mechanics

Tag Archives for mechanics.

American’s Mechanics Dispute is Really About the Future Role of Union Airline Mechanics

by Gary Leff on August 28, 2019

Aug 28 2019

One of the major issues of contention between American Airlines and its mechanics – that has prevented reaching a contract agreement and contributed to the airline’s poor operational performance – is outsourcing. American outsources less work than other U.S. airlines.

However the trend is for high value work to be done in house, and lower value work to be outsourced. That’s a trend that union mechanics aren’t going to be able to escape. Legacy American Airlines mechanics are in their mid-50s on average and are being promised job and base protection, so the fight is really about future workers.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Weighs in on the Dispute Between American Airlines and its Mechanics

by Gary Leff on August 20, 2019

Aug 20 2019

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and 26 other New York-area members of Congress sent a letter to American Airlines CEO Doug Parker and to the heads of the Transport Workers Union and the International Association of Machinists.

American’s mechanics and ramp workers have maintained their separate legacy US Airways and American unions, and they’re negotiating as part of an ‘association’ however each work group has different interests. Negotiations have gone badly. And the New York congressional delegation has waded into this thicket.

American Sues Its Mechanics Again, This Time Seeking Damages

by Gary Leff on August 13, 2019

Aug 13 2019

Airline CEO Doug Parker says he wears a wrist band “that says CECFTM, which is a terrible acronym because it doesn’t say anything, but it stands for Create an Environment that Cares for our Frontline Team Members. That’s what our mission is. Every day one of our officers sends a note to other officers about what they did that day to create an environment that cares for frontline team members.”

On Tuesday what they did is sue their employees again.

Why American’s Operational Problems are About More than a Mechanics Slowdown

by Gary Leff on July 26, 2019

Jul 26 2019

I’ve certainly written the most about the mechanics slowdown component of this issue. It’s what employees and the company have been most vocal about. But even without that the operation would still be suffering. And the reason to get a joint contract done isn’t just to end the animosity (an odd place to be for a company claiming its culture is its competitive advantage), it will also reduce the friction in getting legitimate maintenance work accomplished — on ex-US Airways aircraft by legacy American Airlines employees and vice versa.

Even so, the airline will have to invest in clearing deferred maintenance items. It will have to stock the parts needed to keep the fleet flying. In the meantime they’re still planning to re-start their domestic narrowbody densification program next year, so they’ll be taking additional aircraft out of service. It may be awhile for the airline’s operation to recover even after they get a deal done with mechanics and there’s little indication at this point that a deal is close.

American’s Battle With its Mechanics Seems to Be Getting Worse

by Gary Leff on July 18, 2019

Jul 18 2019

With negotiations being cancelled, with the company back in court, with mechanics under court order to perform and the FAA expressing heightened sensitivity, as with most things it all comes back to Patrick Swayze in Road House. It’ll get worse before it gets better.