Teamsters Making Moves on American Mechanics
- Thread starter brokenwrench
- Start date
Well let's see...
"The only reason that UPS can afford to pay their mechanics $45 an hour is because us AAers are willing to do their engine work at $30 an hour."
No that won't work...
I got it...
"The Teamsters are going to steal your pension."
AA could certainly afford to pay its line mechanics $45/hr at LAX, SAN, SFO, NYC and any other high cost-of-living areas if it didn't have to pay thousands of overhaul mechanics (who tend to live in much lower cost-of-living areas like TUL, MCI and DFW) the same wage.
Face it - you guys lack what is commonly called "community of interest." Solve that conundrum (figure out how to get the O/H guys to accept $25/hr or so) and you could easily be paid WN or UPS style wages.
Well put, "community of interest" also know as unity amongst the ranks, which is a goal of unions, just not this one.
BTW...with about a one-third of the base making $27 an hour or less, many less than $21, you're not far off from the $25 an hour overall. Add in the productivity difference between say a PTO style hack shop and AA's bases, we are cheaper overall.
Not according to those at the IBT airline division, they are quite interested in the 17,000 mechanics and related. I will be speaking with the director soon, as 10,000 signed cards in about 4 weeks really sparked the interest level. I actually mentioned "no-raid" clauses and since this is a revolt and not a raid, it doesn't seem to be a problem.
eolesen
Veteran
- Jul 23, 2003
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Can you prove that this explicit agreement even exists?
Ah, the sweet sound of denial... are you sure that you're not getting misinformation from someone scared of losing their position within the TWU, or perhaps that you'll lose your position within the TWU?
The fact of the matter is that the authority to do something lies entirely with the employees at AA, Bill. Not the company, not the TWU, but the employees. Perhaps that's a foreign concept to you...
Seems to me that if the IBT has cards from a simple majority of employees in a given title group, they would stand to lose more face by "ignoring the cries of the oppressed" than they would by backing out of the yet-to-be-proven agreement.
And yet again, speaking purely on heresay Eric. You'd think you'd know better by now.
The IBT has no, let me repeat NO intentions of a card drive at any TWU represented location. I have seen a letter directly from the Director of the Teamsters Airline Division, Don Treichler sent directly to the TWU Airline Division. I will get a copy of the letter and get it posted once I figure how to copy and paste a pdf.
I guess it's WHO you know, not WHAT you know!!!!
eolesen
Veteran
- Jul 23, 2003
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And perhaps you should know me by now. Where do you think the blurb at the very top of this thread came from? Do you think that Plane Business just made it up based on rumors?
Nope.
Rest assured, the organizing office in LA was called before Plane Business went to press last week.
Non-binding letters between unions are pretty much obsolete the minute they're signed. What's the TWU going to do? Sue the IBT? There's a laugh.
Thus endeth the lesson.
In Acrobat, go to the tool bar at the top, and click on the "T", it stands for text. Next, select what you want to post, maybe use ''Select all'' under edit.
Then copy the selected text, and paste in into wherever you want it.
Ken MacTiernan
Veteran
The problem lays with Local 514's "leadership". burchette was/is/always will be anti-Line. A COLA would not effect Tulsa AMTs so why should burchette be against such a thing?
TWU informer
Veteran
- Nov 4, 2003
- 7,550
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That concept is foreign to the entire APPOINTED TWU Leadership.
http://teamstersmerchandise.com/mm5/mercha...mp;Store_Code=T
You just won't let up will you company man! I have been unsuccessful in getting the actual letter posted (but will keep trying because someone will be crying for "proof"), but here is the text of the letter, word for word, written on Teamster letter head, based in LA......
"This responds to your telephone call on March 7, 2007 concerning AMFA members distributing IBT Airline Division representation cards at your AMR/American Airlines maintenance base. The IBT Airline Division has not authorized such activity nor has it authorized the use of its cards in any activity that would encroach on TWU member jurisdiction. Please feel free to post this letter should you desire to do so."
Fraternally,
Don Treichler, Director-Teamsters Airline Division
So Eric, as for Plane Business (aren't they just another bulletin board???), they obviously have got it wrong! Jumped the gun a bit, I would say. Are you suggesting that the IBT Director has lied?? There it is, the full text of the letter. Believe it or not. I will do my best to get the pdf posted.
I think you Eric, have just been schooled......now the lesson has ended!!!
James T. Kirk
Senior
- Apr 9, 2003
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have no position with the TWU and no concern other than my own
welfare and the welfare of the people I work with. I have no doubt that my
job and pension would be long gone (as is true at NWA, Alaska, and most
of UAL) if I had been represented by people like AMFAMAN and the other
regulars on this board. I do volunteer in the TWU sign shop in Tulsa and
for the labor movement in this area. I work with the IBT regularly and
they have told me time and again that they have no interest in pursuing
representation of mechanics or anyone else represented by the TWU. They
were raided by AMFA at SWA and by the PFAA (represented by AMFA
lawyers) at NWA and they have no interest in working with the AMFA pushers who
now claim to be supporting them.
When this latest dust up occured I talked with him again and he gave me
the attached letter. I think it puts to rest any doubt about the IBT's
position. I don't know who Plane Business talked to, but they did not
say it was a Teamster official. I will take the written word of Mr
Treichler before a rumor from an unnamed, unidentified, and unauthorized
source. As Treichler's letter makes clear people cannot organize on the
IBT's behalf without their authorization. The people on this Board do not
speak to the IBT and they are not authorized to do a thing on behalf of
the IBT. But, prove me wrong, Lets see a letter stating that the IBT
will accept and file the card you have supposedly gathered.
welfare and the welfare of the people I work with. I have no doubt that my
job and pension would be long gone (as is true at NWA, Alaska, and most
of UAL) if I had been represented by people like AMFAMAN and the other
regulars on this board. I do volunteer in the TWU sign shop in Tulsa and
for the labor movement in this area. I work with the IBT regularly and
they have told me time and again that they have no interest in pursuing
representation of mechanics or anyone else represented by the TWU. They
were raided by AMFA at SWA and by the PFAA (represented by AMFA
lawyers) at NWA and they have no interest in working with the AMFA pushers who
now claim to be supporting them.
When this latest dust up occured I talked with him again and he gave me
the attached letter. I think it puts to rest any doubt about the IBT's
position. I don't know who Plane Business talked to, but they did not
say it was a Teamster official. I will take the written word of Mr
Treichler before a rumor from an unnamed, unidentified, and unauthorized
source. As Treichler's letter makes clear people cannot organize on the
IBT's behalf without their authorization. The people on this Board do not
speak to the IBT and they are not authorized to do a thing on behalf of
the IBT. But, prove me wrong, Lets see a letter stating that the IBT
will accept and file the card you have supposedly gathered.
