Afa Wins!

[PITbull]

Bob,

Apologies mean nothing and truthfully, who you kidding..

You run in to more executive types and don't take it the wrong way???

You don't run into nearly as many as I do.

Forcing Jerry's departure at this juncture is not a start or ending....it won't bring anyone to the table when our collective spirits are destroyed, trust is gone, and we ALL still have outstanding grievances that " have not seen the liglht of day".

WE as employees do not experience life as a passenger; as a passenger does/ and can't experience our work life and have the full understanding.

Nor do we care to explain it to the world. This is basically among us, and no one will help us. WE will all handle these matters ourselves and "in house". Thank you.

 

[AOG-N-IT]

AOG,

You have to start someplace! Jerry Glass is a good place to start. Please don't take this the wrong way but I probably run into more Senior executive types in the course of business than you do.

By the time someone like Dave Siegel gets to a position like President they develop and ego that is only matched by their bank balance. For someone like that to make an apology on video to the entire company would be like you and marching hand in hand through the CLT in drag and videotaped for the rest of Airways.

OK...on the Glass resignation we agree , yet whom has more contact with whom is a pointless arguement when ones discusing the fate or something as mammoth as the USAirways Group.

Nowhere did I say that Seigel needed to go on "Video Tape" and make an apology...in Drag or not (LOL) I'll gladly take a behind the safety of the written press admission of accepting flawed logic from people whom were ill equipped to take on the task they did.

Here again Bob....you are coming off with rhetoric Vs. what needs to happen to right a truly great company. I do not rub elbows with the likes of the CCY crowd...but I sure as hell work side by side with the thankless little nobodies that keep this SOB going , regardless of whom thinks thier steering it any given moment...and we have had many since the mega-merger frenzy

USAir or Airways could have been a viable business that others would have only aspired to model themselves after...If it wasn't for the repetative problem that always plagues us...and that's the lack of a humble , focused and dedicated leader.

Siegel still has a chance to become that leader...but he needs to swallow that lump in his throat called Ego and Pride first. God knows he's forced that same self-realization on thousands since his arrival at USAirways.

The time to take a page from WN's playbook is well over due here....and by that I do not mean outsourcing work , but treating people to things that should be expected , like honesty, integrity and simple appreciation every once in awhile.

 

[DCAflyer]

Congrats AFA,job well done!!! Does anyone know when the MAA interest forms will reach those of us that were furloughed in the 1st round on 11-1-01??????

The first round was 9/29/01... the 478 terminated probationaries turned furloughs.

 

[Dilligas]

It is time for MR Glass to tender his resignation and time for Dave to extend the olive branch and pubically apologize to all workgroups! Jerry overplayed his hand and it's time for him to go back to his confrontational dogmatic law firm and fleece someone else. Heck he ain't winnin' so what good is he to management? He keeps coming in second and second place is really a nice way to say "First Loser". Reputation is nice, but results are better! what has he done to improve US's bottom line? I can't see a thing. So why have him onboard

If those 2 things happen it is Labor's duty to accept the apology and take the steps required to move this airline past these difficult times, and prove SWA and Wall Street wrong.

<snip>

Bob,

Nice first paragraph!

Disagree with the second paragraph, it will take a lot more than "those 2 things" to happen. Your logic and observations are once again, simplistic and un-informed. Not that there's anything wrong with that... This is, afterall, the internet.

Labor's duty is to... labor, perform the tasks of their duties.

Managements duty is to... manage, train, educate, and discipline if necessary.

The Executive Officers are supposed to... Strategize, Motivate, and Lead.

You constantly give the impression that Labor is somehow responsible for the mess and owes a duty to "negotiate" and "give more" for peace... that labor must solve this crisis created by the boys.

Open your eyes! How many examples do you need? Labor is fighting to save a franchise, not tear it down. It appears to me that the "career employees" are the honorable ones, and the "newcomers" are tearing this franchise apart. The people that have been around more than two years are the ones that desperately want the company to survive and thrive.

With honorable leadership,and treating the employees and customers with fairness, respect, and dignity, the franchise could soar.


PS, When is the wedding?

 

[T-bone]

Puff—AHHH! Yeah maan. It sure does feel good. Nothing like kicking a little crass Jerry Glass!

HEY—DAVES----THIS IS SOLIDARITY. HOW DOES IT TASTE? WOULD YOU LIKE ANOTHER?

This is what you deserve and should expect from your employees in the future.

The course can be corrected but you will have to be very nice.

