Happy New Years

What is wrong with our schools these days? They don’t teach physics in college? This is my nephew Andy and he has no idea what gravity is..
Happy New Years!!
Jock

2009 Profits VS. Taxes

ExonMobil made $$37.3 Billion in profits and paid no taxes in the US.
Bank of America made $4.4 Billion in profits paid no taxes in the US.
GE $10.3 Billion in profits and paid no taxes in the US.

To top that the US owes the GE $1.1 Billion dollors in tax credits!!

Yes, in 2009 you did pay more taxes then United Airlines. Take a look at thier 10k report on the SEC.

This is just wrong!! Sorry about the rant but something needs to change.
Did you know that everyone that makes over $106,000 stops paying into Social Seceurity ? Everyone needs to pay thier fair share!

Jock

Repair Station Oversight Again

The Department of Transportation has called for a follow up review of the FAA outsight of foreign and domestic repair stations at the request of Congressman Costello (Illinois). The Office of the Inspectors General will audit changes the FAA has made to its repair station oversight. The review is scheduled to begin the week of Jan 3rd.

Here is the story from Bloomberg.

Negotiations Conclude for the Year

After another week of substantive discussions, the union and company concluded this week’s round negotiations late Saturday afternoon. Progress has been made and the parties have agreed to continue discussions for the collective bargaining agreement in January 2011.

“The local union negotiators have worked many long hours and well into the late evenings to ensure that the memberships concerns are addressed. I’m very impressed with their dedication and focus our members’ behalf,” said Airline Division Director David Bourne. “They are a credit to the Teamsters and the men and women they represent,” he concluded.

Horizon Air Mechanics Ratify New Contract

Horizon Airline Mechanics and related voted to ratify the new Agreement by the following count:

Ballots sent out, 312
Ballots cast,247 79%
Voting to ratify, 159 65%
Voting against, 84 35%
Voided ballots, 3
Ineligible ballots, 1

Contract Overview

Senate passes Tax Cuts.

Now take a look at the "Tax" cuts and who gets the money. Really, does NASCAR need more money. Guessing they were wanting to get some southern Senator. Don't get me wrong there are some good things in the bill.

Jock

* New Payroll Tax Cut for 2011: $111 Billion

* Business, Investment and Other Tax Extensions: $77.2 Billion
Includes:
– Depreciation and other business incentives, through 2012: $22 Billion
– Research and experimentation tax credit, through 2011: $13.3 Billion
– State and local sales tax deduction, through 2011: $5.5 Billion
– Ethanol tax credit extension, through 2011: $4.8 Billion
– Restaurant and retail tax credit for capital improvement, through 2011: $3.6 Billion
– Biodiesel and renewable diesel tax credit, through 2011: $2 Billion
– Tuition tax deduction, through 2011: $1.2 Billion
– Railroad track maintenance tax credit, through 2011: $330 Million
– Rum excise tax change, to increase the tax floor on rum from Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands:
$262 Million
– Washington DC investment tax credit, through 2011: $138 Million
– NASCAR and other race tracks, credit for capital improvement. Through 2011: $36 Million
– Mine rescue team training credit, extend through 2011: $5 Million

* Estate Tax Change/Cut for 2011: $68 Billion

* Unemployment Extension for 2011: $57 Billion (NOTE: this estimate is from the Congressional Budget Office)

Negotiations Update

Last week a negotiations summit was held in Chicago. The summit was attended by senior leadership of the Airline Division of the IBT, as well as senior leadership representatives from the Company. The parties discussed the resolution of the outstanding work rule items in an effort to move negotiations forward. Both sides felt this summit was productive and as a result of this collaborative effort, full committee negotiations will resume Wednesday the 15th in Chicago.

In addition to negotiations, at the beginning of the week a meeting between the Union, the Company and the outside Auditors was held. The substance of this meeting was to discuss the outstanding information requests by the auditor regarding the 20% outsourcing audit. A follow up leadership summit was held Friday and the parties worked towards resolution of the outstanding requests.

During the week there was also a leadership summit of the parties to attempt final resolution regarding the EWR/PHL station closing grievance.

