Faithful Minion Servant Udi  says, How can I help the King bring down this membership CONVERSATION WITH THE MEDIATOR                    An Adaptation based on the cartoon “Life With Udi” “Hello, I am one of the AMFA’s handpicked minions and a faithful servant of King GT Tiberius Davis. Today I write to my faithful servant minions to tell you about a conversation I had with mediator Gerry McGuckin. Here is my report.”

About 2 weeks ago, we had our first meeting with our new Chief Steward here at MCO. The last Chief Steward stepped down due to unknown reasons? The first 2 meetings were for the mechanics on swings, then mids. They were both held by the newly elected Chief Steward. The last meeting, and the one I was in attendance for was the dayshift meeting. To our surprise, MCO’s appointed Business Agent was there. The appointed Business Agent took it upon himself to start the meeting with some updates. After a series of questions by the membership that went unanswered with “I don’t know” responses, the crowd was getting restless. We did finally get to hear from our newly elected Chief Steward, and listened to what he was up to speed on. After all the non-answers by our appointed Business Agent, it got me thinking. I heard the company’s side of the story about negotiations; I just heard the unions’ side of negotiation; now I want to hear the mediators’ side. Just like in navigating an aircraft through the skies, you need 3 reference points to triangulate for a more precise location. “Yes, it’s true. I just had to reach out to find a way to spin it so the blame for these slow moving talks falls solely on the IBT. Let’s face it, to date your IBT representatives and the rank and file voting members of the negotiating committee have stood strong in an effort to achieve what the majority of this membership has sent them to achieve. UAL management on the other hand doesn’t seem to think almost 2 billion (yes with a B) is enough. The Mediator has only scheduled 2 weeks of direct negotiations since November of 2013. I know, the average mechanic with common sense would say “good for the committee and the IBT standing strong”. Not I, not Udi, that nonsense doesn’t move my agenda forward. No I needed a way to blame the IBT and damn it I was going to find it!” I decided to call our mediator Mr. Gerry McGuckin. On the second attempt, I was able to reach him. I asked him to please explain to me the process of mediation? Why he has taken a firm stand during this process? Why doesn’t he just call for an impasse if the union and company aren’t even close? What side seemed more firm and/or hardheaded? After about a 20 minute conversation with him, I had decided he was a very good man and he understands our (the mechanics and related, not the union or the company) plight. In my opinion, I understood him to tell me the reason he has taken a harder stand during this process, is he feels BOTH the company and the union are not taking the negotiations seriously. So he felt he had to put his foot down and tell them they will not waste his time or government funds when they were not taking negotiations seriously. “OK, at this point you would think I would stop, think (yes I do sometimes think before acting a fool) and say – hey, my Union and its’ rank and file committee are fighting for exactly what we asked them to. That would be, comparable health coverage at lower employee premiums, a defined benefit plan and 401K match for both groups and wages that lead the industry. Yes a smart man would then say, I apologize Mr. Mediator but I don’t see how the Union is not being serious by standing firm on these demands. No, not I, King Tiberius’s right hand minion, I must push my own agenda at any cost. Yes, I must find a way to blame the IBT, no matter how much it’s not true!” About the impasse, and why he would not call one? He explained either one of the parties has to submit a letter to the NMB, then a 3 person board would decide if there was an impasse or not. But, he explained we are not far enough along into the negotiations for the impasse to even be a thought. At first I disagreed and argued the point of, everybody in the process (union, company, himself) has been getting their yearly pay raises. I explained that we feel like the pawns that are the only ones losing in the process. As every year goes by, the mechanics are losing money and value to inflation. As time passed, I think I understand what he was trying to explain to me. As I understand by our local union leadership, there are only a few articles TA’d and most of the contract is open. Now it makes sense what Mr. McGuckin was trying to tell me. How can the NMB call for an impasse with 90% of the contract still open? It’s like going to buy a car and the dealer giving you the best and final offer right from the start! It is not feasible! How can the NMB call for an impasse if we are just at the beginning stage of negotiations? Yes, I know, we have been negotiating for over 2 years! What do you mean at the beginning stage? Well, if you look at it from the NMB’s point of view, 90% of a contract still opened is the beginning stage. They could care less how long the union and company were talking before. The question that needs to be asked now is, what has the union been doing for the last 2 years? “There it is my faithful servant minions, a load of BS. I told you I would spin it. I’m sure someone out there will believe my 180 degree off false assessment about 90% of the CBA not being agreed to. OK, we all know that 90% of the language is complete. In fact many local membership meetings have shared this point over and over again but if I present that, then it would beg the real question I should have asked the mediator: If we are 90% done with language, and deep into the concept of wages, health and welfare and pension, why have you only scheduled two weeks of sessions in the last 15 months? No, again, I must make the IBT look negligent. I must make the UAL negotiations look as bad as the AMFA SWA negotiations if I am going to have any chance to move my agenda!” In closing, it is my opinion from taking in all of this information from the company updates, the union so called updates and the information I received from our mediator is, both the union and company together are playing games with us and the NMB to draw out negotiations for whatever reason. I’m sure we can all come up with 5 reasons, and none of them benefit us, the mechanics and related. This is what happens when you have union leadership that is not connected to the membership. Our local 769 president gave himself a 14% raise last year with our money while we are losing to inflation every year. I would bet our Chief negotiator Clacy Griswold has been getting his yearly increases while he plays footsies with the company on our backs. “Once again, I can’t complete an update unless I show no class and make derogatory statements against those I seek to have replaced for my own agenda. Hmmm, I hope people don’t realize those comments about peoples mothers in the last posting were mine.” “Hey, makes no never mind, that’s why it’s called LIFE WITH UDI and that’s why UDI is a cartoon character. You know cartoon characters can’t be bothered with reality!”

