Not True. When the IBT replaced the association at UAL, they openly discussed the possibilities of entering in to section 6 negotiations ahead of the amendable date. The same was done by AMFA when they replaced the IAM. The only difference, AMFA could never afford to enter in to sustained negotiations. This is why the association more often elects to extend contracts but this is a different story.
Back to the case with UAL, the option to open was definitely and legally there, but the timing was not the best. At the time, UAL was crying poor, threatening the possibilities of a second bankruptcy, courting US Air as a merging partner after initially being turned down by Continental. Beyond all of that, the year was 2008, and also the time of the highest oil prices in history.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- One year ago, on July 3, 2008, oil prices settled at a record high -- a once-unthinkable $145.29 a barrel. http://money.cnn.com/2009/07/02/markets/year_oil/index.htm
Many thought we should go into negotiations anyway, but the more responsible realized the timing was not the greatest. I agree with the time frame chosen by the Teamsters and the positive results of the contract. The Teamsters are the ONLY union on the sUAL property who have been able to negotiate a contract. While the Pilots have come to an agreement in principal, this is still true today.
Yea, Not True.
AMFA never talked about re-opening the agreement after decertifying the IAM, first its a flat out lie, second, even if it wasn't a flat out lie - WE WERE IN BANKRUPTCY- HELLO???
The "option" as you put, was never there. Again, simply CHANGING unions does not entitle the new union to a section 6 opener, that the company MUST accept. Sure you can ASK, the company can and in all likely hood would simply say NO
There is not a single case where ONE union simply replacing ONE other has FORCED a section 6 opener.
All of the ibts so called offers of proof cite groups merging/combining, something that wasn't happening at UAL and isn't happening currently at American.
As for UAL
UAL threatened to go back into bankruptcy in 2008? WHEN? While they were seeking a merger with CAL & US? Got anything to back that up? I was here the whole time and never heard that one before.
As for the CBA, its easy to get a contract when you just cut-and-paste the CAL agreement, and throw a little money at the financially starved. And lest we forget, even that didn't work the first time out, the ibt had to move the pieces around, trading full sick leave pay & additional holidays etc, just to get the TA to pass....a buyout that didn't even have the language negotiated when the contract was put to a vote.
We never did see the final vote numbers
And again, simply getting us back to essentially what we had contractually over 10 years ago isn't anything to be cheering about. That should've been the baseline.
