The TWU Stores Negotiations Committee reconvened Negotiations with American Airlines in Hurst, Texas on March 7-11. This session in Mediation was attended by Jack Kane and Walter Darr of the National Mediation Board.
The Stores Negotiations Committee members gathered at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, March 7, 2011, at which time the Company gave the Committee another presentation on “Why the Company needs relief on the ASM Cap” AA’s Vice President – Capacity Planning was present to field questions from both the Stores and M&R Committee’s regarding the ASM Cap. The Committee did not receive a response back from the Company on Article 1 – (Recognition and Scope). This was one of the outstanding Articles which was passed to the Company at our last session in February.
On Tuesday, March 8, 2011, the Company gave the Stores Committee another presentation. This presentation was on “Why the Company needs relief on Limited Weekend Coverage”. AA M&E Finance Managing Director gave the presentation to our Committee. The Company passed a counter-proposal to Article 3 – (Hours of Work). As expected, the counter-proposal from the Company asks for relief from our Maintenance Bases’ 1/7th Provision for weekend
coverage. The Company needs this relief to increase their yields on Engines, Certain Fleet of Aircraft and in other Support Shops where the Company deems it necessary. No specific areas in Supply were given where increased weekend coverage would be beneficial to the Company.
On Wednesday, March 9, the Committee met internally and made the decision to prepare the rest of our outstanding Articles, so that we could pass them to the Company. As of Wednesday, there were still 9 Articles that had not been passed to the Company since we resumed Negotiations after the failed May, 2010 Tentative Agreement.
On Thursday, March 10, the Stores Negotiations Committee met with the Company to pass the last 9 Articles. The Articles that were passed to the Company included;
• Article 4 – (Compensation)
• Article 6 – (Overtime)
• Article 7 – (Holidays)
• Article 8 – (Vacations)
• Article 34 – (Sick Leave)
• Article 40 – (Pensions)
• Article 41 – (Benefits)
• Article 42 – (Job Security)
• Article 47 – (Duration of Agreement)
The Company still owes the Committee a response to our previously passed Articles, which include;
• Article 1 – (Recognition and Scope)
• Article 5 – (Shift Differential)
• Article 36 – (Meal Periods)
The Stores Committee owes the Company only 1 Article, which is;
• Article 3 – (Hours of Work)
Now that everything’s “Out on the Table”, the Stores Committee will soon find out if American Airlines is willing to negotiate a fair and equitable contract that our membership is more than deserving of. After nearly 8 years of pain-staking concessions we will get to see what the Company thinks of our sacrifice to keep AA out of bankruptcy.
Once again, the Stores Negotiation Committee would like to thank our membership for their continued support and patience as we try to restore what used to be a Proud Career with American Airlines.
The next Mediated session is yet to be determined. The Committee will post an update at:
http://aa.twu.org as soon as we get a date.