AMFA INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Kansas City-October 2, 1999
1000-1230
Amfa held a cult meeting on Saturday, Oct. 2 1989 in Kansas City, MO (MCI). Kansas City is the location of TWA’s overhaul base. Presiding over the meeting was O.V. Delle-Femine, Ron Wirts (TWA STL), George Hilmer (NWA Rep), Kevin Jurasinski (Alaska King Scab), and another unknown Alaska Rep
In attendance were approx. 60 people, 8-10 were from American airlines, 6-8 were from St. Louis, there was only one fleet service lady in attendance from MCI, 2 fleet service ladies from St. Louis.
Ron Wirts is an ex-Ozark mechanic who at one time was amfa’s assistant national director, and was once removed by the Ozark membership because he couldn’t properly represent the Ozark membership. He started the meeting giving a brief dissertation of how wonderful life with AMFA was working for Ozark Airlines. How they enjoyed the 85-point pension plan. How the membership was well informed and what a truly democratic union they had.
Comment By Kevin (Alaska King Scab) Jurasinski:
- How wonderful life is now that AMFA is at Alaska Airlines (now that we have given up our right to strike, so I won’t have to scab again)
Comments By George Helmer:
- He was an IAM supporter until he started reading the AMFA constitution “It blew me away” it was written in plain English, in laymen’s terms, you could understand it. If people just read the constitution, you would be convinced AMFA was the way to go. (Except that any Constitution is worthless if it is not followed. Delle signs secret letters of agreement, locals are set up without by-laws or national charters, only one negotiator, Lee Seham, at the table at ACA for several months, in violation of the precious Constitution, and other violations that will be discussed at a later date)
- They won’t accept less then $80 for their pension (Even though amfa has never even come close)
- Company requested 60 days of negotiation, AMFA said no, they want 60 calendar days negotiation (Again this is only 60 days until a request for mediation. Mediation could last indefinitely)
He could not believe how much work was involved in being a rep.
- The membership receives information from AMFA all the time (The accuracy of the information is what is the problem)
- They have less grievances filed since they took over (So they admit they are not doing their job! Northwest didn’t suddenly become worker friendly)
Comment By Delle Feminine:
- His usual history on how the movement started, how mechanics would be better off without unskilled people riding their coat tails (Do you mean cleaners and custodians, Delle)
- In the IAM Pension Plan you are unable to retire until you are 70 years old (Lie! You can retire after 30 years, no matter what your age, with full, unreduced, benefits. If you’re 20 when you start in the plan, you can have full retirement at 50. You also get full retirement benefits at 60 with twenty years in the plan, or at the 65 year old regular retirement age. You get full pension benefits, and full medical benefits. Keep on lying, Delle)
- In Ozark airlines they had an 85 point pension plan (With no medical benefits for retirees, and a 20 year old new hire has to work 5 more years to reach the “magic number of 85” (55 years old) than in the IAM plan. Delle also didn’t mention that he hasn’t negotiated that in another contract since deregulation in the 1970’s)
- In AMFA there are no secret letters of agreement. (Lie! It says so in their Constitution, but Delle has been in violation of it before. See below, and click here)
- How truly democratic AMFA is (It is so democratic that the elected National Treasurer doesn’t handle the dues or financial operations of amfa, Delle’s real estate agent friend does it. He wasn’t elected, and he can’t be removed form the office he holds, National Administrator, because there isn’t even a provision in the Constitution for this office. Click here for more)
- At NWA out of 1,000 proposals the membership submitted 400 were voted on and being submitted to the company (What happened to the other 600? Didn’t you mention democracy earlier, Delle ?)
- At Alaska airlines they negotiated a wonderful 401k retirement plan with matching company contributions (Lie! Alaska only matches 50% up to 4% of their gross salary. And it can only be used for Alaska stock. This is much worse than the TWA mechanics “B” plan where the company contributes 4.5% of their gross salary, with no contributions required by the employee. This is in addition to their 401-K plan, and the nearly $75.00 per month X yrs. of service they will be receiving. Delle is promoting an inferior retirement plan. And of course, Alaska mechanics have to pay for their medical on retirement)
Questions From The Floor
To DELLE: In your statement concerning Alaska airlines retirement plan you conveniently forgot to mention it is not a dollar for dollar matching fund, its $.50 on the dollar. The company contribution is in Alaska stock not in real dollars. In which of the 3 contracts you negotiated so far, did you receive the 85 point retirement plan your saying everyone should have and no one should settle for less?
DELLE: None, at Alaska the company couldn’t afford it we settled for something about as equal, our 401k. (Hey Delle, TWA is in worse financial condition than Alaska. Why are you telling the people they should have your retirement plan when you couldn’t even negotiate it from a carrier with better finances? And don’t forget, your plan is inferior to what they have at TWA now. Compare the two agreements by clicking here)
Mechanic from floor: The company couldn’t afford it! What makes you think TWA would be able to afford it? TWA is a non-profit organization; they never make money and are always crying broke. (They compared the TWA versus Alaska pension plan. DELLE was quite upset the exchange of information concerning the comparison between the 2 pension plans did not go well for the AMFA. Needless to say, he would not let the this mechanic ask any more questions)
Audience: Member directed a question to the audience about the pension plan which he wanted answers for.
MCI mechanic: Was answering the above members questions and concerns about the pension plan. DELLE interrupted the conversation. He told them this was an AMFA meeting, if they wanted to know about IAM issues, do it somewhere else. (DELLE murmured the MCI mechanic shouldn’t be allowed to ask or answer any more questions, the crowd said let him ask the questions.
Audience: How long do you think negotiations will take at NWA?
George Helmer: It seems the company is anxious to negotiate. We should have a contract by the end of the year. (Not according to NWA. Click here )
Audience: Did the OZARK retirees maintain health insurance after retirement?
DELLE & RON WIRTS: Yes, they maintained basic health insurance.(If they paid for it, they always leave out that part)
Audience: What exactly is basic health insurance? No answer
Audience: What exactly will AMFA get us for our pension? Will we get back the time we lost? Can this actually be done?
DELLE: When the AMFA takes over you could submit a proposal we would approach the company with the proposal. It’s really up to the company.
Audience: Will we maintain seniority in lower classifications if we join AMFA?
Answer: There was a difference of opinion from the AMFA reps. They finally concurred it was up to the IAM.
A mechanic raised his hand and Delle acknowledged he had the floor. He stated if it is true that you can’t sign secret letters of agreement, then why did you sign a secret letter of agreement with Atlantic Coast Airline? Delle’s response highly agitated with every word making him more incoherent and delusional, “Who told you that, that’s a lie, if it was true it would be against the AMFA constitution, I would be recalled, I’m not recalled, I’m here. You have no proof of this, they’re lies spread by the IAM!” The mechanic produced a letter with Delle’s signature on it referring to the ACA secret letter of agreement. Needless to say, proving Delle Femine was a liar is totally unprofessional. . How dare he prove Delle is a liar in front of all his AMFA nuts apostles.
AMFA at the beginning of the meeting, said this is not like an IAM meeting. We are more democratic, everyone will be heard, you won’t be out of order. When an MCI mechanic started to ask these tough questions, Delle said, “That’s enough questions from you! We won’t take anymore questions from you” The mechanic addressed the audience and stated, “If I will not be allowed to ask anymore questions then there is no point of me staying here, I will leave.”
We would like to thank the mechanic who attended this meeting and gave us this information. It is for the good union people like him that we maintain this website. Thank you, Brother.