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.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

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.

Somehow, the meaning was lost. I am in agreement with you in the fact that the replacement 1000 mechanics are scabs. That plain and clear. The pilots, however, cannot and should not be called scabs. Their union is not performing struck labor.

 

[Workin'Stiff]

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.

Granted in '98 the mechanics were IAM and the flight attendats were AFA if I'm not mistaken. All AFL-CIO... Times have changed now....

 

[320AV8R]

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.

Thanks for the genius comment. I'm flattered.

You are arguing with yourself. The "replacement" mechanics will be FIXING aircraft that the STRIKING mechanics used to fix, but now don't.........BECAUSE THEY ARE......ON STRIKE !!!! Whether they have NWA uniforms on, or pajamas is irrelevant. They will be doing NWA work that is being struck.

The pilots fly airpanes. If they keep flying.......and no other NWA pilots are on strike..........they aren't doing struck work......and.....that's right.....they aren't scabs after all !!!

See how easy it is ?

Thanks for assuming I work for Big Red....that may or may not be true.

320Av8R

 

[WillowRunVortex]

Somehow, the meaning was lost. I am in agreement with you in the fact that the replacement 1000 mechanics are scabs. That plain and clear. The pilots, however, cannot and should not be called scabs. Their union is not performing struck labor.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isnt it in a work groups best interest to support other large work groups within the company? Next time your group might be in the ringer with management and need the support?

 

[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.

Where do you come up with this BS ?

In 1998, ALPA told the other unions to continue working, and NOT HONOR their strike.

320AV8R

 

[WillowRunVortex]

The "replacement" mechanics will be FIXING aircraft that the STRIKING mechanics used to fix, but now don't.........BECAUSE THEY ARE......ON STRIKE !!!! Whether they have NWA uniforms on, or pajamas is irrelevant. They will be doing NWA work that is being struck.

If Joe's DC9 muffler shop gets an order to fix a NWA DC9, and "fred gets assigned that task from joe, and knows he will get fired from joe if he doesnt do it, that is not a scab.

Now if Fred quits joes DC9 muffler shop and fills out a NWA aplication and gets his shiny new NWA uniform and then goes and fixes NWA's DC9, that is a scab.

See how easy that is? It's not hard.

 

[320AV8R]

If Joe's DC9 muffler shop gets an order to fix a NWA DC9, and "fred gets assigned that task from joe, and knows he will get fired from joe if he doesnt do it, that is not a scab.

True. Unless there are NWA mechanics on strike at the time, and he performs their work.

Now if Fred quits joes DC9 muffler shop and fills out a NWA aplication and gets his shiny new NWA uniform and then goes and fixes NWA's DC9, that is a scab.

Also true. As long as the NWA mechanics are on strike, and he does their work. That is what I have said in my previous posts.

See how easy that is? It's not hard.

I'm glad you understand the difference.
320AV8R

 

[WillowRunVortex]

True. Unless there are NWA mechanics on strike at the time, and he performs their work.


Also true. As long as the NWA mechanics are on strike, and he does their work. That is what I have said in my previous posts.


I'm glad you understand the difference.
320AV8R

LOL,,,so what you are saying is that any third party contract mechanic who works on a struck NWA plane is supposed to inform his/her boss that they basically are resigning from their employment (non union shop), but it IS
ok for pilots of the same colors (NWA) of the striking mechanics to go merily about their business helping management out and breaking the backs of their fellow company employees,,,sad,,,very sad.

 

[General Lee]

Not only mechanics, but stews too. Yeeesh.

NWA Flight Want Replacements Plan Examined
Tuesday August 2, 5:53 pm ET NWA Flight Attendants Ask FAA to Examine Plan for Replacements



MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Flight attendants at Northwest Airlines Corp. asked the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate the airline's plans to replace them if they follow mechanics into a strike later this month.

In a petition filed with the FAA on Tuesday, the flight attendants said they were concerned that safety and security information was being released to non-employees -- namely, flight attendant trainees who have not yet been hired. That "should raise concerns for the FAA and the flying public in a post-9/11 world," said Peter Fiske, a spokesman for the Professional Flight Attendants Association.

He declined to release a copy of the request sent to the FAA.

Mediated talks between Northwest and its mechanics resumed on Tuesday in Washington. The mechanics will be free to strike on Aug. 20. The airline has vowed to keep flying.

Neither flight attendants nor pilots have said whether they will keep working if mechanics strike. Northwest has been training replacement flight attendants and mechanics in case of a strike, and has vowed to keep flying.

"If a union chooses to strike the carrier or engage in job actions with the intent of causing disruption at some point in the future, Northwest must be prepared to protect its operations," the company said in a statement. "Accordingly, Northwest has developed contingency plans including expanding vendor relationships and, in some cases, augmenting staff."

Northwest chief executive Doug Steenland has said that leaders of the flight attendants union acknowledged there's nothing in their contract that allows them to conduct a sympathy strike.

On Tuesday, Fiske said the union's contract isn't clear on that point -- but he said federal labor law does allow a sympathy strike. He said that there's still time for flight attendants to conduct a strike vote before Aug. 20, and that a vote could be held after that date as well.

Besides asking the FAA to look into the training of flight attendants, the PFAA has asked a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order stopping the training.

Also Tuesday, the Star Tribune reported that Northwest plans to use 1,000 replacement mechanics in the event of a strike, according to a contingency plan obtained by the newspaper.

It said the replacement mechanics would be used in the Twin Cities, Detroit and Memphis for daily work required to keep the fleet running. The memo, dated in late July, said the goal is to "operate at 100 percent of scheduled service" if the mechanics union goes on strike.

"We are not cutting corners. This is business as usual," the memo said.

Northwest officials told the newspaper it was "unfortunate" that it had obtained a copy of the strike operations plan.

Shares in Eagan-based Northwest dropped 13 cents to close at $4.78 on the Nasdaq Stock Market, down from a high for the year of $11.83.



Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[320AV8R]

LOL,,,so what you are saying is that any third party contract mechanic who works on a struck NWA plane is supposed to inform his/her boss that they basically are resigning from their employment (non union shop), but it IS
ok for pilots of the same colors (NWA) of the striking mechanics to go merily about their business helping management out and breaking the backs of their fellow company employees,,,sad,,,very sad.

That's not what I said.

Re-read the post, because you have a comprehension problem.

You obviuosly have never been in anything that remotely resembles a union and have no idea what you're talking about.

320AV8R