The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) is a labor union headquartered in Centennial, Colorado, that represents aircraft mechanics at Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Horizon Air. The union was founded in the 1960s to specifically organize on behalf of aircraft mechanics, in contrast to other national unions that represent a variety of airline workers.

The union is independent and is not affiliated with any national labor federation or any other national labor union. The union lobbies on behalf of pro-union policies and, in 2021, founded a political action committee to fund targeted congressional campaigns. The union has publicly feuded with the Transport Workers Union/International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (TWU/IAM) Association, a rival alliance of AFL-CIO-affiliated unions that the AMFA is attempting to replace at American Airlines. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

History

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association was founded in 1968 by O.V. Delle-Femine, an aircraft mechanic at American Airlines stationed at LaGuardia Airport. Delle-Femine and other mechanics had become disenchanted with the Transportation Workers Union (TWU), which represented airline ground crew at American and LaGuardia at the time. At the time of the founding of the union, the main complaints of the organizing mechanics centered around their belief of the need for higher pay for mechanics due to the additional skill and training required to become a mechanic. Organizers of the union complained that they were outnumbered by lower skilled workers in the TWU and other unions and as such were unhappy with contracts secured by those unions. ^{[4] [5]}

AMFA fought early battles with existing unions over mechanic representation at certain airlines and airports and won its first union election to represent mechanics at Ozark Airlines. The union’s struggles with the Transportation Workers Union and its affiliates have continued into the 2020s. ^{[6] [7]}

At its peak, the union represented over 15,000 mechanics at eight airlines, but the organization remained isolated from other unions and was generally disliked by the larger labor movement due to its perceived “raiding” of other unions’ members. The union remains outside of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) umbrella of large and influential labor unions. ^{[8] [9]}

Activity

As of 2022, the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association represents 3,800 mechanics at three airlines. The union negotiates collective bargaining contracts for mechanics at Horizon Air, Alaska Airlines, and Southwest Airlines. ^[10]

The union is also currently in the middle of a conflict with the TWU/IAM Association, an affiliate of the Transportation Workers Union and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers that is part of the AFL-CIO labor federation, over the representation of mechanics at American Airlines. ^[11]

Policy Stances

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association lobbies on behalf of ostensibly mainstream pro-union and airline industry legislation. The union is not as politically engaged on left-of-center policy issues as its rival unions which are affiliated with the AFL-CIO. The union has supported various airline relief bills, airline safety legislation, and training efforts for airline mechanics. ^[12]

In 2021, the union formed a political action committee to support congressional campaigns on behalf of airline mechanic-specific issues. ^[13]

The union employs Commonwealth Strategic Partners, a federal and Pennsylvania lobbying firm, to conduct federal lobbying for the union for $80,000 annually. ^[14]

Leadership

The Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association is led by national president Bret Oestreich, an aircraft mechanic for Southwest Airlines who previously worked for American Airlines. ^[15] Oestreich receives $187,000 in annual compensation from the union. ^[16]