WHATS THAT SMELL? IT SMELLS LIKE VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dilligas]

These guy's egos are too large for them to admit defeat. I would expect them to do the exact WRONG thing, and come up with a VF that has rules too onerous to get anyone to take it. I also expect "the man behind the curtain" (Bronner) to make MORE threats in the media, even though every time he does he sticks his foot into his or the other Dave's mouth. Yes, the excrement is about to hit the oscillating ventilator! :blink:

Concur totally and expect something very negative in a relatively short time.

There's a lot of excrement to fly yet.

 

[cavalier]

resulted in significant profit sharing bonuses and raised quality while lowering the unit cost per vehicle. So it can be done.

Not as long as management continues to use their whip and chains and acting like the employees are a liability and not an asset. The first real stupid thing they did was shove concessions down our throat then give most of management bonuses. Talk about starting out on the wrong foot.

The vision they had was to break the unions resolve and then their backs so they could have their way. Trouble is they assumed they would have their way too soon, before the unions were broken, acting like there were no contracts to honor. Now that they must acknowledge the presence of unions and their contracts it appears they are out of their element. Selling is the easy option and to them, and it doesn’t matter who it affects adversely, they don't care because they are taken care of regardless.

Dave is credited for saving the company you say thru BK. I disagree, the job is not finished just like he said, and the results are not final, yet.

 

[Dilligas]

<snip>

Dilligas,
Organizations that are successful across most industries are defined by teamwork, cooperation & Communication throughout the entire workforce. EVERYONE is responsible for suggesting productivity and money saving opportunities. Programs like "Ideas That Fly" are the rule not the exception. The Ford/UAW partnership has resulted in significant profit sharing bonuses and raised quality while lowering the unit cost per vehicle. So it can be done.

This is not what I am disputing. When one speaks in vague generalities, such as in your post, its difficult NOT to agree...

We should all try to get along.

We should have world peace.

Hard to dispute, eh? Yet, like many of your posts, empty rhetoric with no basis in the facts at hand and does not address the root issue. There are specific problems that must be addressed and spouting slogans does not focus on the issue.

In order for programs such as you describe to work, there must be a cooperative spirit of teamwork, respect, and a common goal. I am 100% for people of integrity with opposing viewpoints working together to achieve a common goal. You know, it's that "vision thing". Trust me, you don't need to educate me on the benefits of cooperative thinking and business success.

An entity, like a sports team, can succeed only when the various components of that entity have respect for the vision and leadership afforded to them. Goals are defined and strategy refined to achieve the common goal. The various factions perform their SEPARATE, but vital roles to achieve the team's vision. Don't ask your placekicker to throw a pass (remember Garo?)lol... That is what I meant in my previous post. Each group is tasked with specific responsibilities within the framework of the whole.

Actions speak so much louder than words, Bob. What do the actions of the recent past say? Any fair minded observer can surely see the trend and the pattern. Labor has bent over backwards and has been slammed at every opportunity.

How about the performance of the "coaching" staff...Do they inspire confidence, security, and teamwork? Are they motivational and inspiring? Is there strong and vital leadership at the helm or a vacuum?

When a coach loses the respect, confidence, and trust of his team, they don't fire the team... they bring in fresh thinking, progressive leaders, to win back the confidence of the team, inspire ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

Yes sir, it can be done. But not unilaterally.

The team is ready for either "a change" of leadership... or "a change of leadership".

 

[flyswatter]

AFA did win. And whoever suggested there will be appeals knows nothing of the grievance/arbitration process. It's over. It's done. The Company lost in yet another attempt to circumvent what they have negotiated with an employee group. The arbitrator's decision was:

"AFA - US AIRWAYS System Board of Adjustment

In the Matter of the Arbitration between
the Association of Flight Attendants, AFL-CIO
and
US Airways, Inc.

Expedited Award

On January 14, 2004, the Association of Flight Attendants (“Associationâ€￾) and US Airways, Inc. (“Companyâ€￾) appeared before the undersigned System Board of Adjustment (“Boardâ€￾) for an expedited hearing on the following issue:

Did US Airways violate Section 1.C of the Restructuring Agreement by imposing involuntary furloughs for January 15, 2004 without offering voluntary furloughs? If so, what shall be the remedy?

Since the involuntary furlough at issue is scheduled to occur tomorrow, the parties asked the Board to issue an Expedited Award with a full opinion to follow after the Board’s receipt of the transcript of hearing and any written closing statements which would supplement the oral summations on January 14, 2004.

Upon thorough consideration of the evidence and argument presented, the Board finds and hereby AWARDS as follows:

The grievance is sustained in part.

Under the collective bargaining agreement and the 2002 Restructuring Agreement, when the Company institutes a reduction in force which results in the furlough of covered employees, the Company must offer a voluntary furlough to commence with the involuntary furlough. Here, the Company had a reduction in force which triggered the application of Section 1.C of the Restructuring Agreement. Accordingly, the Company violated Section 1.C when it imposed involuntary furloughs for January 15, 2004 without offering voluntary furloughs.

