Nwa Pilots No Support Amfa?

[WillowRunVortex]

Unfortunately, I think you're right. Neither AMFA nor PFAA has signed confidentiality agreements with NWA, so they can't look at their books. They just had their heads in the sand saying "Full pay to the last day."

Finally, AMFA offered to take a 16% pay cut but the hungry zombie NW mgmt just keeps repeating the same opening over and over. Their big offer recently was that they would give furlough protection to 75% of the remaining 47% of the mechanics. Gee thanks guys!

Another "unfortunately" is that after they're done with the mechs and FAs, they're gonna come back to the pilots for more. "More brains, must eat more brains!" If AMFA and PFAA had jumped in the pool and done a deal together with ALPA (like ALPA wanted) much of this divide and conquer strategy would not be effective. Live and learn, or maybe, die and learn. Hopefully the former.

What I dont understand is how management will be able to play the same "hardball" with the FA's. There is like 11,000 of them right? I dont think 1200 replacements is gonna cut it on that one.

 

[JethroF15]

it's sad that work groups can't come together a time like this, pilots back mechanics mechanics back f/a's ect. Quit crying im a pilot or im a mechanic just get together and stand together. If not ever one will be crying in the unemployment line.

Amen to that!

 

[dbrownie]

What I dont understand is how management will be able to play the same "hardball" with the FA's. There is like 11,000 of them right? I dont think 1200 replacements is gonna cut it on that one.

The FA's still have members not paying dues because they are mad the teamsters got the boot!

They have way less unity than the Mechanics. But I agree it seems impossible to replace 11,000 employees.

The company is spending millions on these replacement scabs.

Great way to run an airline....

Dave B

 

[Sameold]

Is there a website with their stike clock?

Will NWA ALPA's position coincide with the strike clock?

I honestly hope in the final hours something gets hashed out.. seems like way too much for NWA to lose than gain.

 

[Lear70]

I don't think so. I believe NWA will play hardball to the last second, 'cause it's win:win. If the mechanics give up and fold, the company gets what they want without a fight.

If the mechanics strike, it gives NWA a good footing on which to convincingly file the Ch. 11 we all know is coming and destroy pretty much everyone's life as we know it.

 

[canyonblue]

Northwest Flight Attendants Vote on Strike
Tuesday August 9, 9:34 pm ET
By Joshua Freed, AP Business Writer

Northwest Flight Attendants Voting on Whether to Strike; Mechanics, Airline to Resume Talks

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Flight attendants at Northwest Airlines Corp. began voting on Tuesday on whether to strike later this month to support the company's mechanics.

Also Tuesday, the mechanics and the airline said their contract talks would resume Monday with a mediator. Talks broke off last week after mechanics accused the airline of failing to move from its demand for $176 million in concessions. Mechanics can strike after 12:01 a.m. EDT on Aug. 20.

Flight attendants and Northwest's other large unions have said they will wait until a strike begins to announce whether they will cross the mechanics' picket line. The flight attendants' strike vote doesn't end until one minute before the strike deadline.

It's not clear whether a sympathy strike by flight attendants would be legal.

"The PFAA agreement does not permit Northwest Airlines flight attendants to engage in a sympathy strike," the company said in a statement. "Northwest Airlines expects its flight attendants to report for duty, as scheduled, regardless of the outcome of the company's negotiations with AMFA."

Eagan-based Northwest has said it is training replacement flight attendants and mechanics.

PFAA warned flight attendants that Northwest can replace them if they support the mechanics' strike.

"PFAA believes NWA management's primary goal is to divide, conquer and bust all of the unions on the property. Now is the time for labor to stand together," it said in a message on its Web site.

About 250 mechanics and supporters from other unions rallied at the state capitol on Tuesday. But PFAA was the only other Northwest union there. And while PFAA's support gives mechanics a major boost, other unions at Northwest have had a notably tepid response.

Pilots have publicly called on the mechanics to take a pay cut. And the head of the ground workers union is accusing mechanics of trying to shift larger pay cuts onto the ground workers, an allegation the mechanics union strongly denies.

