NWA SCABS at Best Western

[skydivinguy]

how much is enough?

Re: the NWA mechanics strike. These guys want sympathy for themselves? The pay cut altho it seems like a lot, takes a top paid wrench from 40 to 30 bucks an hour right? Most folks can live pretty high on the hog for that money. The thing I'm wondering about is the 2,100 that NW wants to give the boot to. Were they that overstaffed? I know several mechanics I used to work with at Air Midwest long ago that went to NW in the mid 80's. The stories they told me of having to wait for another mechanic for a half day to bring them "special" rivets so they could complete their task was laughable. Oh yeah, you couldn't open the hanger doors unless you had a hanger door opener mechanic around. Unions suck.

 

[IndyGTP]

Re: the NWA mechanics strike. These guys want sympathy for themselves? The pay cut altho it seems like a lot, takes a top paid wrench from 40 to 30 bucks an hour right? Most folks can live pretty high on the hog for that money. The thing I'm wondering about is the 2,100 that NW wants to give the boot to. Were they that overstaffed? I know several mechanics I used to work with at Air Midwest long ago that went to NW in the mid 80's. The stories they told me of having to wait for another mechanic for a half day to bring them "special" rivets so they could complete their task was laughable. Oh yeah, you couldn't open the hanger doors unless you had a hanger door opener mechanic around. Unions suck.

The union offered concessions. This strike is not about pay... IT'S ABOUT JOBS! Taking a $20,000 pay cut is pretty harsh though. Why should anybody take a paycut when cost of living, fuel, and health care costs are rising? That doesn't make any sense.

How can they be overstaffed when they already farm out 62% of their maintenance? NWA wants it to be over 80% vendor maintenance.

 

[Dizel8]

The pay cut altho it seems like a lot, takes a top paid wrench from 40 to 30 bucks an hour right? Most folks can live pretty high on the hog for that money.

Heck, why pay them above min wage?

Either you are incredibly stupid or a scab, which is it?

 

[KigAir]

Heck, why pay them above min wage?

Either you are incredibly stupid or a scab, which is it?

Err, $30/hr is 60K a year. Well above min wage.

 

[skydivinguy]

Heck, why pay them above min wage?

Either you are incredibly stupid or a scab, which is it?

Niether actually. I'm DM for a non union outfit. I paid my dues over the years tho (literally and figuretivly, retired book IAM wrench with Air Midwest). I agree that that's a BIG pay cut, but what's better, making 60 grand a year or making whatever unemployment pays in the state you live in?

I also believe that corporations should share the wealth. I also know that they need to make a profit.

Seems that greed over the years led to lots of the major airline employees problems today.

Just my .02 worth.

Now think up another intelligent post with some new names!

 

[erj-145mech]

See, there ya go, using the voice of reason and cool headedness, destroying my faith in these forums.

 

[KigAir]

Heck, why pay them above min wage?

Either you are incredibly stupid or a scab, which is it?

I see on the AMFA's website that they also represent Mechanics at SWA. How much are the SWA workers paid?

 

[Dizel8]

Niether actually. I'm DM for a non union outfit. I paid my dues over the years tho (literally and figuretivly, retired book IAM wrench with Air Midwest). I agree that that's a BIG pay cut, but what's better, making 60 grand a year or making whatever unemployment pays in the state you live in?

I also believe that corporations should share the wealth. I also know that they need to make a profit.

Seems that greed over the years led to lots of the major airline employees problems today.

Just my .02 worth.

Now think up another intelligent post with some new names!

Okay, my apologies, I admit I was a bit harsh.

The problem I had with your statement is, that hey, X amount of money is still good. While that perhaps is true, were will the line be drawn? Depending on where one lives, 60K could be good, but I would not call it living "high on the hog" in most cases. So again, at what point is the pay to low? We both know, that management wants to pay a dollar and if they could, they would want labor to work for free.

As someone else said, this isn't just about money, it is also about jobs. If this goes through, AMFA will have seen about 75% job loss at NWA.

NWA is not going to share in the profit, they certainly have not in the past and if anything, this latest shows how far they will go, to break labors back. Clearly, they had NWA AMFA in the crosshairs and they are slowly adjusting their aim to the F/A's.

 

[erj-145mech]

I see on the AMFA's website that they also represent Mechanics at SWA. How much are the SWA workers paid?

From SWA's web site:

Pay:

• 1st six months - $18.94/hr + $4.00 License Premium (combined total for A&P license) + any shift differential that applies.
  Second six months - $19.89

All pay rates are contingent upon current contracts.

 

[IndyGTP]

SWA pay

Originally Posted by KigAir
I see on the AMFA's website that they also represent Mechanics at SWA. How much are the SWA workers paid?

Southwest - $18.94/$33.86 (6 yrs) +$2.00/per license; AMFA

Only trailing UPS, SWA mechs are the 2nd best paid out of the airlines.

SWA's glory days will eventually end. And when they do, we all know who they will come after first.