Twu Spokesperson Jerry Sowell Crosses Picket Line

[TWU informer]

During the heat of the TWU vs AMFA debate at American Airlines, the TWU recruited and paid expenses for one Jerry Sowell to speak with TWU members and Shop Stewards.

Turns out Jerry Sowell crossed the picket line and is now a common low life SCAB!

One of the pictures was of several picketers outside of Jerry Sowells' home. Sowells, a mechanic, has long opposed AMFA but walked the picket line during the first few weeks of the strike. He decided to go back when it appeared the union was going to let members vote on the company's demands, figuring if those are going to be the conditions he has to work in, he may as well get back to work.

Source USA Today:

Jerry Sowell Confirmed SCAB - Click Here

 

[PRINCESS KIDAGAKASH]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Jerry Sowell the dumbass that runs the AMFANUTS website?

 

[eolesen]

There's a difference between a paid speaker and a spokesperson.

And I suppose it's no surprise that you left out the title of the USA Today article, which was Mechanics strike at Northwest appears over

Layoffs at other carriers have swelled the labor pool with experienced mechanics, said Charles Craver, a labor law expert George Washington University.

"The (mechanics) in particular have just had delusions of grandeur," he said. "They think they're irreplaceable, and they're not."

 

[Wretched Wrench]

No one is irreplaceable. It's all supply and demand.

With work leaving the country and cheap workers streaming into the country and multiplying, we are all facing the threat of replacement. That threat will be used more frequently against all of us.

.

 

[AMFAMAN]

During the heat of the TWU vs AMFA debate at American Airlines, the TWU recruited and paid expenses for one Jerry Sowell to speak with TWU members and Shop Stewards.

Turns out Jerry Sowell crossed the picket line and is now a common low life SCAB!
Source USA Today:

Jerry Sowell Confirmed SCAB - Click Here

Not Jerry, the guy who AA allowed to walk all over the bases and go into shops to bad mouth AMFA. I always knew he was a good iam/twu man, a good SCAB for the man.

 

[Kev3188]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Jerry Sowell the dumbass that runs the AMFANUTS website?

I don't think that "knobby" and Sowells are one and the same, but I could be wrong as well.....

 

[TIME FOR CHANGE]

The (mechanics) in particular have just had delusions of grandeur," he said. "They think they're irreplaceable, and they're not."

It is not just the mechanics. Everyone is replaceble.
It comes down to how much your workgroup is willing to get raped.
The Mechanics at NWA stood up against the company.
Now all the other workgroups will be next in line.
Take what we give you or be replaced.
That goes for pilots FAs and anyone else who is union.
So either take what they give you or fight for something better.
This loss was a loss for all unions not just those at NWA. :down:
So get ready for the next round of concessions at AA
or tell AA to pound salt and replace us.
The whole industry cant be replaced or can it.
Id rather go down fighting than roll over with a sore ass :blink:

 

[Bob Owens]

It is not just the mechanics. Everyone is replaceble.
It comes down to how much your workgroup is willing to get raped.
The Mechanics at NWA stood up against the company.
Now all the other workgroups will be next in line.
Take what we give you or be replaced.
That goes for pilots FAs and anyone else who is union.
So either take what they give you or fight for something better.
This loss was a loss for all unions not just those at NWA. :down:
So get ready for the next round of concessions at AA
or tell AA to pound salt and replace us.
The whole industry cant be replaced or can it.
Id rather go down fighting than roll over with a sore ass :blink:

Well one thing you have to consider is that NWA is still trying to hire replacements, and they have been at it for 20 months. So, should another carriers mechanics decide to strike, that carrier, especially if the carrier is a large one like AA (like that would happen), they would have an even harder time. While the news articles cite the fact that thousands of mechanics were laid off over the last few years they ignored the fact that most have left the industry permanently, even if called back they aint coming back, its not like they are waiting around to cross picket lines.

 

[eolesen]

The whole industry cant be replaced or can it.
Id rather go down fighting than roll over with a sore ass :blink:

If you hadn't noticed, the whole industry is being replaced by the kids at Jetblue, Airtran, Westjet, etc. and repeating silly chants like "full pay to the last day" isn't going to stop that from happening.

Even WN is feeling pressure from the new kids on the block. The difference is that they're already adapting, by changing their business plan from being the indirect competitor they were 10 years ago to getting in other airlines faces as they've done in PHL, and will be doing in DEN. But they've also got the flexibility with their unions to do that.

 

[Bob Owens]

If you hadn't noticed, the whole industry is being replaced by the kids at Jetblue, Airtran, Westjet, etc. and repeating silly chants like "full pay to the last day" isn't going to stop that from happening.

Even WN is feeling pressure from the new kids on the block. The difference is that they're already adapting, by changing their business plan from being the indirect competitor they were 10 years ago to getting in other airlines faces as they've done in PHL, and will be doing in DEN. But they've also got the flexibility with their unions to do that.

Fine, then why prolong the agony by taking concessions? Let SWA thrive if thats the case.

Now, point out the specifics that SWA enjoys with their maintenance that other carriers dont have, other than the fact that SWA pays $7/hr more.

 

[eolesen]

Point out the specifics that SWA enjoys with their maintenance that other carriers dont have, other than the fact that SWA pays $7/hr more.

Other carriers, or AA?

With regard to AA, they clearly have fewer mechanics per aircraft, even taking into consideration the fact that they are doing some of their heavy checks in-house.

