I think we’ve noticed this. Response to trouble calls for departing calls taking more time than usual, parts taking unusually long time to travel from warehouse to aircraft, once everything’s done “walking the log” so pilots are left waiting for the signed off log - which takes an inordinately long time to return to the aircraft.
IMO, part of this begins with no contract since long before the merger, and the bone of contention seems to be that AA plans to hold the line on outsourcing for current mech-tech employees but not promising to hold that line as employees agree to being bought out for early retirement or retiring otherwise.
And mechanics fro AA and US want a hybrid contract that brings the best practices (from their perspective) from each to a new contract together.
Mechanics at American Airlines don’t have a new joint contract yet after the merger. There are US Airways and American legacy work groups, and everyone wants the best of both contracts. That would be far more expensive than the airline is willing to pay – and more expensive than what competitors pay. -
link to Gary Leff, 19 April 2028
On the other hand American:
does want to outsource more maintenance work going forward. Even if it won’t wind up costing any current union members jobs or hours, unions are loathe to agree to it out of fear it reduces their leverage in the future.
wants to move legacy US Airways workers over to a less generous health plan (like what American employees have had)
Over at over at employee forums and town halls, maintenance workers express their frustrations. They have felt the airline hasn’t “negotiated in good faith” by slow walking contract negotiations.
Anecdotally there are reports that some of American’s recent operational challenges stem from maintenance slow-walking addressing of issues with aircraft.
Link to Gary Leff, 22 Sep 2018
Mediation might be the best way forward if compromise is to be reached and a cingract signed, if the airline is going to get its awful operations record in order.