Soon after American Airlines filed Chapter 11, Local 514 set the wheels in motion to ensure the Tulsa Maintenance Base did not become a casualty. We reached out to our community, we set up a website (isupportamericanjobs.com) and we contacted our community leaders and elected officials. Many of our coworkers and family members stepped up to participate.
When February 1st rolled around, there was a small sigh of relief when we found out the Maintenance Base would remain open, but at a cost. When we reviewed the company’s February 1st term sheet, we saw they were planning major outsourcing resulting in the closing of AFW and massive job cuts in Tulsa, terminating our pension plan, retiree medical and so on.
The bankruptcy process is not a worker friendly process. Bankruptcy laws serve one purpose and that is to remove obstacles that would prevent a bankrupt company from reorganizing, whether those obstacles are debt, contracts, workers, etc. Your negotiating team has been working toward finding ways to allow the company to reorganize without devastating so many families.
This company is paying a sizable amount to a lot of experts to get them through Chapter 11. Once AMR emerges from bankruptcy it’s the people that are left on payroll who will make or break this company. Now that we are in Chapter 11, we are convinced that reorganization can be successful only if we have a management team who is willing to see the workers as an asset and treat them accordingly.
We have heard the revived speculation of other airlines’ interest in this company. Because of this, we realize this process has many possible outcomes and we are leaving all options open. Our course will not be set until it is determined what is in the best interest of our members and their families. The Transport Workers Union is prepared to negotiate no matter what the scenario may be.
John Hewitt,
Chairman of Maintenance
Member of the Negotiating Team