Northwest, the nation's fourth-largest airline, is seeking $1.1 billion in overall wage concessions from its workers, and has warned that it could seek bankruptcy if it doesn't get them.

Mechanics are banking on being able to shut the airline down, with or without help from the other unions, said Steve MacFarlane, assistant national director of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.

Even if leaders at the other unions don't declare a sympathy strike, MacFarlane said many of their rank-and-file will refuse to work.

Relations between the mechanics union and the union that covers other ground workers are especially tense.

The International Association of Machinists used to cover nearly all Northwest ground workers. But in 1998 the mechanics, custodians and cleaners voted to leave the IAM to join AMFA. Mechanics are seen as a higher-skill, higher-paid worker than other IAM workers, and AMFA promised to play up those skills at the bargaining table.

IAM District 143 President Bobby De Pace hasn't forgotten.

"When they left, they called our ramp folks 'baggage smashers, knuckle draggers.' ... Now they want us to forget all of that," said De Pace.

The IAM is in its own talks with Northwest. If IAM workers refuse to cross a mechanics' picket line, it will be because it's a way to hurt Northwest, not because it helps mechanics, De Pace said. He said no decision has been made yet.

"I will do whatever is best for our membership. I can't worry about AMFA," he said.

MacFarlane said De Pace is just mad that mechanics left his union in 1998.

The pilots and flight attendants unions said they'll wait until a strike begins to announce whether they'll cross a mechanics' picket.

The Northwest pilots strike in 1998 grounded the airline for 20 days, so most workers didn't have to decide whether to cross a picket line. Pilots asked mechanics to keep working so the planes would be ready to fly when the strike ended, MacFarlane said.

The animosity between AMFA and other ground workers is no surprise, considering that AMFA snatched the mechanics away from the IAM, said John Budd, a labor relations professor at the University of Minnesota who has followed Northwest's labor trials.

Ted Ludwig, president of the AMFA unit that represents Northwest mechanics in Minneapolis, said the lack of solidarity isn't AMFA's fault. "We've reached out many times to the other unions," he said. "Building solidarity, it takes two to have solidarity."

 

[psycho]

Maybe got carried away with my remarks about NWA pilots being responsible for the dismal state of RJ drivers lives. I stand by every other comment that opened this thread. Especially did not mean to insult Dbrownie and the rest of NWA pilots who may share his intellect.
Having said that, Those RJ'S from Canada and Brazil have been and will continue to roll off the assembly line. Thousands of them. 70,90 and 100 seaters.
Ten years ago the airlinks were only allowed to operate 35 jets. Now we have closer to 200 and growing. I believed I would fly turboprops for 5-10 yrs and then go to a major. Alpa national blew it long ago because they chose to blow smoke up the memberships ass and pretend that the RJ'S would just disappear.
You military folks also share blame, it is beneath your squadron buddies to fly the RJ. NWA MEC could have made that the entry level jet, Nevermind that they are selling insurance until NWA hires again.

 

[scoreboard]

And my thoughts are...

You military folks also share blame, it is beneath your squadron buddies to fly the RJ. .

1) You have had a hard week and are venting
2) Misunderstand the current employment environment
3) Have little to no tact.


Please retract and apologize and all will be forgiven.

 

[IndyGTP]

What "school" are you refering to ?

What is your source for the new mechanics' background ?

The fact is, most of them ARE furloughed Part 121 A&Ps, mostly NWA, UAL, etc.... My friend lives next to one of them, who's got years of experience, and is furloughed from NWA. The active line mechanics admit that most of them are experienced as well.

320AV8R

The scab company sent out there stupid business cards to all the A&P schools. Unfortunately I know this because one of my recently graduated friends took a job working for them. This company doesn't care if you have experience. They just want a willing and able body...

 

[WillowRunVortex]

The scab company sent out there stupid business cards to all the A&P schools. Unfortunately I know this because one of my recently graduated friends took a job working for them. This company doesn't care if you have experience. They just want a willing and able body...

Yeah 320 talks a good game, but unfortunately everything he's posted over the last week has proven to be a bunch of BS.