Labor Day @ Boeing
The IAM leadership unanimously decided to recommend a strike vote by its 28,000 strong membership. A two-thirds majority vote is required to strike. If a two-thirds majority is not reached the contract would be approved and a strike avoided. IAM's video response to the "best and final" offer. Boeing expressed its "extreme disappointment" in the IAM's recommendation of a strike.
The most visible sticking point centers on job security in the face of growing outsourcing. A concern left unaddressed in Boeing's "best and final" contract presented to the Union last Thursday.
This is an unstoppable force and an immovable object on a collision course for one another.
2 days to go.
Hurricane Gustav
About five hours from the time this is posted, Hurricane Gustav will make landfall on the Gulf Coast of the United States, once again slamming New Orleans with brutal weather. We pray that the New Orleans and the Gulf Coast escape the wrath of this storm.
The storm track has it plowing a course between New Orleans and Houston, undoubtedly wreaking havoc on America's air traffic system. As of 6:30 PM local time on August 31, "The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has ceased commercial flight operations."
The active TAF at 3:36 PM (8/31) for MSY has winds gusting at 5:00 AM local to 60 kts and 70 kts by 9:00 AM this morning. Not pretty.
The course also has the storm on track to hit America's oil infrastructure. Refineries along the coast and off shore drilling platforms will undoubtedly be impacted by Gustav. The already astronomical price of oil, which had been coming down in recent weeks, could shoot back up hitting cash strapped airlines just as the summer travel season ends and fares have historically begun to come down.
A Flightglobal Film
With last week's news of the "shower related delay" for the second Emirate's A380, the first A380 had quite an inaugural flight. Flight's Lori Ranson was invited to cover the first flight from Dubai to JFK on August 1. The first revenue flight of A6-EDA was masterfully captured on film by Lori and edited by yours truly. We couldn't get permission to use Jet Airliner, an aviation rock classic by Steve Miller, so our European team opted for a "moody European Cinema vibe to the piece." Not my first choice.
Lori's account is packed with fantastic tail cam footage of both take off and landing, a full on-board tour, Emirates chief Tim Clark comparing the 777-300 (classic) to the 747-400, and even a great shot of the superjumbo's safety card. I edited in the seat map of the A380, so you always know where you are on board.
Total running time for the video is 30-plus minutes, in three parts. Enjoy.
The IAM leadership unanimously decided to recommend a strike vote by its 28,000 strong membership. A two-thirds majority vote is required to strike. If a two-thirds majority is not reached the contract would be approved and a strike avoided. IAM's video response to the "best and final" offer. Boeing expressed its "extreme disappointment" in the IAM's recommendation of a strike.
The most visible sticking point centers on job security in the face of growing outsourcing. A concern left unaddressed in Boeing's "best and final" contract presented to the Union last Thursday.
This is an unstoppable force and an immovable object on a collision course for one another.
2 days to go.
Hurricane GustavAbout five hours from the time this is posted, Hurricane Gustav will make landfall on the Gulf Coast of the United States, once again slamming New Orleans with brutal weather. We pray that the New Orleans and the Gulf Coast escape the wrath of this storm.
The storm track has it plowing a course between New Orleans and Houston, undoubtedly wreaking havoc on America's air traffic system. As of 6:30 PM local time on August 31, "The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport has ceased commercial flight operations."
The active TAF at 3:36 PM (8/31) for MSY has winds gusting at 5:00 AM local to 60 kts and 70 kts by 9:00 AM this morning. Not pretty.
The course also has the storm on track to hit America's oil infrastructure. Refineries along the coast and off shore drilling platforms will undoubtedly be impacted by Gustav. The already astronomical price of oil, which had been coming down in recent weeks, could shoot back up hitting cash strapped airlines just as the summer travel season ends and fares have historically begun to come down.
A Flightglobal Film
With last week's news of the "shower related delay" for the second Emirate's A380, the first A380 had quite an inaugural flight. Flight's Lori Ranson was invited to cover the first flight from Dubai to JFK on August 1. The first revenue flight of A6-EDA was masterfully captured on film by Lori and edited by yours truly. We couldn't get permission to use Jet Airliner, an aviation rock classic by Steve Miller, so our European team opted for a "moody European Cinema vibe to the piece." Not my first choice.
Lori's account is packed with fantastic tail cam footage of both take off and landing, a full on-board tour, Emirates chief Tim Clark comparing the 777-300 (classic) to the 747-400, and even a great shot of the superjumbo's safety card. I edited in the seat map of the A380, so you always know where you are on board.
Total running time for the video is 30-plus minutes, in three parts. Enjoy.
on September 1, 2008 10:19 PM | Reply
On the subject of outsourcing, do Boeing and their overseas partners have similar contract talks with their overseas employees, or is there no union and/or contract in that case?
I can understand standing up for yourself and asking for/demanding competitive pay and benefits, but what incentive does Boeing have to keep production in a place where their employees are willing to strike while a critical program is inside a tight and already-delayed timetable? In threatening a strike or actually striking, aren't they sending a message to Boeing that the interests and well-being of the company at large come second to their own, essentially reminding Boeing of why it's becoming cheaper and easier to outsource in the first place?
Unions have done some great things in the past, but it really seems like they go too far sometimes just to make a point. That's my two cents anyway... (fire away, union members!)
-Rick
on September 2, 2008 3:40 PM | Reply
Lori is the next Spielberg, or at least Bruckheimer. I loved the film! Felt like I was there. What a fun little way to spend a half hour. 40K in Biz class with a camera…no MS Word? Big jump over PPM, nice work!
on September 3, 2008 6:59 PM | Reply
If there is no strike now, we can probably expect one when Spirit comes up in a couple of years to its showdown with the unions.
Spirit is really a little Boeing which was allowed to split out while at the same time mangling the lives of the many (for the most part, IAMers, though SPEEAers have some beef, too) and making rich the few (Boeing managers who forked-tongue their way over to the new company, Onex profiteers, New York bankers, and such).
For all that Boeing claims to be good to their workers, a deep analysis of Spirit and the split would show that these claims are as false as those that motivated the cries about the tanker. Not only did IAMers take in on the chin in Wichita, they were mocked by the likes of Nigel (an Onex manager).
Back in the later 90s, ol' Harry was in Wichita. Both he and Turner were boo'ed in a feel-good about Boeing meeting what went sour. Well, Harry got his way as he more or less said that Wichita could be done away with; too bad that the split was not stopped after his departure.
Fortunately, for Turner's (and others') fortunes (accumulated since 2005) the timing was right; think of such shenanigans being spawned now.