WN Mechanics seek mediation

[B737 driver]

It stops when we as a group rise up, take control and toss AMFA to the curb, just like United did. Pick a Union you want, and quit making Seham rich. This is the same crap they did at Northwest.

It also stops whenever the militants of AMFA , stop causing lawsuits by stop writing the crap out of airplanes trying to get what they want,.

 

[sendmeupacrowsfoot]

It also stops whenever the militants of AMFA , stop causing lawsuits by stop writing the crap out of airplanes trying to get what they want,.

Go look in the mirror. You and your fellow MDW mechanics are AMFA.

 

[swamt]

It stops when we as a group rise up, take control and toss AMFA to the curb, just like United did. Pick a Union you want, and quit making Seham rich. This is the same crap they did at Northwest.

It is not the same crap. Not even close to it. Quit trying to compare the two. The co is not demanding the cut of 53-55% of the mechanics like they did at NW. They are not bringing in and training contractors to take over if they were to get a lock out. They are not being completely deadlocked and not moving like at NW. Your wishes to rid of AMFA are fruitless. Because with them we can replace all the nego at the table if need be, as well as any and all ALR's and top AMFA National leaders. The entire union does not have to be replaced just to get a few new faces in the positions so desired. All this crap would have happened with any other union in here. They did it to the Pilots, F/A's, Mat. Specialist, and other groups. They all had to go after the second vote for a contract and we as of yet have only had one. When the co. is ready we will get our second offer to vote and hope to God it will be this month. If the co. can move some and the union move some, let cooler heads prevail, and we should be able to get our second offer to vote on. The hard part, IMO, will be to convince the AMFA NC to buy off on a T/A to come out and be voted on by the membership. Let's give these next nego meetings a chance, I really do think it will be our best and more than likely our final chance to get something to vote on. Think positive and let's all move on...

 

[swamt]

Go look in the mirror. You and your fellow MDW mechanics are AMFA.

I guess he won't let it all go until after the next 3 days. I didn't think he would...

 

[B737 driver]

Go look in the mirror. You and your fellow MDW mechanics are AMFA.

We were never on the emergency list, I know,we are AMFA it wasn't my choice in 2003, and it still isn't. We got close but our out of service was low enough, and we have descent supervisors that fight for us. Plus we have the most flights.

 

[I’ll have another]

Question? I file an Air21. Seham represents me. Amfa pays the cost. I win the Air 21 and a settlement is awarded. Amfa would be reimbursed for thecosr

It is not the same crap. Not even close to it. Quit trying to compare the two. The co is not demanding the cut of 53-55% of the mechanics like they did at NW. They are not bringing in and training contractors to take over if they were to get a lock out. They are not being completely deadlocked and not moving like at NW. Your wishes to rid of AMFA are fruitless. Because with them we can replace all the nego at the table if need be, as well as any and all ALR's and top AMFA National leaders. The entire union does not have to be replaced just to get a few new faces in the positions so desired. All this crap would have happened with any other union in here. They did it to the Pilots, F/A's, Mat. Specialist, and other groups. They all had to go after the second vote for a contract and we as of yet have only had one. When the co. is ready we will get our second offer to vote and hope to God it will be this month. If the co. can move some and the union move some, let cooler heads prevail, and we should be able to get our second offer to vote on. The hard part, IMO, will be to convince the AMFA NC to buy off on a T/A to come out and be voted on by the membership. Let's give these next nego meetings a chance, I really do think it will be our best and more than likely our final chance to get something to vote on. Think positive and let's all move on...

You sound optimistic. Don’t get your hopes up. The company could have moved a little last time but did just the opposite. They threw in international outsourcing and a 16 hour rule. What gives you this Great hope they are going to change? They have blown smoke up our rears for 6 1/2 years. Tried to short change us which killed the last ta. GK said they are laser focused to get this done, then slaps a lawsuit on us. The old saying is true, “watch what they do, not what they say.”

 

[B737 driver]

I guess he won't let it all go until after the next 3 days. I didn't think he would...

Just passionate about my beliefs, as you are Swampy. Well let's just wait and see. I just see the fighting on both sides causing such bad blood to not get a deal. Let me ask all of you on here, if they take forever to bring this to a vote, what should we do? I can say card drive till the cows come home, and the guys that want to keep AMFA will not move, so in reality what I want is just static, and pointless.

 

[I’ll have another]

Just passionate about my beliefs, as you are Swampy. Well let's just wait and see. I just see the fighting on both sides causing such bad blood to not get a deal. Let me ask all of you on here, if they take forever to bring this to a vote, what should we do? I can say card drive till the cows come home, and the guys that want to keep AMFA will not move, so in reality what I want is just static, and pointless.

I’m not positive, but I don’t think you can change unions while in mediation. Is that true?

 

[B737 driver]

I’m not positive, but I don’t think you can change unions while in mediation. Is that true?

I think you can change anytime, but AMFA could protest it. If you change unions then you are no longer in mediation. However AMFA would leave with all their notes. But if both sides wanted a deal then both sides could just go off the old T/A that was rejected. The new union just picks up the existing contract.

