One of the Most Destructive Forces Against the AMT Options

[Checking it Out]

AMFA Farm-Out Negotiations at NWA

 

As you know hindsight is always 20-20 and some members that are Anti-Union will never agree. I believe what is happening today in the industry is a direct result of what NWA accomplished at the bargaining table with AMFA. NWA has always been very skillful at negotiating contracts and with the experienced IAM negotiators; was always able to secure core work, seniority and language, etc. Although the “93” agreement contained concessions, It was Concessionary most members took for granted that the language the IAM fought for over the years many AMFA members are still enjoying now. The “93” agreement made great strides in the language side of the contract.

On the other hand, after 40 years! AMFA still does not have the experience in negotiating and therefore NWA took advantage of AMFA as everyone can see today. Many ardent AMFA members continue to brag how they have Seham and McCormick to protect them from NWA’s attorneys at the bargaining table. What really happened! they were at the table once in awhile! Since they were being paid by the hour and the costs were to extreme, especially for the smaller locals. The smaller locals had to assess their membership to pay back the national for their share of negotiating expenses or are gearing up for the 2005 contract.

Many members also continue to brag how AMFA had open negotiations to its members. Although personally I do not have a problem with allowing members to attend negotiations, the way AMFA organized it, allowed NWA to use this to their advantage. The problem was that members only attended the meetings once in awhile and as every one knows, issues change daily at the bargaining table. The company used the members to bounce off their ideas. The members that returned to the floor with information as to what was discussed quickly became rumors and turned out not to be very accurate. AMFA claimed they were giving out information on negotiations, and although the IAM should have done a better job, and United Airlines. District 141M did a great job informing their members on their contract negotiations, AMFA really did not give out much information other than what article they were discussing. As a District 149 Officer, John Spadino discussed allowing members into negotiations had they the opportunity to negotiate with the company.

The language did change and It would be irresponsible to say that no Aviation Technician or Related would have been laid off during the current crisis in the Airline industry and with the current Bush administration. I do not believe the cuts in the AMT workforce at NWA would have been as deep.

A commentary titled “SUBCONTRACTING” by Larry Loftus on January 2002. This document goes into great detail as to what changed in the contract that gave NWA an advantage to farm-out work. If you take the time to read the commentary you will see how NWA manipulated negotiators in believing they negotiated farm-out protection. You may have heard the old saying, “ if you tell a lie enough times, people will believe the lie”. Well, in my opinion that’s what happened during AMFA’s attempt to sway the membership at NWA. AMFA maintained that their was no farm-out language in the “93” agreement that prevented NWA from subcontracting out work.

That statement was not true, Tom Pedersen an AMT at NWA wrote a commentary titled “LAYOFFS AND FARMOUTS” on January 17, 2002. In Tom’s commentary, he gives accounts of arbitration awards that the IAM had won with the language that was in the contract before AMFA changed it, or more accurately, When AMFA added the 38% language to it. The reason so many members believed there was no farm-out language was because NWA was farming out work, but not nearly to the extent that they are farming out work now.

The key is what can be won in arbitration. An Arbitrator will only rule in labors favor if the Union is being injured. The problem with all the farm-out grievances filed in the mid to late 90’s is that no one was injured in the Arbitrators eyes. There were no layoffs; members were working plenty of overtime so therefore no one was hurt. The farm-out grievances that the IAM won were when members were laid off and therefore the membership was injured.

So, to answer the question, That change alone has had a catastrophic effect on the membership at NWA and is the reason why so many Union Brothers and Sisters are on the street today.

There are many other reasons why AMFA has failed in properly representing their membership. If you were to read the commentaries titled “ AN INFORMED UNION MEMBER IS A STRONG UNION MEMBER!” by Larry Loftus NWA AMT dated May 2002 and “THE AMFA NEGOTIATING PROCESS, IS IT FAIR TO EVERYONE?” by Larry Loftus dated February 13, 2002 , you will see what AMFA has been and is currently failing in.

It takes trained representatives, to uphold the contract and not to be afraid to file a grievance regardless of the grievance backlog. Yes, sometimes it takes a while to get grievances to arbitration, and yes some mistakes are made along the way. But you learn from your mistakes and improve your representation to the members.

On the other hand, after 40 years in existence AMFA still does not train its Shop Representatives, tries to talk the membership into not filing a grievance, fails to give out information on arbitrations and fails to give the membership accurate percentages on the subcontracting issue. What AMFA seems to be good at is selling a dream. Its no surprise that NWA is continuing to violate the agreement more vigorously than ever before. There is no one there to really stop them.