The Board hereby retains jurisdiction over the remedy, if any, due to any employees adversely affected by the Award. The Board expressly declines to award punitive damages for actions arising prior to January 14, 2004."

 

[MarkMyWords]

Congratulations AFA, PitBull and the rest of the Flight Attendants. The company was definitly wrong in not offering vol furloughs. It is unfortunate that it had to go to arbitration to resolve it.

Next victory - IAM and the airbus mtc issues.

 

[flyswatter]

Here is the latest AFA hotline.


"AFA HOTLINE 04-04
January 15, 2004

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS PREVAIL AT ARBITRATION REGARDING FURLOUGHS

At an expedited arbitration held in Washington DC on January 14th, the flight attendants at US Airways represented by the Association of Flight Attendants prevailed in their argument that the Company had a contractual obligation to offer voluntary furloughs prior to involuntarily furloughing any flight attendants at the airline. The Company had announced on December 29, 2003, that they intended to furlough approximately 552 flight attendants on January 15th 2004. AFA has very precise contract language that requires the Company to offer voluntary furloughs/leaves prior to furloughing any flight attendants. The Company had refused to honor that specific contract language, inferring that there was no reduction in personnel.

AFA is extremely pleased that this arbitrator could see the clear and unambiguous language of our contract. We are extremely happy with this award, as we believe it reinforces the language regarding the Company’s obligation to offer leaves prior to involuntarily furloughing any flight attendants on this property. It is disheartening that the Company would prefer to engage in arbitration on this issue instead of doing the right thing and honoring their contractual commitment to the flight attendants at this airline. It has become a way of life for us at US Airways since the arrival of CEO Dave Siegel and CFO Neil Cohen. They have no interest in generating any good will among the employees who have the ability to make this company successful.

Last week, AFA filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in the Western District of Pennsylvania claiming a “major disputeâ€￾. AFA and the Company then agreed to have the dispute settled through the process of expedited arbitration, on the condition that the arbitrator issue an award at the conclusion of the proceeding on January 14, 2004.

AFA’s attorneys and our outside counsel did an excellent job on behalf of the flight attendants. Our staff attorney, Stephani Brown, was instrumental in this case, having won an arbitration last summer over the Company’s improper application of the very same contract language which this dispute centered around.

The arbitrator did not make any determination of what happens next for those of you who have been furloughed effective today. The Company will have to notify each of you in writing regarding this decision, and we will press them to do so immediately and ask for the arbitrator’s assistance should they not do so.
The Company has posted the following message in CBS advising flight attendants of its intent to offer a voluntary furlough: “FOLLOWING AN EXPEDITED ARBITRATION BETWEEN US AIRWAYS AND THE AFA,ARBITRATOR BONNIE WEINSTOCK RULED THIS EVENING THAT THE COMPANY IS OBLIGATED TO OFFER VOLUNTARY FURLOUGHS AS THE RESULT OF 200 ACTIVE INVOLUNTARY FURLOUGHS ANNOUNCED ON DECEMBER 30, 2003. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ARBITRATOR'S DECISION, US AIRWAYS WILL OFFER 200 VOLUNTARY FURLOUGHS. WE WILL UPDATE THIS MESSAGE TOMORROW ONCE MORE DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE.â€￾

As soon as more details are available, we will update this hotline and the eline.

Perry Hayes
MEC President"

 

[flyswatter]

It's my understanding that when each side agreed to expedited arbitration, it was agreed that whatever ruling was made...was the end of it.
This is going to cause MANY MANY people a headache. CCY is going to have to figure out how to notify everyone and lots of F/A have shipped things back to their homes and rejected their leases and crashpads. Oh my...what a huge mess.

Huge mess? Well, it might be a mess but it is a mess the Company created by refusing to honor the contract. They knew what they were attempting was a blantant violation and they just thought they could get away with again.

 

[1990Supra]

I would like to applaud these fine AFA leaders for their dedication and their perseverance in forcing compliance of their contractual rights on behalf of their members. "Don't let anyone take your thunder."

You have earned much respect on this forum.

 

[Braveheart]

Congratulations PitBull and AFA.

Now I lay me down to sleep and when I wake may the Board of Directors arbitrate the termination of Seigel and Glass.

BRAVEHEART

 

[cavalier]

Congratulations PitBull and AFA.

Now I lay me down to sleep and when I wake may the Board of Directors arbitrate the termination of Seigel and Glass.

BRAVEHEART

Glad you're going to sleep, because that is what that is... a dream.