Strike Talk Intensifies At Airlines

[BoeingBoy]

Strike talk intensifies at airlines

Jim

 

[BoeingBoy]

In light of the strike talk and possible contract abrogation, there's this little news item...

Ormet workers strike
About 1,300 workers at bankrupt aluminum maker Ormet Corp. went on strike yesterday in Hannibal, Ohio, after the company refused to postpone a court hearing that could result in ending labor agreements and imposing new ones. Members of the United Steelworkers union who work at two Hannibal plants voted Thursday to begin a strike yesterday if the company proceeded with the hearing. Ormet, based in Wheeling, W.Va., has about 2,000 employees and facilities in Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana and Louisiana.

PIT Post-Gazette Business News

Jim

 

[chele5]

We need to stand together and it is good to see the FA's at WN and AA standing with our FA's.
The strike is not what we want to happen - but it appears to be more and more likely. This time there aren't many choices left.
Imagine what could happen if all unions honored other unions strikes.....
we may need to go back to that time.

 

[Reservation Agent]

Interesting article..

 

[kiloromeo]

Ormet is not under the railroad labor act....

 

[Skyhungry]

Ormet is not under the railroad labor act....

[post="203644"][/post]​

Neither is an airline under Chap 11 protection. There is a gray area. If a strike occurs, things will be getting very interesting.

 

[cassandra]

Who in their right mind would fly this holiday?

 

[delldude]

Neither is an airline under Chap 11 protection. There is a gray area. If a strike occurs, things will be getting very interesting.

[post="203651"][/post]​

i believe at the end of the day, abrogation or not its still RLA all the way.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Neither is an airline under Chap 11 protection. There is a gray area. If a strike occurs, things will be getting very interesting.

[post="203651"][/post]​

i believe at the end of the day, abrogation or not its still RLA all the way.

[post="203653"][/post]​

And therein is the unknown facing all of us.....

On the one side, there is the argument that contract abrogation in BK allows the company to "reset the clock" to the time a union was initially certified on a property and the first contract is being negotiated, hence the RLA process applies from the point of abrogation forward.

On the other side is the argument that contract abrogation in BK "resets the clock" for both parties to the end of a cooling off period under the RLA and allows both parties to engage in self-help.

To the best of my knowledge, no judge has ruled a strike illegal in an airline BK case since section 1113 was passed. I do not know if any judge was asked.

Finally, what I found interesting in the Ormet article was not the strike itself, but the timing. The contract had not been abrogated. The strike was called because the company wouldn't postpone the court date on abrogation.

Jim

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

Ormet is not under the railroad labor act....

[post="203644"][/post]​

That should not matter. Union people need to support union people. Period.

 

[Bob Owens]

And therein is the unknown facing all of us.....

On the one side, there is the argument that contract abrogation in BK allows the company to "reset the clock" to the time a union was initially certified on a property and the first contract is being negotiated, hence the RLA process applies from the point of abrogation forward.

On the other side is the argument that contract abrogation in BK "resets the clock" for both parties to the end of a cooling off period under the RLA and allows both parties to engage in self-help.

To the best of my knowledge, no judge has ruled a strike illegal in an airline BK case since section 1113 was passed. I do not know if any judge was asked.

Finally, what I found interesting in the Ormet article was not the strike itself, but the timing. The contract had not been abrogated. The strike was called because the company wouldn't postpone the court date on abrogation.

Jim

[post="203669"][/post]​

The whole premiss under the RLA is the maintenance of the status quo.

As soon as pay or any other item that constitutes a major dispute is changed the workers can strike, it doesnt matter how they were changed only the fact that they were changed.

Any other interpretation would be grossly inequitable to workers.

BK does not force vendors to continue to provide their product, it prevents them from collecting what they have already exchanged to the bankrupt company. If a judge were to prevent workers from withdrawing their services even though the company cut their pay then he could also force Exxon to sell the BK airline fuel for whatever the airline felt like paying for it!

Could you see that happening? Of course not, Exxon has competant lawyers and would prevent it citing property rights etc.

 

[Decision 2004]

i believe at the end of the day, abrogation or not its still RLA all the way.

[post="203659"][/post]​

Do you really believe the Railway Labor Act will control thousands of disgruntled airline workers?

I think you under estimate the impact and resolve of workers that are fed up with Government shafting of highly skilled professionals.

Go ahead, call the legal dogs out and watch what happens then.

 

[PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH]

I think it is time for ALL Airline Workers to abbrogate the Railway Labor Act!

 

[Oneflyer]

highly skilled

What a F-ing joke. Any occupation that can be learned in a six week training course does not qualify as "highly skilled".

 

[Decision 2004]

What a F-ing joke. Any occupation that can be learned in a six week training course does not qualify as "highly skilled".

[post="203824"][/post]​

Hmmm,

Tell that to the Pilot, Mechanic, or Flight Attendent next time you are flying.

When the Cabin Fire happens, I hope the highly skilled can get you to safety. Why do you suppose they go through that routine to inform you of exits, floatation devices, and oxygen mask operation? That isn't for the fun of it you know? Wait until you witness a heart attack and see them save the person using the Defibrillator. Maybe you will be lucky and it wont be you that needs it.

When the First Stage Fan Disk exlpodes and takes out hydraulic systems, I hope the highly skilled can get the plane on the ground in one piece using throttles only.

When the weather is bad and zero visibility, I hope the highly skilled have properly maintained the avionics and flight controls, so the computer gets you to the ground safely.

Go ahead, ridicule the professionals, you will think different the first time you experience that catastrophic event which the training is designed to prevent in some cases, and increase your chances of survival if and when it does happen , I just hope you live to tell us about it.

You must be one of those that thinks the Pilot can pull over onto a cloud to have maintenance repair mechanical problems.

Good Grief, and Good Luck.