TWU-IAM Finally Getting Ready for JCBA Negotiations

[MetalMover]

 
I guess the rhetoric about the other title groups dragging down maintenance hasn't really panned out.
 
It used to be the other title groups dragging down wages, then it was the TWU ATD, the TWU International, then Little, Gless, Videtich, Luis, Woodward, Zimmerman, Gilboy. It was also the lawyers, Rosen, Richards and Levine. Wait, can't forget to blame the financial people like Tom Roth, Donnelly and the Gordian Group. We have to include the NMB and their mediator Jack Kane, the newspapers, the analysts...of course we also need to mention Crandall, Carty, Arpey, Horton and now Parker. All the judges and courts that have thrown out all the varied lawsuits. Give me a minute...there's more.....Oh yes, most of the Fleet Presidents, FSC themselves for voting those contracts in, the Teamsters, the IAM, the scabs from Northwest, the APA, the APFA...wait there's more....stand by....oh..oh...The bankruptcy court and Judge Sean Lane.....

Oh really? Is AA fleet service near the top of the industry in that classification? Yes it is... Is maintenance at the top of the industry in that classification?  No it is NOT....
So your analysis means crap!  Maintenance has lost ground while the other groups gained.....BEFORE and AFTER M&R separated....

 

[scorpion 2]

The TWU doesn't currently have a "retirement guy." Do you have a name?
 
Your pension is vested. Even when the multi-employer plans have made modifications they have been for future accruals and not the vested portions already earned.
 
The IAMPF in currently funded to government standards which keep them in the green. If they take on liabilities, like the AA Plan, they would endanger themselves of going into a yellow or red status which makes absolutely no sense to do.
 
If someone bought a house and paid it off, then wouldn't take on the mortgage from a house that is upside down on their mortgage. It is ridiculous.
 
If you guys want to create anxiety because you're against the Association, then you have to do much better than this because this is more than a reach.

..
The Advancement Group
Tulsa Ok
Get with local 514 for the name of the guy n his number. The guy seemed sincere and im not going to post his name on a public blog. Its on the bulletin boards all over the base in Tulsa so if you know someone here call them.Your right I dont want the ass but this is not the driving force for my decision.

 

[MetalMover]

Derek Kerr might disagree with you, as he told everyone listening to the quarterly conference call that the AA pension plans were funded "over 100%" as of 12/31/14:
 

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2855206-american-airlines-aal-ceo-doug-parker-on-q4-2014-results-earnings-call-transcript?part=single
 


Correct, and Kerr said that under current rules, it is funded "over 100%" and that AA won't need to make additional contributions until 2019, as quoted above. 
 

Funny thing about that - the IAM does not have the ability to shovel more money in its plans the way AA does. If the markets tank, lowering the effective funding of AA's plans, then Parker and Kirby write another check to the frozen plans. What happens if the markets tank and the IAM plans lose value? Who writes a check to restore funding in the IAM plans?

Doesn't the funding come directly out of the employees paycheck? They want us to believe that LUS is funding it, but it is a shell game because it comes right off the top.....If the company was truly funding each employee's pension fund, each employee would be making that much more in earnings.

 

[NYer]

Oh really? Is AA fleet service near the top of the industry in that classification? Yes it is... Is maintenance at the top of the industry in that classification?  No it is NOT....
So your analysis means crap!  Maintenance has lost ground while the other groups gained.....BEFORE and AFTER M&R separated....

 
The only difference between all the title groups in the TWU is that the maintenance folks don't seem to realize that their tactics haven't worked in decades. Instead of taking an assessment as to what they're doing wrong they just blame everyone else.
 
You don't understand why everyone else won a Superbowl, but you. It's the GM's fault, it's the refs fault, the field is no good. The only thing is that you don't realize that you can't win if you continually throw hail mary's. Instead of going 10 yards at a time, you want to score on one play.
 
Then you wonder how come you can win any games.
 
Just fire the coach, or trade the quarterback, maybe it's the conditioning program or the draft has killed us.....No, no, and no.

 

[Rogallo]

Your analogies suck!

 

[NYer]

..
The Advancement Group
Tulsa Ok
Get with local 514 for the name of the guy n his number. The guy seemed sincere and im not going to post his name on a public blog. Its on the bulletin boards all over the base in Tulsa so if you know someone here call them.Your right I dont want the ass but this is not the driving force for my decision.

 
That's an outside guy, not a TWU guy.

 

[NYer]

Your analogies suck!

