Strike? Now?

[Large Grey]

Making 40k a year???????????? That's below poverty level in NY.
I cannot speak for the TWA FA strike, but I will say this about the NWA mechanics.
AMFA screwed up big time..They gave NWA so much advance warning of a strike, NWA had more than enough time to hire replacement workers.

Duke, remember Eastern Airlines? The IAM struck and the pilots and flight attendants supported the strike. And every former EAL employee I have ever met say they would do it again.
There comes a time when workers have to say "enough is enough." Let the chips fall where they may.

Re. There comes a time when workers have to say "enough is enough." Let the chips fall where they may.

Any real professional has to be ready to walk out the door when the situation becomes untenable.
Get ready. The clock is now ticking.

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

How will the impending strike affect the JAL and BA deal ?
:huh:

 

[FWAAA]

No doubt the "impending strike" will cause JAL and BA to back out of their agreements with AA.

BA flight attendants are voting again on another strike authorization.

 

[xUT]

I love the 'drama' and 'Huff-N-Puff'...
But I am thinking 'cream cheese'...
B) xUT

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

Isnt it Grand

 

[DallasConehead]

A Federal Court issued an injunction preventing NW FA's from striking (CHAOS was the plan, I believe). But that was when NW was in bankruptcy and the judge said that NW made a "persuasive case" that the strike might be illegal.

Article

Jim

The current situation is not under the auspices of a bankruptcy judge. Instead, RLA prevails. There is no provision in RLA for a court injunction.

 

[BoeingBoy]

The current situation is not under the auspices of a bankruptcy judge.

Duh...I mentioned the bankruptcy because it was a different situation.

There is no provision in RLA for a court injunction.

Try telling that to the US pilot's union which is under a court injunction. Or the AFA as I mentioned earlier - the bankruptcy court is a court. However, assuming that you meant in the context of a legal strike or other work action outside of the bankruptcy context, you're right as far as I know. But there could always be a first time...

Jim

 

[Skymess]

A Federal Court issued an injunction preventing NW FA's from striking (CHAOS was the plan, I believe). But that was when NW was in bankruptcy and the judge said that NW made a "persuasive case" that the strike might be illegal.

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Jim

Obama wasn't in office then. He's the wild card. If a strike seems like it might harm commerce and cost tax payers money, he'll let it happen. It's just about the only reason I'm happy he's in office right now.

 

[Bob Owens]

Obama wasn't in office then. He's the wild card. If a strike seems like it might harm commerce and cost tax payers money, he'll let it happen. It's just about the only reason I'm happy he's in office right now.

I tend to agree that there would likely be a PEB, which isnt a bad thing, after all its not a strike we seek but better contracts.

I think if we look at the historical trend of airline workers compensation we can justify that we've suffered enough and our demands are not unreasonable. A PEB would delay the threat of ex-TWA scabs, and provide a public arena where we can show how between wages and benifits we're pretty much working at half pay. Compare that to the wages of the people who are sitting on the panel itself, Congressmen, average wages across the country or even minimum wage and I believe that ours have seen the most significant decline, and we've delivered increased productivity which more than justifies our wage demands. I recall reading how in the 90s real wages across the country went up by 10%, ours declined by more than 10%.

In 1933 a PEB held "weak concerns are not exempted...from the market price. If they cannot pay standard wages, they go into Bankruptcy"*.The Bankruptcy Act of 1933 also prohibited bankrupt railroads from changing wages or working conditions except in accordance with the RLA and the 1932 Chicago Agreement.*

A PEB in 1938 issued a report against the employers demands for wage reductions, it said that workers should not be "indirectly taxed to keep the roads running" and that when it comes to dealing with downturns in the economy the financial burden of dealing with it "must be taken up by the ownership and not by the wage structure".*

