NW scabs

[pilotyip]

scab is an easy term to use when you have a job, but if your unemployed and a chance comes to support your family, you have little choice. The striking NWA mechs may some day cross some one else's picket line becasue of economic reality.

 

[Ualexpress]

Honest question:


Did the NW mechs simpathy strike when the pilots walk in 1998?

They didn't need to, the airline was shutdown.

 

[Boeingman]

Did I hear that right? Analysis interviewed on CNN said they had 14,000 replacement mechanics, mostly made up of furloughed U.S. Air, American, and Delta mechanics were going to do the replacement work. That can't be the true number. I couldn't believe there would be that many scabs out there.
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Those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it. Apparently the AMFA has not learned the lessons that ALPA still refuses to believe.

You can only hose people so many times before they don't care about crossing your picket line. What you are seeing here is no different than the hundreds of ALPA members that crossed ALPA picket lines to scab.

If ALPA had any spine they would of supported their fellow unionists at NWA. But then again, after the way ALPA on a national and local level has acted over the years, this is no surprise.

 

[Boeingman]

There is no NWA pilot picket line.

Which is why this strike will fail. Unionism means that all groups stand together as a unified force. The comment made by NWA ALPA that it was not in their best interests to strike is disgusting.

They are going to be under the crosshairs of Steenland again soon. They deserve everything that happens to them.

 

[AA717driver]

Because the pilot group has spent ton's of money researching the economic health of the company and came to the conclusion now is not the time.ALPA's plan is to live to fight an other day.AMFA's is to burn and pillage.

Sorry, but ALPA has been giving ground to "live to fight another day" so long that there is little ground to give.

Tony C.--while I sympathize with COpilot and agree that ALPA is worthless, I do not believe you are full of $h!t. You are right on the legal issues of crossing a picket line, etc. But realize that when they are done with the pax carriers, the cargo ops will be next. They will have perfected their attack plan by then. Supporters will be few and far between at that point. JMO.

COpilot--I feel your pain. ALPA did my career in and is busy working on the rest of the pax carriers. I'm just glad that Woerthless is still getting his $400k/yr. and his pension is still secure just like Duffy and Babbitt. Take care.TC

 

[cfm56-7b]

Nice nwa alpa you will be the first crying when it's your turn. And the f/a's what do you bring to the table? You 2 work groups will have fun when NWA takes 50% of your pay and lays off half of your membership. And no retirement . NWA pilots First to take concessions and first to think about them self. Rember in the unemployment line no one cares what you did for a living.

 

[iflyhigh]

Just to clarify:

The recent reports are that NWA was able to get 1900 mechanics from various other airlines to take the mechanic jobs in case of a strike. Just wanted to clarify not 14000.

In the end I feel for the mechanics, it was a tough choice. Approve a crap contract and vote away 50% of the jobs, or fight. Hard to say what alot of us would do under the same circumstance.

Good luck.

 

[B6Driver]

AA717Driver,

great post and right on target.

Best of luck Tim.

 

[Simon Says]

They didn't need to, the airline was shutdown.

Mechanics were still turning wrenches when the pilots were walking a picket line and the airline was only shut down for revenue service.

 

[Noam]

Mechanics were still turning wrenches when the pilots were walking a picket line and the airline was only shut down for revenue service.

While true, 2005 is a much different time than 1998. I believe the NWA mechanic strike is vastly critical to the entire unionized airline industry.

If the mechanics fail, ALPA, AFA or any other union will be seen by management as having little if any leverage to disrupt operations in the future. I think ALPA has very little leverage to begin with (mostly do to corruption and incompetence within its governing levels), but if the mechanics strike fails it will be a death blow to the pilots. I think ALPA would still exist, but aside from legal and medical advice they would be a lame duck organization. Pilots are harder to replace than mechanics, but if NWA can successfully pull this off I'm sure the pilots will eventually be next.

Unfortunately there is a part of me that believes the mechanics will fail and ultimately the entire unionized industry will go through somewhat of a collapse (and hopefully a re-birth).

I think if Bush and "his" NMB thought the mechanics were likely to succeed they wouldn't have released them from mediation. If the mechanics are shutting down operations and the company is beginning to fail I guarantee a P.E.B. will be put in place by Bush and he will force them back to work...but at this point I think there is another plan.

 

[DetoXJ]

I don't recall the NWA mechanics sympathy striking with the Pilots back in 1998. Is it just me or do the AMFA members look like a bunch of clowns out there walking the picket line. I was really embarassed for them. They were shown on the news picketing wearing Sandals and Wife Beaters. Laughing up a storm like it was a party. How about putting on a uniform and looking professional out there?

 

[Dizel8]

The ones I saw on the news were walking proud and in their NWA uniform.

I wish them the very best of luck.

 

[Stan]

All the other unionized employees at the airlines have been trying to ride the back of the pilots for years.

Answer me this, if pilots always supported every picket line set up at an airline, why would the other unions negotiate in good faith.

I.E. Rampers "We want $50 an hour and 8 weeks vacation a year. If you don't give it to us will shut this place down because the pilots won't cross our picket line"

With the above said I don't see how AMFA had any other choice than to do what they are doing. And ALPA really has no choice than to do what they are doing. However in the end they are playing into managements hands and are all going to be scr*wed.

 

[RampTower]

I saw a group of SCABS!!!!!

Was in and out of DTW today. Saw several yellow school busses going to and from the NWA ramp, with 5-6 policecar escorts.

 

[klhoard]

Was in and out of DTW today. Saw several yellow school busses going to and from the NWA ramp, with 5-6 policecar escorts.

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How long is NW going to pay the housing expenses for the scabs? Are the scabs going to move their families to the NWA bases knowing that in a few years they could be replaced by other scabs?
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BTW - what would you call a replacement worker that takes a scabs job??
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[DaveGriffin]

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BTW - what would you call a replacement worker that takes a scabs job??
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Dues paying ALPA members

 

[RampTower]

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How long is NW going to pay the housing expenses for the scabs? Are the scabs going to move their families to the NWA bases knowing that in a few years they could be replaced by other scabs?
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BTW - what would you call a replacement worker that takes a scabs job??
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Another question is, how much is NWA going to pay in police escorts for these scabs? And for how long? Are these officers actually following the scabs around the ramp making sure some ramper or pilot doesn't throw sh!t at them? Are the NWA pilots being receptive when a scab comes up to grab the MX logbooks or are they just ignoring the polesmokers???

I hope an NWA mech spray paints SCABS on the school busses.

 

[WillowRunVortex]

Was in and out of DTW today. Saw several yellow school busses going to and from the NWA ramp, with 5-6 policecar escorts.

"Well folks, from the flight deck, If you look out the right side of the aircraft at the 2 "short" buses driving on the ramp, those are the retards that will be maintaining our equipment from now on in an effort to save money. Thank-you for flying Northwest Airlines."

 

[COpilot]

Eastern pilots crossed an Eastern pilot picket line. There is no NWA pilot picket line.

I know it must be difficult to distinguish these points when you're all emotional, so why don't you try to back up and take a deep breath. It's going to get ugly, and it's hard to take back things you might say in anger.




.[/QUOTYour wrong again Tony C.

It was the MX picket line. The pilots were in sympathy.

You go right ahead and tell yourself anything you want to belive. Just join the ranks of a SCAB in my book, and others.

 

[klhoard]

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So what happens when the pool of replacement mechanics dries up??
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