Us Airways / Behind The Scenes: Machinists

[joe mechanic]

Are you IAM members going to elect a person like the IAM member that stood in front of a padlocked gate at MIA when EAL shut its doors that held up a sign saying "WE WON", Does anyone know what ole Chaz Bryant is doing these days??

Are you IAM members going to elect a person like the IAM member that stood in front of a padlocked gate at MIA when EAL shut its doors that held up a sign saying "WE WON"

anyone can hold a sign and does that quantify him as a leader of men?
please tell me what did "WE" win??
are "WE" going to "SHOW THEM" at USAIRWAYS with "OUR" jobs?
i feel USA320PILOT says volumes in his insightful posts,you all should heed his advice.
at the end of the day,what do you tell the children???
"daddy's making some benign statement and we have no food".

 

[ClueByFour]

at the end of the day,what do you tell the children???
"daddy's making some benign statement and we have no food".

If you don't make enough scratch to feed the kids (what company wants), it's a wash.

If you lose your job (at least half the remaining mechs) you can't feed the kids.

It's a lose-lose situation, and the unions without 6 figure jobs to lose (pilots) are figuring this out.

 

[cavalier]

anyone can hold a sign and does that quantify him as a leader of men?
please tell me what did "WE" win??
are "WE" going to "SHOW THEM" at USAIRWAYS with "OUR" jobs?
i feel USA320PILOT says volumes in his insightful posts,you all should heed his advice.
at the end of the day,what do you tell the children???
"daddy's making some benign statement and we have no food".

I love it when all these newbie posters appear when things get sticky and everyone is united and ready to let the chips fall where they may. For the crap one must endure to be an airline employee working for less money and benefits no longer makes any sense. At what price peace of mind, and that is only one issue.

Every one of the management hacks brings up Eastern. Let’s look at TWA instead where the employees gave and gave and gave only to lose in the end when their seniority was lost to the acquiring airline. So tell me oh you men of wisdom, just what did they gain besides putting off the inevitable? I’ll tell you what they gain, they became a little older and still looking for employment elsewhere. Concessions never worked anywhere else so please explain why it will be any different this time?

Like the cancer patient trying every conceivable cure only making his death painful instead of peaceful is how I read posters like the captain and the newbies.

You people wouldn’t be on here begging us if you really thought that we on these boards are only a handful of blowhards. You and I know better, we represent the vast majority of men and women who refuse to bend over for people with a less than creditable track record of keeping promises and signed contracts honored.

At this point we are fighting not for ourselves but the middle class. Any more concessions will only reinforce corporate America’s use of the bloody ax. This will set us back generations, and for what? To maintain a less than desirable job after giving up years and years of wages and benefits fought for. There would be no sense working in an union environment if we let corporate America take us to the lowest common dominator, which is just what they want.

Face it all you people who believe the IAM holds U’s fate. U sealed its own fate when they stole our work, breaking contracts, using punitive policies, making executives millionaires, and giving bonuses to inept managers while holding out their greedy slimly hands to labor saying give give and give some more.

Anyone who believes more give backs will work needs to be evaluated for possible psychosis.

 

[to much time to quit]

Let’s look at TWA instead where the employees gave and gave and gave only to lose in the end when their seniority was lost to the acquiring airline.Concessions never worked anywhere else so please explain why it will be any different this time?



Face it all you people who believe the IAM holds U’s fate. U sealed its own fate when they stole our work, breaking contracts, using punitive policies, making executives millionaires, and giving bonuses to inept managers while holding out their greedy slimly hands to labor saying give give and give so more.

Anyone who believes more give backs will work needs to be evaluated for possible psychosis.

Very fine points indeed! These others are so scared of the unknown they will stop nowhere to to convert us. They want us to follow them like Jim Jones and guzzle the kool-aid. If this company folds it won't be the iam's fault or any of their members or leaders. We're just a small grain of sand on this polluted beach.

 

[linemech]

Cuts are coming for all of us one way or another. Either through mutually agreed upon contract changes, court ordered changes, or liquidation.

A320,

I believe that you are correct on this one, although a overwhelming majority of IAM members that I come in contact with have decided to live or die with court ordered changes, or liquidation..

