American Airlines

[ljbab728]

This is not good news for Tulsa no matter now American Airlines tries to spin it.

http://newsok.com/american-airlines-...adlines_widget

[venture]

If they think it is bad now, wait for when AMR files for Chapter 11 and puts the screws to everything.

I'm not sure how much of the Kansas City maintenance base is left, but there is going to be tough choices ahead on rationalizing the facilities. Alliance Airport gives AA tons of room to expand down there.

[adaniel]

Well that stinks but not a surprise as they have been talking about this for about 18 months now. What should be making everyone pissed is that they have received somewhere around $60 million in tax incentives to keep jobs in T-town. I'm sure AA will receive more from Mr. Perry. Corporate screwing at its finest.

Venture is exactly right. This may be the least of Tulsa worries if AA can't turn the company around. So if its honestly needed to save money well maybe its not a bad thing.

To add insult to injury to our friends in the 918 another major employer, Samson, announced today they are more or less putting themselves up for sale.

[MDot]

I read about this earlier. Obviously not very good news for Tulsa.

[Pete]

From best I can tell, AA employs over 6,000 at that maintenance facility in Tulsa.

Losing two hundred job hurts, but they still have tons of jobs there. That may change, but for now it is still one of the largest employers in the state.

[Swake2]

The AA Kansas City base is gone. While this is a small percentage of the Tulsa base American’s health is troubling, but then airlines seem to always be in trouble. Overall Aerospace is doing well in Tulsa with Spirit Aerosystems ramping up with Boeing 787 construction and Lufthansa/Bizjet doing a lot of hiring. Even American has reportedly been hiring lately despite this announcement.

Regarding Samson, the Schusterman family that owns Samson are huge Tulsa boosters, the OU campus in Tulsa is actually called the Schusterman Center. CEO Stacy Schusterman’s husband runs a large Tulsa nonprofit org. Stacy’s mother Lynn is one of the wealthiest people in the world. It hard to believe they would sell the company and do harm to Tulsa for a few more bucks. The company release says that if something happens they will protect “the value” of the Tulsa workforce.

The rumor I keep seeing here and there is that Devon is the company that could buy Samson but that really makes no sense.

[ZYX2]

There was a story on Channel 6 the other day that Tulsa should have upwards of 350 jobs coming soon from relatively from several companies. The chamber also says that those jobs will support about 750 other jobs. That's not including the ones like Cimarex, and Saint Francis preparing to add hundreds of jobs. I don't think our job market is in trouble.

[ljbab728]

There was a story on Channel 6 the other day that Tulsa should have upwards of 350 jobs coming soon from relatively from several companies. The chamber also says that those jobs will support about 750 other jobs. That's not including the ones like Cimarex, and Saint Francis preparing to add hundreds of jobs. I don't think our job market is in trouble.

I don't think anyone is trying to emply that the Tulsa job market is in trouble. It is still growing. Like most cities, it takes some negative hits along with the positives. It would be nice to eliminate the negatives though.

[BDP]

Not cool:

Tulsa to lose 2,100 American Airlines jobs

[metro]

There was a story on Channel 6 the other day that Tulsa should have upwards of 350 jobs coming soon from relatively from several companies. The chamber also says that those jobs will support about 750 other jobs. That's not including the ones like Cimarex, and Saint Francis preparing to add hundreds of jobs. I don't think our job market is in trouble.

It's that attitude why Tulsa fell behind OKC. Tulsa isn't just loosing 2,100 jobs from AA, but think about all the support jobs from those 2,100......

[918Town]

It's that attitude why Tulsa fell behind OKC. Tulsa isn't just loosing 2,100 jobs from AA, but think about all the support jobs from those 2,100......

