Eric Weeks

President Eric Weeks

"We were blindsided," said Eric Weeks, president of Local 14 of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), which represents mechanics, ground support technicians and aircraft cleaners.Weeks said the way the cuts were announced undermined Alaska's often expressed goal of fostering a work environment in which employees feel valued.

"Several hundred people were informed that they are out of work today with no prior knowledge.The union was not consulted," Weeks said."We believe that there were violations of our contract.There will be grievances filed."

Weeks also expressed concern about the outsourcing of maintenance work with the closure of the Oakland facility.
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"As aircraft technicians, we are concerned by the outsourcing of safety-sensitive jobs," Weeks said.
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Eric Weeks, president of Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association Local 14, said neither Goodrich Aircraft Technical Services in Everett nor AAR Aircraft Services in Oklahoma City is unionized.Alaska is closing its Oakland maintenance base and outsourcing its aircraft maintenance to those two companies.
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"They gave us about 30 minutes' notice before they told the workers," Weeks said."Just a few weeks ago when they announced the management reductions, we had Alaska Airlines executives tell us they had no intention of laying us off."

About 650 AMFA members are affected.

"I've had some members tell me that they're finished in this business," Weeks said."They're finished with all the ups and downs in the airline industry."

While the biggest impact will be in Oakland where Alaska is closing its heavy-maintenance base, junior mechanics in the Puget Sound area could be affected if higher seniority workers in Oakland exercise "bumping rights" to take their jobs.

While Weeks said he's aware of the airline industry's financial woes, he can't understand why airlines don't have the guts to raise fares slightly and end the need for drastic economy measures.

"If they all raised their fares by $5, their red ink would go away," Weeks said.

"We were blindsided," said Eric Weeks, president of Local 14 of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA), which represents mechanics, ground support technicians and aircraft cleaners.Weeks said the way the cuts were announced undermined Alaska's often expressed goal of fostering a work environment in which employees feel valued.

"Several hundred people were informed that they are out of work today with no prior knowledge.The union was not consulted," Weeks said."We believe that there were violations of our contract.There will be grievances filed."

Weeks also expressed concern about the outsourcing of maintenance work with the closure of the Oakland facility.
...
"As aircraft technicians, we are concerned by the outsourcing of safety-sensitive jobs," Weeks said.

"It's hilarious," Eric Weeks, president of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association Local 14 in Seattle, said of the posting.

"When an outside company must bid low to get the maintenance contract, the mechanics are under pressure not to blow the budget," said Eric Weeks, AMFA Local 14 president.