Sure, there's a complexity factor from operating widebodies and having multiple types, but AA has more than 3x mechanics per aircraft and 2.5 x mechanics as a percentage of the total workforce than WN.

Employees			  SWA	  AAL
  Flight			   11442	25792
  Maintenance		   1972	12464
  Ground/Res		   13414	33093
  Management/Clerical   4183	 9819
			

Employees per Aircraft			
  Flight				27	  36
  Maintenance			5	  17
  Ground/Res			32	  46
  Management/Clerical   10	  14
			

WG % of Employees			
  Flight				37	  32
  Maintenance			6	  15
  Ground/Res			43	  41
  Management/Clerical   13	  12

I've had to go with WN's breakout from their 2004 annual report, which conveniently for this argument had maintenance broken out as a single workgroup. AA's number is from 3Q05 data, so it's not exactly as close as I'd like it to be, but it isn't like AA has been on a hiring spree this year...

I don't have comparable numbers for other carriers yet, but I'd expect some of those gaps to close up for someone like UA or CO who has outsourced overhaul. NWA will be an even more interesting one to watch, since they're looking to outsource overhaul, line maintenance, and possibly ground operations.

 

[Vortilon]

The jury is still out on the success of NWA replacing their mechanics. My sources at NWA tell me that there are AMTs getting walked out the door almost daily for insubordination type reasons. The morale is nonexistant. The effects on the fleet are starting to show as well. Who would want to work in that kind of environment?

So, before you would take the word of some (know it all) analyst or professor that hasn't set foot around the NWA ramp or hanger and got the scoop first hand, and actually understood the details of how to interpret aircraft maintenance performance - give it some time to unravel. The truth will come out soon enough. It is still way too early to be making any assertions of NWA success in replacing their AMTs.

Consider the quality of the scabs NWA got in replacement of the quality AMTs they lost. The figures on how many scabs couldn't pass the background checks, and drug and alcohol tests were staggering. The guys who made it; well, consider the character of these lowlifes. I wouldn't want one of these guys covering my six for anything! 😉

 

[TWU informer]

Other carriers, or AA?

With regard to AA, they clearly have fewer mechanics per aircraft, even taking into consideration the fact that they are doing some of their heavy checks in-house.

Sure, there's a complexity factor from operating widebodies and having multiple types, but AA has more than 3x mechanics per aircraft and 2.5 x mechanics as a percentage of the total workforce than WN.

Employees			  SWA	  AAL
  Flight			   11442	25792
  Maintenance		   1972	12464
  Ground/Res		   13414	33093
  Management/Clerical   4183	 9819
			

Employees per Aircraft			
  Flight				27	  36
  Maintenance			5	  17
  Ground/Res			32	  46
  Management/Clerical   10	  14
			

WG % of Employees			
  Flight				37	  32
  Maintenance			6	  15
  Ground/Res			43	  41
  Management/Clerical   13	  12

I've had to go with WN's breakout from their 2004 annual report, which conveniently for this argument had maintenance broken out as a single workgroup. AA's number is from 3Q05 data, so it's not exactly as close as I'd like it to be, but it isn't like AA has been on a hiring spree this year...

I don't have comparable numbers for other carriers yet, but I'd expect some of those gaps to close up for someone like UA or CO who has outsourced overhaul. NWA will be an even more interesting one to watch, since they're looking to outsource overhaul, line maintenance, and possibly ground operations.

OK, now take the WN AVERAGE pay per mechanic against AA's AVERAGE pay per mechanic, and you will surely find that AA is getting a damn good deal on that large number of mechanics. Problem is, all those large number of employees are disgruntled due to the massive pay and benefit cuts, so the sweet deal has gone sour.

Remember, the TWU agenda was to save jobs, and pay and benefits were drastically sacrificed and cut to keep that LARGE number of Maintenance employees per aircraft.

Cut that total number down, give back some pay and benefits, and you will gain the productivity rule changes to make things better. But to leave the union deal in place that cut pay and benefits to the bone, causing massive Airline Induced Divorce Sydrome, and then on top of that cut heads and gain work rules, is a recipe for further disaster.

Just get a damn business plan together, make the tough decisions, and take action. But to have the cake, ice cream, and the cherry is NOT the answer you are looking for.

Of course you will have to go directly to the membership and somehow by-pass the leadership agenda of jobs, jobs, jobs, what you really need is work, work, work, and that is obtainable with the right formula.

I remember hearing about the late 70's where head count was cut to below operational requirements, and those that were left worked overtime. This reduced the medical, dental, vision, and prescription liabilty and productivity reached all time highs. Something to think about!

 

[Wretched Wrench]

there are AMTs getting walked out the door almost daily for insubordination type reasons. The morale is nonexistant.

Bad situation. The worst corporate culture in the industry and the dregs of the trade working there.

When I was a business major, NWA and Southern Pacific RR were used as examples of how not to do it.

.

 

[MCI transplant]

If you hadn't noticed, the whole industry is being replaced by the kids at Jetblue, Airtran, Westjet, etc. and repeating silly chants like "full pay to the last day" isn't going to stop that from happening.

Even WN is feeling pressure from the new kids on the block. The difference is that they're already adapting, by changing their business plan from being the indirect competitor they were 10 years ago to getting in other airlines faces as they've done in PHL, and will be doing in DEN. But they've also got the flexibility with their unions to do that.

<_< Just remmber Mr. former ModerAAtor, your job can be sent to Poland also!!!!So don't get too cockey!!! Can you say? "Putsa mia via dupa!!" 😛