WN Mechanics seek mediation

[B737 driver]

A few of you guys that were holding your breath on getting a deal anytime soon, need to read over the earning call transcripts today, and not focus on the rah rah about 3rd qtr profit rising 16%. Full year CASM going up, over 3% next year, and that's not including fuel related costs, which they are hedged 2.30-2.35 roughly, which is also higher than our current 2.25. It's not a mystery the sp tanked 9% today. The airline has just come out and said we have to cut costs. Yea, great time to be in Negotiations.

You can't tell the driver Swamt of the AMFA clown bus, they know all pathetic!-Go Figure!

 

[B737 driver]

No one has said we will get a deal any time soon. I have said next year some time. I have also said it "could" be done rather quickly if the company really wants to get it done, but they have not wanted to get it done for over 6 years so I still don't see anything getting done any time soon.
Of course cost are increasing. They do every new year. New Pilots contract, new F/A's contracts, all new contracts except for 2 groups, and when they get new contracts the cost will rise again. But SWA is prepared for all of that. Fuel cost SWA is also prepared for. When you become an airline of this size, cost will rise year over year. The company will use these cost increases to scream at the top of their lungs that they need to "cut cost" as they are soon entering into contract talks with the Pilots and F/A's soon as well as still needing to get new contracts for the mechanics and stores employees.
The company will use the cost as an excuse to try and cheap out on all the contracts, they do this each and every time contracts are coming up for nego's.
It's all tactics dgaf, and some will fall for it, but I assure you that 75% of the membership will not. Make us whole with reasonable yearly raises that's all. Not being greedy, not being unreasonable.
Don't expect much out of the upcoming dates Nov. 19-20 meetings. Like I said before, they will more than likely meet, introduce, go over all info and bring everyone up to date and set more dates. It will be more like a meet and greet and get informed than be nego's., so don't expect much progress at all. I said this when the dates were announced. The real nego's will take place next year after all the holidays just like I said before.

So this running your mouth saying getting let's get this done, all over the American page telling what they need to do, and we can't even get a contract.

 

[swamt]

And here's a more in line article to represent the 3Q earnings. This is what would be considered a much more regular earnings report article, NOT, the doom and gloom articles that SWA called and gave interviews to for the doom and gloom.
Our 3Q earning were in fact a very positive and fantastic new record numbers being reached and broken. Yet SWA wanted to try and take it to the other side with all the doom and gloom just because all the groups coming up or currently in contract talks.
It all alsi speaks volumes how bad SWA wanted to use the investors and the market share price to help them drive their reasonings within nego's at the table. SWA is directly responsible for the stock price caving several % points with their games the keep playing.

Business Zacks
Southwest (LUV) Q3 Earnings Top Estimates on Higher Revenues

The first para says it all;
"Southwest Airlines Co. LUV reported third-quarter 2018 earnings per share of $1.08, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.06. Moreover, the bottom line improved 22.7% on a year-over-year basis despite higher fuel prices. Results were aided by stronger revenues."

 

[B737 driver]

And here's a more in line article to represent the 3Q earnings. This is what would be considered a much more regular earnings report article, NOT, the doom and gloom articles that SWA called and gave interviews to for the doom and gloom.
Our 3Q earning were in fact a very positive and fantastic new record numbers being reached and broken. Yet SWA wanted to try and take it to the other side with all the doom and gloom just because all the groups coming up or currently in contract talks.
It all alsi speaks volumes how bad SWA wanted to use the investors and the market share price to help them drive their reasonings within nego's at the table. SWA is directly responsible for the stock price caving several % points with their games the keep playing.

Business Zacks
Southwest (LUV) Q3 Earnings Top Estimates on Higher Revenues

The first para says it all;
"Southwest Airlines Co. LUV reported third-quarter 2018 earnings per share of $1.08, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.06. Moreover, the bottom line improved 22.7% on a year-over-year basis despite higher fuel prices. Results were aided by stronger revenues."

It's amazing how you ramble on, saying this is what SWA is doing.Instead of admitting maybe we overplayed our hand on saying no, and people will realize AMFA is not as smart as they think they are.