The KING will drive this membership down at any cost

                                         

                                              KING GEORGE T. DAVIS say's
                               I Will drive this membership down at any cost!
                             
                                         Because the IBT won't Ask Survey

An Adaptation by King George Tiberius Davis

“Only me, your democratically self-appointed King here again. This time I am commenting on my last post, “Because the IBT Won’t Ask Survey?” You might say this no class nasty rant talking about people’s mothers doesn’t sound like me, maybe true, but remember I have misinformed pot stirring servant followers all around the system and I will allow their posts from time to time. So I’ve been asked to dissect this last one, here we go my trusting minions!”

All the italicized below is from your King’s post.

"We all have computers, cell phones, etc, along with emails;...I've been on the IBT's email since '08. Then I wonder why the IBT has not put together a simple questionnaire asking the membership what they seek in an Industry Leading Contract. The secrecy frightens me.  AMFA is our best option at this point. Another top down oligarchy that has no business in the airline business.

“Of course I know this is a load of crap! I just figure if I keep printing this nonsense at some point the membership is going to believe there was never a survey, nor was there ever local steering committees tasked with gathering the information from the surveys. Maybe they will forget there was even a System Steering Committee comprised of 75-100 rank and file mechanic and related to take all this information and prepare a proposal. I know all someone has to do to realize I am lying through my teeth is to just re-visit the IBT “Mechanic Dispatches from 2012, highlighted below”:

February 2, 2012 IBT Mechanics Dispatch
To begin the process of negotiating a new joint collective bargaining agreement Local 210 has issued a call for proposals. A link to the notice can be found here: www.ibt210mx.typepad.com

May 11, 2012 IBT Mechanics Dispatch
On Monday, April 23rd, the members of the rank and file steering committee held their first meeting. Committee members discussed the process for achieving a Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement. The goal is to set the groundwork for what will become an acceptable agreement for the 8,800 active and 3,300 furloughed members.

To begin the process, a call for proposals has begun in many Locals and will begin soon from the Airline Division. Members are encouraged to participate and share their thoughts regarding sections of the contract they would like to see addressed. Proposals will be accepted on every aspect of the Agreement…

May 18, 2012 IBT Mechanics Dispatch
Locals are currently accepting proposals for the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please see your Steward or Business Agent to receive a proposal form. The Airline Division has a proposal form available online as a backup which can be accessed at http://surveygoldplus.com/s/2B85473BE6084779/33.htm. Proposals must be completed by June 15thso that the Steering Committee has time to prepare for their meeting July 9th. The System Steering Committee is scheduled to meet in SFO the week of July 9th, in IAH the week of July 16th and in DEN the week of July 30th. During these sessions, your System Steering Committee will be taking members’ proposals and incorporating them into an opening proposal format.

