ual mechanics want to strike

[skysthelimit]

According to the news - the UAL mechanics aren't satified with a proposed 37% pay raise and will strike next week.

Are they all as dumb as most of them look?

37% not good enough????? Try getting a 0% raise like we, the flight attendants, received.

All I can say is don't take the 37% - go on strike. You will end up with nothing. We will all be out of a job because UAL will go into bankruptcy as they keep promising us they'll do.

And you can be assured, UAL's days are numbered if we don't get our s**t together. Whenever you think it can't happen, just think about Easter, Pan Am etc.,

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[traveler]

Dateline: Wednesday February 13, 2002

United's mechanics appeared likely yesterday to vote to strike rather than accept a deal recommended by a Presidential Emergency Board that would raise their top hourly rate by 37%.

The 13,000 mechanics and related workers represented by the International Assn. of Machinists were slated to vote on two measures--whether to accept the contract and whether to authorize a strike that could begin on Feb. 20. The contract requires a simple majority but a strike would require a two-thirds vote.
IAM President Thomas Buffenbarger repeatedly declared during a speech Monday that he would not predict the outcome of the vote. However, he devoted much of the speech to union members' skepticism of United's management, the possibility of a strike and areas of the proposed contract deemed weak by the union. "And [the mechanics] know that the PEB's recommendations, which constitute for purposes of tomorrow's vote United's last, best--and only--offer to date, they know that it contains no job security language, insufficient retirement benefits and a retro payment plan that is no more than a multimillion-dollar loan to the carrier," Buffenbarger said.

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[ToTall]

May god help you all!
A strike would be the end of EVERYONE, how selfish can they be!!!

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[Airtraveller]

Its sad for those mad-chanics the company is willing to pay them then take some of the raise back,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Show them the Money Ual cancell that Private Jet venture and pay the hard working people who put up with lots of BS for years ,,, they make the planes fly right

[Delayed]

Lets hope that they reach agreement soon. I sence more furloughs in the mechanic work force though.

[traveler]

Dateline: Thursday February 14, 2002

Although United Airlines' 13,000 mechanics and related workers will be free to strike on Feb. 20 following Tuesday's rejection of a tentative contract agreement, analysts are skeptical that the union members, represented by the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, will walk off the job.

Earlier this week UBS Warburg's Samuel Buttrick predicted that even if the contract was rejected, the union will "return to the negotiating tables and ultimately reach a modified agreement."

United's mechanics, in separate votes, turned down a contract offer and authorized a strike if a new agreement cannot be achieved by Feb. 19. According to the IAM, nearly 90% of eligible voters cast ballots with 68% voting to disapprove the proposal and 86% voting to authorize a strike. They urged Congress and President Bush not to intervene.

[Jenny@Nw]

I heard they didn't get a raise or anything since '89. Is that true?
I also heard that they are the lowest paid in the industry. And giving your raise back at a later time? I'd be mad too...
It's just bad timing with the contracts, 9-11 money losses, bleeding money

[Delayed]

Jenny,

United has always fallen victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The summer from hell, the pilot issues, chaos, and now IAM. Ugggg!!!!!!!

I think that one of the big sore spots is that the concessions that the PEB's recomondations called for were limit less. I'd say limit it to maybe 30% and that way they would still get a raise. But, what do I know? images/icons/rolleyes.gif

[lineguy]

to Skysthelimit,
You said posted 02-13-2002 06:14 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to the news - the UAL mechanics aren't satified with a proposed 37% pay raise and will strike next week.
Are they all as dumb as most of them look?

