This Is What I Am Talking About!

[Nightwatch]

Workers Asked To Keep Focus On Customers

By Keith L. Alexander

Tuesday, November 2, 2004; Page E01


US Airways chief executive Bruce R. Lakefield had a message last week for US Airways employees who got their first glimpse Friday at the latest bite out of their paychecks -- a court-imposed 21 percent cut.

"People react in different ways: anger, fear and a lot of sadness," Lakefield said in his weekly recorded telephone message to workers. "While 99.9 percent of our employees are professionals, there are unfortunately those occasional accounts of anger interfering with getting the job done." He cited examples of workers "abusing sick time" or "treating customers with disrespect."

The 21 percent pay cuts, which showed up in checks last week, followed three previous cuts in the past three years. US Airways had told the bankruptcy court the latest cuts were essential if the airline were to remain in business.
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This type of employee neglect should be punishable by law. It's time to send a message to managements around our industry..."get your $$$$ from the consumers"

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

This type of employee neglect should be punishable by law. It's time to send a message to managements around our industry..."get your $$$$ from the consumers"


Management will never pass along the cost of their product to the customer. It's easier to take it from labor. After all, labor is responsible for all the airlines woes. How dare people come to work and expect fair compensation for their responsibilities.

I wonder how many wage reductions wakefield has taken. How about the "Shared Sacrifice" AA management has taken. The airline industry is the only industry where if labor worked for free airlines would still lose money! Labor is NOT the problem. MANAGEMENT GREED & INEPTNESS IS AT FAULT! :angry: :angry:

 

[Decision 2004]

This type of employee neglect should be punishable by law. It's time to send a message to managements around our industry..."get your $$$$ from the consumers"

[post="197432"][/post]​

Funny, you have been praising and supporting the union that gave freely, without further ratification, and has been giving for twenty years, even in robust economic times.

We gave a 6 year contract with 6 1/2% pay raise from 1995 to 2001, and those were the good days for the airline, the economy, yet we still suffered with the TWU.

How do you propsoe we "send a message" with a union like the TWU and Leaders like Jim Little?

You obvioulsy didn't accpet our solution, but when are you going to let us view your proposed solution, instead of just bulletin board talk behind an alias?

 

[Nightwatch]

Funny, you have been praising and supporting the union that gave freely, without further ratification, and has been giving for twenty years, even in robust economic times.

We gave a 6 year contract with 6 1/2% pay raise from 1995 to 2001, and those were the good days for the airline, the economy, yet we still suffered with the TWU.

How do you propose we "send a message" with a union like the TWU and Leaders like Jim Little?

You obviously didn't accept our solution, but when are you going to let us view your proposed solution, instead of just bulletin board talk behind an alias?

[post="197440"][/post]​

First off, I have not been with the TWU for 20 years, maybe you have and done nothing, but not I. Though the TWAers took it in the shorts many times we did not do so while being docile. The term "fighting machinists" was earned more than once, up to and including jail time.

I do not so much praise the TWU as I do find fault in AMFA. Neither, or should I say, no union's performance has been knocking 'em over with ability as of late. You're correct in stating I do not approve of your solution, I see it as an attempt to simply change the meds instead of fixing the problem.

My solution? Not necessary to voice because it would take a systemwide solidarity found only in dreams of aged old mechanics. The companies know it will never go farther also, that's what truly sux.

And just what is it you hind behind here on these boards, or is Decision 2004 the name your mom gave you? I am interested in either ending my career as a mechanic or promoting it back to the standards of the 60's. The days of concessions are past, we have given enough, sink or swim American, I could give a hoot less which route you take.

 

[acmech]

Funny how all these fuel companies pass along the rising cost of oil to the customers ( you , me, the airlines, and anybody else who buys fuel) . But, the airlines instead of passing on this cost of doing business to the customers instead take it out on the employees. :angry:

 

[A/C FIXER]

Didn't Crandall try raising fares along with I think Braniff, but he got his "AHEM" caught in a ringer because he discussed it with the CEO of Braniff and the Attorney General called it an attempt at collusion or something along those lines. There is no way in Hell that all the airlines are going to stick together and collectively raise fares, even though every other business passes along a raise in cost to the consumer. The cut throat airline business just won't do it. So where will the airlines get the needed funds to operate, where else, the workers, don't forget we are the woes of the airline, i'm sure we could work for nothing and management would still come to us and ask for consessions.

