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.