Washington Post: DL & NWA to file by Sept

[General Lee]

NWA set to use replacement mechanics
Tuesday August 2, 11:01 am ET



Northwest Airlines Corp. plans to use 1,000 replacement mechanics if the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) strike later this month, the Star Tribune reported.

The replacement mechanics would do line maintenance at Northwest's hubs in the Twin Cities, Detroit and Memphis, as the Eagan-based carrier hopes to maintain normal operations during a work stoppage.

Northwest and AMFA continue to negotiate during a 30-day cooling-off period. AMFA members have authorized a strike, which could begin as soon as Aug. 19 at 11:01 p.m.

Northwest (Nasdaq: NWAC - News) has said it needs to reduce labor costs by at least $1.1 billion to avert bankruptcy. The airline has asked the mechanics union to accept job and pay cuts. The sides are still talking during the cooling-off period that must precede a strike.

Published August 2, 2005 by The Business Journal</I>







Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[WillowRunVortex]

Just mold that interpretation of "scab" to any way that suits you. In other words... A very loose interpretation.

Definition of a SCAB: A person who knowingly fly's/maintains struck work who is being employed by the struck company.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

Then I guess that's where we differ. So would you consider a mechanic who works for a 3rd party vendor who maintains NWA's or DEL's aircraft, in this case, a scab??? He or she is knowingly working on an aircraft owned by the company who has a striking labor union???

So I guess you might as well write off all of your NWA ALPA bretheren as scabs when they continue to fly during the possible AMFA strike ahead??? This is not the pilots strike here. They have the option to perform a sympathy strike, but that will not happen.

This leads to my definition of a SCAB: A person who crosses the picket line of the union they work with to perform their said duties during a legal labor stoppage. All others outside of the said union shall not be considered SCABs due to the fact that it is not their union involved in the work stoppage.

 

[WillowRunVortex]

Then I guess that's where we differ. So would you consider a mechanic who works for a 3rd party vendor who maintains NWA's or DEL's aircraft, in this case, a scab??? He or she is knowingly working on an aircraft owned by the company who has a striking labor union???

So I guess you might as well write off all of your NWA ALPA bretheren as scabs when they continue to fly during the possible AMFA strike ahead???

I would not consider a third party mech a scab. His paycheck comes from some other company and that person may not have union protection against refusing the work. However, I dont think anyone would accept NWA pilots in NWA uniforms crossing NWA mechanics strike lines. That cannot be spun,,,that is a SCAB.

 

[320AV8R]

I would not consider a third party mech a scab. His paycheck comes from some other company and that person may not have union protection against refusing the work.

Really ? Those are the people that are performing struck work., which is the definition of a scab !

However, I dont think anyone would accept NWA pilots in NWA uniforms crossing NWA mechanics strike lines. That cannot be spun,,,that is a SCAB.

So were the mechanics scabs in 1998 when they went to work during the pilot strike / lockout ? If the pilots fly during a mechanic strike, they are flying airplanes, not fixing them; therefore, they are not performing struck work, therefore they are not scabs.

320AV8R

 

[Workin'Stiff]

Thank you!

 

[Workin'Stiff]

...that person may not have union protection against refusing the work.

You cannot guarentee that with any level of certainty. In this case, AMFA is not a part of AFL-CIO, which ALPA and IAM are. He or she may hold a card for a different union which does not recognize AMFA's labor stoppage.. And as 320AV8R said, the mechanics continued to fix the aircraft while the pilots were on the street.

 

[WillowRunVortex]

Really ? Those are the people that are performing struck work., which is the definition of a scab !

That is completely wrong. The people that will perform the struck work genius will be sporting shiny new NWA UNIFORMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mechanics and Flight Attendants. And at the top of their pay stub it will say Northwest Airlines Payroll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Better do some reading regarding the company you are employed with.

 

[320AV8R]

I return to my original point,,,You guys folded like a deck of cards, saving/giving management the necessary energy and resources to go to unprecedented lengths to do battle with the other two groups on the property.

Management approached all 3 unions to make a deal, PFAA and AMFA refused, since their contracts were not ammendable. ALPA HAD to negotiate with management, BECAUSE THEIR CONTRACT HAD EXPIRED. Those are the rules of the Railway Labor Act.

Folded ? If you want to get technical, the pay cut WAS ONLY 5%......since there was a 10% RAISE the year prior. The company asked for the sky.....and got very little, yea, that's folding.

I.E. interviewing/training large numbers of contract/replacement mechanics/FA's. What a waste of money! Once management had the pilots in their back pocket it was a free for all for management to go after the other two groups. NWA management is paving the way to use all contract employees at an airline. When will they secretely interview/train replacement pilots

AMFA and PFAA stonewalled management until their contracts were up, and that pissed management off. Now they are being taken to task. It has no relation whatsoever to the pilot contract. How they treat the other unions is between them and the union.

320AV8R

 

[WillowRunVortex]

AMFA and PFAA stonewalled management until their contracts were up, and that pissed management off. Now they are being taken to task. It has no relation whatsoever to the pilot contract. How they treat the other unions is between them and the union.

320AV8R

When NWA pilots strike, ala 98, a sympathy strike from mech's and FA's is automatically assumed by ALPA. Doesnt seem to work the other way around.