In other words the courts did not assume that it was the burden of labor to ensure the liquidity of a company. Somehow labor allowed that to change in 2002-03 as crooks on the bench reinterpreted legislation and made their own laws. I have to wonder, how many of those Judges have since left the bench and reaped their rewards from corporate America? Labor dropped the ball in 2002-3. We should have shut the system down and defended our rights. They did what they did because they knew that labor didnt have the balls to defend their rights out in the streets. They allowed corporate America to exploit and cash in on the deaths of Sep11 2001 because they didnt want to look unpatriotic. Labor forgot that even in WWII Capitalists sought to exploit patriotic ferver and Unions still told them NO.They were still willing to shut down production before they would allow capitalists to cash in at workers expense.

The recomendations of an Obama PEB may be favorable to labor so I would not be against it. And if they werent we could still strike. The thing is that workers must realize that the delay would give AA more time to recruit scabs. They have to realize that if the FAs go out first that we all must support them, and I mean support them in more than a moral capacity because as Ben Franklin said "We must hang together, gentlemen...else, we shall most assuredly hang separately."


*from "Understanding the Railway Labor Act" Wilner.2009 ISBN 978-0911382-59-4

 

[AC AA LA FA]

excellent post B Owens...

 

[eolesen]

Perhaps, but you also have to remember who owned the railroads back then. They were the equal to the oil companies and banks today, and IIRC, had very few shareholders.

Unfortunately, you guys stand to to get screwed by the political process more than by the RLA or the company. You've got record unemployment and a fragile economy, and all indications right now are that the elections in November stand to be a bloodbath for incumbents on both sides of the aisle.

Ironically, the politicians are equally screwed if this comes to self-help. If they don't intervene, or they do intervene and lean towards the company, they'll be seen as responsible for putting union workers out on the streets. If they intervene and lean too far to the side of the unions, the politicians risk being held responsible for the subsequent bankruptcy filing.

 

[The Goose]

... snip

Ironically, the politicians are equally screwed if this comes to self-help. If they don't intervene, or they do intervene and lean towards the company, they'll be seen as responsible for putting union workers out on the streets. If they intervene and lean too far to the side of the unions, the politicians risk being held responsible for the subsequent bankruptcy filing.

.
A politician being held responsible for any of the damage they cause? For anything?? In whose lifetime? Damned sure not mine.

If the SOBs ever were to be held responsible for what they've done to the country, every single one would be executed.

E - I certainly hope, for your sake, your company doesn't have a drug testing program (grin).

 

[DallasConehead]

If they intervene and lean too far to the side of the unions, the politicians risk being held responsible for the subsequent bankruptcy filing.

Cranking up that old "scare machine" again. Boys and girls, the sky will indeed fall and we'll all be left living under a bridge. Standing with our AA jackets on some street corner begging for money.

I say pour the gas, I'll light the match and throw it. Enough is enough.

With obligations to Citi, new planes and now JAL? Get real.

AMR negotiators have a history of failing and I wouldn't expect this to be any different. It will go to a strike with unions on the property. Obama administration won't tolerate a major transportation shutdown during the so called recovery, he will put them back to work, and a PEB will ensue. Which I would bet will be sympathetic to labor given the fact that Obama was backed by the AFL-CIO affiliated unions.

American will again have inconvenienced the public, further angered it's employees and hurt it's business, by creating all the turmoil only to have to give in the end anyway. As usual, poor management with a lack of foresight.

Trip over a dollar to get to a dime.

 

[TWU informer]

Post removed by ME

I Volunteer to leave these boards for awhile

ME

 

[eolesen]

AMR negotiators have a history of failing and I wouldn't expect this to be any different.

If the AMR negotiators have such a history of failing, then why do you guys have such crappy contracts?...


Obama was backed by the AFL-CIO, but he, Pelosi & Reid all failed on the public option and card check. With the lost super-majority, there isn't much hope for any of those moving forward. I seriously doubt that intervening in a RLA dispute is going to do much to prop up his lost credibility.