Oh Where Oh Where Is Amfa Today?

RV4 said:
How about we work for $7.50 per hour, and compete with those workers overseas that eat fish heads-n-rice for dinner.

We could do all of AMFA's outsourced maintenance, and have a maintenance base in every state...

....THINK OF THE JOBS WE WOULD CREATE?

How about another round of TWU "concessions-for-jobs" while the compAAny increases it's cash on hand by $1.7 Billion Dollars on the backs of the working man?


17.5% Paycut

Loss of 5 Paid Holidays

Loss of 5 Paid Vacation Days
Sick Time Paid 50% for 2 Days of Each Occurance

Loss of 7 Sick Days


Lifted Job Security Protection

Lifted Cap on Medical Payroll Deduction Increase

OSM Payrate for Shop Mechanics

Loss of License/Skill Pay for Mechanics RIF's to Shops

ALL WHILE AA INCREASES CASH ON HAND TO $3.3 BILLION!

TWU SUCKS!
Who said anything about $7.50 an hour? At our $31.00 an hour we do almost everything in-house and STILL make more than our fellow mechanics at Alaska (who by the way are represented by the beloved amfa)! What will amfa give away next now that they've given almost all the work away at Alaska and NWA?

NWA Mechanics before Amfa: 10,000
NWA Mechanics AFTER Amfa: 4,000

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK DEL!!!
 
AAmech said:
NWA Mechanics before Amfa: 10,000
NWA Mechanics AFTER Amfa: 4,000
This is great, everyday the twu increases the NWA numbers, now they started with 10,000 and have 4,000. Hell you asked the question 6 times at the meeting, did you forget a pen? Lets try this real slow now, approx 2,700 have been laid off, of which approx 2,300 are pending in arbitration right now. What are you going to do if AMFA wins these cases and have to pay backpay and recall all of them?
 
AAmech said:
RV4 said:
How about we work for $7.50 per hour, and compete with those workers overseas that eat fish heads-n-rice for dinner.

We could do all of AMFA's outsourced maintenance, and have a maintenance base in every state...

....THINK OF THE JOBS WE WOULD CREATE?

How about another round of TWU "concessions-for-jobs" while the compAAny increases it's cash on hand by $1.7 Billion Dollars on the backs of the working man?


17.5% Paycut

Loss of 5 Paid Holidays

Loss of 5 Paid Vacation Days
Sick Time Paid 50% for 2 Days of Each Occurance

Loss of 7 Sick Days


Lifted Job Security Protection

Lifted Cap on Medical Payroll Deduction Increase

OSM Payrate for Shop Mechanics

Loss of License/Skill Pay for Mechanics RIF's to Shops

ALL WHILE AA INCREASES CASH ON HAND TO $3.3 BILLION!

TWU SUCKS!
Who said anything about $7.50 an hour? At our $31.00 an hour we do almost everything in-house and STILL make more than our fellow mechanics at Alaska (who by the way are represented by the beloved amfa)! What will amfa give away next now that they've given almost all the work away at Alaska and NWA?

NWA Mechanics before Amfa: 10,000
NWA Mechanics AFTER Amfa: 4,000

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK DEL!!!
$31 an hour is just part of our compensation lets not forget about our hefty benefit package. How does this compare to Alaskan Airs benefit package? Bet they get a full sick day. How many holidays do they get?

The only reason I put the question to CIO is because he keeps saying we have full rights to our overhaul then I find out that 2 aircraft are going to be outsourced. I dont want to see something like this get started and hopefully we can stop AA from going through with the plan. It just seem pretty ballsie they would try it now that were the worst paid of the top five airlines.
 
scorpian said:
$31 an hour is just part of our compensation lets not forget about our hefty benefit package. How does this compare to Alaskan Airs benefit package? Bet they get a full sick day. How many holidays do they get?

The only reason I put the question to CIO is because he keeps saying we have full rights to our overhaul then I find out that 2 aircraft are going to be outsourced. I dont want to see something like this get started and hopefully we can stop AA from going through with the plan. It just seem pretty ballsie they would try it now that were the worst paid of the top five airlines.
I'm sure they do get a full sick day. We are under what is called a "Concessionary Contract". Alaska has been a very financially successfull company. Which is why its so depressing to see the bar constantly being lowered there. Amfa's first contract there in 98 gave them a LOWER payrate than our hated 95 contract. Plus they agreed to a virtually unlimited outsourcing scheme and put all new hires on a "B" scale retirement. No pension, just 401k. In return for this the company agreed to a "closed shop" so everyone would be forced to join amfa and pay dues. The new contract does NOTHING to correct all the deficencies of the last on and still offers INDUSTRY LOW pay rates!