Its up to everyone who has taken the time to read this commentary to take the time and become informed. Read the commentaries listed above. Ask an amfa organizer or representative about the issues and get the facts.

After One Mistake the Industry has changed forever! Become Informed and you will see what the destruction amfa has caused in the Industry! Open your eyes before it’s to late!

Negotiations is a skill and takes experience, something amfa is unwilling to learn! To them it is all about money for the Companies and Sub-Contractors.

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[aircraft_artific...]

Very interesting that the IAM is now coming here to try to sell their BS. You mentioned those die hard IAM people at NWA but the fact remains that the IAM has lost ground both in negotiations as well as representation everywhere in the industry including Canada. Please go back to Lake Flacid and peddle your wares amoungst yourselves.

The mechanics have spoken yet you refuse to hear
"THE IAM IS NO LONGER WELCOME AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE CLASS AND CRAFT OF MECHANIC AND RELATED!!!"

BTW - The "and related" is due to the IAM insistance at the NMB hearings.

[Guest_UAL_TECH_*]

'the-machanic.net'.............

Lame at best.
However, originality was never your strong suit.
That's why you are 'OUT'!!!

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UT

[TDR1502C]

How's the IAM card drive at NWA going? Have they made it past twenty cards received yet? Maybe the TWU can make a run at it and show them how to organize someone.

[Checking it Out]

Your Missing the point! The intent is to show how amfa has been successful at eliminating the Heavy Maintenance at the Major Airlines and allowing increase farmouts overseas while doing nothing!

 

Oh yes, they claim they are talking to Senators but you need to look at the records! No show at the Hearings or during debates on the Senate or House floor!

They are even linking over to the AFL-CIO websites! To mislead the members while Laying off  at the Bases!

 

TWU SOLIDARITY!

[NWA/AMT]

The IAM 1993 contract allowed farmout with no limits. It merely provided for a joint committee of the IAM and NWA to seek ways to bring back outsourced work. Neither the committee - which never accomplished anything, if it indeed ever met - nor the IAM's alleged "arbitration wins" ever brought any work back in house. The language they negotiated provided no penalties and allowed NWA to circumvent the scope clause with impunity. When we attempted to file grievances on farmout under the IAM, they just disappeared.

 

It is interesting to note that while the IAM claims many "arbitration wins" on the subject of farmout, there is no record of any such grievance ever going to arbitration at NWA. Under the IAM there were only twelve arbitrations allowed per year and NWA knew all they had to do to block language arbitrations over issues such as farmout was to fire more than twelve people per year.

 

The fact is that in the last year under the IAM - 1998 - NWA had more heavy check lines farmed out than they do today. The process of outsourcing heavy maintenance at NWA began when the IAM negotiated the 1993 agreement and they continue to pursue that agenda today.

 

AMFA, while unable to completely fix the damage the IAM had done to the NWA agreement, was able to place limits on it. Rather than pretend the language wasn't broken, as the IAM did, they did something to fix it. That, coupled with the agressive arbitration schedule AMFA has enforced since certification, provides the NWA technicians with much better representation than they had under the IAM.

 

I, and the vast majority of the NWA technicians, do not miss the IAM and prefer AMFA. It's no secret why the IAM card drives die at NWA - they can't stand on their record so they try to spread fear instead.

 

[TDR1502C]

I'm rather impressed by the AMT wage scale that the IBT has at UPS, but the folks slinging mud at AMFA probably don't want to get the IBT and scope language together in the same discussion. Must be AFL-CIO courtesy or something.

Like I implied above, if AMFA was so bad at NWA, why are they still there? The membership at NWA has already shown that they can get rid of a union that doesn't represent their interests.

[Checking it Out]

Please tell us why, as you claim. Their is more work at NW, but upto 50% of the Mechanics and related are laid off?

 

Please explain to us about the Iron clad layoffs at NW and about the increase in farm-outs at Alaska nearing the 70% range?

 

Please explain why Kevin McCormick and Lee Seham are the ones who show up most often at the Organizing Drives?

 

amfa works with management to eliminate Heavy Maintenance, Please explain what amfa is doing to stop this Injustice?

 

Please explain why amfa has the highest percentage of Farmout of all the majors?

 

TWU SOLIDARITY! 

[TDR1502C]

Checking It Out, with your concise knowledge of union affairs you are an asset to AMFA. Please keep up the good work. Even RV4 could not write your posts as well as you do to help his goal of changing representation at AA.