Operating Successfully during a Strike

[mynameisjim]

With AMFA and NWA heading in that direction, it raises the question, has any airline ever operated through a strike successfully?

It seems NWA would be quite happy to see the mechanics strike, so they can use their foolproof contigency plan. Will it work?

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"The 30-day period ends at 11:01 p.m. CDT on Aug. 20. After that, federal labor law says mechanics can strike, or Northwest can impose new wage rules.


Northwest has put into place a contingency plan that would make use of management employees who are FAA-licensed mechanics, licensed contract technicians and third-party vendors.

“In the past people have equated a strike with a shutdown,” said Northwest spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch. “We hope there isn’t a strike, but we believe we can continue operating the airline.”

The airline is assuring passengers that safety will in no way be compromised.

It’s a claim the union disputes, noting that Northwest flies many DC-9s and DC-10s, more than 30 years old. “They won’t even know where the tools are,” O.V. Delle-Femine, AMFA national director told The Associated Press when the strike deadline was set. “Our mechanics grew up with these vintage planes and know all of their idiosyncrasies and how to keep them flying reliably. Many of the replacements will be learning how to work on these aircraft for the first time.”
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Has it been done before? Can it be done?

 

[k_EAT=ho_ME]

The airline is assuring passengers that safety will in no way be compromised.

This will probably be true only if all the a/c are parked.

 

[Guam360]

to be true to the unions and respect the negotiating group, the other unionized groups should or could honor their strike and not go to work as did at Eastern.

 

[Donsa320]

to be true to the unions and respect the negotiating group, the other unionized groups should or could honor their strike and not go to work as did at Eastern.

Unless you are in the same union you cannot honor the other's picket line if you have a contract to work. That is a secondary boycott, forbidden by Taft Hartley. The company would get an injunction against it in a heart beat. When Lorenzo did not do that, in the case of Eastern, then you knew he did not want the pilots back. In any case, nobody won that one anyway, IMHO.

~DC

 

[Workin'Stiff]

I'm pretty sure the pilots atleast will not honor the strikes... Or from what I've heard...

 

[Guam360]

cool, good info, thanks

best of luck to all of them and the industry.

 

[USMCmech]

Northwest has put into place a contingency plan that would make use of management employees who are FAA-licensed mechanics, licensed contract technicians and third-party vendors.

I work at one of those "3rd party vendors" and NWA is bringing a DC-9 here every day to get maintence done so they will be up to speed when they strike. When they do strike we expect to get reall busy with NWA aircraft.

 

[n5374f]

Northwest Strike

Champion air pilots were told that if NWA pilots did not honor the strike then Champion pilots will have to fly flights as assigned by NWA out of NWA gates. The Champion pilots are in a bind because they don't want problems with NWA pilots

 

[TurboS7]

Just don't cross a picket line.

 

[WMUchickenhawk]

Just don't cross a picket line.

If I remember correctly, thats the way to do it. You can't be fired for refusing to cross the line. It may just be a michigan law though.

 

[NuGuy]

Champion air pilots were told that if NWA pilots did not honor the strike then Champion pilots will have to fly flights as assigned by NWA out of NWA gates. The Champion pilots are in a bind because they don't want problems with NWA pilots

I seriously doubt that the Champion pilots will fly struck work...

Ironically, the NWA pilots are the ONLY employee group that retains the right to sympathy strike with other groups. The FAs and mechs gave that right away in their contracts long ago in exchange for $$$.

Sigh...it looks not so good. Good old GW sees no reason for a PEB so it will come to a head on the 20th for sure.

Nu

 

[DoinTime]

I work at one of those "3rd party vendors" and NWA is bringing a DC-9 here every day to get maintence done so they will be up to speed when they strike. When they do strike we expect to get reall busy with NWA aircraft.

USMCmech = SCAB

 

[Vector4fun]

USMCmech = SCAB

I hope you didn't post that simply because he works for a 3rd party Maint. contractor. I read it as simply doing his job for his employer, not crossing a picket line to work for NWA.