 
If you don't like it that means it's spot on. Thanks for the endorsement.

 

[FWAAA]

Probably no one writes a check. If the multi-employer plan falls below Federally mandated funding levels they would have to follow set guidelines to make those plans solvent.
 
As it stands, AA doesn't have to put a dime into their plan until around 2019.

Under current assumptions, they shouldn't have to feed the pensions until 2019, but if the equity markets crash, they'll be writing big checks before then. The IAM pension fund would have to cut benefits again or raise the retirement age again, as you pointed out.
 

Doesn't the funding come directly out of the employees paycheck? They want us to believe that LUS is funding it, but it is a shell game because it comes right off the top.....If the company was truly funding each employee's pension fund, each employee would be making that much more in earnings.

Essentially, yes. You-know-who will be along shortly to remind everyone that the company actually pays the $2/hour or whatever it is, but look at the low wages of the US mechanics. It's clear that just like AA mechanics, the US mechanics have substandard wages. But technically, the $2/hr is not paid the US mechanics and then withheld from their paychecks - US Airways pays it on top of their paltry hourly pay.

 

[MetalMover]

 
The only difference between all the title groups in the TWU is that the maintenance folks don't seem to realize that their tactics haven't worked in decades. Instead of taking an assessment as to what they're doing wrong they just blame everyone else.
 
You don't understand why everyone else won a Superbowl, but you. It's the GM's fault, it's the refs fault, the field is no good. The only thing is that you don't realize that you can't win if you continually throw hail mary's. Instead of going 10 yards at a time, you want to score on one play.
 
Then you wonder how come you can win any games.
 
Just fire the coach, or trade the quarterback, maybe it's the conditioning program or the draft has killed us.....No, no, and no.

Oh, you mean the union that told us to lower our expectations, that half a loaf is better than no loaf, we all pay the same for a quart of milk, that has pitted the base against the line to enforce their agenda had no hand in depressing mechanic classification? You mean  the elected leaders who sold us out for a cushy overpaid Intl position had nothing to do with it?
Oh I get it..it's all the mechanics' fault.

 

[toroshark]

I seem to recall the association supporters that frequently post on this site not too long ago claiming that nobody would be forced into the IAMPF. That you would have a choice to continue the 401k match. Now that more information has been brought to light, the association has agreed to negotiate that everyone be part of the IAMPF. No mention of a choice. Ultimately a contract has to be voted on, but if the IAMPF is included in every TA that is brought forward then eventually it will pass. Not much of a leap to think our frozen pensions wouldn't
suffer the same fate.

 

[toroshark]

The fact that 2/3 of the membership is currently TWU but has 1/2 the representation in the Association AND is chaired by the IAM for the first 2 years is completely beyond the pale in terms of fairness. Especially since a JCBA that will dictate so many important issues for the future is to be negotiated with the minority in charge! Why would anyone in the TWU membership be excited about the prospects for good representation in this proposed Association?

 

[700UW]

US contributes $2 per hour for each mechanic to the IAMNPF.

 

[700UW]

The fact that 2/3 of the membership is currently TWU but has 1/2 the representation in the Association AND is chaired by the IAM for the first 2 years is completely beyond the pale in terms of fairness. Especially since a JCBA that will dictate so many important issues for the future is to be negotiated with the minority in charge! Why would anyone in the TWU membership be excited about the prospects for good representation in this proposed Association?

There will be an equal number of IAM and TWU members on the negotiating committee, no one has a majority.
 
And the IAM has the money, the TWU has the members at the New AA that is.

 

[scorpion 2]

That's an outside guy, not a TWU guy.

He is on retainer for the local. He IS the retirement guy for local 514 if you want to split hairs. That could explain his candid answers with no spin!! Thanks for mentioning that he isnt controlled by the twu. He may be off retainer now though. It is ironic that you posted earlier about the chance of the iam winning an election and gaining control but failed to mention we are handing it to them on a silver platter if this goes through.

 

[NYer]

Oh, you mean the union that told us to lower our expectations, that half a loaf is better than no loaf, we all pay the same for a quart of milk, that has pitted the base against the line to enforce their agenda had no hand in depressing mechanic classification? You mean  the elected leaders who sold us out for a cushy overpaid Intl position had nothing to do with it?
Oh I get it..it's all the mechanics' fault.

 
Keep pointing. There is a completely new set of faces and names to blame, we'll just keep adding them to the long list of all those that are conspiring against mechanics.
 
Oh I get it....it's everyone except the mechanics' fault.