Will Continuous Improvement Work At Tul?

[Buck]

What is your opinion, will Continuous Improvement work in your area?

 

[Checking it Out]

The Tulsa World has an Article concerning this issue in todays paper!

 

[Decision 2004]

The Tulsa World has an Article concerning this issue in todays paper!

Well then,

If it was printed in the Tulsa World it must be true!

Reading and forming opinions based on reading the Tulsa World ranks right up there with "I read it on the internet".

The Tulsa World claims Carmine Romano has a "three year plan" to implement continuous improvement. Where are the details and timeline of this "three year" plan?

FACT: The Tulsa World Article fails to interview or quote any TWU Official with a position on "Continuous Improvement". If the scheme is going to work, then unionized workers must "buy in". Has then happened or not?

FACT: More than one Manager has told me the goal of continuous improvement is to become more efficient and NOT RE-CALL as retirements, deaths, and terminations unfold.

FACT: My work group implemented "Lean Manufacturing" and "Continuous Improvement" in our work area. Within a year, the Crew Chief and over half the crew were surplus and moved out of the area.

FACT: Carmine Romano was one the 46 Executives lining their pockets, while extracting industry leading concessions. Why does everyone believe a man who had his name on the list of 46 SERP recipients?

FACT: I have not read the book myself, but it has been said by those who have read the book, that "Continuous Improvement" schemes come right out of the book "Confessions of a Union Buster".

RUMOR: AA is going to ground 10 A-300's within the next 4 months. This will place the fleet size below 25. What will happen to the work force and the outsource percentages then?

 

[Buck]

CIO: I read the paper this morning, that is why I asked for opinions.
You did not give an opinion on this program. Are you going to do so?

I have been to the one day class, where we built Leggo helicopters to show that by planning we can build more helicopters, more efficiently and with less labor. When I pointed this out one of the engineers in the class cussed me and left.

(No I did not call Human Resources to have the man fired)

I believe that Contiguous Improvement needs to implemented within the TWU itself. Something must change. The continuous concessionary contracts must be halted.

It is possible that Continuous Improvement could work in a manufacturing environment, with the exception of its anti-labor stance.

The manager mentioned in the article from Hangar 6B visited our class and explained how they had moved the chemical cabinets back to the docks. Over the last two years, the company has accomplished just he opposite. Now they are reversing course. If the positioning of the chemical cabinets back to the aircraft dock is critical to CI, then why has Business Unit 3&4 not implemented this?

FACT: I have not read the book myself, but it has been said by those who have read the book, that "Continuous Improvement" schemes come right out of the book "Confessions of a Union Buster".

I have read the book and CI in its base principles is prominent in the techniques used by the individuals and groups whose profession is to bust unions or the attempt to organize those unions.

RUMOR: AA is going to ground 10 A-300's within the next 4 months. This will place the fleet size below 25. What will happen to the work force and the outsource percentages then?

If the fleet or any fleet covered under the Scope language of the AA/TWU agreement falls below 26 aircraft does this also mean that we lose the maintenance of this fleet type?


AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC.
P.O. Box 619616
DFW Airport, Texas 75261 -9616
May 5, 1989

Mr. John J. Kerrigan
International Vice President
Director-Air Transport Division
Transport Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO
80 West End Avenue
New York, New York 10023

Re: Cross Service Agreement Dated May 27, 1974

Dear Mr. Kerrigan:

This will confirm our discussion regarding the Letter of Agreement dated May 27, 1974 pertaining to the Cross Service Agreement. Since this letter was written, deregulation and American’s growth have brought about a change in the way we accomplish our work and we have demonstrated an enviable record of stable and secure employment. Because of recent acquisition of some small aircraft fleets and expansion to additional cities, it is in the best interest of American Airlines and the Transport Workers Union to respond to changes in our industry, It is the intention of American Airlines to change its fleet configuration as market conditions and aircraft availability dictate. It is not economically feasible for American Airlines to purchase tooling and or construct facilities for those small fleets which are planned to be phased out in the near term. We have agreed, therefore, that during the term of this agreement (amendable March 1, 1993) those existing fleets of 25 aircraft or less and any new cities where we contract out our line maintenance will be exempt for reporting purposes from the Cross Service Agreement*. Our future quarterly report will reflect this change.