IF DELL AND AMFA CAN'T HANDLE ALASKA AND NWA MANAGEMENT, HOW IN THE WORLD DO THEY THINK THEY HAVE ANY ABILITY TO DEAL WITH AMR!! WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD I WANT DELL NEGOTIATING FOR ME? :down:
 
We've had concessionary contracts for 20 years this one is nothing new.
Hows the TWU card drive going at Alaskan Air or any airline for that matter?

Glad your so concerned about their yard but I think we have our own yard to clean up.
 
"NWA Mechanics before Amfa: 10,000
NWA Mechanics AFTER Amfa: 4,000"




The TWU/ATD will lie, lie, lie.

One of the reasons why I was removed from office is because I repeatedly exposed the lies put forward by posters such as CIO and AA mech.

The International's position is that if you will not lie to your members in the Internationals behalf then you are not loyal to them and need to be removed.

The TWU ATD is a company union.

It is a union that negotiates away benefits then tries to sell them to you. A while back they negotiated away company provided LTD and started selling it themselves. The Insurance provider pays the International a fee, or in other words a kickback. Who knows how much Sonny and company get under the table?

Recently, I guess because the "Union sponsored" STD was not selling well they negotiated away our 80 day IOD bank and 7 sick days with the first two paid at half pay. I guess that they hope that this will boost up sales.

The unions insurance scams are not confined to the ATD, in fact it has become a major source of friction between the International and the largest TWU Local. The 38,000 member Local 100 in NYC.

There it was found that the International sponsored plan was not the best deal.

Most of the expense of the plan is placed upon Locals where each Local is required by the International to have an LTD rep. The expenses related to LTD activities are bourne by the local, that means that members who reject the plan are still required, through their dues, to pay for it. The local LTD rep has to provide the LTD co-ordinator-also paid for by the membership, all the information as far as new hires. They have to provide notification about the "automatic enrollment", write out letters to the members, and handle all the paperwork generated by the plan, all materials, postage and lost time are bourne by the local. Needless to say this saves the provider a huge amount of money. But our rates, when you consider that we can provide them with a huge pool of customers, plus handle "sales" and all the related expenses, are very high. While it may be cheaper than we could get as individuals, as part of a "group" plan plus the fact that the union handles all the sales we should be paying much less. Basically all the provider does is sit back and get paid. There is no mailing expense, no billing expense, no wage expense to handle sales and billing, all they have to do is sit back and collect $14/week from every member free and clear.

If only 20% of the TWU has LTD the Insurance provider collects over $14,000,000 a year with virtually no overhead-the members pay the overhead. Normally insurance companies pay salesmen a commision for sales. Is the provider paying Sonny Hall a commision for all sales to TWU members? How could we find this out?

So what are the members actually getting for $730/year? They get the promise that if they become permantly disabled they will get half pay for the rest of their lives. The question is how likely is this to happen and how likely is it that they are going to actually provide the benefit for life?

As LTD co-ordinator for our local I saw very few claims. In other words a lot of people wer paying in a lot of money but little was being paid out. The few who did collect said the the company harrassed them for information and one, who is nearly crippled with a permanent severe back injury said that the company keeps trying to cut him off. Apparently, according to this insurance company if you are breathing you are not disabled-"you should be able to blow up ballons at the cirrcus now get out there and work".

The question is if we pay so much to this company, plus we cover most of the expense of the program through members dues why are our rates so high? Why dont they get us a better deal ? Maybe the present deal is better for the TWU than it is for us?

Such deals would be nothing new for the TWU.

The TWU International has a long history of giving the members the shaft in order to make gains for themselves.

Remember 95? Remember how we got that contract shoved down our throats? "The members voted in in?" Yea by 77 votes with a couple of hundred thrown out. Remember the layoffs prior to the contract and all the talk about how AA was doomed (even though they were already profitable)? The union sent out a biased survey and used the results of that survey to justify the contract. Well it just so happens that around that same time, the same time that we got stuck with a six year concessionary contract that AMR recognized the TWU as the bargaining agent for Eagle without a vote.

Approximately how often does it happen where a comany willingly accepts a union without a vote? NOT OFTEN.

When a company does accept a showing of interest for representation, you have to wonder -why?