In attendance for the Union; Captain David - Bourne Airline Division Director, Ed Gleason - IBT Attorney, Clacy Griswold - Chief Negotiator, Paul Alves - Airline Division Representative

In attendance for the Company; Mike Bonds - Executive Vice President Human Resources and Labor Relations, Doug McKeen - Senior Vice President Labor Relations, Jim Keenan - Senior Vice President Technical Operations, Marcel Delhommeau - Managing Director Labor Strategy, Gary Kaplan - Attorney Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Joe Ferreira
Vice President, Line Maintenance
United Technical Operations
The United Building, 77 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601
December 10, 2010
I’ve completed the next step in the process to ensure our Line Maintenance network has the right talent in the right positions in the right locations. Therefore, I’m pleased to announce the Managing Director leadership team for Line Maintenance.

• Don Wright will be Managing Director, responsible for LAX and Asia Pacific operations.
• Chris Carrick will be Managing Director, responsible for SFO and the Western Region, including
AUS, DFW, LAS, PDX, PHX, SAN, SEA, SNA, and SAT.
• Jim Montgomery will be Managing Director, responsible for ORD and DEN.
• Randy Ramdass will be Managing Director, responsible for IAH and Latin America.
• Dave Shotsberger will be Managing Director, responsible for MCO and the Southeast Region,
including FLL, MIA, MSY and TPA.
• Bob Ruzich will be Managing Director, responsible for EWR, JFK, LGA and Europe.
• Ron Sims will be Managing Director, responsible for IAD, CLE and Northeast Region, including CA and BOS.
• Don Burbank, currently General Manager Aircraft maintenance IAD, Europe & Latin America will remain on to assist with the international integration until Single Operating Certificate is complete. As reference, I will shortly post an organization chart reflecting the new team leaders on both Tech Ops sites on InsideCoair and SkyNet. I thank all the leaders who have helped to keep our Line Maintenance stations performing smoothly through the merger transition. Their focus, availability and dedication is appreciated and we are poised to take the next step to becoming the world’s leading Tech Ops team, supporting the world’s leading airline.

The Line Maintenance leadership team will report directly to me and be in place on January 3rd 2011, after which they will begin the talent selection process to fill out their respective organizations. I look forward
to sharing our progress as we integrate our operations, fleets and networks throughout the coming year.

The Filibuster

Saying he was prepared to speak "as long as possible" against a tax deal between the White House and congressional Republicans, Sen. Bernie Sanders took to the Senate floor to make the case against deepening the deficit and widening the income gap in America by extending Bush-era tax breaks for the very wealthy. "I think we can do better, and I am here today to take a strong stand against this bill, and I intend to tell my colleagues and the nation exactly why I am in opposition to this bill. You can call what I am doing today whatever you want, you it call it a filibuster, you can call it a very long speech. I'm not here to set any great records or to make a spectacle. I am simply here today to take as long as I can to explain to the American people the fact that we have got to do a lot better than this agreement provides."

Senator Sanders took to the floor at 10:25AM EST and is still talking. The question is do you give tax cuts to millionaires and billionaires? The President said he was being held hostage well at least there are some in Congress that can stand up and say NO! Thank you Senator Sanders..
Jock

Remembering Pearl Harbor

Every December 7th, our nation remembers the attack on Pearl Harbor that occurred 69 years ago, the thousands of lives lost and those who continued the fight to victory. Read the story of one surviving Pearl Harbor Veteran at VA’s blog VAntage Point.

Continental Airlines and mechanic guilty in deadly Concorde crash

Paris, France (CNN) -- Continental Airlines and a mechanic were found criminally responsible Monday for the Concorde crash that killed 113 people in 2000.

John Taylor received a fine of 2,000 euros ($2,656) and a 15-month suspended prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter. Continental Airlines was fined 202,000 euros ($268,400).

The mechanic was the only person found guilty in the trial before a judicial panel in the Paris suburb of Pontoise. He was not present for the verdict.

His former supervisor, Stanley Ford, and three French officials were found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

Click here for the rest of the story.