We still have more M&R with a BK negotiated contract than the IBT does at United and Continental in a non-BK contract. The IAM has better scope language at US than the IBT.
Not really true, both of those companies went BK so both are operating under post BK contracts, so is US.
The downside that your posts ignore is that we went into BK with a deal where we had less vacation, fewer Holidays, less sick time more out of pocket costs for medical and lower wages than their post BK deals and we came out even worse. Sure we have a higher volume of work but isn't Walmart the largest employer in the US? Isn't the labor movement critical of WALMART's low wages and dismissive of the fact that they employ more workers than any other employer because of both their low wages and poor benefits? Isn't it true that Unionized TWU members will be required to work on July 4 and only receive 4 hours extra pay while non union workers at AA will receive 8 hours extra pay for working the Holiday?
So if we factor in that we get a weeks less vacation, 5 less holidays, and only half pay for the Holidays they recognize then we basically work an extra 100 hours per year for free compared to our Teamster peers, our IAM peers and our Non-union peers. If you have workers working for free why wouldn't you agree keep more than anyone else? WALMART and AA are more alike than you want to admit. AA may be employing 8000 mechanics but they are getting the equivalent of over 9000 mechanics hours while paying the lowest wage to 8000.
Little was right when he said the TWU must evolve or it will dissolve. For at least the last ten years their anointed appointed stooges have made sure that AA management gets whatever they want, even if they later realize sometimes what they want is not in their best interests (such as eliminating the two year experience requirement to work the line). With their PLI and JLT deals AA was able to reduce outsourcing while at the same time eliminating more heads than the fleet reduction helped eliminate, over 4000 mechanics jobs. AA had reduced the fleet by 30% but headcount by 35% as far back as 2009. Its even more than that now. They have brought us to the lowest point ever in this industry and still try and rationalize it by adopting the Walmart approach to wages and benefits and try to spin it into a Union philosophy where volume is better than quality but then still expect members to be willing to pay for quality. Now they face threats from many angles, a possible IBT vote, a possible AMFA write in, a possible IBT victory at US which would dissolve their proposed alliance in Maint with the IAM and a possible write in vote for AMFA in any of the above. It seems that more than likely there will be a vote and judging the response of the 591 election where even after mailing out 4300 pro TeAAm Videtich flyers the team netted only 200 votes that there will be very little support for keeping the same ATD teAAm that brought us to the bottom of the industry in place. Littles promise of a change in the way the TWU does things has not been kept, from hiring the daughter of an International officer into a six figure staff job at the International to recently appointing yet another democratically ousted President, Sidney Jimenez, to a newly created International position to his proposed merger with the CWA it seems that Littles intentions are not to evolve, but rather dissolve. Oh well, at least there is a Convention in September. Who knows, maybe the TWU will get what its needed for a long time-A Leader. The next question is will M&R even be there?