first of all, under the RLA and NMB it is very challenging to even change unions.
The RLA erects barriers to change when its the members that want change as opposed to the desires of the leaders of the unions. If the leaders decided to merge unions the RLA would have no say whatsoever.
So once again, its the leaders of the unions that are the barriers to change.
Right now some of your members have the opportunity to start consolidating the industry by leaving the IAM and going into the IBT. The IBT is the only currently established union at this time that can provide airline workers the opportunity to unite under one union. Now that they are no longer AFL-CIO affiliated airline workers can all try and get into one union instead of being divied up between different unions. Its a start and its a movement, better than just accepting the status quo and talking about change.
Second you have no money to fund it.
The IBT has plenty of money. Besides who funded the original labor movement?
You always have elitists, look at some of the posters here who you put in their place about other classifications.
So, you always have elitists, always have had and will have too. It makes no difference and its not an excuse to not try positive change.
You even promoted afma, who touts itselfs as for mechanics only, which it is not because of class and craft.
Sure, I still think that mechanics should try to get into one union. Anything is better than the structure we have now. We dont have Industrial unionism, find me an airline where all the workers are in the same union, there isnt any. Craft Unionism is also a valid concept but we dont have that either, we have some mechanics in AMFA, some Pilots in ALPA and some flight attendants in the AFA. But then again we also have mecahincs in the IAM, TWU IBT and non union, we have pilots in scores of unions including the IBT, an industrial union, we have flight attendants in the TWU, IAM and IBT, Industrial unions, and in craft unions. Its such a mish mash.
I believe that we should be in one union with divisions within those unions for class and craft.
I have no doubt, excuses are always easy to come up with as opposed to solutions, especially when one does not really want a solution.
The fact is you admit that the system is broken, you have no real solutions and you say that the members need to change. But then you say stick with the IAM, in other words dont change.
You say
they need to change but then claim that change is not possible and cite all these reasons why. It might sound like I'm picking on you but I know where all this crap comes from, it comes from the top.
The fact is that if our leaders really wanted to unify us they could. But they wont, because in order to unify us it would disrupt their little hegomonies and they do not feel that we are worth it.
Its much easier to maintain the status quo, sut back, collect their six figure salaries and blame everything on the members who cant vote them out anyway.
If the leaders of these industrial unions decided to merge all thier ATDs in order to form a true industrial union there is nothing in the RLA or any other labor law stopping them.The only thing stopping them is their greed.
The fact is that I went through all of this five years ago with Sonny Hall of the TWU. When I backed him into a corner he refused to write about the subject any longer. I've approached members, union leaders from every level from steward to International President. Everyone claimed they were in favor of it. The members claim the unions or the government wouldnt allow it. The Stewards say the Internationals wont allow it and those under the President of the International say the Presidents wont allow it. The President of the International claims that he would do it but those just under him would never allow it because it would ruin their chances to step into the top spot.
The fact is all the reasons are Bull####.
So what we have is an idea that EVERYONE admits its the right way to go. But everyone has an excuse why it "cant, wont, will never" happen.
The fact is that the leaders can make it happen, and they could have it done within a year, but they wont.
So that leaves it up to us.
The monumental task is doable but it will take much longer because we have to fight those who claim to be leading us.
You guys have a vote coming up. You can either move towards the light, towards unity, towards positive change or you can retreat into the darkness of what you are familiar with.
The fact is it has nothing to do with whether the IBT is better than the IAM or not, it has to do with the fact that we are all starting to move towards one organization. The IBT just happens to be the only organization in place that provides us the opportunity to do what we all agree should be done.
Since our leaders will not do it, we must. Like you said, the union is you.