Well we know why, because the TWU ATD is a company union. As a union they will help the company get the lowest labor costs around, so low that non-union competitors will have to lower their wages to compete. As we see now, through recent press releases the company is trying to help keep this organization in place by praising them in the press. Well why wouldnt this company want to keep this union? This union helps the company screw the workers and lets the union take all the blame. The RLA which the unions defended makes it so that we must pay dues even though we have no control over our union. To me the whole thing about baseball arbitration was a farce. It had the unions defending the RLA-a law that screws workers. When was the last time the RLA worked in our best interests?

Where is the headquarters of the ATD? Is it with the rest of the International? No, its right under the nose, or rather the thumb of American Airlines in Dallas Texas.

Where were "negotiations" conducted?
Corporate headquarters.
Despite the fact that these "negotiations" were conducted in corporate headquarters there was very little face to face between the company and the committee.

Doesnt this seem strange to anyone else?

If you believe in unionism, which I do, it does not mean that you have a blind loyalty to those who have been appointed above you to represent you. Unions are supposed to be democratic, accountable institutions that act in the long term best interests of the workers.

Sometimes layoffs are part of such long term intersts, however giving up benefits and wages are not. Unions have to be willing to take chances and fight to protect wages and benefits. In fact that is how I define a union- a collective of workers uniting in order to improve wages and benefits.

THe TWU-ATD does not fit the definition of a union by any means.

TheTWU is autocratic-not democratic. True democracy exists only at the lowest levels of the organization and there are no real rights to democracy as we have recenty witnessed when the union imposed a changed agreement on the members and removed three democratically elected officers. All the power is confined to the top, and the top has the ability to remove adversaries so that at the Convention they are guaranteed not to be deposed.

The TWU/ATD is not accountable. Jim Little and Sonny Hall have complete control over our contract and we have no right to vote for either of them.

The TWU/ATD does not strive to improve wages or working conditions. For over twenty years the TWU ATD has led the industry in concessions. We were the first to accpt cross-utilization. The first to accept a twelve year progression. The first to accept B-scale. The first to give away A&P work. The first to have SRPs. The first to work 8-1/2 hours for eight hours pay. The first to train after shift on straight time-(in many states they would be required to pay time and a half).

And these are what we gave away 20 years ago and still did not get back.

Our most recent agreement is even worse.
We gave up one weeks vacation-leaving our new workers with less vacation than Walmart workers.
We no longer get doubletime, regardless of how many hours we work.
We no longer get any holiday pay. On five recognized holidays they pay us an extra four hours if we work eight.
The list goes on, not only do we have the worst language but of all the majors we get paid the least. Even less than non-union carriers and carriers that went C-11.

The TWU/ATD played hand in hand with the company.

They hired the same firm that the company used to sell concessions to the members.

They withheld important details from prior bankrupticies in order to mislead the members.

Despite all their dire predictions UAL and UASIR are still here, and they make more than us and still get their OT, holidays and vacation.

How come our union never took issue with the fact that if AA liquidated it would have a severe impact upon the economies of the communities AA served? How come they did not bring up the fact that Bush would not allow the UAL or even the NWA mechanics strike because of the economic impact but then believed that Bush would allow USAIR, UAL and AA to all cease operations?

During each round of concessions, concessions permanently put in place in response to a temporary crisis-either real or fabricated- the TWU's excuse was- we saved jobs. The TWU has been lowering wages to "save jobs" for twenty years. The ideology of lowering wages to save or create jobs is not a union concept- it is a RTW concept, a company concept, an anti-labor concept, a concept promoted by the enemies of labor, a concept that the TWU has embraced for twenty years.

We need a real union and the TWU/ATD does not fit the definition of a real union.
 
Bob Wrote;
We need a real union and the TWU/ATD does not fit the definition of a real union.


Is it possible to start an Independent Organization, which preserves our rights as members and gives us control of our own destiny? Is their sufficient interest in breaking away from the norm and starting an Independent Association?

