Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association
Encyclopedia
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
, 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.
On April 20, 2009, AMFA was decertified and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters were voted in to represent the Mechananics and related at Horizon Airlines.
Its national headquarters is currently located in Denver, Colorado.
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.
s 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 tentative agreement reached on October 9.
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 31, 2008.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
representing aircraft maintenance employees of commercial airlines in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. AMFA is committed to the principles of craft unionism
Craft unionism
Craft unionism refers to organizing a union in a manner that seeks to unify workers in a particular industry along the lines of the particular craft or trade that they work in by class or skill level...
. 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
Railway Labor Act
The Railway Labor Act is a United States federal law that governs labor relations in the railroad and airline industries. The Act, passed in 1926 and amended in 1934 and 1936, seeks to substitute bargaining, arbitration and mediation for strikes as a means of resolving labor disputes...
applied to airlines. It is a particularly vocal opponent of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is an AFL-CIO/CLC trade union representing approx. 646,933 workers as of 2006 in more than 200 industries.-Formation and early history:...
and has found itself in competition with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
and Transport Workers Union of America
Transport Workers Union of America
Transport Workers Union of America is a United States labor union that was founded in 1934 by subway workers in New York City, then expanded to represent transit employees in other cities, primarily in the eastern U.S. This article discusses the parent union and its largest local, Local 100,...
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
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is an airline based in the Seattle suburb of SeaTac, Washington in the United States. The airline originated in 1932 as McGee Airways. After many mergers with and acquisitions of other airlines, including Star Air Service, it became known as Alaska Airlines in 1944...
, ATA Airlines
ATA Airlines
ATA Airlines, Inc., formerly known as American Trans Air, was an American low-cost scheduled service and charter airline based in Indianapolis, Indiana. ATA operated scheduled passenger flights throughout the US mainland and Hawaii, as well as military and commercial charter flights around the world...
, the defunct Independence Air
Independence Air
Independence Air was a low-cost airline, owned by FLYi, Inc., headquartered in the Loudoun Gateway Corporate Center in Dulles, unincorporated Loudoun County, Virginia, United States that operated from 1989 until 2006. Its route network focused on the East Coast of the United States, but it also...
, Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
and Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
. 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.
On April 20, 2009, AMFA was decertified and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters were voted in to represent the Mechananics and related at Horizon Airlines.
Its national headquarters is currently located in Denver, Colorado.
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.
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. This fact was shared with AMFA lossership and they chose to ignore it. In the subsequent months, hundreds of AMFA members 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 workerSkilled worker
A skilled worker is any worker who has some special skill, knowledge, or ability in their work. A skilled worker may have attended a college, university or technical school. Or, a skilled worker may have learned their skills on the job...
s 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 tentative agreement reached on October 9.
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 31, 2008.