Afa

[USASupervisor]

Colby,

I was very disappointed in your poke at PHL AFA. I have worked closely with this office for many years now. They are nothing but wonderful and have helped every single flight attendant that has ever called them.

However, you stated that the situation was a moot point. Every Union Rep reading this, their first question should be, Why is this persons Team Supervisor calling them into the office for a Mandatory Meeting after being furloughed for a year? Secondly, maybe because of what you did was going to cause you to be terminated from USAirways that union rep knew how much you wanted your NEW job, that the resignation was the best thing for you. When a Flight Attendant is being terminated the union rep may ask the company if they would do a resignation in lieu of termination and that could be what happened here.

The one thing you must understand is that you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you went to another airline and you told them that you resigned with USAirways and you didn't and they found that out you could be Terminated for lying to your new airline. Maybe that Union Rep did the very best thing for you and you just don't know it yet, or you may never know it because that person gave you excellent advice.

You may not agree with AFA or your Reps, but I have very high respect for that office and I am sure that the union rep who helped you told you the best advice for your situation and you just didn't want to hear it. I am sure that if you gave the insight to what your situation is there would be difference responses from people on this page. To just lay a blanket statement out there about AFA isn't fair to them or to that union rep. You may not want to give your story on here because you had done something wrong and inmoral that is why you say it is a moot point.

To Mollie and the rest of her staff keep up the good work and I look forward to working with you all again in the very near future!

 

[ktflyhome]

Bear: You are right. It is "good standing". My mistake. It has been awhile and all I could remember was good...something. I don't think I was improperly charged. They just send you a statement after 90 days to pay for the first 3 months. I spoke with others who got statements too and even a few were bulking at paying.

And you are right about what AFA has accomplished for F/A's over the years. I can't say that the LEC's in my base over the years have always been forthcoming. But the one we have now...certainly is.

 

[Bear96]

I don't think I was improperly charged. They just send you a statement after 90 days to pay for the first 3 months. I spoke with others who got statements too and even a few were bulking at paying.

Maybe PITbull can clarify this but I think you got the bill in error. There was a problem here at UA too with F/As who were on invol getting billed by mistake. If you did pay when you weren't supposed to, I think some UA F/As ended up getting refunds. Not sure though...

 

[jimntx]

The one thing you must understand is that you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you went to another airline and you told them that you resigned with USAirways and you didn't and they found that out you could be Terminated for lying to your new airline.

Not every airline requires you to resign from your previous airline. And, I doubt that the airline from which you are furloughed can legally require you to pass up gainful employment just because you might be recalled at some unspecified date in the future to some unspecified base.

 

[USASupervisor]

Not every airline requires you to resign from your previous airline. And, I doubt that the airline from which you are furloughed can legally require you to pass up gainful employment just because you might be recalled at some unspecified date in the future to some unspecified base.

jimntx,

Any airline can require you to resign from your old airline. Most airlines also want proof from your airline that you have resigned. I have seen a few people who said that they have resigned, but when it came right down to it they didn't and then they lost their jobs at the new airline. The new airline has EVERY right to make you resign and ask for proof. They don't want to invest time and money in you to find out that you are going back to your old airline. There is nothing illegal about that at all. They want to make sure that you are theirs.

That is basic management 101.

 

[Light Years]

USASupervisor is correct on the resignation issue. Most airlines would not want to hire a F/A thats on a recall list, even one like US Airways that they'll likely never return to.

Thats not to say that many involuntary furloughees have not been flying for a living while furloughed. Just about every one of the Express carriers has or has had furloughed mainline F/As flying for them. They dont require resignation because if they get a few months or a year out of them they are ahead of the game. The drawback is that they might bring an attitude or unreasonably high expectations with them, but for the most part they are happy to have a flying job until MAA/U calls back. Very few, if any of the regionals require a F/A to give up thier major airline recall, even if its a competitor, and this has been a "soft landing" for many F/As.

Some of the lesser known charter airlines and LCCs are vague about recall. Most ask candidates to give up thier recall rights, but not all pursue it. It likely depends on whether or not they've been burned in the past. They may just ask a trainee if they resigned, or for a resignation letter (which may or may not have actually been sent).

The bigger LCCs- Southwest for one- play no games when it comes to this. Before you even attend WN training, they want proof from US Airways that you are no longer associated with them in any way. They want a letter from your former company confirming your resignation.

Its a tricky situation. One may give up thier recall rights and find that they dont like thier new position, or wash out of training, or what have you. Its playing with fire to risk losing both jobs by lieing. Both US and the other company have every right to claim a conflict of interest if the airlines are direct competitors.

 

[jimntx]

jimntx,

Any airline can require you to resign from your old airline. Most airlines also want proof from your airline that you have resigned. I have seen a few people who said that they have resigned, but when it came right down to it they didn't and then they lost their jobs at the new airline. The new airline has EVERY right to make you resign and ask for proof. They don't want to invest time and money in you to find out that you are going back to your old airline. There is nothing illegal about that at all. They want to make sure that you are theirs.

That is basic management 101.

Go back and read what I wrote. I never said that your new airline could not require you to resign from your old airline. What I said was that not every airline does that. I know of several furloughees from AA that are currently flying for a couple of other airlines. At neither airline was the subject of resignation from AA even brought up. And, I reiterate that I doubt seriously that the airline you are furloughed from could legally say, "you can't fly for another airline while you are furloughed from us because we might recall you someday."

I'm well aware that an airline might require you to resign from your previous airline. At AA, they actually type up the letter for you, then you have to sign it your first day of training or you are released immediately.

