WN Mechanics seek mediation

[B737 driver]

Over half lost some senority with this AirTran deal, no pay raises in 5 years. I don't think Amfa can promote itself right now at another airline. I think if this contract doesn't work out at least ok, amfa would have a hard time staying at SWA let alone picking up another airline. Seniority and pay are what most value.

You are right in a permanent way, it doesn't effect us because we are so high in seniority, but because we wanted to screw the Teamsters so bad with the Airtran deal, we have permanently screwed every mechanic hired after the deal was done ! Think about it with our contract a lead, a inspector, after you can pass the test, or maintenance controller or instructor based on what we end up with contract language, is all based on seniority. So say some poor slob say hired a month after the cutoff as long as guys are on the property have their 4 year bump, he or she will never be able to get that position because a person with a four year bump will always beat them out ! This membership is going to grow and the less senior guys will get bigger and bigger , how long do you think they will tolerate a false seniority gain over them, before they challenge AMFA to change it, if AMFA is still here years from now !

 

[I'll have another]

I'm right. When a air train mech goes ahead of a SWA mech it is a loss of seniority. More than half lost seniority on this a/t deal even with a four year bump. How it went down doesn't matter. That's why 86% of the a/c mechs voted it in plus a huge pay raise. That means you could have got them for a six year bump and it probably would have still passed of course by a smaller percentage. AMFA screwed the pooch on this one. For myself I never liked the idea of mechanics negotiating. I would rather have ruthless al Capone types doing my bargaining for me. Backdoor deals made I could careless as long as we benefit. Backdoor deals are made all the time at the highest levels of government and business. Look at the present contract, basically a teamster negotiated deal. Most would vote it in again if the pay was adjusted. I hear it all the time that we should have kept the teamsters. Swamt - your good with numbers and history. We pay Seham @ $20,000 per negotiation session, a couple times over $40,000. Are they over charging for what we're getting? Ref: 2016 LM-2 annual report. Gosh one time on 4/26/2016 we paid The Dallas Morning News a payout of $31,941. Who's brainstorm was that? Talk about a suitcase full of money. Oh here's one, Hilton New Orleans for $25,890 paid on 6/30/2016. There's a lot more...

 

[Go Figure]

Be careful questioning Seham and his minions. You will be labeled a company schill. It is against the Pom Pom squads code of ethics. I have brought up his negotiating tactics and strategy weeks ago and no one has addressed besides putting their head in the sand and going in to attack and spin mode. So be it. Sooner or later the members have to be answered to.

 

[B737 driver]

I'm right. When a air train mech goes ahead of a SWA mech it is a loss of seniority. More than half lost seniority on this a/t deal even with a four year bump. How it went down doesn't matter. That's why 86% of the a/c mechs voted it in plus a huge pay raise. That means you could have got them for a six year bump and it probably would have still passed of course by a smaller percentage. AMFA screwed the pooch on this one. For myself I never liked the idea of mechanics negotiating. I would rather have ruthless al Capone types doing my bargaining for me. Backdoor deals made I could careless as long as we benefit. Backdoor deals are made all the time at the highest levels of government and business. Look at the present contract, basically a teamster negotiated deal. Most would vote it in again if the pay was adjusted. I hear it all the time that we should have kept the teamsters. Swamt - your good with numbers and history. We pay Seham @ $20,000 per negotiation session, a couple times over $40,000. Are they over charging for what we're getting? Ref: 2016 LM-2 annual report. Gosh one time on 4/26/2016 we paid The Dallas Morning News a payout of $31,941. Who's brainstorm was that? Talk about a suitcase full of money. Oh here's one, Hilton New Orleans for $25,890 paid on 6/30/2016. There's a lot more...

That is a fact but they won't pay attention to you, the super AMFA supporters will never admit our negotiating tactics may be flawed! On the Airtran guys all I know is they were afraid they wouldn't have a job! You are right back door deals are done all the time in business if you don't play ball you are not in business very long, AMFA will realize they will need to deal the excuses will start to run thin the longer this goes on, and they can say all these guys are patient but human nature will take it's course !

