Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association
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| Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association | |
| Founded | 1962 |
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| Members | 3900[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Office location | Denver, Colorado |
| Website | www.amfanational.org |
The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) is a small, independent union representing aircraft maintenance employees of commercial airlines in the United States. AMFA is committed to the principles of craft unionism. It only seeks to represent 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. Later, AMFA won bargaining rights at Alaska Airlines, ATA Airlines, Horizon Air, the defunct Independence Air, Northwest Airlines and Southwest Airlines. In recent years, however, the unsuccessful strike at Northwest Airlines and the loss of AMFA representation at United Airlines to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters has severely eroded AMFA's numbers and resources.
Its national headquarters is currently located in Denver, Colorado.
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[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.
In the wake of the Northwest Airlines strike, AMFA was successfully challenged at United Airlines by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The IBT won the right to represent mechanics at United Airlines on March 31st, 2008.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Membership. Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
- ^ IBT Elections. United Airlines Mechanics Vote to Become Teamsters. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