Very truly yours,

Charles A. Pasciuto
Vice President
Employee Relations

Agreed to this date:
Edward R. Koziatek

* (For example, the B-747 aircraft which is planned to be replaced by the MD-11 and the B-737/BAe-146 which are planned for near term replacement. The B-727 fleet will not be segregated by fleet type.)

 

[A/C FIXER]

What is your opinion, will Continuous Improvement work in your area?

Its going to work because its being forced down our throats.
It's really funny that we used to have all our small parts/"O"rings and small doublers and such/ and chemical's readily available at the docks, but these were all taken away from us and we argued about how long it took for us to get parts from "HOME DEPOT" and having to go to the tool room for chemicals and wait in lines sometimes 15 deep, and have to return empty containers, but no one heard us. But now since someone had the bright idea about "CI", its back to the way it was, it's amazing, its better than sliced bread, yeah right and people in hell want ice water!

 

[Checking it Out]

I remember attending a class 18 years ago and we did the same thing than for a different Airline. Continental. The system that is being put into place is the same now as it was than. I also remember spending months to sort cabinets close to the work area so the mechanic's could run more efficient. this was 15 years ago. AA. the wheel does have a habit of going round and round. back to where it started.

The balance is delicate. AA wants to run more efficient while the union wants to keep the members employed while the ones on layoff have a reasonable expectation to return to work. I hope we continue to see more work brought in-house.

The avenue to get their is foggy, I hope with AA and the TWU we will be able to have a continued balanced. Together we should be able to increase production, bring members back and enjoy a long term employment. At the same time be competitive in the market. This is a delicate balance, with the help of everyone it can work. For our sake it has to work! By no means we want to look for a new job or take any more concessions by the way of unemployment or reduced wages or benefits.

I have always taken the stance, That it is quicker to get several items at once than to get one item at a time. I also like to get the job done in a reasonable amount of time in a professional manor and have the down time afterwords.

The RO committee is working aggressively to bring work in-house.

 

[Decision 2004]

I remember attending a class 18 years ago and we did the same thing than for a different Airline. Continental. The system that is being put into place is the same now as it was than. I also remember spending months to sort cabinets close to the work area so the mechanic's could run more efficient. this was 15 years ago. AA. the wheel does have a habit of going round and round. back to where it started.

The balance is delicate. AA wants to run more efficient while the union wants to keep the members employed while the ones on layoff have a reasonable expectation to return to work. I hope we continue to see more work brought in-house.

The avenue to get their is foggy, I hope with AA and the TWU we will be able to have a continued balanced. Together we should be able to increase production, bring members back and enjoy a long term employment. At the same time be competitive in the market. This is a delicate balance, with the help of everyone it can work. For our sake it has to work! By no means we want to look for a new job or take any more concessions by the way of unemployment or reduced wages or benefits.

I have always taken the stance, That it is quicker to get several items at once than to get one item at a time. I also like to get the job done in a reasonable amount of time in a professional manor and have the down time afterwords.

The RO committee is working aggressively to bring work in-house.

What a political position statement that is. Sounds like Bill Clinton exlpaining Monica.

Are you in favor of Continuous Improvement?
Do you trust Carmine Romano?

 

[local 12 proud]

i sure the only continous improvement carmine has in mind is packing that golden parachute!

 

[thisisme]

Continious Improvement?! What are you possibly thinking?!!! Cutting heads and eliminating overtime forever. This is the worst program the TWU has bought into. How come the TEAM TWU isn't screaming about this one? It won't work in our shop because we went to the school on it and came back and told everyone it was a layoff plan. They then read the material on the shop internet and saw that my conclusion was right. Don't buy into anything that cuts your own nose to spite your face.

 

[Birdman]

Buck, my answer to your question is no. Success depends on a willing workforce. It doesn't exist at AA. Mr. Arpey says morale is good and improving. We'll see when the finacial report comes out this week.

 

[Buck]

Buck, my answer to your question is no. Success depends on a willing workforce. It doesn't exist at AA. Mr. Arpey says morale is good and improving. We'll see when the finacial report comes out this week.

