Seham's letter about TWU/teamsters lies

[swamt]

Wrong. I want what is deserved-the distribution of the 4.8% and the company toy union leave.
Nothing less will do.

And I agree with you. You guys will not lose the 4.8% equity per Sehams letter. I find it completely pathetic that a union would threaten this upon their membership just to get them to vote in favor of the TWU. Very sad indeed.

 

[AANOTOK]

What the letter (agreement) does state is that they (TWU) will decide exactly how much of the equity stake each work group will receive. Of the 4.8%, they will skim their share off the top and then decide what shares go to the other TWU represented work groups. I do see a screwing coming here. As I have posted previously, it has been rumored that 1.7% will be stolen, with a part of that going to Local 100.

 

[Rusty]

I remember some of the people here saying over and over that the twu international owns the contract, I am pretty sure someone ,Bob maybe, that even mentioned a court case where this info came out.
Now this legal firm is saying the opposite is true.
Did I miss understand something ?

Excellent point limit and when we, the AMFA takes over the contract, we the membership will own the contract.

 

[Rusty]

Don't let the twu keep control of the contract, they could just give our raise and equity stake away "without futher ratification".

 

[Bob Owens]

I remember some of the people here saying over and over that the twu international owns the contract, I am pretty sure someone ,Bob maybe, that even mentioned a court case where this info came out.
Now this legal firm is saying the opposite is true.
Did I miss understand something ?

Perhaps I was not clear enough, the" Locals" under the TWU -AA system are not "party" to the agreement. The International is, on behalf of the entire membership. So they "own" it as long as the membership allows them to. The Locals do not have the authority to act on behalf of the membership beyond whatever authority the International gives them, that being local issues and discipline. The problem with this set up is the International is not elected solely or directly by the membership, so the membership is essentially turning over control of its contract to a body where they do not get to choose who administers their contract. The International in turn picks and appoints people in the ATD to administer the contract, often people that the members voted out of office are chosen to be their representatives to top level management, it doesnt take too much to realize what a problem this can be. People rejected by the members sitting in authority over people elected by the members determining what happens to our contracts. People who likely have little loyalty to the rank and file that rejected them and would reject them from their appointed position if given the opportunity.

So yes technically the members do own the contract, but under the TWU structure we do not get to choose who administers it beyond the Local level. Sure they have mock negotiations but thats only so the members blame their elected local leaders for the substandard contracts we get to vote on. The Local leaders, who are elected have no real say or legal authority over the contract or even the Union and the only option for the members is accept it, try and vote in people to attempt to change it (people who really do not have the authority to do so except at the Convention) or decertify the Union.

Appointed people who can not be held accountable through normal elections hold the contract for the members. Thats why no matter how many times people vote out their Local leaders we always end up with substandard deals. As the elected faces change the same people in the ATD remain because they do not face elections anymore. If too many elected faces wont play ball they do things like "self determination" or "Restructuring" to shake things up and try and regain control. It kind of defeats the purpose of having a Union when they put people in these positions that the members do not want, may as well just have another Boss. In fact it seems that people who get voted out who "played ball" have two new career paths, management or the International, with not really much difference between the two except the International job pays better and gets better flight benefits, pensions etc. Unions are supposed to give us a united powerful voice elected by the members that the company cant ignore, instead the AA-ATD has created a structure where the members can only elect people to represent us to the ATD which is routineley ignored by people who use the Union as a means to a new, much better paying career. Evidence of that is local 591, which the members said they did not want, yet it was forced upon us just like the concessions of 2003, the four years of negotiations without asking for a release and the concessions of 2012, all pushed in place by unelected appointees who did not have to live under the trems they helped put in place. The unanimous endorsement by the IEC of Local 591, which is made up of TWU representatives from locals that operate under a completely different structure that grants Locals much more authority over their contracts makes it very unlikely that signifcant changes to the way we are structured can be achieved at the next Convention.

 

[CIO]

Bob,

Do you plan to go to the next convention and vote on the elected officers?

In Solidarity,
CIO

 

[1AA]

We got screwed by this, we set new standards for as low as labor can go in BK because of this unfair situation and we pay the TWU hundreds of dollars a year to represent us yet they stay silent about this. Why?

A5 passes for International officers and their families (business and pleasure).
FREE Admiral Club membership.
Pensions based on Union salaries.
Anymore you can think of?

 

[AMFAinMIAMI]

Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2013 2:21 PM
Subject: Yesterdays Judge Lane Merger Approval

Brothers,

I’m getting a lot of calls about Judge Lane approving the merger yesterday regarding to the 4.3% raise.
The Raise will go into effect once the “plan” is approved.
The Plan is the final business plan they will file to leave bankruptcy (probably August or September).
After the plan is approved (along with all DOT, Justice Department approval, etc..) and they exit bankruptcy then the raise will come into effect.
I hope this clarifies any questions that you may get.

Fraternally,

Bobby Gless

Deputy Director
AA System Coordinator
Air Transport Division
Transport Workers Union of America

We will see if over the next two months, when it gets closer to the AMFA organizers taking the cards to the NMB to oust the TWU how the TWU will spinning the 4.8% share and the raise we are supposed to get.



But its out now

 

[1AA]

Subject to change without further membership ratification.

How many times have I heard that one?

 

[scorpion 2]

Wow. How bold is this? Seems the AMFA organizers and the Seham group are feeling left out. We have some coupon books prepared for Jimmy Hoffa to sign off to guarantee the TWU will surrender the entire 4.8% distribution to the Teamsters. Should we print a coupon booklet for the AMFA/Seham camp as well to prove them to be liars too?

One thing for sure is with the TWU you are 100% guaranteed you will get the distribution of the 4.8% equity and the 4.3% raise from the MOU. Any raiding organization such as Teamster, Amfa, or Seham who tells you they will guarantee the same is full of crap...

Have a great TWU day....

Instead of hearing it from you, how about getting the twu's legal team to put their opinion out to refute what the letter says? Its obviuos your an expert but let the legal team of the twu concur with you. I'm positive once they see your legal opinion that they will be more confident in giving the same one.

I'm not sure why the twu is worried about losing the memberships dues money? You guys are going to great lengths to bash other labor organizations because you think the membership wants to leave the twu. The twu is great and the members know this. The twu should be taking the high road and letting their merits stand for themselves instead of wasting my dues money on silly coupon games. Why he!! cio says Bob can go to convention and vote on the elected positions and this gives me great comfort as a member of the twu. I know that the few who get this privilege wont be selfishly roll calling their delegates votes in order to get an international position. That just doesnt happen. As one of the 120,000 or 200,000 (depending on what letter jim puts out) that doesnt get a ballot I feel that this is truly a democratic way to handle an election of folks who have supreme authority over my union and control contract negotiations. It would put to much pressure on these fine people if they thought a bunch of stinking dues payers could fire their a$$es with a ballot mailed to them. Go grab a 30 pack and head down to the crick man you have no worries!

 

[Lloyd Grey]

Too Little - Too Late


Done here.