TWU ATD post IAM Alliance
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MCI transplant
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From an outsider looking in, isn't this whole thing about preventing a real vote? If that were to happen, there might be an outside chance a write in could take the whole cake! That write in would be the AMFA! Isn't this what this is all about? Keeping the membership from having any opportunity to do just that?---- Have a choice?
Don't recall there being a vote when AA and TWA merged. There wasn't any discussion about splitting the membership either. The only way there would be a vote is if the IAM got enough cards to challenge the TWU. I'm not saying that the IAM needs to walk away like they did then but between the two they need to come up with another plan. This was Jim Little's plan, and he is gone, need to reopen the discussion rather than waste the money on a vote that the members will reject. I don't even know of any Local Presidents who favor this Alliance, its doomed.MCI transplant said:
The IAM has Fleet at other carriers, maybe it would make more sense for them to concentrate on representing a workgroup that doesn't have a history of voting them out? I believe the only place where the IAM still represents mechanics is US. If they had Fleet at THE NEW AA then they may have a better shot at getting Delta Fleet workers in the IAM since they already have a significant number of people who were IAM with NWA at Delta. With UAL Fleet being IAM, the new AA being IAM and an increased possibility of gaining Delta Fleet workers it would be a step towards having the majority Fleet workers in the same union and nearly all in a union. Seeing UAL in the IAM and AA in the TWU, or some Alliance the members do not want, would really do nothing to convince Delta workers that Unions are finally getting their act together, but if they saw them cooperating and working on a structure that would work to unite Fleet workers into one big Union they may reconsider and feel that such an organization may be worthwhile. One thing for sure is this "Alliance" fiasco will only reaffirm those who don't want to bother with unions and believe that Unions wont do much for them and only want their dues.
I believe that the only way Fleet will ever win back being a decent job is for them to get every Fleet worker on the Ramp in the same Union, much like the Longshoremen. After all they pretty much do the same job. If United, Delta and AA were all in the same Union they would represent the majority of Fleet workers in most major cities. They would be servicing around 80% of the flights. The IAM would have the power to shut down airports much the same way the longshoremen shut down seaports. Alliances are never as strong as a unified entity of the same size. Fleet more so than any other group needs numbers, they need enough mass to where they are so big that even though the replacement workers are easier to get than for other class and crafts on the airport sheer volume gives them enough power to make a strike, or the threat of one, successful.
Or maybe they could do it the other way around where the IAM would use the merger as a way to regain a significant foothold as far as representing mechanics, and let the TWU go after Delta Fleet citing how well the Fleet guys at SWA do. I personally do not feel that would be as effective but once again, this dues preservation plan called the Alliance is simply unacceptable. It will do nothing to improve things for the members, nothing for the labor movement as a whole and in the long run nothing for either the TWU or the IAM. They need to come up with something better, something geared towards the needs of the members and not the unions immediate bottom lines.
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Well it's obvious the two unions have failed their members and are afraid to face an election with fear of AMFA, IBT, or possibly decertification. Seriously in the past decade what have either of these unions done for their members? Dragged their feet and given excuse after excuse for having a crummy contracts. The IAM is wearing the pants for the first several years of this arrangement and it seems most of the info online is coming from IAM ran source (ie usaamerger.com), have to think this is a temporary arrangement, but still is awful. There will be no accountability of leadership and lines are furthered blurred with the three tier local/district/grand lodge structure of the IAM. You all deserve better don't fall for 700's fear mongering tactics and vote no.
Josh
Josh
xUT
Veteran
Sorry Bob,
As long as unions have a 'no sympathy strike' clause in their contracts, it wouldn't matter which union was dominate. Watching unions repeatedly cross picket lines and perform struck work has left me jaded.
Unions will not change and that is the problem. The AFL-CIO alliance was supposed to stop that but IIRC they only propagated their own demise.
When a union crosses another unions picket lines (like IAM did with ALPA, as one example) they have divided their membership.
Like Ron White said, "you can't fix stupid!".
Good Luck and Take Care,
B) xUT
As long as unions have a 'no sympathy strike' clause in their contracts, it wouldn't matter which union was dominate. Watching unions repeatedly cross picket lines and perform struck work has left me jaded.
Unions will not change and that is the problem. The AFL-CIO alliance was supposed to stop that but IIRC they only propagated their own demise.
When a union crosses another unions picket lines (like IAM did with ALPA, as one example) they have divided their membership.
Like Ron White said, "you can't fix stupid!".
Good Luck and Take Care,
B) xUT
MCI transplant
Veteran
- Jun 4, 2003
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xUT said:
Bob, your TWU slip is showing!----- What did, or didn't, but should have, happened in the past between AA and TWA, has no bearing here today! Don't you think the membership deserves a choice? And I'm talking about more than this! Or are you going to continue to push for a no vote?Bob Owens said:
We agree. And I too say they will not decertify themselves. I also say vote NO for this alliance. Then there will be 2 different unions. IF there is no contesting then TWU will become the representing union for the new AA mechanics and related, just like in the representational between AMFA and ibt, the ibt never contested representation, they simply gave up on their members at AT after completely failing them in total embarrassment at the table to integrate the 2 groups.
Yes I think the membership should choose, I face an Election every three years, sometimes more often than that, see nothing wrong with it, but like I said I don't think that there is anything mandating a vote, just like when AA bought TWA. I will continue to push for a NO vote on accepting this alliance. They have to come up with a different plan, one that will keep class and craft in one union, not split us up into two unions. There is no rhyme or reason from a membership point of view to the plan they came up with. Its purely a dues sharing plan, not a structure to build a unified membership, sharing the dues provides zero benefit to the members, only the people on the IAM and TWU payroll benefit. As if we didn't have enough of a problem building unity, this plan makes division structural.MCI transplant said:
If you are referring to a vote for representation between the AMFA and ibt, then, NO we did not. Not sure where you got that from. The ibt gave up and never contested the AMFA representing the entire membership after the purchase is completed and integration is done. The ibt did stay on board to represent the AT guys for the integration process (as they were binded to do so per law, not cuz they wanted to), but as we all know, that was a huge fiasco headed by their attorney Josh M. the lead negotiator that the AT group finally told him to shut up and take the deal. I still chuckle to this day, as I was reminded, how he had to exit the room with his tail between his legs, and give in. From what I have been told it was just like the ol' master card commercials, PRICELESS...dfw gen said:
xUT
Veteran
What makes anyone believe they will get a vote anyway?
Your 'elected' officials have already decided that this is the best move for the membership.
Your 'elected' officials have already decided that this is the best move for the membership.