 

[Nightwatch]

I propose we stick it where the sun don't shine next time they ask for any form of concessions, any airline, any season, anytime, across the board.

 

[local 12 proud]

I propose we stick it where the sun don't shine next time they ask for any form of concessions, any airline, any season, anytime, across the board.

[post="197655"][/post]​

yea sure thing and when American is claiming their Lawyers are on the court house steps about to ch.7 the place the TWU will garner more concession's "without further ratification" all the while giving themselves raises. :blink:

 

[Nightwatch]

I believe saving the company is a one time deal. We did just that and now AA has to decide to sink or swim without the employees assistance.

 

[Bob Owens]

My solution? Not necessary to voice because it would take a systemwide solidarity found only in dreams of aged old mechanics. The companies know it will never go farther also, that's what truly sux.

[post="197450"][/post]​

Well it has happened before. Back in the 60s when the IAM was the predominant union they aligned several contracts to expire around the same time, and they all struck.

The TWU however did not take part. No they encouraged their members to exploit the situation and work as much as possible.

Some things never change.

Over the years the IAM has shrunk while the TWU has taken their members. The fact is you are right, systemwide solidarity is an impossible dream with the TWU. Thats why if you ever want to see it we have to leave these unions, which are run by people who never even worked for the airlines and those that did, like Kerrigan, worked briefly on the floor many many years ago for an airline that been defunct for over a decade.

What is it you dont like about AMFA? Have you read their Constitution and do you realize how its more Democratic than the TWU? Would you rather have a former School bus driver appoint someone to represent you or someone who you actually had the opportunity to vote for do it? I have nothing against School bus drivers but the problem is that when they look at airline workers they think we make a lot and get great benifits, so they see more room to drop, not a need for improvement. Do you realize that the average TWU wage is lower than the average wage of the country? Its only around $15/hr. Many TWU members earn minimum wage, with no benifits but still pay two hours pay per month to the TWU.

Many years ago, while in High School I worked for an outfit called Triangle. It was part time work, minimum wage no benifits. The TWU demanded a $100 initiation fee and two hours pay per month. I was going to A&P school at the time and I just wanted to work at the airport. I remember asking the union rep why, if I was making minimum wage with no benifits I should pay union dues. After all they did not get me the job like the carpenters or plumbers union, I walked in off the street, filled out an application with the company and was hired. I didnt even know they had a union until he walked up and told me I had to pay $100 and two hours pay per month. His reply was representation. He said if I stayed there long enough I might be made a full timer and make more money. I told him the $100 was too much, I could not afford it as I barely cleared that in a month-Triangle workers had to pay for parking their cars in the lot, to my knowledge they were the only workers on the airport that had to pay to park in the employee lot. I told him I was not going to pay. I would have to borrow the money to pay the initiation fee and I was only going to work there for a few months. He said that if I quit or was terminated before 90 days I would get my Initiation fee back. So I paid him and quit on my 89th day. When the boss asked mne why I was quitting I told him, to get my $100 back, I can get a job anywhere making minimum wage without paying $100 and two hour pay per month.

The point of this is that over the last twenty years things have not improved over at Triangle. The workers at Triangle have zero interest in the TWU. Most could not even say what there local is. Most do not know the leaders or how the leaders get put in place.

Local 504 is the Local that represents Triangle, along with workers from several different industries spread out throughout the country. The officers of Local 504 are from Pan Am and were voted in back when Pan Am was in business. Because the Local is so spread out there is no opportunity to organize and change the leadership of the Local. The leadership is untouchable and could care less about its members, all they care about is collecting dues.

Whats the point of this? Local 504 is merely a miniversion of the TWU International. Its just a business. Its officers are there for life, they never worked among their members or for the same employer as their members. Over the last twenty years the TWU has made no progress over at Triangle, their starting wage is still pegged at the minimum wage allowed by law and they continue to extract two hours of that minimum wage for doing nothing. What's even more alarming is that our wage and conditions are heading down towards Triangles. The longer we stay with the TWU the closer we will get to them. Jim Little will continue to give concessions as long as concessions are possible, compared to Triangle we are still doing pretty good, not as good as Little and other International Reps but good by TWU standards.

