Association to American: “Comprehensive” Proposal is Garbage

Association to American: “Comprehensive” Proposal is Garbage

Dear Association member,

In an internal communication to TWU-IAM Association members at American Airlines, Kerry Philipovitch and David Seymour—American executives who have not attended one negotiating session—claim the Association is dragging its feet in responding to American’s “comprehensive” proposal. FALSE! Association executive level negotiators told American negotiators that their comprehensive proposal belongs in the garbage. It is an insult to the membership and doesn’t deserve any further response.

Accurate information is important. The company’s “comprehensive” proposal does the following:

  • Outsources work and eliminates jobs
  • Maintains legacy American’s high cost health care
  • Includes insulting wage rates that are not industry-leading
  • Eliminates pensions and shifts risk to workers

Their “comprehensive” proposal was also riddled with basic mistakes including significant errors in wage scales and retirement language. The negotiators that sold Manhattan to the Dutch for $24 were better prepared.

We invite these ghost negotiators, Kerry and David, to show up at our next negotiating session so we can give them the personal response they deserve. And American’s entire negotiating team is welcome to attend one of the collective bargaining training sessions at the IAM’s Winpisinger Center. Maybe then they will develop the skill set required to bargain a fair contract that Association members deserve.

The “comprehensive” proposal is akin to a bribe and a bad one at that. Association represented workers will not be fooled. American Airlines is the most profitable carrier in the industry and American Airlines’ Association workers deserve a truly industry-leading contract.

Fraternally,

On behalf of the TWU/IAM Association,


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Association to American: “Comprehensive” Proposal is Garbage

Negotiations Moving Forward.

Brothers and Sisters,

The Executive Negotiating Committee met face to face with American Airlines this week in Washington DC. Negotiations centered around the Fleet Service group and good progress was made working through outstanding language issues.

The Mechanic & Related/Stores Committee met internally for important discussions regarding the seniority article and they are pleased to report that significant and positive progress was made working through those complicated remaining issues. Our attention in the next scheduled negotiation will be on the Mechanic & Related/Stores open issues to sync us up to the progress made with Fleet language.

The entire negotiating team looks forward to using the solidarity of our 30,000 Association Members as we move into the more serious economic and scope discussions with the company in the near future.

Negotiations are scheduled to resume on the following week: August 28th.

Fraternally,

Fleet Negotiating Committee:

Mark Baskett, William Fa, Mike Fairbanks, Tim Hughes
Steve Miller, Tim Murphy, Pat Rezler, Art Risley
Andre Sutton, Rodney Walker, Bill Wilson

Mechanic and Related/Stores Committee:

Jason Best, Mike Bush, Ken Coley, John Coveny
Dale Danker, Mark Huffman, Bennie Martino, Gary Peterson
Rollie Reaves, Sean Ryan, Jay Sleeman, Mark Strength

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Association to American: “Comprehensive” Proposal is Garbage

Negotiating Committee Works Towards Industry Leading Contract

Brothers and Sisters,

The Executive Negotiating Committee informed American Airlines they would not meet face to face with the company this week while in Washington D.C. Your negotiating committees continued to evaluate the proposal presented last week and worked on crafting language to respond to this woefully inadequate company document that is far from industry leading.

It is becoming abundantly clear that the Members’ feeling of disgust towards American Airlines is growing. Your committees greatly appreciate your support this and every week. Your continued support is needed to bring you the industry leading contract you deserve!

Negotiations are scheduled to resume on the following weeks: August 14th and August 28th.

Fraternally,

Fleet Negotiating Committee:

Mark Baskett, William Fa, Mike Fairbanks, Tim Hughes
Steve Miller, Tim Murphy, Pat Rezler, Art Risley
Andre Sutton, Rodney Walker, Bill Wilson

Mechanic and Related/Stores Committee:

Jason Best, Mike Bush, Ken Coley, John Coveny
Dale Danker, Mark Huffman, Bennie Martino, Gary Peterson
Rollie Reaves, Sean Ryan, Jay Sleeman, Mark Strength

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Association to American: “Comprehensive” Proposal is Garbage

The Association Disappointed with American Airlines Proposal

Brothers and Sisters,

The Executive Negotiating Committee met with American Airlines the week of July 17th, in Washington D.C. On the afternoon of July 19th, American Airlines presented their initial proposal covering the remaining articles to your Executive Committee. Upon initial review, the company’s proposal is inadequate and falls far short in providing the contract you deserve. After a year and a half of negotiations with the Company, we are extremely disappointed.

Your negotiating committees have begun the process of evaluating this proposal and remain fully committed to delivering the best contract in the industry on American Airlines.

Negotiations are scheduled to resume on the following weeks: July 24th, August 14th and August 28th.

Fraternally,

Fleet Negotiating Committee:

Mark Baskett, William Fa, Mike Fairbanks, Tim Hughes
Steve Miller, Tim Murphy, Pat Rezler, Art Risley
Andre Sutton, Rodney Walker, Bill Wilson

Mechanic and Related/Stores Committee:

Jason Best, Mike Bush, Ken Coley, John Coveny
Dale Danker, Mark Huffman, Bennie Martino, Gary Peterson
Rollie Reaves, Sean Ryan, Jay Sleeman, Mark Strength

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Association to American: “Comprehensive” Proposal is Garbage

Association, AA Executive Session Negotiations Continue

Brothers & Sisters,

The Negotiating Committee met with American Airlines the week of June 12th, in Washington D.C. and continued negotiations on Classifications for M&R, and Promotions & Transfers, Recall, and Reduction in Force for Fleet Service among other contractual provisions. The Executive Committee was unable to reach full tentative agreements; however, progress was made in several areas, and language was agreed to in principle.

