NW scabs

[CWI]

Originally Posted by KigAir

I was understanding until I found that they only work 75 hours a month. To me that sounds like part time work when compared to doctors

Part Time work, now that is really funny!

It maybe 75 hours, but 17 days away from home doesn't sound like part time work to me!

CWI

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

PATCO guys. Yes they too got screwed much the same way AMFA is getting screwed now. They too were replaced with scabs.

hmmmm..... no.

The PATCO guys were gov't employees who by law couldn't strike. Poli (PATCO leader) convinced his members they could strike. At the time the radar scope dopes believed if they were controlling 5 B747, they should get 5X B747 Capt pay.. They didn't realize that if their scope shut down the pilots could still operate safely..just not as efficently.

They weren't replaced by scabs. They were replaced by military controllers. Regan had C-141's and the like 'bus' in military ATC. In addition many of the "strikers" were from NY (Center). Since there were more working controllers at Boston/Washington Center these Centers took over much of NY airspace. This is why Boston and Washington Centers are larger and close to NY proper.

Many small airports have contract control towers operated by ol' PATCO controller. Also, airport authority ramp tower controllers can be fired PATCO guys. Speaking to some they regret striking. Regan was lauded for doing what was right, but it also made union busting en vogue in the 80's and probably made Lorenzo's agenda easier.

The AMFA strike is legal......

I was commuting home last night and the scabs couldn't get the paperwork right. Took an hour delay. I was on the phone to my former MEC VIce Chair and said the replacements are working the MEC/CDL. A passneger looked back at me crossways. When I hung up he said asked how I would like it if someone took my job. I schooled him that I was pro union. He was part of the SEIU. He was shocked that the pilots and FA's didn't have pins/stickers is support of AMFA.

I didn't think he understood the severity or dire straights of the airline industry and NWA survival mode. Talking to an AMFA Striker in DTW.. thier battle cry is safety.... A scab maybe be a scab but he can be safe. The FAA and passengers will validate that...... In addition, this striker said in about a week if things don't change.... he'll take a job offer with the Big Three.......

 

[erj-145mech]

I think to AMFA going from 10,000 to 2600 in 4 years was a 100% reduction. Or would be shortly thereafter.

The NWA mechanics were way over staffed. If the company could reduce the staff by 50% between 9/11 and the summer of '05,with no performance problems, that reinforces that factor. And another thing, why does it take a mechanic to perform a pushback? From an outsiders point of view, its a lot more cost effective to pay a ramper $12-15/hr to do the same thing. I can't think of another carrier that has licenced line mech's that do all of the pushbacks, can you? There was a whole bunch of featherbedding going on, and in todays financial situation of the air carrier industry, ya gotta shave the costs to stay competitive.

And gentlemen, competitive is life. Can't stay competitive, you're going to die. Its a fact of business. And this is still a business.

 

[pilotyip]

oh my gad! 145 this is a pilot board, stop dealing in reality.

 

[Deli Guy]

Originally Posted by Lear70
So YOU would allow the union to sign an agreement that furloughs half its dues-paying employees and cuts pay for the rest to less than it costs to support their families? That's not a union screwing up, it's a union sticking to the basic needs of its dues-paying members.


But that's EXACTLY what NWA has done... picked off a well-organized, well-run union with to-the-last-day commitment of its members. NWA has done this in the first environment in history that it was possible with waning union support in the nation, outsourcing at its highest level in history, and fear causing the other unions to retract into their self-deluding shells and ignore the BLATANT FACT that THEIR UNION IS NEXT.

Should cleaners make $40,000 a year? Probably not. Should mechanics make $60,000 a year? Absolutely. True, AMFA's original proposal was a pay raise, but the last-ditch effort from AMFA WAS A CONCESSIONARY AGREEMENT! But Northwest made unreasonable demands, knowing the union wouldn't sign, and therefore walked AMFA right into a carefully-orchestrated path towards union breakup, bankruptcy, and pension cutting... for ALL its employees... but I've been saying NWA was going to do this for about 2 years now.