-Association started from a grass roots effort
-Association that has the trust of the membership
-Association where the members have a choice who they want to represent them
Without the worry of other entities influencing your decision
-Association where the local will always have your best interest in mind
-Association that holds the elected officers/members accountable for their actions
-Association that believes the members should decide the politic agenda
-Association, which elevates the Professional Technicians within American Airlines
-Association that does not allow the appointments or contracts going to anyone
that May have a conflict of interest
-Association that requires the officers to know who they represent and have
Working knowledge of the jobs the members perform.
-Association that believes in allowing members to voice their opinions
-Association that does not ignore member’s opinions
-Association that provides Information to the members concerning current issues
-Association who is willing to change with the industry and still have the best
interest of the members in mind
-Association where the members elect their own Title Group Negotiators
-Association which collects dues equal to 1.5 times your hourly rate per month
-Association where the members decide who to be affiliated with
-Association where the members are the Supreme Authority
-Association for the members who are tired of being used as pawns
-Association who is tired of AMFA and the TWU vying for our dues
-ASSOCIATION WHO IS CONTROLED BY THE MEMBERS AND THE
MEMBERS WHO ELECT THEIR OWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO
REPRESENT US!
 
Is it possible to start an Independent Organization, which preserves our rights as members and gives us control of our own destiny? Is their sufficient interest in breaking away from the norm and starting an Independent Association?

You have about $300,000 in the bank for lawsuits against AA and than you need to sell $200,000 in shirts to fund the drive. Get that done and we can talk.

-Association started from a grass roots effort

That would be AMFA

-Association that has the trust of the membership

That would be AMFA


-Association where the members have a choice who they want to represent them
Without the worry of other entities influencing your decision


That would be AMFA, you elect all officers, National or Local

-Association where the local will always have your best interest in mind

AMFA once again

-Association that holds the elected officers/members accountable for their actions

AMFA has the best recall system available in the airline industry. Have you read the constitution, you might not be wondering so much.

-Association that believes the members should decide the politic agenda

Wow this is usually the twu knock on AMFA for not deciding our political agenda

-Association, which elevates the Professional Technicians within American Airlines

That will be AMFA starting next year when the twu is gone

-Association that does not allow the appointments or contracts going to anyone
that May have a conflict of interest


That would be AMFA

-Association that requires the officers to know who they represent and have
Working knowledge of the jobs the members perform.


AMFA again, did you know that many AMFA National officers still work their regular job when time permits. Most local officers work on the floor instead of at the hall making posts to this website like CIO does all day.

-Association that believes in allowing members to voice their opinions

AMFA would be that association

-Association that does not ignore member’s opinions

That would be AMFA again

-Association that provides Information to the members concerning current issues

AMFA is the only union for AMT's and related. They are the only union that posts transcripts to arbitrations that affect the membership such as the force majuer.

-Association who is willing to change with the industry and still have the best
interest of the members in mind


AMFA is once again the only AMT and related union in the industry.

-Association where the members elect their own Title Group Negotiators

With AMFA, you will elect your Airline Rep to negotiate.


-Association which collects dues equal to 1.5 times your hourly rate per month

You get what you pay for, good luck finding one. If saving $10 a month in dues and making industry worst wages makes you happy, by all means have at it.

-Association where the members decide who to be affiliated with

Once again read the AMFA constitution

-Association where the members are the Supreme Authority

Only one out there is AMFA

-Association for the members who are tired of being used as pawns

Sign your card already

-Association who is tired of AMFA and the TWU vying for our dues

So your new union is going to work for free and is not interested at all in union dues. Wow who is going to fund this, Bill Gates

-ASSOCIATION WHO IS CONTROLED BY THE MEMBERS AND THE
MEMBERS WHO ELECT THEIR OWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO
REPRESENT US!


THAT WOULD BE AMFA

You most likely know all of this already. How about contacting Art Luby and get the AMTU to represent us or are you just wondering ART? :shock:
 
AMFAMAN said:
Is it possible to start an Independent Organization, which preserves our rights as members and gives us control of our own destiny? Is their sufficient interest in breaking away from the norm and starting an Independent Association?

You have about $300,000 in the bank for lawsuits against AA and than you need to sell $200,000 in shirts to fund the drive. Get that done and we can talk.

-Association started from a grass roots effort

That would be AMFA

-Association that has the trust of the membership

That would be AMFA


-Association where the members have a choice who they want to represent them
Without the worry of other entities influencing your decision


That would be AMFA, you elect all officers, National or Local

-Association where the local will always have your best interest in mind

AMFA once again

-Association that holds the elected officers/members accountable for their actions

AMFA has the best recall system available in the airline industry. Have you read the constitution, you might not be wondering so much.

