July 11, 2012
To the Membership,
I would not characterize the latest offer by A/A for M&R as a “tentative agreement” but rather the companies “Last Best Offer version 2.0.” The reason I say this is, because, the so called T/A was defined as AA’s last best offer to the M&R negotiating team. The meetings that took place were categorized as negotiations however from the onset AA management determined where they were going to allocate the money from the “me too clause” and spoke to the point of only needing a few hundred more “yes” votes to get this deal done.
The Stores negotiating team was able to secure a slightly better deal with a 5.2% pay raise at DOS, when you include the skill premium. The Stores group was also able to retain their 6[sup]th[/sup] week of vacation and improve their job scope language.
With that said, at no point during the week did Mr. Durst or Mr. Ream chose to take the time to listen to concerns being expressed by the line maintenance negotiators; although both were asked to do so. Both men expressed the fact that they were not interested in sitting down and talking with us; saying they were done talking with us and this was a take it or leave it offer. So in my opinion, we are asked to accept another threat in the form of LBO II. While it may be tempting to grab what we can now, this is a six-year extension, which makes this a ten-year deal. The fact that A/A will provide a move to the middle of the pack in pay at 36-months sounds good but what happens after that, two 1.5% pay raises and then another 5 years without a raise? We must negotiate an agreement, not be strong armed into accepting a contract written by AA management.
Over the next few weeks, I will be out on the floor taking with the membership about why this “LBO II” is just another slap in the face to the membership. Even though a no vote may create a difficult situation for a period of time, voting yes will create six more years of working for less, in both pay and benefits, than nearly every other carrier in the industry, including those who are non-union. It will also allow AA unlimited reductions-in-force - since there is no system protection, outsourcing at levels which are easily manipulated by erroneous data, and the freezing of the pension – also, in order to get any company match you will need to invest at least 3% of your money.
Gary Peterson
President