 

[swamt]

Although this is positive news about starting the Hawaii flights, I am not so sure the time frame is accurate. They expect SWA to have ETOPS by first half of Dec.?
We haven't even flown the test flights for the FAA yet and there will be multiple test flights not just one run. Never heard of these flights taking place this year as of yet either.
Here's lies a question for all to think about. How prominent do you think ETOPS will be during the next round of talks??
Now I know ETOPS has been T/A'd on, but, my question is more in line with how willing and ready will the company be to really get this done with their new nego cmte just being announced.
After going over the list of the new names coming in on the company's side, it would appear that SWA is putting decision makers at the table. A couple of them are very high up within the company, much, much higher than the folks they replaced.
I would be willing to bet that NONE of these new nego. will allow the mechanics to run into their offices to pick up company propaganda.
What does concern me is there are two from the original cmte remaining on the new one. But, at least they did replace the company's lead nego. I feel he was trying to run these nego's like he used to at A/T and that won't work here and almost impossible to intermingle it within the SWA culture as we all watched and seen for the past 6 years.
Has anyone heard who the new lead nego. is on the company's side? The list contained all the new cmte members for the company but never announced who will be the lead or chairperson for the company. Just curious is all...

 

[swamt]

Wow!
Never thought we would be reading about a Max 8 so soon.
Waiting for more info.
Prayers and thoughts for the passengers and their families...

World Associated Press
Indonesian airline whose plane crashed a low-cost high flyer

 

[B737 driver]

Wow!
Never thought we would be reading about a Max 8 so soon.
Waiting for more info.
Prayers and thoughts for the passengers and their families...

World Associated Press
Indonesian airline whose plane crashed a low-cost high flyer

 

[B737 driver]

Beat you to it, sometimes it doesn't pay to have people on ignore.

 

[dgaf]

I for one do not share the same enthusiasm that Gary and the cheerleaders share on going to Hawaii. Kind of like I was not excited about going to Mexico, and you see the latest info on that. Gary has said Mexico is not making money but we're going to hold a while to see how the market trends on that. So my question to you guys on the board is how many of you have worked for major carriers before because the one I worked for which was the same story at other majors is, Hawaii doesn't make any money, yes the loads were full but it's full of people cashing in frequent flyer miles and non revs. So what makes anybody think it's going to be any different here, especially when fuel prices are rising, rasm drops and casm going up.

 

[B737 driver]

I for one do not share the same enthusiasm that Gary and the cheerleaders share on going to Hawaii. Kind of like I was not excited about going to Mexico, and you see the latest info on that. Gary has said Mexico is not making money but we're going to hold a while to see how the market trends on that. So my question to you guys on the board is how many of you have worked for major carriers before because the one I worked for which was the same story at other majors is, Hawaii doesn't make any money, yes the loads were full but it's full of people cashing in frequent flyer miles and non revs. So what makes anybody think it's going to be any different here, especially when fuel prices are rising, rasm drops and casm going up.

The Airlines that make money to Hawaii are flying wide bodies, full of freight down stairs, a 737 ,can't haul much freight. Just like ETOPS is expensive to maintain, just like a true autoland program is.

 

[B737 driver]

I for one do not share the same enthusiasm that Gary and the cheerleaders share on going to Hawaii. Kind of like I was not excited about going to Mexico, and you see the latest info on that. Gary has said Mexico is not making money but we're going to hold a while to see how the market trends on that. So my question to you guys on the board is how many of you have worked for major carriers before because the one I worked for which was the same story at other majors is, Hawaii doesn't make any money, yes the loads were full but it's full of people cashing in frequent flyer miles and non revs. So what makes anybody think it's going to be any different here, especially when fuel prices are rising, rasm drops and casm going up.

I see our stock is trading in the 48 range, guess I wasn't so stupid selling shares at $66 in January. Well, well Swarat and his cronies still driving the AMFA clown bus saying we have all this money coming. Funny how things can change in an instant.

