TWU-IAM Finally Getting Ready for JCBA Negotiations

[NYer]

 
Well he is certainly not talking about the IAM, thats lost more AMT members than that!

 
They didn't lose more than 85% of their Membership, AMFA had 20,000 Members at their peak and are now down to less then 3000.

 

[1AA]

It's never been done before? Associations are common in the railroads, with the TWU participating. At US Airways you have the CWA and IBT representing agents. The AFA and CWA jointly represent Members in 19 different airlines. C'mon man....at least make your arguments credible.

The cwa and ibt took a vote to accept the association. NMB accepted those results as a valid vote. Did we vote internally? NO! And now we are here waiting for a decision to be made with both the twu and IAM wanting this association without a vote from the members. The association put out a Q & A stating we will vote on the association. Our own unions flipping on the members. Wow, that's a first.

 

[1AA]

They didn't lose more than 85% of their Membership, AMFA had 20,000 Members at their peak and are now down to less then 3000.

And we had 14000 AMT's now down to just under 7600. So what's your point?

 

[NYer]

The cwa and ibt took a vote to accept the association. NMB accepted those results as a valid vote. Did we vote internally? NO! And now we are here waiting for a decision to be made with both the twu and IAM wanting this association without a vote from the members. The association put out a Q & A stating we will vote on the association. Our own unions flipping on the members. Wow, that's a first.

 
You state the unions don't want a vote, then you say the Association put out a Q&A about a vote. Contradictory statement there.
 
The comment that resulted in my answer said this was never done before...the reality is there are many "Associations" in the airline industry and the it is very common in the railroads.
 
The belief no one wants a vote is a made up opinion that is not based on any fact, to the contrary the written opinion on the matter is that there will be a vote. As a matter of fact, there has been plenty of time to get cards in from any other choice the Members of either the TWU or IAM prefer. So when this reaches a conclusion there shouldn't be any excuses.

 

[CMH_GSE]

It's never been done before? Associations are common in the railroads, with the TWU participating. At US Airways you have the CWA and IBT representing agents. The AFA and CWA jointly represent Members in 19 different airlines. C'mon man....at least make your arguments credible.

And those examples you site, there were membership votes on those?
Or was it JUST LIKE THIS, where a few dudes got together and called it cool?

 

[NYer]

And we had 14000 AMT's now down to just under 7600. So what's your point?

 
The AMFA crowd likes to use the loss in Membership to portray a reason for a change, therefore if that is the case or the inference then the alternative they propose is worse in that measure.

 

[swamt]

28 weeks this Wed.  Where's the decision? Here we are mid Feb and still nothing.  I smell something really bad coming.  I really hope you guys are prepared for the worse.  I know people have been quiet, just hoping that the prep is still going forward...

 

[CMH_GSE]

You state the unions don't want a vote, then you say the Association put out a Q&A about a vote. Contradictory statement there.
 
The comment that resulted in my answer said this was never done before...the reality is there are many "Associations" in the airline industry and the it is very common in the railroads.
 
The belief no one wants a vote is a made up opinion that is not based on any fact, to the contrary the written opinion on the matter is that there will be a vote. As a matter of fact, there has been plenty of time to get cards in from any other choice the Members of either the TWU or IAM prefer. So when this reaches a conclusion there shouldn't be any excuses.

And you just buttress my point,
I've stated all along, the Association also needs cards, 50%+1, just like any other new applicant.

 

[NYer]

And those examples you site, there were membership votes on those?
Or was it JUST LIKE THIS, where a few dudes got together and called it cool?

 
You'll have a vote. And you've had time to present cards for an alternative if you chose to try. An alternate outcome is completely possible and doable, if you really want it. Getting an alternative in place has never been easier than it would be now.

 

[CMH_GSE]

Show me one example, where two unions applied for representation with the NMB without FIRST balloting the membership.

 

[NYer]

And you just buttress my point,
I've stated all along, the Association also needs cards, 50%+1, just like any other new applicant.

 
And when they both agree to the Association, they complete that requirement by the use of a seniority list, check-off cards or even a CBA. That threshold has been legally met.

 

[CMH_GSE]

They didn't ballot the membership here because they knew what the outcome would be.
So they are trying to fix it just they way they want it.
That isn't unionism.

 

[NYer]

28 weeks this Wed.  Where's the decision? Here we are mid Feb and still nothing.  I smell something really bad coming.  I really hope you guys are prepared for the worse.  I know people have been quiet, just hoping that the prep is still going forward...

 
Combining two work forces, with at least 7 different groups can become complicated to decipher who should and who shouldn't be covered. It something sneaky was coming it would have been a quick decision, not one that would allow so much time to get cards signed and submitted by an outside group.

 

[NYer]

Show me one example, where two unions applied for representation with the NMB without FIRST balloting the membership.

 
It's your assertion. You show me.
 
You're making the claim.....So show me.

 

[swamt]

So IF a vote does come to the membership will there still be time to submit cards? Say like 30 days or so givin from the NMB?  You guys should be preparing for the worse, have enough cards collected to submit and get AMFA on the ballot and not as a write-in option.  Most all people do not know how the write-in option works.  Now this question is purely IF there is a vote (as the TWU/IAM has promised) at least in their Q and A's.  Or will this association get rammed down the throats of the membership with no say so what so ever?  If this is the case then I predict chaos from the membership.  I honestly can't see the NMB spending this much time on the groups, prior to any kind of vote.  Why would they spend all these efforts and time and money on something that very well may not get voted in IF there is a vote.  It would seem they would want a vote prior to them spending all this time on it to ensure their time is not wasted, this concerns me a great deal that quite possibly the BS association may have squeezed this association thru the NMB.  But then again it is our gov agencies at work on tax payers dollars.  I honestly hope my theory is completely wrong and you guys to get a vote, as long as there is a time frame to submit any cards from any other interested party...