The Executive Committee, the M&R and Fleet Service Negotiating Committees continues to discuss open issues for the Articles, and why we are unable to reach tentative agreements on them. It is both disappointing and frustrating that the Company continues to make proposals that contain concessionary language that the Committees cannot accept; even when we provide counterproposals that American cannot disprove would meet their needs of service. While we all agree that progress is slowly being made, the Company still believes that we will make concessions just to reach an Agreement, which will never happen. We all want an expeditious end to negotiations, but we are not willing to simply bring back a substandard contract to get there. Our members deserve the best in the industry. Management has promised that, and so far they have failed to live up to their words.

We are all becoming more frustrated as these weeks go by, because the contract language that the Company has promised and committed to, has yet to fully materialize. The only way these negotiations will be expedited is if American Airlines management actually shows the commitment at the bargaining table they have continually promised to us; that is the industry’s best contracts for their employees.

Negotiations are scheduled to resume on the following weeks: July 17th & July 24th in Washington, DC.

Fraternally,

Fleet Negotiating Committee:

Mark Baskett, William Fa, Mike Fairbanks, Tim Hughes
Steve Miller, Tim Murphy, Pat Rezler, Art Risley
Andre Sutton, Rodney Walker, Bill Wilson

Mechanic and Related/Stores Committee:

Jason Best, Mike Bush, Ken Coley, John Coveny
Dale Danker, Mark Huffman, Bennie Martino, Gary Peterson
Rollie Reaves, Sean Ryan, Jay Sleeman, Mark Strength

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Association to American: “Comprehensive” Proposal is Garbage

Association, AA Executive Session Negotiations Continue

Brothers & Sisters,

The Executive Negotiating Committee met with American Airlines the week of June 5th, in Washington D.C. and continued discussions of several of the open issues and Articles.

The M&R Committee reviewed and passed to the Company M&R Classifications, the complexity of this Article presented us with several challenges. The Committee also prepared MLS Classifications to be passed to the Company.

The Fleet Service Committee continued to work on Transfers and Promotions, and had exchanges with the Company.

The Negotiating Committees, including the Executive Committee, reviewed the General and Miscellaneous Article. While the Committees and the Company have mutually agreed upon several paragraphs in principle within General and Miscellaneous, this Article will remain open for all work groups until the conclusion of the entire negotiation process.

The Committees reached Tentative Agreements for all work groups on the following Articles:

Effects on Prior Agreements

Issuance of SIDA Badges (New Article)

 

M&R, MLS, MCT, MTS, and T/A’s
Purpose Preamble Safety & Health
Bulletin Boards Uniforms – M&R and MLS Dress Attire – MCT
Sick Leave Hours of Service –M&R, MLS, and M&R & MLS Part Time Employees/Eliminated
Absence from Duty Recognition of Rights and Compliance Probationary Period
Management Rights No Strike / No Lockout Fitness for Duty
Representation System Board of Adjustment/Arbitration Temporary Employees/Eliminated
Furlough/Severance Termination of Employment/Eliminated Field Trip/Travel Pay
Shift Swaps (Change of Shift) Training – M&R, MCT, and MLS One Station Agreements
Leaves of Absence Overtime – M&R, MLS, and MCT Limited Duty
Effect on Prior Agreements Issuance of SIDA Badge

Note: All Articles listed in the chart above are for all M&R and MLS groups, except for those listed with bold after the Article title.

 

Fleet Service T/A’s
Shift Differential Training, Travel Pay and Meal Per Diem Preamble
Grievance Procedures Leaves of Absence Meal Periods
Representation System Board of Adjustment Field Work
Uniforms Absence from Duty Bulletin Boards
Fitness for Duty No Strike No Lockout Probation
Safety and Health Purpose of Agreement Shift Trades
Termination of Employment Furlough Benefits Work Schedules
Temporary Assignments Voluntary Furlough Hours of Work
Overtime Issuance of SIDA Badge Effect on Prior Agreements

 

While the Executive Committee continues to meet face to face with the Company, the Negotiating Committees continue to review and craft counter proposals.

Negotiations are scheduled to resume on the following weeks: June 12th, July 17th & July 24th in Washington, DC.

Your Negotiating Committees remain optimistic that more Articles will be T/A’d over the upcoming weeks, so long as American Airlines management remains committed to their promises of industry-leading contracts.

Fraternally,

Fleet Negotiating Committee:

Mark Baskett, William Fa, Mike Fairbanks, Tim Hughes
Steve Miller, Tim Murphy, Pat Rezler, Art Risley
Andre Sutton, Rodney Walker, Bill Wilson

Mechanic and Related/Stores Committee:

Jason Best, Mike Bush, Ken Coley, John Coveny
Dale Danker, Mark Huffman, Bennie Martino, Gary Peterson
Rollie Reaves, Sean Ryan, Jay Sleeman, Mark Strength

 

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