TWU meets with AA

[Hopeful]

Yesterday in DFW, TWU reps met with Hall and Co. to notify the union of upcoming layoffs. The first round of layoffs will start in May at various Class II stations affecting mechanics and stores clerks. Some Title II employees will be affected. Then, in June, the larger of the mechanic layoffs will affect Tulsa for about 240 AMT's and 100 in MCI due to the elimination of a widebody light C check. A
system total of 43 mainteneance crew chiefs will be affected. My local president gave us the preliminary numbers after arriving from DFW last night. Check with your local presidents for further info.

 

[1AA]

MIAMI:
61 AMT'S
10 Crew Chiefs
3 Inspectors
Eliminate 1 "B" check.
Other "B" Check goes to 5 day from 7 day.

TAMPA:
2 AMT'S

Note:
3 Miami training instructors laid off, resulting bumping back to the floor and 3 more addtional AMT's hitting the street.

Note:
14 AMT's hit the street this past month in addition to the above figures.

 

[Hopeful]

JFK:

3 Training Instructors laid off displacing 3 amts to the street!

 

[Hopeful]

Maintenance and related council meeting 2-27-03


Attendance at this meeting were: Greg Hall VP Line maintenance (Chaired meeting)
Dave Campbell VP Base Maintenance MCI/AFW
Carmine Romano VP Base Maintenance Tulsa Mary Tinsmen Employee relations
All Maintenance Directors
All Local Presidents


The meeting opened with Greg hall giving a PowerPoint presentation to the direction that Aircraft maintenance was heading at this time. The presentation was broken down into each stations proposed changes, results of those changes and the reduction in force from these changes. . He also made it clear that these are scheduled changes and subject to change as conditions require. A national war emergency can have a more negative impact on this plan. Retirements can offset the proposed numbers of the plan. We informed Greg Hall about the problems with members getting their retirement information. I was told it takes 6 to 8 weeks to receive an estimated retirement package. Greg Hall said he was unaware of this situation. He acknowledged the problem and said he will assist in getting more people in that department. It was mentioned to Greg Hall that as a cost savings measure that American Airlines offer Overage Leave to the employees. This is where an employee takes leave without pay, but still keeps their benefits. Greg Hall stated he will think about it. St Louis is continuing with its plan for a new hangar to accommodate two 757 “Bâ€￾ checks in ST. Louis. The old one has to be torn down due zoning problem with new taxi way. Cost of new hangar 45 million. Efforts are being made for outside financing of the new hangar. The New JFK terminal has been pushed back for completion from 2006 to 2008. Upon open discussion at this meeting it was agreed by Greg hall and the committee that Aircraft Maintenance as a whole is doing their job and quite well. We can always improve but for the most part all parties are satisfied with our work group. With that said, I asked, then why is our work group not being presented in the media in a positive way. When they say labor is the problem they must not be referring to our work group! Why not say it and back us up. Greg Hall noted my concerns and will work on it. Upon discussion of “Bâ€￾ checks, I stated that the A300 because of its high complex maintenance the aircraft requires brings our statistics down not the workforce. We had open discussions of management layoffs as related proportionately to TWU layoffs. Greg Hall stated that management is under review pending performance reviews of the management staff. The Total number of planned system reductions is: 540 AMT’s
46 crew chiefs
10 QA`Inspectors
3 Aircraft Cleaners
------
599 total (36 RIFs are already in progress)
Anyone who desires to see the complete breakdown by station can do so by contacting your Executive board or section Chairman.
There are approximately 260 members on the identified juniority list. These planned reductions are scheduled between March and June 2003
The issue of protected employees came up based on the proposed layoffs exceeded the juniority list. The company stated that the system protected employees will have a job in the system. The only thing to change this would be under article 42c job security. At this time, mainly dealing with National War Emergency.

Note: There were no discussions before, during, or after the meeting in reference to concessions.

When I am requested to attend concession discussions, you will be notified.

 

[410OhOne]

ORD

4 Maintenance Instructors bumped to floor (all avionics), bumped four out of shop back to the line.

Anyone have any other info on ORD maintenance?

 

[410OhOne]

Question,
Exactly what is a juniority list and who is own it? AMT speaking that is.

Thanks

 

[Hopeful]

Not a scientific calculation but let's do some simple math. Let's use the layoff numbers of 540 amts, 43 crew chiefs, 10 inspectors, and 3 cleaners for a simple example.

We have a total of 593 amt, cc, and qa layoffs. Let's say the average salary of these employees is $72,500.00.
Now, let's add another $10,000.00 a year to this salary for benfits. (I do not know the actual benefit number, this is a hypothetical figure!

Now using $82,500 x 593 = $48,922,500.00!

$48,922,500.00 just from Mainteneance RIF at current salary levels.

AA wants an additional $1.8 billionm dollars in permanent wage and benefit cuts.

$1,800,000,000.00
- 48,922,500.00
_________________
$1,751,0777,500.00 to go..


Even with this number of layoffs, there is a long way to go to achieve the $1.8 bln the company wants.
I have always contended that pay cuts don't work, but to achieve the savings the company wants, there has to ba alot of pain!

 

[B737NG]

5 Tech Crew Chiefs Training affected by RIF at ORD. All bumping to the floor as Avionics. Ironically no Management Instructors anywhere in the system were laid off. 15 tech Crew Chief Instructors Systemwide. According to the TWU there will be no reduction in headcount of mechanics at ORD. There are about 45-50 mechanics that could be affected by bumping of the system. All of this is of course subject to change.

 

[will fix for food]

[blockquote]
----------------
On 2/28/2003 12:42:08 PM B737NG wrote:

5 Tech Crew Chiefs Training affected by RIF at ORD. All bumping to the floor as Avionics. Ironically no Management Instructors anywhere in the system were laid off. 15 tech Crew Chief Instructors Systemwide. According to the TWU there will be no reduction in headcount of mechanics at ORD. There are about 45-50 mechanics that could be affected by bumping of the system. All of this is of course subject to change.
----------------
[/blockquote]

737-

Good news for the ORD guys all things considered. Have they given you guys any indication of what will happen in the future when the F100 retirements accelerate? I know that ORD is a relatively heavy F100 base. As the Fokkers are retired will their routes be filled by Eagle? It seems that that could lead to the possibility of layoffs in Chicago in the future.

 

[B737NG]

According to the local TWU President the F100 B checks will be replaced by the 737 . The 737 B check is coming to ORD from MIA, as MIA is losing it. As far as any further speculation, I'd rather not.