TWU negotiations.........what?

[toroshark]

No, what happens if you vote this down is that you get to sit in the corner while NMB focuses its attention on the pilots and flight attendants. That means another six months to a year of working under the same contract.

If I had to vote for either {A} work under the current contract for 3 more years and then begin negotiations or {B} vote yes to the current T/A. I would vote to work under the current contract with no chance of any retro. That is how much I see us giving up in this frequent flierCA approved T/A.

 

[Large Grey]

I'm still sick and feeling worse every day.

 

[Bob Owens]

I'm still sick and feeling worse every day.

I didnt want to say anything but you are looking a little anemic.

 

[Chuck Schalk]

By Shara Tibken Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Executives from American Airlines parent, AMR Corp. (AMR), returned to their former home in New York on Wednesday for an annual meeting that lacked much of the noise of recent gatherings at its Dallas-Fort Worth base.

The meeting in a Manhattan skyscraper housing TIAA CREF was the company's first outside Texas since the mid-1990s, and was sparsely attended despite the labor and strategic challenges lined up against the second-largest U.S. carrier by traffic.

American has been mired in tense negotiations with pilots, flight attendants and ground workers. This has reversed the positive labor climate--bundled by management under the mantra of "Working Together"--that helped make American the only network carrier to avoid the bankruptcy courts.

Employees are trying to claw back concessions even though the airline has the highest cost structure among U.S. network carriers. Its costs have left American on the outside of recent consolidation moves.

AMR Chairman and Chief Executive Gerard Arpey said at the meeting that its labor-cost disadvantage to peers was running $600 million a year.

Arpey's Flight Plan 2020 strategy for the carrier has come under fire in some quarters, including a notorious analyst comment last month when he was asked on a conference call: "Is that all you've got?"

The company threw a bone in a regulatory filing earlier Wednesday, pledging to secure more than $500 million in extra cost and revenue benefits by 2012 from an array of alliance and network changes.

American has made some headway in labor talks, securing three tentative approvals with three groups represented by the Transport Workers Union of America.

Robert Gless, assistant director of the TWU and the group's American Airlines system coordinator, said after the meeting that feedback about the tentative agreements has been mixed and that the pacts still have to be ratified by employees.

Chuck Schalk, an aircraft mechanic at New York's JFK airport that was recently elevated by American as a hub, said in an interview that he is recommending that members of his union branch vote against the tentative agreement for mechanics. Schalk is vice president of the Local 562 branch of TWU's Air Transport Division.

"I hope [the company] is not counting on it [being approved]," Schalk said, adding that he and others want the company to make workers feel like they have a future and career at AMR--not that they just have a job.

Arpey acknowledged at the meeting a need to solve AMR's labor problems but provided little details about his plans.

"It's no secret that because we have taken a different path than our major network competitors--all of whom have gone bankrupt at least one time in their histories--we have the highest labor costs in the airline industry," Arpey said.

"That's certainly not something we can afford to ignore, and we are not," he added.

He said that the merger between UAL Corp. (UAUA), parent of United Airlines, and Continental Airlines Inc. (CAL) will likely result in rising labor costs at the combined company, bringing expenses more in line with those at AMR and making AMR more competitive. Arpey added the merger may result in a better balance between industry supply and demand.

AMR shares recently slid 1.6% to $6.98, which is still up 40% over the past 12 months.


-By Shara Tibken, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2189; shara.tibken@dowjones.com




=

 

[Chuck Schalk]

By Maria Recio

mrecio@mcclatchydc.com

NEW YORK — AMR Corp.’s annual meeting, designed to showcase American Airlines’ growing New York City presence, was a largely uneventful and sparsely attended event on the east side of Manhattan.

AMR Chairman Gerard Arpey credited workers for the carrier’s improved performance, but warned the airline had to be able to overcome $600 million in labor cost disparity compared to its competitors.

American recently reached tentative agreements with the Transport Workers Union and faces tough negotiations with the flight attendants, and later this year, with the pilots’ union. The flight attendants voted Wednesday in favor of a strike, in the event it is allowed to do so by federal regulations.

In a federal securities filing Wednesday, AMR said its focus on five markets - New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Miami – and business alliances with foreign carriers “will result in incremental revenues and cost savings of over $500 million per year.” The major savings will be felt in 2011, it said.

The carrier also said the labor cost gap will likely “narrow as open industry labor contracts are settled.”

In one of the few discordant notes at the meeting, Arpey was challenged by a member of the Professional Flight Attendants Association, which represents American’s flight attendants, on increased medical costs cutting into workers’ pay.

“We’ve got to stop this destruction of the middle class,” said Patrick Hancock, a Dallas//Fort Worth-based flight attendant.

Arpey responded that other carriers had abrogated labor contracts through bankruptcies that left American with the $600 million disparity. American stayed out of bankruptcy in 2003 after workers accepted deep cuts.

“A company that’s not competitive I don’t think is going to be successful,” Arpey said.

Several TWU members who attended the meeting suggested that the tentative agreements might not be ratified.

“I’m telling my people vote ‘no,’ “ said Chuck Schalk, a New York local official. But the TWU assistant director, Robert Gless, said the agreement “is a major enhancement to what we’ve been seeing.”

