April 11, 2017
Participants for AMFA:
Bret Oestreich – National Director
Earl Clark – Region I Director
Will Abbott – Region II Director
Bob Cramer – Airline Representative, Local 4
Craig Hamlet – Airline Representative, Local 11
Shane Flachman – Airline Representative, Local 18
Mike Young – Airline Representative, Local 32
Danny York – Facility Maintenance DAL
Lucas Middlebrook – Legal Counsel
Participants for Southwest Airlines:
Gerry Anderson – Sr. Director, Labor Relations
Cindy Nagle – Sr. Director, Labor Relations
John Zuzu – Sr. Director, Corporate Facilities
Clint Auton – Director, Corporate Facilities
Robert Dorsey – Director, Corporate Facilities
Tim Hooyman – Sr. Manager, Corporate Facilities
The Negotiating Committee is providing this update to the AMFA Membership at Southwest Airlines (SWA). This report is the only official authorized written source of negotiating communications by the Committee.
We met with the Company in Dallas, Texas on Wednesday, March 29. This was a scheduled half-day session to discuss the appropriate action to again come to a tentative agreement (TA) that could be ratified. The Committee presented the Company with a prioritized list of twelve items we believed needed to be adjusted: 1) higher base wages, 2) grandfather at least one certification, 3) add language to guarantee the number of technicians per square feet to all facilities, 4) BOMI International courses only if technician cannot obtain or hold state license, 5) double time for working a holiday on a regular scheduled day off plus holiday bonus pay (triple time pay), 6) create bid locations and have them bid, 7) Lead pay top of scale plus 7%, 8) add two floating holidays, 9) Lead selection by seniority, 10) third shift pay, 11) 4/10 work week, and 12) no BOMI International courses. We then had a short discussion clarifying the items, and the Company then caucused. About two hours later, the Company came back and let the Committee know they had worked up a supposal, but needed their finance group to cost the supposal. The Company explained they would try to get back with us before the end of the week.
At the end of our Aircraft Maintenance Technician negotiation session on March 30, the Company presented us with the supposal. 1) It included an increase of one dollar to top of scale only. 2) They proposed the grandfathering of one license for all existing Facility Maintenance Technicians (FMT) for the duration of their employment. The grandfathered license will be the FMT’s primary area of expertise. 3) In order to receive pay for a second license for existing FMTs, they must present a bona fide state electrical license, bona fide state commercial license (e.g. TACLA or TACLB for HVAC), or a certificate from BOMI in HVAC or general. The Company will reimburse the cost of the approved BOMI training program upon completion; there’s no up-front payment as proposed in the failed TA. 4) License pay for new hire FMTs will be based on them presenting a bona fide state electrical license, a bona fide state commercial license (e.g. TACLA or TACLB for HVAC), or a certificate from BOMI in HVAC or general. Again, the Company will reimburse the cost of the training program upon completion.
We then requested dates from the Company for further discussions and explained that our Committee would counter their supposal. As of the writing of this report, no dates have been set up.
Sincerely,
Your Negotiating Committee