFA. You have acknowledged in your letter that there are philosophical differences between our organizations and memberships.

I am surprised by your request in that since 1962 AMFA has preached
that a Mechanic does not need the assistance of “unskilled†workers such as myself or many of the people I represent. When you urged the nearly 10,000 Northwest Mechanics (at the time) to join your craft organization in 1998 you declared their strength lies in their skill, not in the numbers of the
Machinists Union. You must still believe this to be true because as
recently as in a July 26, 2005 news article your Assistant National Director Steve MacFarlane said, “Strength in numbers doesn't necessarily mean strength.â€

However, now when your organization has the first opportunity in its
history to demonstrate this “strength in skill†dogma you preach, you turn to an
organization that you have criticized and tried to belittle for more than 40 years, the IAM, for help. It is about time that AMFA recognizes that it cannot win a major labor dispute standing in isolation.

We could recite a litany of issues that have happened since AMFA’s inception that would only distract us from making appropriate decisions as they relate to
the situation with Northwest Airlines.

However, we are concerned and currently investigating the many reports of harassment and intimidation by AMFA members against IAM members. These
complaints include, but are not limited to, attacks on our female members in Building B in Minneapolis, property damage, and general harassment in the workplace such as the incidents that have happened in Detroit.

In addition, AMFA, as an institution, has proposed, and is actively
advocating, that Northwest Airlines demand 0,000,000.00 more in concessions than the 7,000,000.00 that Northwest has requested from our membership.

AMFA negotiators are proud of this proposal and have been actively
promoting it to your membership.

O. V. Delle-Femine
August 9, 2005
Page 2

After more than 40 years, your philosophy continues to be that people working in
classifications other than the licensed Mechanic should work for less pay so that the licensed Mechanic could be paid more. That philosophy is once again confirmed by AMFA, the institution, by proposing that the so-called unskilled be made to sacrifice more for the benefit of the licensed AMFA member.

Until your July 27th letter, it has been AMFA’s philosophy that the IAM, as an institution, has prevented the Mechanic classification from receiving the wages
and benefits that they deserve because we, the IAM, were negotiating too much money for the so-called unskilled classifications, such as Stock Clerk, Equipment Service, Customer Service, Reservations, Clerical, etc. We, therefore, have refrained from any activity that could be construed as interfering with the internal affairs of the AMFA organization, as opposed to your organization’s
history of attempting to raid our organization every time we are involved in difficult negotiations. We have, and I reiterate, refrained from any interference in your internal affairs.

However, in stark contrast, you will remember that in your last round of negotiations, AMFA, the Association, negotiated with Northwest Airlines to rob IAM
members of work and ultimately jobs.

If your letter of July 27, 2005, was an attempt to “heal the wounds†that have been
inflicted upon the IAM, our members, and the personal attacks that have been levied against IAM leadership, then we must inform you that mere words will not
start the healing process. It is AMFA, the institution’s, deeds that will tell if you are truly serious about healing the wounds. Therefore, we demand:

1) AMFA conduct an investigation into the allegations of intimidation
of our members, especially our female members, and upon conclusion
of such investigation take whatever action is necessary under your
Constitution and Bylaws to hold those responsible accountable.

2) AMFA, as an institution, publicly apologize to IAM members who have
been harmed by the AMFA rhetoric.

3) AMFA, as an institution, and its negotiators denounce publicly,
and withdraw in writing from the negotiation table, its proposal for IAM members
to pay more in wage and benefit concessions than the carrier has requested.

In addition, we need answers to the following questions.

1) Does AMFA, the institution, have a strike fund with sufficient assets
to protect IAM members?

2) Does the so-called AMFA “back to work agreement†provide for
financial support to any IAM member that stands with AMFA?



O. V. Delle-Femine
August 9, 2005
Page 3


3) Does AMFA guarantee that no AMFA-represented member will
come back to work while IAM members who have stood with AMFA
have not been returned to work?

4) Will the AMFA membership be allowed to vote whether or not to
accept a contract to strike or will it be an elite few that make that decision?


IAM members will not be duped into standing with AMFA. AMFA has never
honored an IAM picket line. To represent otherwise, as stated in your July 20th
letter to all members on NWA property, is nothing more than an attempt to use trickery and deceit to persuade IAM members to stand with you.

The IAM is monitoring the situation very closely with ALPA representatives.
The Machinists Union takes our moral and legal responsibility to protect our members seriously, and whatever action we recommend will be in the best interests of the Machinists Union membership at Northwest Airlines.

In your July 27th letter you requested that we encourage our members
to stand with AMFA, thereby recognizing that whether or not someone stands with
your organization is an individual choice. However, it would be very difficult for any IAM member to stand with your organization knowing full well that if AMFA wins, the IAM members lose, because AMFA, the institution, is fighting for IAM members to pay more in sacrifices than is currently proposed by
Northwest Airlines.

Our members can rest assured that whatever action the IAM takes will be in the best interests of its members.



Robert Roach, Jr.
GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT

RR/tlm

cc: Buffenbarger
Executive Council
Trans. GL Staff
Trans. P/DGCs
AT LL Pres. & RSs
IAM NWA Members


You can see full text at:

Request Letter

http://twu514.org/514/index.php?
module=documents&JAS_Document_op=downloadFile&JAS_File_id=194

Response Letter

http://twu514.org/514/index.php?
module=documents&JAS_Document_op=downloadFile&JAS_File_id=195