The Allied Pilots Association released a statement citing the “leadership vacuum” at the carrier.

Maria Recio, (202) 383 6103

 

[Hopeful]

But the TWU assistant director, Robert Gless, said the agreement “is a major enhancement to what we’ve been seeing.” [/b]

The Allied Pilots Association released a statement citing the “leadership vacuum” at the carrier.

Maria Recio, (202) 383 6103

MAJOR??????????????????????? Of course it's major. Compared to what we gave up, getting back just a full week's vacation would have qualified for major.


There will never be satisfaction until "restore and more."

 

[The Goose]

MAJOR??????????????????????? Of course it's major. Compared to what we gave up, getting back just a full week's vacation would have qualified for major.


There will never be satisfaction until "restore and more."

As I've said before - it wouldn't matter to me if "Restore and More" actually took place. Until Arpey and cabal commits Hari Kari on the steps of Centrepork (with tickets sold and DVDS later), nothing they could do/give/award would interest me.

Some people lie in an attempt to stay out of trouble. Some, like these rubes we have running the corporation (not to mention the TWU), lie just because they can and get away with it - it's a game to them, seeing who can get the people to believe the biggest lie.

 

[Birdman]

I was told by one of the TWU negotiators that a target "sweetener" package was added to the t/a after negotiations had ceased in order to "draw in" more votes due to "push back" from the membership. Specifically article 41 dealing with under 50 prefunding and receiving additional hours added to your sick day bank at retirement. BTW, it appears to me that if your 44 at the end of the year you have no option at all. :huh:

http://twu514.org/files/2010/05/MR052610.pdf

If true, this would be setting new standards for backroom dealmaking. I thought for sure all the "push back" I was expressing would have gotten me a few more crumbs from the table.

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

I was told by one of the TWU negotiators that a target "sweetener" package was added to the t/a after negotiations had ceased in order to "draw in" more votes due to "push back" from the membership. Specifically article 41 dealing with under 50 prefunding and receiving additional hours added to your sick day bank at retirement. BTW, it appears to me that if your 44 at the end of the year you have no option at all. :huh:

http://twu514.org/files/2010/05/MR052610.pdf

If true, this would be setting new standards for backroom dealmaking. I thought for sure all the "push back" I was expressing would have gotten me a few more crumbs from the table.

SOP for the contract negotiations. Come out with "high lights" and then "listen" to the floor. Sweeten the pot a little and watch the membership turn on itself.

NOT THIS TIME!

This TA has such a large NO VOTE it will schock the company.

This entire ta is anti-union/anti-labor. The Eagle seat mile cap is a profession killer and the osm language is a door closer for AMTs in Tulsa. The rest of the concessions are pure kicks to the groin.

However, the membership has control and we will take it and vote no.

 

[1AA]

I read the addition to the T/A on the prefunding on the retiree mendical. So the change says same as above for anyone 45 to 49. Which above? Same as 50 and older or the option to roll it into the 401K. More deception. It is not clear on which above. Either way I am voting NO!!!

 

[High Speed Steel]

SOP for the contract negotiations. Come out with "high lights" and then "listen" to the floor. Sweeten the pot a little and watch the membership turn on itself.

NOT THIS TIME!

This TA has such a large NO VOTE it will schock the company.

This entire ta is anti-union/anti-labor. The Eagle seat mile cap is a profession killer and the osm language is a door closer for AMTs in Tulsa. The rest of the concessions are pure kicks to the groin.

However, the membership has control and we will take it and vote no.

So with a shocking NO vote what is the remedy? Who will have control when the NO vote is confirmed? Will those empowered with our blessings have the ability to start over and fix this turd, or will they be restricted by a higher power?

 

[Chuck Schalk]

I can not live with this life long concessionary T/A and I will continue to vote no until the company and the TWU International get it right! I would rather wait a little longer with what we have left intact ,then lock myself into this concessionary T/A for the rest of my so called career at AA. The dangling carrot has a poison pill in it . you must read and understand all the language and how it may affect you later on.

knowledge is power!

 

[the cave]

I can not live with this life long concessionary T/A and I will continue to vote no until the company and the TWU International get it right! I would rather wait a little longer with what we have left intact ,then lock myself into this concessionary T/A for the rest of my so called career at AA. The dangling carrot has a poison pill in it . you must read and understand all the language and how it may affect you later on.

knowledge is power!

There lies the woes of the a/c maint. "profession" .

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Wow cut fleet service pay in half and lay off half of us to boot. I would say massive cuts in pay (over 50 percent) and massive layoffs (thousands) would be considered a worse contract than 2003 by far. I know of course that not all fleet will get him by the job reductions and reclassifications but jeesh. I have almost 10 years in and wanted to turn AA into a career. Now I am about 150% sure I won't even have a job by January of next year. Thanks for the screwing AA. Hope you enjoy your bonuses. I really hope that the membership has enouph sense not to sign off on this garbage. But honestly I don't know if it will get any better.

 

[Hopeful]

I have almost 10 years in and wanted to turn AA into a career. Now I am about 150% sure I won't even have a job by January of next year.

"RUN, FORREST, RUN"