 

[B737 driver]

Be careful questioning Seham and his minions. You will be labeled a company schill. It is against the Pom Pom squads code of ethics. I have brought up his negotiating tactics and strategy weeks ago and no one has addressed besides putting their head in the sand and going in to attack and spin mode. So be it. Sooner or later the members have to be answered to.

You have to find the money man that's getting paid to keep this law firm, and that will never happen!

 

[sendmeupacrowsfoot]

You guys are talking out of your collective tail pipes.

 

[I'll have another]

"The Teamsters are crooked and still are crooked" wellll ya know! Let me give you a couple more LM-2 tidbits. 2016 office furniture and equipment $100,782, depreciated $81,646 in one year. Book valued at $19,136. They must have beat the hell out that stuff. An associate accountant pay $78903 and then gets paid $14,366 for accrued vacation pay. Administrator got paid $66,265 and accrued vacation payout of $5,943. Have any of you ever cashed out on accrued vacation pay. Didn't think so. Remember this is our dues money. There's plenty more.....

 

[B737 driver]

"The Teamsters are crooked and still are crooked" wellll ya know! Let me give you a couple more LM-2 tidbits. 2016 office furniture and equipment $100,782, depreciated $81,646 in one year. Book valued at $19,136. They must have beat the hell out that stuff. An associate accountant pay $78903 and then gets paid $14,366 for accrued vacation pay. Administrator got paid $66,265 and accrued vacation payout of $5,943. Have any of you ever cashed out on accrued vacation pay. Didn't think so. Remember this is our dues money. There's plenty more.....

And the Truth shall set you free !

 

[B737 driver]

You guys are talking out of your collective tail pipes.

Silence from the ra ra peanut gallary how you think AMFA is being so accountable with our hard earned dues money !

 

[sendmeupacrowsfoot]

Why don't you disgruntled AMFA members go start a new thread. You can call it the "AMFA bashing thread" or "Why Seham gets our goat". You are just cluttering up this thread and taking it way off topic.

 

[B737 driver]

Why don't you disgruntled AMFA members go start a new thread. You can call it the "AMFA bashing thread" or "Why Seham gets our goat". You are just cluttering up this thread and taking it way off topic.

Why don't you just admit in your fairy tale world not everyone is happy with the route this has taken and the money and time has been wasted, Oh what you can't believe people aren't happy, just look at the other threads! Problem is you can handle when someone points out the flaws !

 

[I'll have another]

You guys are talking out of your collective tail pipes.

Nice! Well crows foot riddle me this; sometime in 2016 we paid Commonwealth Strategic Partners $37,000. Tell us all what that was all about. Please do!

 

[B737 driver]

Nice! Well crows foot riddle me this; sometime in 2016 we paid Commonwealth Strategic Partners $37,000. Tell us all what that was all about. Please do!

From what I looked up it is a financial consultant group based in Washington D. C., wonder what that was about, maybe Wn, or Swamt can enlighten us, they seem to have the pulse of everything!

 

[I'll have another]

From what I looked up it is a financial consultant group based in Washington D. C., wonder what that was about, maybe Wn, or Swamt can enlighten us, they seem to have the pulse of everything!

$37,000 is a briefcase of hundred dollar bills of our dues money. I just want the cheerleaders to kindly explain to us what that was all about and how did that benefit us while we are deep into contract negotiations. There's more.....

 

[B737 driver]

"The Teamsters are crooked and still are crooked" wellll ya know! Let me give you a couple more LM-2 tidbits. 2016 office furniture and equipment $100,782, depreciated $81,646 in one year. Book valued at $19,136. They must have beat the hell out that stuff. An associate accountant pay $78903 and then gets paid $14,366 for accrued vacation pay. Administrator got paid $66,265 and accrued vacation payout of $5,943. Have any of you ever cashed out on accrued vacation pay. Didn't think so. Remember this is our dues money. There's plenty more.....

On a serious note, no wonder our AMFA locals have no money, I really don't see this different from what we complained about with the Teamsters, I think this should answer your question on why there wouldn't be a strike vote, and why we don't have any power. In reality we spend most of our money on legal fees, so we are basically at whatever the company wants to present when they decide they want to come to a T/ A, and if it gets into next year, or beyond it will pass because people will be totally disgusted by then!