“OK, OK, I guess the negotiating committee does have a solid grasp as to what the membership has sent them to accomplish. Perhaps your King GT should stop being a problem and start to be part of the solution? Nah…., maybe another time, let’s move on!”

“I think everyone that was foolish enough to vote in the Teamsters is finally realizing what a BIG mistake they have made. Teamsters don't give a rat’s ass about the airline division.

“Wow, I really contradict myself with these posts. One thing we all know for certain is that, based on pure dynamics, airline employees’ are the most expensive and consume the most time to represent. The Railway Labor Act, work places spread throughout the country and the fact they must be organized on a system wide basis are a few of those unique dynamics. I wonder then, if the Teamsters didn’t “give a rat’s ass” about the Airline Division why then did they allow Teamster representation of airline industry workers to grow steadily over the years. Why then do IBT contracts now cover 80,000 airline industry workers, including mechanics, customer service and ramp agents, stock clerks, dispatch personnel, flight attendants, and pilots?

No more "guys we'll get them next time," or "we'll have our second bite of the apple." This is it, it's now or never. With the profits the company is racking up, barrel of oil at its lowest levels in over a decade. We deserve and warrant a true industry leading contract.  Tired of surviving on 14 yr ago wages”.

I don't trust the IBT.

An aircraft cannot fly without a pilot nor can it fly long without a mechanic We deserve a little more respect as mechanics and that can be shown by putting forth a good faith contract which recognizes the mechanic financially as well as respectfully. It seems like we are always the last to get a contract (because we are) and we always get the leftovers (because we do) this is the respect thing I'm talking about, the finance thing speaks for itself...

Tired of IBT not letting us know anything about what they are asking for. Sounds like they are willing to take a concession contact.

The membership has been told a few things about what the IBT is letting go and so far, it amounts to a concessionary contract. The sUAL has been giving back for 20 years thanks to company friendly unions.

“Why do I write as if the Teamster negotiating committee has asked this membership to vote on something sub-par and we will get them next time? Because it’s what I want you to believe silly! I know, to date, the committee has been strong and is fully researching every possible avenue to bring back a cover to cover industry leading contract. I know they were sent with the daunting task of obtaining a DBP for the combined group. I know they are trying to maintain a level of health care benefit while at the same time keeping the premiums down. I know they seek to continue the best job protection language in the industry. Further, based on my own feedback from the IBT committee, I know they are well aware of what their constituents want and are standing tall in an effort to achieve this. However, if I print that then they might just get the support they need to do so. No, I’d rather stir the pot for my own agenda then support my own rank and file brothers in the middle of this fight. After all “I am the King!”

The IBT is a self serving sell out pyramid scheme made up of uneducated, spineless, bloodsucking parasitic maggots who would pimp out and watch their mothers while they sit in their yacht smoking cigars and drinking whiskey with the company!!!! Impostors traitors all!!!

IBT needs to go. They have failed us completely.

“Did I post this? “…. pimp out and watch their mothers…..” Damn, my minions and I must be getting desperate; can we pretend this never got posted? C’mon even a classless tirade like this deserves a mulligan, please?”

Why isn't the union fighting all the grievances and broken contract rules that management has taken for granted, IBT just lets everything slide. Where are the lawyers that our dues go to, why aren't they representing the membership?

The IBT has demonstrated their lack of Teamster Power. What they show today is the result of a threat of a card drive. Too little, too late.

“LOL- did I say, “Why isn’t the Union fighting all the grievances and broken contract rules?” OK, I know you are going to ask, “What about the 7 arbitration cases the Airline Division has taken on behalf of the entire membership?” I know you are going to ask about the countless arbitrations each local has taken part in on behalf of their local membership. I also know you must be wondering how the IBT was able to settle almost 350 open cases left to die by AMFA when the IBT became the representatives at sUAL. Better yet, I know you must be wondering how so many cases backed up under AMFA and their lack of finances to pursue the case to the fullest extent possible. After all how can previously AMFA represented members forget letters like this from AMFA’s attorneys?”

Wait, stop, your King has titled his papers “The Truth”. I will not, continue such circulation if I am going to have the truth tainted by any facts. “This I Promise!”