 

[swamt]

I for one do not share the same enthusiasm that Gary and the cheerleaders share on going to Hawaii. Kind of like I was not excited about going to Mexico, and you see the latest info on that. Gary has said Mexico is not making money but we're going to hold a while to see how the market trends on that. So my question to you guys on the board is how many of you have worked for major carriers before because the one I worked for which was the same story at other majors is, Hawaii doesn't make any money, yes the loads were full but it's full of people cashing in frequent flyer miles and non revs. So what makes anybody think it's going to be any different here, especially when fuel prices are rising, rasm drops and casm going up.

Not sure. But great point you bring up. Maybe SWA is hoping for a lot of new travelers to Hawaii from other carriers to help boost the revs.
But rest assured, I think we all will be seeing SWA order some wide bodies in the future. With what SWA is entertaining with international, it's a no brainer that we will go with wide bodies some time in the future, the big question is WHEN and WHERE for the first flights.

 

[swamt]

Here's a piece out of our grapevine newsletter written by our Regional 2 Director Will Abbott.
It shows how far AMFA has come with all the labor groups at SWA including the teamsters.
Stay informed and stay strong we will get a new contract soon IMO...


An Informed Membership is Key to Winning a Strong Contract
By Will Abbott, Region II Director

Over the last few months, AMFA members turned out in record numbers to vote down two tentative agreements: a Transition and Seniority Integration Agreement Referendum at Alaska Airlines (ASA) and a Tentative Agreement Ratification Referendum at Southwest Airlines (SWA). Both agreements were flawed. The Negotiating Committees will use your overwhelming rejection, and the most recent bargaining survey to go back to the table and renegotiate.

It is amazing how the human brain works. We often remember moments in time differently. Our memories of events aren’t always accurate, or they fade with time. Because of this innate human flaw, it is important that we take notes and save documents for historical reference to help us remember important events, and to keep facts from becoming fiction. These same documents are often used in our preparation for bargaining.

When it comes to our careers as airline employees, information comes in many forms and from many sources, such as DOT rankings (flight delays, over-sales, mishandled baggage, consumer complaints, etc.), SEC filings, Company Quarterly Results, and Annual Reports. Being that ASA and SWA are publicly traded companies, there are endless sources of information available. From a high-altitude perspective, the airlines are competitive in every way down to the bottom line. We must understand the airlines’ environment and be prepared to overcome the challenges and changes to our work environment.

For example, during negotiations, the Negotiating Committee will compare the value of your work with other contracts in the industry to determine a value to your work. This is not always easy — work protections are varied in each Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

Enhancements to (or even maintaining) the current CBA are inevitably challenged in negotiations and it takes a well-prepared and supported Negotiating Committee to be successful. We must be well informed, not only from the perspective of our respective carrier, but about the industry as a whole. We must be prepared to choose our position and stand our ground for what is most important to the unified group. When everyone is involved, such as the high voter participation rate in the recent referenda, we will win.

Building strong alliances, both internally and externally will help AMFA prevail. To that end, AMFA has been focusing on building up its communications channels with the other labor unions on property. For example, each quarter, AMFA’s leadership has been meeting with the leadership of SWAPA (Pilots), TWU 555 (Ramp), TWU 556 (Flight Attendants), Teamsters (Stores), and TWU 550 (Dispatchers) to discuss events from each workgroup and issues of mutual concerns or importance. Meetings like this provide an opportunity to see the big picture.

We encourage all of our members to ask questions, stay informed and stay involved as we head back to the table. United we stand, divided we beg.

Have a Blessed and Safe Holiday Season.

 

[swamt]

So we keep hearing that we have no leverage with the ETOPS issues at hand. But I keep reading these articles that not having a new contract, with ETOPS agreed to, is one of the reasons why SWA has not been blessed by the FAA as of yet.
I am in no way saying we do or don't, but it really is making me wonder if the FAA as well as all the still ongoing investigations, are waiting for an agreement with both sides agreeing about ETOPS before sliding that precious certificate across to SWA.
Maybe the FAA would be much more comfortable in passing the certs if we did in fact have an agreement settled about ETOPS within our new contract.
It really does make me wonder as I keep seeing and reading these articles with company spokesman and women responding to such questions within these articles...

Southwest Airlines facing hurdles on Hawaii service front

 

[swamt]

The record numbers continues. Great increases in the Oct YOY results...

Southwest Airlines Reports October Traffic | Markets Insider