You have taken his post out of context. ZYX2 was addressing the initial article referenced in this thread regarding 230 jobs transferring to DFW, and the underlying assertion that the Tulsa job market was in trouble. To that point, his response was very accurate in reflecting the various opportunities in the Tulsa job market. It is obvious that ZYX2, as evidenced by the date of the post and also by the scale of the various headcount opportunities he provided as reference, was not addressing the most recent AA bankruptcy issues and the possibility of losing 2,100 jobs. Please give it a rest!

In any case, IMO the theme of his initial post still holds true to a great extent, when applied to the recent reports even. Tulsa will have options in the Aerospace sector if we have to make moves and come up with possible creative solutions to absorb the 2,100 jobs that may be lost.

The report (hope) of our demise is frequently exaggerated on this board. I hope you're not actually too disappointed when Tulsa prospers. It seems there is an under current of almost glee by some here at any news of anything negative happening in Tulsa. I understand the competition, rivalry, despise, whatever....but come on, sometimes its too much ugliness!

[ljbab728]

You have taken his post out of context. ZYX2 was addressing the initial article referenced in this thread regarding 230 jobs transferring to DFW, and the underlying assertion that the Tulsa job market was in trouble. To that point, his response was very accurate in reflecting the various opportunities in the Tulsa job market. It is obvious that ZYX2, as evidenced by the date of the post and also by the scale of the various headcount opportunities he provided as reference, was not addressing the most recent AA bankruptcy issues and the possibility of losing 2,100 jobs. Please give it a rest!

In any case, IMO the theme of his initial post still holds true to a great extent, when applied to the recent reports even. Tulsa will have options in the Aerospace sector if we have to make moves and come up with possible creative solutions to absorb the 2,100 jobs that may be lost.

The report (hope) of our demise is frequently exaggerated on this board. I hope you're not actually too disappointed when Tulsa prospers. It seems there is an under current of almost glee by some here at any news of anything negative happening in Tulsa. I understand the competition, rivalry, despise, whatever....but come on, sometimes its too much ugliness!

918, don't think most here have any "glee" about this. We are a small state and what affects Tulsa affects the entire state to some extent. Bad news for OKC (possible Boeing cuts) is reported here as well. It's not about rivalry.

[venture]

Like LJ said, don't over estimate things. There is an existing thread here: http://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=28551

It is definitely hitting on how bad this is for Oklahoma.

[BDP]

It seems there is an under current of almost glee by some here at any news of anything negative happening in Tulsa. I understand the competition, rivalry, despise, whatever....

Maybe, but not by many. I'm sure maybe that those motivated to post in this section may have issues, but the topic of the "rivalry" with Tulsa has come up a bunch on other sections and most, like myself, don't get it. Personally, I have never been to two cities that are more similar, and find the rivalry, despise, or whatever silly and usually ignorant, but maybe that's why some get so sensitive about it or champion things that really aren't that big of a deal.

In the end, anyone who would experience glee from the loss of 2100 jobs anywhere in America, let alone in the same state, is seriously misguided.

[ZYX2]

It's that attitude why Tulsa fell behind OKC. Tulsa isn't just loosing 2,100 jobs from AA, but think about all the support jobs from those 2,100......

918Town pretty much covered all the bases, so I won't go too deep here, but....

This post was made when we (Tulsa) were in a very different position than we are now. This will hit Tulsa hard, however the theme does still hold true. Other companies are continuing to add jobs. I still don't think the Tulsa job market as a whole is really "in trouble." Yes, this will be a hard hit, but it will not cause the economy to collapse. I believe those affected should be able to find jobs relatively quickly. Same benefits, not necessarily, but a good job none the less.

[ljbab728]

918Town pretty much covered all the bases, so I won't go too deep here, but....

This post was made when we (Tulsa) were in a very different position than we are now. This will hit Tulsa hard, however the theme does still hold true. Other companies are continuing to add jobs. I still don't think the Tulsa job market as a whole is really "in trouble." Yes, this will be a hard hit, but it will not cause the economy to collapse. I believe those affected should be able to find jobs relatively quickly. Same benefits, not necessarily, but a good job none the less.