Well Sky, are you as dumblooking as your comment?? Look you of all people should know by now that you can believe about 20 percent of the media. It makes it look like the UAL mechanics turned down a 37 percent raise in a sour economy and that is the furthest from the truth. The PEB left it open in regards to concessions and the mechanics could very well wind up with a 37 percent raise with a 30 percent pay cut! There were also other issues like retro pay, etc. Look you flight attendants as I understand it never participated in the ESOP so you never took a pay cut. Also the pilots who DID participate in the ESOP have been enjoying the fruits of a sizeable pay hike for some time now. So choose your comments carefully. The mechanics do not intentionally want to put the company in the ground. But anger sometimes has a way of clouding your rational thinking. I can relate to their plight. I really don't think it will come to a strike. But just remember you flt att's and pilots will find yourself in the same boat someday and will want support from the other groups. The company loves nothing better than pitting one group against another remember that! images/icons/frown.gif

[Agent]

First of all, if United Airlines does go the way of Eastern/Pan AM I think everyone of the employee groups at UA has had a part in doing it in. From the pilots, who from past experience,(14 years)only thought of themselves during the summer from hell,i.e taking 1 hour to taxi the airplane to the gate during their contract negotiations, to the flight attendants, i.e who always forget that they never did take a pay cut when Esop was formed,and who by the way voted for their present contract, no one forced it upon them.To management, who has recently admitted they were spending far to much time trying to get UA/US air together, then running the airline. To the agents, me being one of them, who are basically frustrated at cleaning up the mess after the pilot/flight attendants are finished dealing with the passengers. I am not saying the mechanics are right/wrong, but when the dust settles, I hope everyone realizes what ever happens they were all a part in causing it. One last thing, those from other airlines who think they walk on water, remember no airline is perfect, no employee group is perfect. So when I see other airlines saying derogatory remarks about the company I work for, and still proud of after all that has happenned, get all the facts first, or maybe don't say anything at all.

[ 02-16-2002: Message edited by: Agent ]

[ 02-16-2002: Message edited by: Agent ]</p>

[traveler]

Well, that's the purpose of a forum though. To voice opinions.

[Agent]

Correct me if I am wrong Traveller, I never said someone could not voice their opinions, look at all the other forumns. Make them valid opinions based upon facts, not fiction. Also if you look at the other forumns many members are shot down by just doing that, voicing their opinions. We do not like it when the media/government voice their own opinions regarding the industry without getting the facts straight, so why is it O.K for people in the industry to do it?

[pillow_pusher]

well, lineguy, now is not the time to ask your airline for ANYTHING. the airline (any airline) is in no position to be making big offers. as a matter of fact, many work groups in situations such as this one offer to take a PAY CUT, never mind turning down the 37% rise the IAM workers were offered. it's selfish, pure and simple. and yes, of course flight attendants and pilots have been, and will certainly be in the same boat again (i'm with AA, and no one knows about that boat better than us!), but the situation is NOT the same; post september 11th has changed the industry radically, and that cannot be ignored when taking into account contract bargaining. the UA IAM guys had better cut the crap, otherwise they, and the rest of the UA family will not have a job to go to.

i wish you the best of luck. images/icons/mad.gif

[lineguy]

To Pillow Pusher,
Pay cut you say??? Well I do not work for UAL but we at NWA were in a pretty similar circumstance a while back and pay cuts seem to be all you can look forward to in this industry anymore. If I were in the the shoes of the mechanics after all they have been through I would rather lose my job than take another ass kicking. It has been happening for atleast the 15 yrs I have been at a major airline. Enough is enough. The mechanics as well as some others I am sure have been living on early 1990 wages with promises of paydirt when things got better. Well, things did get better and you know what? The executive bastards lined their collective pockets and the rest got squat! Now all of a sudden as fate would have it the company drags out their contract until the economy goes sour and not that they predicted a tragedy like 9/11, but it certainly plays into their hands and again the mechanics get squat! You know after a while you get to a point of getting beat up when you finally say ENOUGH! So you have a point in your opinion but I totally understand their position. You may be surprised how little it would take for a settlement. It is not the raise but the company not outlining what concessions they want after they get the raise. Once that is settled you may see an agreement.

[traveler]

United, IAM reach tentative agreement to avert strike
Dateline: Tuesday February 19, 2002

Negotiators for United Airlines and the International Assn. of Machinists & Aerospace Workers reached a tentative agreement on a new contract covering the airline's mechanics and related workers that will make them "the best compensated employees in the airline industry," according to union negotiators.

