AA Bargaining Update, March 25

Published 28 Mar, 2016

Sisters and brothers,

The Mechanic & Related/Stores and Fleet Service Negotiating Committees met with American Airlines the week of March 21 in Dallas. Updates from both committees are below. Download M&R/Stores update   Download Fleet Service update

Mechanic & Related/Stores

On Wednesday, March 23, the company briefed your committee,10 minutes prior to their announcement, about the decision to follow the rest of the industry in having a profit-sharing program for its employees.

Although this might be considered a step in the right direction, your committee must review the profit-sharing plan as proposed to determine its effects on our future. The fact the company has established a profit sharing plan does not change your committee’s approach to negotiations, particularly our approach toward compensation, including industry-leading wages. In regard to profit-sharing, American stated that they were not asking for anything in return, and we plan to hold them to their words!

The negotiating committee worked on the following articles during this session:

• Grievance Procedure: The committee has had several exchanges and intense table discussions on this Article to ensure the rights of our members are protected. We continue to have discussions over the fundamental differences about how discipline may be issued to our members by the company.
• Probationary Period: We have reached tentative agreements on this article for M&R, MLS, MTS, and MCT.
• Hours of Work: We received an initial proposal from the company on this article and your committee is in the process of reviewing for our counter-proposal.
• One Station Agreements: We received an initial proposal from the company on this article and your committee is in the process of reviewing before making our response.
• Rotation of Shifts: We received an initial proposal from the company on this article and the committee is in the process of reviewing before making our response.
• Sick Leave/OJI: The committee presented the company with our initial proposal on this article and awaiting their response.

In addition to next week in Dallas, the parties have agreed to the negotiations schedule for the next three months:

We thank you for your patience and support as we make steady progress toward a joint contract. We are fully dedicated to negotiating the best agreement as quickly as possible.

Fraternally,

Fleet Service Update

The Fleet Service Negotiating Committee passed the company the following proposals this week:

• Grievance Procedures: Following multiple passes, which were particularly difficult based on the complexity of language in both agreements, the current counter-proposal has narrowed the differences considerably. We await the company’s response.
• Hours of Work: the Association passed the first proposal to the company on this article.
• Meal Periods: the Association passed this proposal to the company and we are awaiting their response.
• Recognition of Rights and Compliance: the Association passed this proposal to the company and are awaiting their response.
• Training, Travel Pay and Meal Per Diem: the Association passed this proposal to the company and are awaiting their response.

To date, the Fleet Committee has tentative agreements on the following Articles:

The Association received notification regarding the profit sharing announcement moments before it was released. We are still awaiting plan details and will communicate those to the membership once they are received.

The Association continues to make steady progress and will be meeting again next week in Dallas; there are an additional nine weeks scheduled with the company (see chart above).

We thank the membership for its continued support and solidarity as we progress in these joint contract negotiations.

Fraternally,