I'm sure you're right. It will be similar to OKC when the GM plant closed. It was a blow but nothing that the metro area couldn't absorb in a rising local economy.

[Swake2]

918Town pretty much covered all the bases, so I won't go too deep here, but....

This post was made when we (Tulsa) were in a very different position than we are now. This will hit Tulsa hard, however the theme does still hold true. Other companies are continuing to add jobs. I still don't think the Tulsa job market as a whole is really "in trouble." Yes, this will be a hard hit, but it will not cause the economy to collapse. I believe those affected should be able to find jobs relatively quickly. Same benefits, not necessarily, but a good job none the less.

Lufthansa is growing their Tulsa base and there were rumors they were interesting in buying the AA base if American wanted to sell it. They may well take a lot of these people. Hopefully. Spirit and Nordam have been growing too.

[MsProudSooner]

It's that attitude why Tulsa fell behind OKC. Tulsa isn't just loosing 2,100 jobs from AA, but think about all the support jobs from those 2,100......

Also, there are literally thousands of AA retirees in Tulsa. The possible cuts to their pensions could be devistating to them and the area in general.

[Just the facts]

I'm sure you're right. It will be similar to OKC when the GM plant closed. It was a blow but nothing that the metro area couldn't absorb in a rising local economy.

Darn good point.

[Pete]

American Airlines to lay off almost 450 local workers by February

By D.R. STEWART World Staff Writer | Published: October 5, 2012

American Airlines will lay off 300 mechanics and 143 fleet service workers at its Tulsa Maintenance & Engineering Center by February, company and Transport Workers Union officials said Friday.

The layoffs will be effective in November and December for the fleet service workers and in December and February for mechanics, officials said.
Letters notifying workers of the layoffs are being mailed to fleet service workers this week and to mechanics in November, officials said.


Read more: American Airlines to lay off almost 450 local workers by February | NewsOK.com

[Pete]

In Tulsa, 709 mechanics, plant maintenance and logistics specialists at American's Maintenance & Engineering Center elected to take the early-retirement option, which includes a severance payment of $39,000. About 5,000 mechanics and related workers are employed at the base, and 7,000 people overall.

TWU executives said the early retirements are expected to reduce TWU layoffs companywide to 1,800, including fewer than 500 mechanics and related workers. That figure is down from 2,400 mechanics and related workers that American said would be laid off in August and 8,650 TWU layoffs proposed in the company's March term sheet.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at American Airlines workers taking 'early out' number 2,800 | Tulsa World

[soonerfan_in_okc]

In Tulsa, 709 mechanics, plant maintenance and logistics specialists at American's Maintenance & Engineering Center elected to take the early-retirement option, which includes a severance payment of $39,000. About 5,000 mechanics and related workers are employed at the base, and 7,000 people overall.

TWU executives said the early retirements are expected to reduce TWU layoffs companywide to 1,800, including fewer than 500 mechanics and related workers. That figure is down from 2,400 mechanics and related workers that American said would be laid off in August and 8,650 TWU layoffs proposed in the company's March term sheet.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at American Airlines workers taking 'early out' number 2,800 | Tulsa World

Goodness. How many people still even work at the AA plant now?

[venture]

Goodness. How many people still even work at the AA plant now?

Read the next sentence after the bolding.

[HOT ROD]

i hope they can hang on, but I also think the city of Tulsa should start exploring other options in case the inevitable ends up becoming true.

I think that is the point many on here are trying to say, Tulsan's should wake up and realize what is on hand rather than wearing glasses from the glory years. Things are differnet now and like OKC learned - you have to fight for what you have/want, or else.

Nobody that is a true OKC fan wants any economic trouble for Tulsa because as has been said over and over - the state is too small to absorb losses in Tulsa. OKC is becoming more of a regional juggernaut but it is not yet big enough to absorb all of the hits in 918 to prevent a negative overall for the state.