Nwa picked off a weak union because they could. That means AMFA allowed itself to be picked off through weakness. You guys on this board need to get away from the concept of "you are a meanie Mr. management guy! mean, mean, mean, MEAN! (I guess this is where you stamp your tiny foot like Shirley Temple) I can't believe that mature men and women in this profession can not keep their eye on the ball. Its managements job to get the lowest price they can gouge from labor. Forget about a benevolent management. Lets just take it as a given that these guys are down right dirty and nasty and not waste time with emotional outbursts. Lets set up strategies that work, just like they do. The disadvantage we have is our unions have to appease a large member base and be mostly transparent while management uses its advantage of a close group and moving in secrecy.
Fear has not put ALPA in a self deluded shell. I swear I am only a member of ALPA, not in any ALPA position. I just do not know what NWA Alpa has to do to convince you guys that they have their eye on the ball. They have had many years of success dealing with the bad guys. They have had a couple tough decisions lately where it seems they were "out maneuvered" but they have a high learning curve. We are not ignoring our union is next. We are well aware our union is next. Once again, this statement seems to be aimed at the fact that we did not support AMFA and strike and go into liquidation so your job would be better. AMFA blew this one big time. Against all advise from other unions, AMFA split off from the pack like a lone antelope on a National Geographic special. They caused their own demise.

AMFA,s original proposal was a pay raise. They militantly stuck with this early on showing no sign of negotiating. They yelled that this was their final offer and rebutted ALPA when ALPA tried to warn them what the outcome would be. So management took the lone antelope and like a pack of hyenas, simply did what comes natural to them. They boxed it in and tore it apart and ate it. The consession AMFA offered was too little too late. The pack had already done its work and was ready to feed. AMFA is responsible for it's own demise. If we do not start calling things what they are in this industry and learn from the mistakes, we will all go down in flames. AMFA F'ed up. We still need to press on with this unnecessary wound and prevail. Put the emotion behind and focus on the ball. They are coming for us next and we are preparing.

 

[Diesel-9]

SHACK! D.G. Although it is too much fact and little fiction for most people on here. Seems so many of the critical souls here don't even work for a major or realize it has been arguably the NWA group that has fought harder for the pay and work rules the industry ENJOYED for most of their 79 years. When they work for peanuts and virtually no work rules, what have they done to fight for anything to enhance the pilot profession? They were bending over at the interview.

 

[JB Bus Drvr]

"I can't think of another carrier that has licenced line mech's that do all of the pushbacks, can you? from 145Mech"

Actually, US Air does this. The reason, as explained to me, is that they assign a mech. to every gate so if there's a maint. issue prior to push, there's sombody there to correct it. Also, it gives a trained eye one last look at the airplane prior to takeoff.

 

[Huck]

Most FDX stations (other than MEM) push with mx. The reason is that they're on duty anyway, they've got to be close by in case of a problem, and otherwise they'd just be sitting in their truck cab staying warm and dry.

Sure is nice to have them on the headset when there's a start problem, too....

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Put the emotion behind and focus on the ball. They are coming for us next and we are preparing.

The average ALPA pilot does a great job flying jets safely. But when it comes to understanding how the Association works and how to function as a member they would fail that "line check" 90% of the time....

The airline industry is trying to survive. The Air Line Pilot profession needs to be a survivor too. We can count on only ourselves.

Get educated. Get informed.

 

[erj-145mech]

From an effeciency point of view, if you have mechanics standing by just in case, you're overstaffed. What good does it do to have a pilot do a walk a round inspection, if you're going to have a mech do the same thing for a routine push back? If reliability is a factor in engine start problems, then maintenance is definitely lacking somewhere previously. Air carrier aircraft are too reliable to require a trained mechanic to be present at each flight.

Freight operations are different from passenger type operations. In PAX ops, there are rampers to handle the mundane chores. Freighters don't have the typical rampers and from what I've seen, most out stations don't need a push back from a gate, taxi in, taxi out.

Like I said before, you have to stay competitive in this industry. If you don't evolve, you die..