The new agreement is subject to ratification by the rank and file. A vote has been scheduled for March.
In a statement, IAM District Lodge 141-M leaders urged members to approve the contract, which it said "contains significant improvements over the recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board," including better retirement benefits and an increase in the amount of retroactive pay due mechanics. The retroactive compensation also will be paid out sooner under the new agreement, IAM said.

United Airlines CEO Jack Creighton said, "Our negotiating team and United's Labor Committee of the Board of Directors have accepted the terms of the IAM's proposal. With the agreement, our customers can be confident that United will continue to operate without disruption."

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[traveler]

Hi Agent,

I agree with you that an informed opinion is much more preferable.
And you are definitely given the opportunity to call someone not informed or a bonehead or whatever. I was just trying to make the point that an internet forum (like this one) would be much less interesting if everybody agreed on everything. Explaining why your point of view is better is half the fun. Learning how others feel about a topic is interesting too. So you have just as much right to speak here as the other guy. And whether one is informed or loyal or emotional or silly or annoying or stupid or smart will show through in the discussions. Others will form opinions about those participating too. Anyway, telling people to shut up if you don't like what you hear is not really the purpose of a forum. Not that you told them, you merely suggested it and I commented on that. So, no harm done here, we're still discussing things. See ya.

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[pillow_pusher]

to skysthelimit;

well said!!!

[skysthelimit]

Dear Line Guy:

Yes I am as dumb as I look - you know why, because it's my choice to take the constant abuse, low pay, and disrespect from other employee groups at UAL as well as paxs to do a job that pays NOTHING. With my college education, experience, and professionalism I could be making more than a UAL pilot.

And let me say after 15 years of this bull s**t I am ready to end it before I let some terrorist, who gets past the ridiculous security imposed by our government, ends it for me.

Let me, however, set you straight on a few things, that as you accused me of, seems to be unclear as a result of inaccurate company reporting.

No, we the flight attendants did not participate in ESOP. We were not given a chance by our union to vote on whether we would like to participate or not.

We are now into a 10 year contract that gave us a 5% bonus based on what we flew the previous year. Then it was taxed at the highest bracket as a "bonus" not a raise and we ended up with nothing for working our asses off. We were told we would be brought up to industry standards and last year negotiated with the company and we were giving a huge ZERO PERCENT RAISE!!!!!

We are constantly disciplined over everything from having the wrong color pantyhose to not having our hair pulled back.

When a pax complains, the company backs the pax 100% regardless if the pax is telling the truth or not.

God forbid we get sick. We are not allowed to call in sick. Three times per year and you will find yourself in disciplinary action.

We get screwed over by our Crew Scheduling desk and are told to "write it up" to our Union who could care less. We have no one to go to for help in settling abuses against us.

We are the front line dealing with angry pax. Yes the pilots fly the planes, you, the mechanics, fix the planes and we deal with the pax and all the situations, both good and bad, that occur on the planes.

I think we all deserve the same amount of pay and the same respect. That won't ever happen though!

United airlines needs to be renamed -- it should be called DIVIDED. We are our own worst enemy.

This company needs to turn around and start supporting its employees instead of trying to destroy them.

God help us all. Hope you get all you want--- regardless of what the outcome will be.

[lineguy]

Well Sky,
You are most likely right. We will never all make the same pay. However, I would hope one day we can all receive the same respect. It would be nice if we could all do each others job for a week and then voice our opinions. I think they would be different. There are a lot of misconceptions about each others job function and that has to change if we are to respect each other. It is too bad we really can't have a system that would allow us to do that. However, the company does not want this. They thrive on employee divide and conquer theory.

[skysthelimit]

I think the only solution is to get rid of any leftovers from the Stevie Wolf administration. We have so much management dead wood floating around headquarters, it would be nice if they could start with cutting "their" jobs and "their" salaires first.

Until UAL recognizes the value of it's employees, we will never truly be United.

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[Airtraveller]

I Think the word UNITED means sticking together. Hope all 84,000 employee can come together with great ideas and pull it off...save the airlines from going under.
For the management at UAL Bigger is not always better, why did you try to buy USair?

God bless and Much luck