Be Careful What You Wish For.
Veteran
- Dec 23, 2006
- 2,269
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55 PIT F/As Displaced
- Thread starter Be Careful What You Wish For.
- Start date
Its very sad.
I'm very sorry for the FAs and for the Pittsburgh community.
A slow death is hard to watch.
Hang in there PIT FAs.
Did they even tell the FAs or did they have to read about it in the paper?
flyguy121
Senior
- Aug 20, 2002
- 360
- 0
The PIT AFA Local 40 says the # is 56 displaced (with one resignation). This must come as an even bigger surprise for an additional 16 that weren't expecting this after the announcement last month said only 40 were to be displaced. You folks especially are in my thoughts as this must be an additional surprise.
From Local 40 -
Dear PIT40 Members,
After much deliberation, scrutiny and many suggestions, unfortunately, it appears the July transfers will occur as originally planned. I believe management was not satisfied with the amount of reserves we currently have in PIT or with the number of days and time of their monthly utilization. The argument was made that our reserves are utilized more than what the numbers indicate but it was not compelling enough to change the company's position. I have stated in earlier emails, the average PIT reserve works 40 hours a month and averages about 9 days to obtain those hours. The other domiciles have been averaging anywhere from 55 to 73 hours a month and totaling 12.7 to 15.5 days of utilization. PIT will be reduced by a total 56 flight attendants by July. After all displacements and transfers PIT will still maintain a 32% reserve factor compared to other domicile of 15% to 22% reserve factor. The other domiciles will have an increase in the percentages of reserves after base balancing but PIT will maintain the highest percentage of reserves. Of the 40 original June displacements 10 opted to go in June as planned. We also have 16 transfers for June and one resignation. PIT's reduction in June will total 27, followed by the July displacements of 29. There was an attempt to have a base specific transfer from PIT to PHL with the hope the voluntary transfers could reduce the number of flight attendants from being displaced. During the recently held MEC meeting, the MEC was not in favor of opening a transfer specifically for PIT as it wanted the transfer to be offered system wide to PHL for a few reasons. Once you deviate from the contract and standard procedures it always opens another set of problems and controversy. The MEC instructed President Mike Flores to approach the company for a system wide transfer to PHL. This was done with the assumption that anyone wishing to transfer from other domiciles to PHL did so already with the June transfer and that PIT was senior enough to hold the number of transfer positions to be awarded. The Company reviewed the current transfer list and found the top four flight attendants on the transfer list were very senior and not from the PIT domicile. They expressed their reluctance to the suggestion saying they did not want to risk creating shortages at other bases. I was hopeful, the suggestion to bring the 321 extra positions trips to PIT from PHL for 4 months of the year would be considered. Since PHL is under staffed only during the added seasonal international flying in the summer and early fall. Bringing the 321 extra position to PIT could offset the staffing problem by reducing the need in PHL and increasing the time in PIT. This suggestion, along with the June reductions of 27 flight attendants from PIT (16 transfer and 10 displaced flight attendants and one resignation PIT), could prove to be viable solution and prevent disrupting the other 29 displacements. I was hoping the company would consider such an idea but I believe they were determined to reduce PIT to be more in a reserve percentage alignment with the other bases. I believe the most the company was willing to do was to agree with a base specific PIT to PHL transfer.
An immediate concern now is for the bidding process. Primary line bids open on May 18th @18:00 and close May 24th @ 18:00. I requested the PHL trip pairings and blocks be sent to PIT and have been told they are in the crew lounge. I know many of you will be primary line holders and will need to get your July bids in by May 24th. I know this whole process has been very disappointing and stressful with the only reprieve obtained was a one month postponement.