The reasons for not agreeing to contract changes are simply too many to print, but you constantly choose to ignore them.

Sooner or later even the pilot group will see that they are not helping themselves or any other labor group by caving in to managements demands for more and more labor concessions with no change to the good ole boy executive doctrine.

Managements arrogance is killing this airline, and all the labor concessions in the world will not be able to prevent it's demise, it will only prolong it !



linemech.

 

[savyinvestor]

Where else is USA320 going to make the money he makes with all the days off? Sure he wants everyone else to bite the bullet. :down: Savy

 

[USA320Pilot]

Nobody likes what is happening with the U.S. airline industry and US Airways is not the only airline suffering.

United did not qualify for the loan guarantee, to obtain more DIP financing the company had to stop making pension payments for every DB Plan, and yesterday Reuters reported the company could have aircraft repossessed.

Business week just wrote an article indicating American may end up in bankruptcy after all and Delta is on the verge of a formal restructuring.

Today ATW reported Delta Air Lines management submitted a six-year proposal to its pilots' union that calls for $1.02 billion per year in concessions, including a 35% pay reduction off May 2004 rates and "major economic and noneconomic changes" to virtually every section of the current agreement (including pensions).

In regard to the IAM, I believe in the end they will negotiate new contract changes, but if not both the Pittsburgh and Charlotte maintenance centers cold be closed and a scenario like PineyBob's is likely to occur, creating signficant "IAM pain". Mechanics could see multiple flights to commute, RJ connections with limited non-rev seats (if any), and then a 3 to 4 hour drive to work. If the mechanics elect to move, they will not like the potential location for work, and many will see personal bankruptcies, divorce, and a lot of pain.

Regardless, it's the IAM and its members choice on whether or not they want to participate in the new business plan or face a lot of "personal pain" in addition to US Airways "pain".

Do I like it? No, of course not, but PineyBob's scenario is very, very likely if the IAM elects to not participate in the new business plan.

Respectfully,

USA320Pilot

 

[savyinvestor]

Of course you don't like it as long as its not happening to you. Give it up already. EVERYONE knows how you feel and it won't change anyone's mind. Savy

 

[USA320Pilot]

Saavy:

As I have said, the IAM and its members have the fundamental right to participate in the news business plan or possibly be eliminated. So far the uninon has not elected to participate in the new business plan or to seek ways to conduct A320 heavy maintenance in-house.

If the union and the company do not reach an agreement on a new labor accord, I suspect thousands of mechanics will be competing for just a few mechanic jobs in just two cities, which would be very difficult.

In regard to my personal situation, my wife has a standing offer to rejoin the work force and she has a MBA. We have a plan in place or "Plan B", but we do not want to exercise it because it would effect our flexibility. I believe many mechanics cannot make the same claim.

Respectfully,

USA320Pilot

 

[OldGuyinPA]

Respectfully...


Deleted by the Old Guy In PA


Respectfully...

 

[hp_fa]

In regard to my personal situation, my wife has a standing offer to rejoin the work force and she has a MBA. We have a plan in place or "Plan B", but we do not want to exercise it because it would effect our flexibility. I believe many mechanics cannot make the same claim.

Put the wife to work and spend all day writing on the Internet. That's a winning plan.

How about the wife files for divorce, takes half of your nest egg and then goes to work. YV is hiring.

 

[geo1004]

At this point we are fighting not for ourselves but the middle class. Any more concessions will only reinforce corporate America’s use of the bloody ax. This will set us back generations, and for what? To maintain a less than desirable job after giving up years and years of wages and benefits fought for. There would be no sense working in an union environment if we let corporate America take us to the lowest common dominator, which is just what they want.

This is complete and TOTAL BS. I am a middle-class American thank you very much and do not for ONE second think that you speak for me. The reality is that there are a bunch of folks who work in union "protected" jobs that think the United States of America owes YOU that protection not only from foreign influence but also the changing marketplace. That is simply a CROCK of sh$t. One of the inherent and underlying reasons for this country's success as a nation is that WE, as Americans, adapt to the changing realities of the market AND of the world.