Remember the average TWU wage is only around $15/hr, however once we leave the average TWU wage would likely drop to less than $10/hr. There is no way that this union will take a stand to fight for us, because if they did, and workers at Triangle and all the other very low paid TWU represented heard about it they would expect the same. Fighting costs money, concessions are cheaper for the union, especially under the RLA where decertifications are very difficult and rarely accomplished. The money that they get is for them, not for us, after all somebody has to pay their six figure salaries, generous pensions and other benifits, benifits they would never dream of getting for us.

 

[AMFAMAN]

I propose we stick it where the sun don't shine next time they ask for any form of concessions, any airline, any season, anytime, across the board.

[post="197655"][/post]​

Aren't the layoffs considered concessions? :huh: After all you keep claiming AMFA gave concessions at NWA by way of layoffs.

 

[local 12 proud]

Aren't the layoffs considered concessions? :huh: After all you keep claiming AMFA gave concessions at NWA by way of layoffs.

[post="198048"][/post]​

well not really you see, the twu saved thousands of jobs for concessions only to have thousands kicked to the curb anyway, and the AMFA just allowed layoffs without concessions. :huh: so if i understand this correctly its better to have concessions and layoffs rather than just having layoffs? how anyone can support these crooked dues collecting, company butt kissing, union busting industrial unions is beyond mere comprehension.

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

I am interested in either ending my career as a mechanic or promoting it back to the standards of the 60's. The days of concessions are past, we have given enough, sink or swim American, I could give a hoot less which route you take

Promoting the AMT back to the standards of the 60s can not be done with the twu. The twu has been eroding the profession of the AMT for the last 20 years.

If you want to promote the profession sign an AMFA card. Get away from the industrial twu mentality. How can you promote a profession when your pay and benefits reflect that of a cabin cleaner baggage handler lav serviceman or aircraft fueler. :down:

 

[Boomer]

According to the story in the Ft. Worth Star Telegram, if further concessions are needed, the Airline says that they could be done with a Letter of Agreement.

"...The airline has been working closely with union leaders to explain the situation and prepare them for the cuts, said Jeff Brundage, American's vice president of human resources.

Regular talks with union leaders have gone a long way toward reversing American's traditionally hostile relations with labor, Brundage said.

"That puts us light years ahead of where we could be," he said.

Executives said they are closely watching efforts by competitors, including United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, to terminate or restructure employee pension plans. But they said it is too early to know if American will follow a similar route.

"We're watching the situation as it evolves," Beer said. "The bottom line is we're going to have to be competitive in all areas of the industry."

Altering pension plans would require changes to American's contracts, which must be approved by the unions.

Brundage suggested that changes to labor contracts, if necessary, might be made by signing letters of agreement with union leaders rather than renegotiating new deals..."

We all know that under the RLA, CBAs do not expire once initially signed-they become amendable. The TWU testified in Federal Court that since they own the CBA they can change it, and the only CBA that requires ratification from the membership is an Initial CBA. The Federal Court in New York agreed to the TWU interpretation of the Unions' rights with respect to the modification of the CBA.

No one except the Company and the TWU know the extent of their discussions or the degree to which any concessions have been discussed. The TWU is not required to inform the Membership and, in any event, has never had much of a reputation for honesty.

What we know is that the TWU owes AA big-time for their collusion in depriving the Maintenance & Related the opportunity for an AMFA vote. We know that the Company could have easily disputed the numbers sought by the TWU and, I believe, they, the Company, could have made enough of a case that an election would have been realized. We know that with further headcount cuts coming, the TWU claims of trading concessions for jobs is being seen for what it is. In other words, the Company, has earned some political capital, and, they are going to spend it.

I believe that if the quote above is an accurate representation of what was actually said, you now know the real reason behind AA supporting the TWU and preventing the AMFA vote.
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TWU/AFL-CIO Hostage

 

[Bob Owens]

Regular talks with union leaders have gone a long way toward reversing American's traditionally hostile relations with labor, Brundage said.

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[post="198222"][/post]​

Hostile relations with labor? With the TWU? Oh yea like the time when the TWU struck, way back in 1969!

Obviously the reporter does not consider the TWU to be "labor".