Now it's NWA

[lucky81698]

Roz,

My brother saw the letter to the mechanics about the scab school. To get the bonus you had to sign the paper saying you would cross a picket line. They would provide you tranportation to and from work by a security company. I got into an argument with someone who insisted these people were not scabs because they work for a contract company. If the contract workers were already working on NW planes then I would have to agree. So I called the number myself for the AVTechs ad for mechanics that I posted earlier. I pretended my DH was a mechanic looking for a job. I came right out and asked if they already had the contract and were right now working on NW planes and was told no. They would only do so in the event of a labor disruption. Needless to say, I won that arguement. It will be interesting to see what happens, if Bush steps in, and if the F/As and pilots honor the picket line. I'm sure the F/As will, I heard ALPA said they would, but you know how that goes!

[roz]

I can't believe anyone would argue that someone taking a job to break a strike is not a scab! When I was in college (early 1970's) I got a summer job with AT&T as an overseas operator. They put us through training. But, what did I know??? The CWA was about to stage a strike. I was hired as a summer worker back in the fall to support their normal vacations during the summer. I was not hired months before to hedge bets on a strike. I was hired by AT&T and trained by them. I was only trained in the basics because I was only expected to fill in on the basics. As it turned out, no striker was mad at me--they knew I was just the "normal summer help". In fact, one of my classmates turned out to be a Nun. She was a teacher and they sent her to work for the summer to earn money for the school. Somehow, I found out that I have a gift of languages. I could understand the Russians on a crackly sattelite connection. I could understand the differences in Spanish among the various countries and speak to them. So, I was able to assume the duties of some very senior operators. I guess, now, that was wrong. I was so bored just pugging the switchboard with regular calls to Athens, London, Rome, etc. It was nice to talk to people who needed someone to communicate with them to get the word out to a remote part of the country to schedule a call (can you believe that we had to make appointments for phone calls!)? But I also knew that none of the "supervisors" had my "gift". So, the calls only got handled by me when I was working. It was costing the company a ton of money (because they charged big bucks for those calls). When they settled the strike and came back to work, I went back to the basic duties. When I left in August to go back to school, the workers threw me a terrific party. I was amazed at the generosity of the workers for the "normal summer help". I went back each summer, and during breaks. They always treated me with as a part of the family. They were, indeed, a wonderful family. I still keep in touch with many of them.

Can I tell you about the phone call from Richard Burton to Elizabeth Taylor ???? (No--I won't--but it did happen along with a lot of other interesting ones). Not to mention my trip to Italy (at the ripe old age of 19) where I got to drive a Ferrari cause I made friends with the President of the company while setting up his phone calls.

Anyway, back to the point of the post...

http://www.forbes.com/facesinthenews...rtner=yahootix

[flygirl813126]

It is news like this that is making me keep my crappy summer job. We can't afford school and flight training for the DH, as well as housing, food, etc. without something to suplement my income. He is a rampie for Mesaba, and if NW strikes....Well I honestly don;t want to think about it.

[roz]

What stress for you! I see the Flight Attendants lawsuit was thrown out today.

[Kristie]

thrown out? why? not valid or something? I haven't been able to keep up with it all since i was in michigan all weekend.

[roz]

The judge said it was "minor". That's all I know!

http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/050805/1146611.html?.v=1

Oh and the rumor about NWA seeking to contract with Champion Air to fill in flights they may have to cancel is true.

[lucky81698]

Since the talk is about "replacement" workers, check this out http://www.gojetpilots.com . I don't think I'd want to be on that list.

[roz]

Yes, I saw that.

NWA is getting desperate. They just doubled the sign on bonus and increased the hourly wage for mechanics. NWA has supplied Air Carriers with a contact list of retired mechanics.

[flygirl813126]

Well I officially end my summer job this Friday. I have to get ready for school. I am specifically marked as rehirable and have been told that as soon as I want/need any hours they are mine. I hope I don't need to take them up on the offer, but it is nice to know there is a back-up.

[Kristie]

Originally Posted by roz

Yes, I saw that.

NWA is getting desperate. They just doubled the sign on bonus and increased the hourly wage for mechanics. NWA has supplied Air Carriers with a contact list of retired mechanics.

doubled the sign on bonus and increased the hourly wage already? why don't they just work with their own mechanics on the issues so they wouldn't be out even more $$...that makes no sense to me!

My sister & her hubby rode them this past week up to Michigan and they said their morale was pretty piss poor - they thought they were the worst airline they'd ridden on and i had to explain what was going on right now and then they agreed that it kinda made sense to them and "how appalling" it is...