BTW, I say that as a 25 yr AFL-CIO affiliated Union Member.

 

[USMCmech]

I have been working for my company (SAA) and on NWA planes well before all this started. I am NOT crossing a picket line to take over for striking NWA mechs.

I have no controll over whose buisness management takes. If a plane comes in, I am expected to do my job regardless of whose it is.

I sympathize with NWA mechs, but I have to do my job too.

 

[Donsa320]

Hey, guys, before making rash statements of false bravado as to how you would support our fellow union members, please learn something about labor law and as it applies to railway labor in particular.

"Self Help" is what labor and management can resort to after all the mechanisms of mediation and offers of arbitration have been exhausted. Our (labor) self help is withdrawal of service (a strike). Management can implement the last contract proposal as its move before a strike. If the company expects a strike, that contract proposal is usually draconian. If labor strikes, then the company can hire scabs.

If you work in a different union even at the same company, you will be expected to go to work. If you don't, the company can get an injunction to compel you to work. If you do not comply, huge fines and jail time can be assessed against you and your union. In the American Airlines "job action" a few years ago, APA was almost bankrupted and individual pilots were singled out for lawsuits for calling in sick.

By the way I was an ALPA pilot (#20232) for 32 years, right to retirement and I have a gold "retired" card. I paid many strike assessments and I'm glad to say we never had to strike ourselves. That is NASTY business, not to be taken lightly. Learn the rules and make decisions wisely.

~DC

 

[DoinTime]

I have been working for my company (SAA) and on NWA planes well before all this started. I am NOT crossing a picket line to take over for striking NWA mechs.

I have no controll over whose buisness management takes. If a plane comes in, I am expected to do my job regardless of whose it is.

I sympathize with NWA mechs, but I have to do my job too.

Struck work is struck work. If NWA pilots go on strike you can be for damn sure I'm not going to fly their work regardless of what my employer says.

 

[DoinTime]

If you work in a different union even at the same company, you will be expected to go to work. If you don't, the company can get an injunction to compel you to work. If you do not comply, huge fines and jail time can be assessed against you and your union. In the American Airlines "job action" a few years ago, APA was almost bankrupted and individual pilots were singled out for lawsuits for calling in sick.

You've been around long enough to know that is compleat BS. Secondary strikes and sickouts (Illegal job action) are completely different things. No Unionized group is ever required to cross picket lines at their place of employment. Not even under the RLA. This is echoed throughout airline/railroad history

 

[Occam's Razor]

DoinTime wrote: "Secondary strikes and sickouts (Illegal job action) are completely different things. No Unionized group is ever required to cross picket lines at their place of employment. Not even under the RLA. This is echoed throughout airline/railroad history"

To be completely accurate, you should say, "...unless they have agreed to a no-strike clause in their contract."

In the case of the other NWA unions, only ALPA has not traded away the ability to sympathy strike. Any PFAA, IAM, or AMFA member who refuses to work during a strike by one of the other NWA unions can be terminated for cause (violation of the contract).

During the 1998 strike, NWA mechanics crossed ALPA picket lines.

 

[Donsa320]

You've been around long enough to know that is compleat BS. Secondary strikes and sickouts (Illegal job action) are completely different things. No Unionized group is ever required to cross picket lines at their place of employment. Not even under the RLA. This is echoed throughout airline/railroad history

Compleat (sic) BS huh, well we maybe will see soon enough.

~DC

 

[100LL... Again!]

Struck work is struck work. If NWA pilots go on strike you can be for dang sure I'm not going to fly their work regardless of what my employer says.

No, it is not.

If NW already has this agreement in place with outside vendors, then that is not crossing a picket line. You would, perhaps, like him to lose his job to protect the NW mechanic's bargaining position?

Scabbing is crossing a picket line. You union thugs always amaze me.