Nightwatch said:
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.
how anyone can support these crooked dues collecting, company butt kissing, union busting industrial unions is beyond mere comprehension.
