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AMFA Local 4, Chicago Midway Informational Picket Informational Picketing at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as SWA AMTs Mark 5 Years with no New Contract     Read More... AMFA-SWA Negotiations: 5 Years is Too Long Without a New Contract Read More... Press Release: SWA AMTs to Hold Informational Picket at Chicago Midway Airport August 16, 2017 -- AMFA National Director Bret Oestreich released the following statement: August 16 marks the five year anniversary of our professional and committed aircraft mechanics working without a contract or pay raise. During this period, the shareholders of Southwest Airlines and new CEO Gary Kelley have reaped the financial benefits of our record profits. Instead of following the standard set by former CEO Herb Kelleher and rewarding the hardworking men and women who built our once proud airline, Gary Kelly is taking a selfish and possibly dangerous approach. Read More... Press Release: AMFA Supports Chairman Katko’s Recommendation to TSA to Include Aircraft Maintenance Technician Union on ASAC August 16, 2017 -- The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) applauds Chairman John Katko’s recommendation to TSA Acting Administrator Huban Gowadia to include an AMT union on the Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC). Read More... Press Release: Informational Picketing to Mark the 5 Year Anniversary of the SWA AMT Contract Amendable Date August 14, 2017 -- AMFA National Director Bret Oestreich has released the following statement: On behalf of the Southwest Airlines (SWA) aircraft maintenance technicians (AMTs), ground support equipment technicians, plant maintenance technicians, maintenance controllers, and maintenance trainers, AMFA members will be conducting informational picketing in Chicago, IL and Phoenix, AZ on August 16, 2017, marking the five year anniversary of the AMT contract amendable date. Read More... SWAPA Supports AMFA Video Read More... Primary AMFA-SWA ASAP ERC Representative Nomination Notice August 1, 2017 -- Due to the recent resignation of the Primary AMFA–SWA Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) Event Review Committee (ERC) Representative, AMFA National is calling for nominations from Locals representing the Southwest Airlines (SWA) membership to fill the vacated position for the remainder of the term. Read More... National Director's July 2017 Update July 31, 2017 -- The National Executive Council (NEC) continues our efforts to achieve the best communication practices to reach our member including emails, push notifications as well as website, Facebook, and Twitter posts. The NEC also continues to conduct station visits throughout the system. We would like to thank everyone who continues to help with transportation at the station and escorts from each of the stations. Read More... AIR 21 Update July 28, 2017 -- In a memorandum entitled “Compliance Culture” dated July 7, 2017, Landon Nitschke and Trevor Stedke wrote that safety has always been the “top priority” of SWA maintenance operations. Notwithstanding this purported priority, the memorandum conceded that the FAA and Department of Labor have received an “uptick” in complaints from SWA Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMTs) relating to management coercion, which the federal agencies have taken “very seriously.” Read More... Download: factsheet-whistleblower-aviation-industry.pdf AMFA Economist on Wages in the Industry Read More... Download: Presentation07192017 v2.pdf AMFA Letter of Support to TWU Local 555 July 21, 2017 -- We at the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association would like to express our deepest sympathy and full support of your efforts to address the disturbing hostility towards frontline employees at Southwest Airlines. What makes this even more disturbing is that the individuals creating this hostile environment in the workplace are management – senior executives and labor relations personnel. Read More... AMFA - SWA Technician Negotiations Update #59 July 19, 2017 -- Your Committee began the first day of the scheduled three-day session by delivering a comprehensive counterproposal to the proposal passed by the Company at the last session. Our counterproposal was a cover-to-cover package, which was designed to provide the Company with relief on the issues it has claimed it needs while also providing you with a compensation package that maintained our historical margin above the industry. Read More... AMFA – SWA Accident Investigation Team Party Coordinator Vacancy Notice and Call for Applicants July 19, 2017 -- Due to the recent resignation of the AMFA Accident Investigation Team Party Coordinator, we are beginning the process to fill the vacated position. We are seeking one individual well versed in all aspects of aircraft maintenance. The Party Coordinator will be responsible for team administration, annual team budget, ensuring team member training, and other duties as given by the National Safety and Standards Director. Read More... Download: AMFA Accident Investigation Team Application FF.pdf Notice of Changes to the AMFA – SWA ASAP MOU July 19, 2017 -- After many months of work there has been a change in the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at Southwest Airlines (SWA). Our ASAP came under 14 CFR, part 121 and AC 120-66A as an air carrier engaged in passenger operations within the United States. Read More... The Aircraft Maintenance Technician: Skilled or Unskilled? June 12, 2017 -- There is a misleading issue that permeates our craft and threatens to keep the focus away from moving forward if not addressed properly. Why isn’t the Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT) classified as skilled labor, and is instead classified as semi-skilled, or worse yet, unskilled labor? What, if anything, can be done about it? These questions are consistently brought up by our members, and are a battle cry by some who honorably seek professional recognition for the craft. Recently, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) was made aware of an effort on Facebook to change this incorrect designation. As the union who faithfully promotes and represents the AMT, AMFA is keenly aware that our technicians work on highly complex aircraft and associated systems, requiring education, training, and government certification just to get started in the craft. The investment in these prerequisites, not to mention tools and other essential items, is easily tens of thousands of dollars or more. To be considered anything but skilled labor is demeaning to the craft and a slap in the face to the skilled professionals who comprise it, and regardless of the issue, AMFA will never stand idly by when our significance is challenged. Read More... National Director’s Letter to Membership Regarding Complaint filed by Southwest Airlines February 16, 2017 -- Yesterday Southwest Airlines filed a lawsuit against AMFA National, AMFA Local 11, and several individual AMFA officers and contract negotiators. The lawsuit alleges that AMFA-represented mechanics initiated an overtime boycott and that AMFA and the other defendants failed to make “every reasonable effort” to prevent the boycott and/or bring it to an end. As a remedy, SWA is seeking wide-ranging injunctive relief that would implement judicial oversight of how you perform your maintenance work. Read More... National Director Letter to SWA Members Regarding Family Day February 11, 2017 -- As you know, AMFA is currently engaged in collective bargaining with Southwest Airlines pursuant to the Railway Labor Act (RLA). The RLA mandates that the parties are required to refrain from “self help” until released by the National Mediation Board (“NMB”) from mediation and a thirty-day cooling off period has expired. This means that during the negotiating process Southwest is prohibited from initiating a lockout or unilaterally changing the terms of our collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Southwest is also prohibited from implementing a divide and conquer strategy based on direct negotiations with our members. Based on our determination that Southwest has violated its legal obligation in this regard, we have commenced litigation against the carrier in federal court. Read More...