 

[swamt]

Question? I file an Air21. Seham represents me. Amfa pays the cost. I win the Air 21 and a settlement is awarded. Amfa would be reimbursed for thecosr

You sound optimistic. Don’t get your hopes up. The company could have moved a little last time but did just the opposite. They threw in international outsourcing and a 16 hour rule. What gives you this Great hope they are going to change? They have blown smoke up our rears for 6 1/2 years. Tried to short change us which killed the last ta. GK said they are laser focused to get this done, then slaps a lawsuit on us. The old saying is true, “watch what they do, not what they say.”

Yes they would be reimbursed and have been in the past.
I am optimistic. GK's letter was the first letter from him about nego's since we started back in 2012. I do believe the new coming in when he said he was instructed by GK to get the deal done. No guarantees, just willing to let these set of dates go by to see for one last time. All this crap has gone way too far IMO for both sides. It's time to get it done before this all reaches territory that nobody wants see or go through. We will see just how "laser focus" the co really is. Pretty sure all the suits will be dropped by the waste side if new contract comes to us, that is why they filed the suit to begin with, a chess move, because they have no suit to win. The write-ups that took these aircraft out of service were legit AND most were generated by Pilots too.

Just passionate about my beliefs, as you are Swampy. Well let's just wait and see. I just see the fighting on both sides causing such bad blood to not get a deal. Let me ask all of you on here, if they take forever to bring this to a vote, what should we do? I can say card drive till the cows come home, and the guys that want to keep AMFA will not move, so in reality what I want is just static, and pointless.

AMFA already said if there is another offer to come out they will not be doing road shows this time, just updates on the changes from the first offer and there differences.

I’m not positive, but I don’t think you can change unions while in mediation. Is that true?

Yes you can. You can change unions anytime, changing during contract nego's or mediation is strongly not recommended unless the change is required to get rid of someone who is being too rogue or screwing the membership to their knees.
Remember when we wanted to fire the teamsters? It came at the same time we were in nego's and everyone agreed to wait until they were done and we had a new contract. Some people outside were freaked out on why we fired them after getting that contract and the answer was, we were just waiting for them to get it done before we fired them...

 

[I’ll have another]

Here’s what I would like to see for at least a month or two. Allow supervisors to sign off discrepancies they feel are frivolous, ridiculous,etc.. This way the mechanic does his job and SWA gets the plane in service. If they won’t sign it off, they are admitting the write up is legit and SWA has no standing saying we are committing and plotting any type of job action.

 

[B737 driver]

Here’s what I would like to see for at least a month or two. Allow supervisors to sign off discrepancies they feel are frivolous, ridiculous,etc.. This way the mechanic does his job and SWA gets the plane in service. If they won’t sign it off, they are admitting the write up is legit and SWA has no standing saying we are committing and plotting any type of job action.

You ask that they would turn around and be the end of the conversation. Off the record when we get this behind us, we need to ask for the books and see where AMFA really is financially, almost like an economic stress test like the Feds do for the banks. If we have paid to much in legal fees, we need the Law firm SWAPA uses. If we determine they can't financially function to fight grievances and arbitrations, then and only then should we seek a new union. It needs to be the right business decision and not based on emotions. We need what is best for us ,as a group.

 

[I’ll have another]

You ask that they would turn around and be the end of the conversation. Off the record when we get this behind us, we need to ask for the books and see where AMFA really is financially, almost like an economic stress test like the Feds do for the banks. If we have paid to much in legal fees, we need the Law firm SWAPA uses. If we determine they can't financially function to fight grievances and arbitrations, then and only then should we seek a new union. It needs to be the right business decision and not based on emotions. We need what is best for us ,as a group.

Just take a look at the LM-2 report every Union has to file. It’s online for all to see. I looked at AMFA’s LM-2 for 2017 the other day. We paid Seham 359 thousand and change for legal fees that year. We paid 5 thousand for a mx competition event and over 6 grand to AEI. It’s very detailed right down to the hotels that were used.

 

[B737 driver]

Just take a look at the LM-2 report every Union has to file. It’s online for all to see. I looked at AMFA’s LM-2 for 2017 the other day. We paid Seham 359 thousand and change for legal fees that year. We paid 5 thousand for a mx competition event and over 6 grand to AEI. It’s very detailed right down to the hotels that were used.

Just take a look at the LM-2 report every Union has to file. It’s online for all to see. I looked at AMFA’s LM-2 for 2017 the other day. We paid Seham 359 thousand and change for legal fees that year. We paid 5 thousand for a mx competition event and over 6 grand to AEI. It’s very detailed right down to the hotels that were used.

If the average fees were say 320,000 x 16 years that is about 5.2 million over 16 years. Some years less, some years more.

 

[I’ll have another]

If the average fees were say 320,000 x 16 years that is about 5.2 million over 16 years. Some years less, some years more.

About right. Here’s the 2017 LM-2 figures in a nutshell:
Total assets- $2,185,680
Total liabilities- $312,344
Total receipts- $4,680,314
Total disbursements- $4,571,724
Total membership- 3,357