-Association that believes the members should decide the politic agenda

Wow this is usually the twu knock on AMFA for not deciding our political agenda

-Association, which elevates the Professional Technicians within American Airlines

That will be AMFA starting next year when the twu is gone

-Association that does not allow the appointments or contracts going to anyone
that May have a conflict of interest


That would be AMFA

-Association that requires the officers to know who they represent and have
Working knowledge of the jobs the members perform.


AMFA again, did you know that many AMFA National officers still work their regular job when time permits. Most local officers work on the floor instead of at the hall making posts to this website like CIO does all day.

-Association that believes in allowing members to voice their opinions

AMFA would be that association

-Association that does not ignore member’s opinions

That would be AMFA again

-Association that provides Information to the members concerning current issues

AMFA is the only union for AMT's and related. They are the only union that posts transcripts to arbitrations that affect the membership such as the force majuer.

-Association who is willing to change with the industry and still have the best
interest of the members in mind


AMFA is once again the only AMT and related union in the industry.

-Association where the members elect their own Title Group Negotiators

With AMFA, you will elect your Airline Rep to negotiate.


-Association which collects dues equal to 1.5 times your hourly rate per month

You get what you pay for, good luck finding one. If saving $10 a month in dues and making industry worst wages makes you happy, by all means have at it.

-Association where the members decide who to be affiliated with

Once again read the AMFA constitution

-Association where the members are the Supreme Authority

Only one out there is AMFA

-Association for the members who are tired of being used as pawns

Sign your card already

-Association who is tired of AMFA and the TWU vying for our dues

So your new union is going to work for free and is not interested at all in union dues. Wow who is going to fund this, Bill Gates

-ASSOCIATION WHO IS CONTROLED BY THE MEMBERS AND THE
MEMBERS WHO ELECT THEIR OWN BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO
REPRESENT US!


THAT WOULD BE AMFA

You most likely know all of this already. How about contacting Art Luby and get the AMTU to represent us or are you just wondering ART? :shock:
DAMN!!!! I think you just about covered it.
 
Good point Ed, it almost looks like wondering stepped onto neutral ground with that last post. Be very careful wondering when and if you actually do take that step you may open your eyes for truth!!!!!!!!
 
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #29
AMFA’s Question: Is there a planned increase in the outsourcing of Mesaba’s maintenance?

Mesaba’s Answer: Scott Bussell and Roger Hrdina assured us that they would prefer having Mesaba technicians working on their aircraft. They also assured us that the outsourcing of work will not lead to furloughs of technicians and that they are currently working on ways to prevent proposed furloughs.

"The Honest Truth": Mesaba to contract out more of its maintenance
Published October 18, 2003 Minneapolis Star and Tribune


Mesaba Airlines will have an outside contractor perform more of the maintenance of its fleet beginning next week, resulting in the loss of 65 Mesaba jobs, the airline said Friday.

"The decision to contract our heavy maintenance and reduce our maintenance workforce is based on the economic challenges Mesaba faces," said John Spanjers, Mesaba's president and chief operating officer, in a statement. "This is a necessary step in maintaining the financial viability of the airline." TIMCO will conduct all of the maintenance at its Lake City, Fla., base. Mesaba will maintain oversight with 10 full-time airline employees headquartered at the Lake City operation.

AMFA National claims to represent 305 members at Mesaba, less the 65 resulting from the outsourcing of its "heavy maintenance". That leaves 240 members, a 21% reduction in membership. Mesaba's only source of revenue is the routes it flies for Northwest Airlines. Northwest is considering terminating its contract with Mesaba to fly 36 Avro RJ-85 jets, a move that would leave Mesaba with only 68 Saab 340 turboprops. Northwest will decide by December whether to terminate its contract with Mesaba, which would be a big blow to Mesaba because it generates 40 percent of its revenue from the Avro flying. How many members will AMFA have if Northwest terminates its contact with Mesaba? Do you believe AMFA can maintain Mesaba as one of the premier commuter airlines?

Oh where Oh where is amfa Today? Thats right they are concerned about their failed organizing drive at USAIR!!!! Home licking their wounds!!!!!!!!
 
CIO, there is no question that all the airlines except the low cost carriers have laid off people. The major difference is some kept their pay and benefits. While the TWU advocated to give up the entire farm first. Lay offs are part of the cycle the airline industry goes through, that’s life, selling the farm first is not. At northwest Airlines when the industry turns up and hiring again, those people will come back at full pay. They might even come back early depending on an arbitrators decision. This is because they have language to protect their pay and benefits and the union did not advocate giving it back!!!

CIO, I do see where the company really does love you though, so cheer up!!!
 

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