Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) is an independent union that represents aircraft maintenance employees of commercial airlines in the United States. AMFA is committed to the principles of craft unionism, in that it seeks to represent only airline mechanics and related employees, a "craft or class" recognized by the National Mediation Board under the Railway Labor Act applied to airlines. It is a particularly vocal opponent of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and has found itself in competition with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and Transport Workers Union of America as well.
AMFA was created in 1962 but did not represent any carrier until 1964, when it won recognition at Ozark Airlines. AMFA has since won bargaining rights at Alaska Airlines, ATA Airlines, Horizon Air, the defunct Independence Air, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.
Its national headquarters is currently located in Denver, Colorado.
Contents |
[edit] Structure
Local Officers and Representatives are elected by the Local Membership and can be recalled by the Membership. A petition signed by 25 percent of the members begins the recall procedure.
The National Office assists the Locals throughout the system. The National Executive Council hires professionals to provide CPA accounting, legal representation, labor relations advice, insurance/pension actuaries, and National administration. National officers oversee these professionals and report to the Membership. Candidates for national office need the endorsement of only one Local to have his or her name placed on the ballot. National officers are subject to the same recall procedures as Local officials.
[edit] Northwest Airlines Strike
Most recently, AMFA launched a strike against Northwest Airlines on August 19, 2005. The strike failed to significantly disrupt flight operations, as Northwest, in preparation for a strike, organized for replacement workers to immediately begin performing maintenance at hub cities. In the subsequent months, hundreds of AMFA members have crossed their own picket lines and returned to work at the airline, rescinding their membership of the union. Union leaders have been quick to brand anyone crossing their picket lines negatively. AMFA Local 33 in Minneapolis St-Paul has taken pictures and listed names of those skilled workers who crossed picket lines, by listing these people on their website. However, many who have crossed and others who have not point out that AMFA refused to allow its members a vote on any of the company's first three offers. Critics have also pointed to voting irregularities when AMFA finally did allow a vote on Northwest's fourth proposal in December. The offer was rejected.
On October 9, 2006, AMFA leadership and Northwest reached a strike settlement agreement. Under the settlement, all AMFA workers still on strike as of that date will be converted to lay-off status with 5 weeks of severance pay (10 weeks if they resign from Northwest). However, these employees will have a right of recall to their old jobs.
The strike ended on November 6, 2006, when 72% of the AMFA membership accepted the Tenative Agreement reached on October 9.
[edit] Criticism
AMFA traditionally favors high wages in collective bargaining, said by critics to result from trading away the right to subcontract in return. Since the union has also garnered their membership from other unions like the International Association of Machinists and Transport Worker's Union, the latter two unions view this practice as membership raiding.
The role of the McCormick Advisory Group (MAG), a real estate agency operated by Kevin McCormick in Laconia, New Hampshire, has also been attacked by AMFA opponents. They have pointed to the role of McCormick Advisory Group in funding AMFA's early activities and collecting over one million dollars annually in vague services rendered to the union. AMFA's former national office in Laconia, NH was quartered with the McCormick Advisory Group in the same building. The Professional Flight Attendant's Association (PFAA) also rid themselves of McCormick over fears of corruption in 2004.
