Mon, Sep 13, 2004
Union Says There Should Have Been A Meeting
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal
Association (AMFA) called today's decision by Alaska Airlines' to
substantially reduce the number of its mechanics and related
employees "a blatant contract violation" and said this flies in the
face of the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB)
admonition for the airline to bolster in-house maintenance
following the 2001 crash of flight 261.
According to AMFA National Director O.V. Delle-Femine, "The
contract Alaska signed with us requires them to meet with us prior
to any outsourcing decision. They didn't do this. The contract
further requires the company to demonstrate, with hard data, that
outsourcing would save them money. They didn't do this, either.
They unleashed this decision without giving us an opportunity to
discuss the matter and potentially come up with better
alternatives, creating tremendous disruption for our members and
their families. We are assessing the number of members who will
receive layoff notices. Our legal firm is already preparing for
legal action."
"Our contract calls for both parties
to promote the safety of air transportation, 'to the fullest extent
possible.' Today's decision flouts this agreement and the NTSB
mandate by putting heavy aircraft maintenance into the hands of
private repair stations whose employees are not subject to the same
licensing requirements, background security checks, and drug and
alcohol testing, as mechanics employed by Alaska Air," said AMFA
Region I Director Louie Key.
"AMFA will seek expedited arbitration and use all avenues
available to ensure our membership is represented to the fullest
extent possible under the terms of the contract and the law," Key
said.
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