So if CI is dependent on employee morale, then American Airlines has a long way to go.

 

[Bob Owens]

Buck, my answer to your question is no. Success depends on a willing workforce. It doesn't exist at AA. Mr. Arpey says morale is good and improving. We'll see when the finacial report comes out this week.

My guess is that Arpey sees good morale at corporate HDQ, he needs to go out to his workers and hear the truth.

Pan Am tried to slash wages and benifits to profitability, so did many others, in the end productivity goes down.

We keep hearing about the LCCS. We forget that there is already an established pattern with LCCs. Their costs eventually go up. There is only so much "feel good" BS that workers will buy into before they start to want material satisfaction in exchange for their labor.

 

[Buck]

My guess is that Arpey sees good morale at corporate HDQ, he needs to go out to his workers and hear the truth.

His answer will most likely be that he has had and is having his President Conferences, to meet and greet the employees.

The problem as I see it is that there is no interest in what he has to say unless it involves a comparative wage and benefit package with the rest of the industry.

And then there are those in the TWU who are happy to have a job, no matter the cost.

 

[Birdman]

I have always taken the stance, That it is quicker to get several items at once than to get one item at a time. I also like to get the job done in a reasonable amount of time in a professional manor and have the down time afterwords.

CIO, If the CI masterminds determined that during your down time you should go outside your cushy air-conditioned shop into A/O in order to, remove the "fog" of uncertainty achieving this "delicate balance" while "increasing productivity" that would secure YOUR "longtime employment" allowing AA to be "competitive in the market", how would you feel about it????? You would whine like a mule and refuse to willingly participate. You can't even peddle this bologny in your own shop much less the WWW. BTW, what are down time afterwords? Is that where you sit around and bs after your down time is over?

 

[scab scraper]

hey hey SCABS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
y'all talk about union bustin but .........................................

WHAT PART OF UNION DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?...................dAAve?
& the rest of you amfa (puke)scabs WHAT PART OF UNION DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
dAAve is that why you left the shop you were in? too many TWU tee shirts
too much pressure from WHAT PART OF UNION DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?
great slogan huh? too MUCH truth for YOU???
you talk like you don't like the "world" you should they back you SCABS all the time must be your brother in UNION BUSTIN',HE'S AS BIG AS JERK AS YOU ARE
how did you like the pix i sent you?
give it up it's over get this dAAve ......hot off the wire...NO VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
get it? NO VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the rest of you amfa (puke) SCABS get it ? NO VOTE!!!
how much $$$ you amfa (puke) jerks pay the world???? where does that $$$$ come from?? same place when the big SCABS come to town & y'all whine/dine 'em????? do the rest of the SCABS know about it???? y'all keep books to show the scabship @ the scabship meetings?
is that why buck took a c/c job so he'd have more $$$ to dump into the scab fund?
dAAve that shop you are in now was a temp cc job. why did you take it???
they (AA) knew it wasn't going to work there but, THEY had to hurry up & put it somewhere.........look for a move sooooooon & what you gonna do then?
it isn't CI that is cutting heads out there any how. it is the 4/10's that is the problem. more/more shops are finding out that isn't the answer either
like cio said the RO team is working & BRINGING the work back but, you say no
so there goes another arugement look around amfa(puke) SCABS the work is coming back in house & that is what really upsets y'all + NO VOTE O sorry,
i seem to repeating my self NO VOTE!!!!!!
O yeah i know what REALLY got ya dAAve...........the pix in the world the guy in the pix..........man o man did ya see it????? did ya huh? did ya see it???????
he was wearing a NO amfa(puke) button LOLROTFLOL!!!!!1HA HA HA HA HA
O YEAH BABY HE WAS WEARING A NO amfa(puke) BUTTON!!!!! O MY,O MY
don't ya just LOVE it?????
WHAT PART OF UNION DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND???.........SCABS
TWU/AFL-CIO/ATD =SCABFREE
i won't comment on the stupid stuff you SCABS wrote over the weekend
nightwatch/cio/hss/strake/twuer/ etc. cover you up pretty good huh?