In Unity,
Mark Gentile
LECP - Council 40
[email protected]
From Local 40 -
Dear PIT40 Members,
After much deliberation, scrutiny and many suggestions, unfortunately, it appears the July transfers will occur as originally planned. I believe management was not satisfied with the amount of reserves we currently have in PIT or with the number of days and time of their monthly utilization. The argument was made that our reserves are utilized more than what the numbers indicate but it was not compelling enough to change the company's position. I have stated in earlier emails, the average PIT reserve works 40 hours a month and averages about 9 days to obtain those hours. The other domiciles have been averaging anywhere from 55 to 73 hours a month and totaling 12.7 to 15.5 days of utilization. PIT will be reduced by a total 56 flight attendants by July. After all displacements and transfers PIT will still maintain a 32% reserve factor compared to other domicile of 15% to 22% reserve factor. The other domiciles will have an increase in the percentages of reserves after base balancing but PIT will maintain the highest percentage of reserves. Of the 40 original June displacements 10 opted to go in June as planned. We also have 16 transfers for June and one resignation. PIT's reduction in June will total 27, followed by the July displacements of 29. There was an attempt to have a base specific transfer from PIT to PHL with the hope the voluntary transfers could reduce the number of flight attendants from being displaced. During the recently held MEC meeting, the MEC was not in favor of opening a transfer specifically for PIT as it wanted the transfer to be offered system wide to PHL for a few reasons. Once you deviate from the contract and standard procedures it always opens another set of problems and controversy. The MEC instructed President Mike Flores to approach the company for a system wide transfer to PHL. This was done with the assumption that anyone wishing to transfer from other domiciles to PHL did so already with the June transfer and that PIT was senior enough to hold the number of transfer positions to be awarded. The Company reviewed the current transfer list and found the top four flight attendants on the transfer list were very senior and not from the PIT domicile. They expressed their reluctance to the suggestion saying they did not want to risk creating shortages at other bases. I was hopeful, the suggestion to bring the 321 extra positions trips to PIT from PHL for 4 months of the year would be considered. Since PHL is under staffed only during the added seasonal international flying in the summer and early fall. Bringing the 321 extra position to PIT could offset the staffing problem by reducing the need in PHL and increasing the time in PIT. This suggestion, along with the June reductions of 27 flight attendants from PIT (16 transfer and 10 displaced flight attendants and one resignation PIT), could prove to be viable solution and prevent disrupting the other 29 displacements. I was hoping the company would consider such an idea but I believe they were determined to reduce PIT to be more in a reserve percentage alignment with the other bases. I believe the most the company was willing to do was to agree with a base specific PIT to PHL transfer.
An immediate concern now is for the bidding process. Primary line bids open on May 18th @18:00 and close May 24th @ 18:00. I requested the PHL trip pairings and blocks be sent to PIT and have been told they are in the crew lounge. I know many of you will be primary line holders and will need to get your July bids in by May 24th. I know this whole process has been very disappointing and stressful with the only reprieve obtained was a one month postponement.
In Unity,
Mark Gentile
LECP - Council 40
[email protected]
songbirdstew
Senior
- Sep 10, 2003
- 478
- 51
The actual numbers are:
16 chose to transfer voluntarily effective June 1 when the transfers were open.
10 who were to be displaced effective June 1 had already made arrangements and decided to go anyway instead of waiting until the pushed back date of July 1. In addition, one F/A has had enough and submitted her resignation.
That's where he gets the number of 27 for June 1st.
As of July 1, 29 more will be displaced. So technically 39 active were truly displaced between June 1 and July 1 and 16 went willingly on the June 1 transfer.
However, if you count the 30 inactive who were also displaced, we lost a total of 85 F/As total. They swore last summer that would be the last displacement but came back at us again....they just can't seem to get it right now can they ???
Have they announced the displacement #'s for Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, and Dec yet?
h34r: Let's keep stretchin' this out.....They most likely knew what they were going to do from the day they announced the merger.
Why drag it out?
I dunno.
Is it 'kinder' this way?
I dunno.
Guess it gives folks a chance to wrap their brains around it.
Make plans.
Get used to the idea.
Actually hear the Death Knell.
Smell the moldy cheese.
(seriously, if you haven't read that book yet...)
Regardles, its still a sad state of affairs and those affected have my compassion.
Post Script: I rememebr when the notorious Bill Franke [he is the devil] axed all those mechanics with NO warning right before the holidays. Personally, I would prefer the dragging it out method myself.
flyguy121
Senior
- Aug 20, 2002
- 360
- 0
Furloughd4now
Veteran
does any of this affect the recalls???
Thank PK in Inflight Admin. He has never been able to do his job correctly.
This just goes to show you what little news there is to report in Pittsburgh.
Sad, yes. But has happened many, many times before. Can't keep FA's in a base that is still losing flights. (Even during the summer peak season!)
US should stop prolonging the inevitable.........
By dragging it out, and continuing to displace flight attendants (and probably pilots), the company can get the base down to double digit numbers before it closes it. That way, they pay much much less out-of-pocket for closing the base (relocation, etc).
flyguy121
Senior
- Aug 20, 2002
- 360
- 0
Absolutely true. Better that they do dismantle PIT slowly. It also has less of an impact on the rest of the bases around the system this way instead of flooding them with 350-400 displacements. Now THAT would create some havoc!