Remember back in the early 1970's when everyone screamed for protection for the American auto worker? BS! The cars the US auto industry produced at that time were crap and and the marketplace proved it. Think Nova and Vega and Pinto if you need a reminder. IMHO, the US auto manufacturues are today producing WORLD-CLASS products that demand a premium in certain markets. Anyone see why Chrysler/Daimler (Mercedes Benz) was profitable last quarter? It was primarily because of the Chryslers, not the Benzes. Competition makes us strong and I'm betting that the USA can and will come out on top if it puts it mind to it.

This line of BS that "the fight of US's employees is the fight for middle-class America" is false. The fact is, the marketplace (the entire - not just the lgacy airline business) has changed. The equation that union jobs represent middle-America is bogus. Most of us who live a respectable day-to-day exsistance with a salary above poverty but below the point where we need serious tax-shelters don't need this kind of FALSE advertising. My job is protected by MY efforts and my performance only. I get nothing for showing up. Nothing. My job requires performance and execution of ideas before I see one penny. I can spend twenty years in my job and if my performance drops to zero in the twenty-first year, they can show me the door without blinking an eye. I think that's fair.

<rant off>

 

[cavalier]

geo1004T Wrote: This is complete and TOTAL BS.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sounds like you are a frustrated individual.

I have been around the block and back; don't tell me unions don't make a difference! You are delusional if you really believe that!

Having worked in both environments I can tell you the difference they make. Corporate America loves your kind, just LOVES it, a gutless wonder afraid to make a stand and therefore struggle just above that poverty line making it, like submissive little puppy dogs.

The reality is if one doesn’t have in their hand a college degree or a very specialized trade, unions are their best hope at surviving and even then it takes a spouse working and tons of overtime if one is fortunate enough to work at a place that offers it.

I already made mine and will survive without U or its nightmares. I can see my way clear and therefore will not bend another inch for this management and its insane demands no matter what that means including shutting the whole damn place down. I am one individual and the captain is another and we will soon see just who is the majority.

 

[PITbull]

This is complete and TOTAL BS. I am a middle-class American thank you very much and do not for ONE second think that you speak for me. The reality is that there are a bunch of folks who work in union "protected" jobs that think the United States of America owes YOU that protection not only from foreign influence but also the changing marketplace. That is simply a CROCK of sh$t. One of the inherent and underlying reasons for this country's success as a nation is that WE, as Americans, adapt to the changing realities of the market AND of the world.

Remember back in the early 1970's when everyone screamed for protection for the American auto worker? BS! The cars the US auto industry produced at that time were crap and and the marketplace proved it. Think Nova and Vega and Pinto if you need a reminder. IMHO, the US auto manufacturues are today producing WORLD-CLASS products that demand a premium in certain markets. Anyone see why Chrysler/Daimler (Mercedes Benz) was profitable last quarter? It was primarily because of the Chryslers, not the Benzes. Competition makes us strong and I'm betting that the USA can and will come out on top if it puts it mind to it.

This line of BS that "the fight of US's employees is the fight for middle-class America" is false. The fact is, the marketplace (the entire - not just the lgacy airline business) has changed. The equation that union jobs represent middle-America is bogus. Most of us who live a respectable day-to-day exsistance with a salary above poverty but below the point where we need serious tax-shelters don't need this kind of FALSE advertising. My job is protected by MY efforts and my performance only. I get nothing for showing up. Nothing. My job requires performance and execution of ideas before I see one penny. I can spend twenty years in my job and if my performance drops to zero in the twenty-first year, they can show me the door without blinking an eye. I think that's fair.

<rant off>

Geo,

Your type logic is SIMPLE MINDED THINKING.

For everything America is today, did not come without some struggle, or fight, or revolution.

You get to benefit from all those who came before you that did not settle for the "status quo".

Union create a balance in our economy...like it, or lump it.

THAT'S REALITY!! AND THAT IS THE REALITY FOR THE NON-UNION WORKER THAT REAPED THE BENEFITS FROM THOSE WHO ORGANIZED FOR FAIR WAGES, WORKRULES, AFFORDABLE BENEFITS, AND SAFE ENVIRONMENTS AND A VOICE IN THE WORKPLACE!!!!

 

[savyinvestor]

We are aware of your plan B. Also, flexibility=numerous days off. Thats all fine just don't expect others to support your lifestyle. Savy