Which, philosophically, I have a problem with. IF you complete training and IF you finish your probationary period, I have no problem with an airline requiring you to resign from your previous airline. But, considering the fact that while you are in training and until you finish probation, they can release you because some supervisor doesn't like the way you part your hair, it seems somewhat unfair to require you to eliminate a possible "fallback" position. And, I know all the yada, yada about "cost of training, etc". Considering the amount of money I saw wasted everyday, and judging from the postings on this board, waste was not unique to AA, that cost of training was a drop in the bucket.

 

[Colby]

Again.. Sorry this has taken so long.... Don't have my own computer right now and Im keeping VERY BUSY !!!

ANYWAY.. Something happened way back in January while I was with a Friend of mine from ANOTHER Airline. She got in trouble for ... well... Let's say Making a Wrong Decision... and got in trouble... IE Lost her Non Rev Previleges(sp ?) for a Year.... Then almost 6 months later I recieve a Voicemail from my InFlight Supervisor saying we need to have a "Mandatory Meeting" In regards to what happened at the Other Airline. Well, My first instinct was to call the Union and they called ME BACK... So, As far as I know I would guess it wasn't a Volunteer... And this person said that U basically wanted this meeting because they wanted to Terminate my Position.... So I should resign because I have a job with a NEW AIRLINE.... So, in Accordance to what PineyBob has said... Yeah Im PISSED because after 3 years of paying Union Dues and not having so much as a Compliance Write -up IE no need for the Union.... I feel my Money Wasted..
And what REALLY Pisses me off... Is someone else I know that was on Furlough Photo Copied Their ID which was found in a SeatBack Pocket HAD Union Representation and only lost their Non Rev Priviledges for 1 Month...... My
Situation didn't even happen At Or On a US AIRWAYS FLIGHT !!!!!!

 

[firstamendment]

It appears your $39 i s only good if you agree with the leadership...sorry, that will NEVER happen!!! :angry:

 

[Colby]

I just read all the other Posts....

Light Years.. You Better Call me.... I could use a Drink... HA HA


This had NOTHING to do with my Seniority and Once again I will say I guess since I know what I know about another F/A only losing 1 month Non Rev and My situation which was on another Carrier..... Im actually Shocked that Management even wanted to Talk to me .... Gee Here I thought U Management was too busy trying to Terminate "Senior MA MA'S"... Didn't realize they had time for us Poor Ole Furloughees that won't ever see Mainline Again !!!!!!

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Colby, no offense, but I've read your posts over the months on here and you talked about flying off and partying a lot. Hey, everybody likes to have a good time, and I don't condemn you because being furloughed blows. BUT whatever happened must have been a loo loo because the company found out about it. Seems to me that the ultimate responsibility lies with yourself, not AFA, or the company. Given that you are working for another carrier, if I were you (and I am not) I'd fly real low under the radar because it won't take much for someone to put two and two together. Don't be like a certain pilot on here, stay anonymous, it's just 'plane' smart. Good luck to you and believe me things happen for a reason!!

 

[firstamendment]

Interesting comment! When you don't toe the "Party" line you place yourself at risk. Funny how the Duty of fair representation is trotted out when a malingerer needs to be protected, but when a hard worker who doesn't always agree with union hierarchy gets jammed up you can find the union hiding patiently in the tall grass waiting for the carcass of a former employee to be carted off.

Hey send me your $39.00, I won't do much for you either and you
will feel your money is wasted as well. But every year we'll take the money and get good and S-Faced and I promise I'll at minimum place a phone call personally to Jerry Glass on your behalf.

ok

 

[PITbull]

OK,
Now help an outsider understand this, because maybe I'm reading this wrong.

Let's say I'm in the AFA, 5 to 6 years seniority, I get the boot. But I have a grievence which in this case we don't know what it is. But a Grievence none the less.

So now that I am "off Property" I essentially have no union support? In effect it's like I never had a union job, so my $40 x 72 months went down the drain.

What if the resolution to my Grievence would have put high enough on the seniority list to keep my job? Aren't we at catch 22 here?

I'm confused, I paid dues, I'm on the recall list (I assume) but I have no standing?

So I'm wondering if Colby's $40/mo would have been better spent on a big screen TV instead of AFA dues?

Since now he has no union support and no TV, he could have just given the money to me and been no worse off than he is now the way I'm reading this.

Please enlighten me?


BTW Colby, good luck in your new endeavor, keep us posted on your move, it might make for an interesting iand lively discussion. I'm assuming the new job is not AFA represented?

Bob,

When folks start to talk like idiots, there is NO enlightenment!

There is no grieveance that would place Colby on the higher pecking order or seniority list of some sort. Give us a break here, or do you get off and enjoying seeing and read ing your own nonesense.

Colby is not conveying the correct information. Why? I don't know. But, I believe there is only 1-side of a story being told here....his.

f/as on furlough don't pay dues. VOL, unless they want to stay "active" with the union. Generally, most don't. So they are "inactive status". Just like having a membership at a club. If you don't pay dues, you are considered "inactive". Period.

Not difficult to understand a simple concept. Unless, you want to make it a big deal due to "bordom".

 

[PITbull]

Bear: I took VF twice. Each time my union dues were covered for the first 3 months. Thereafter I had to pay my dues each month on my own to keep "in good faith". I know this for a fact, because I got behind and got sent a letter from AFA wanting 3 months worth of dues to keep myself in"good faith".

So I would suspect...but do not know for sure, that whether voluntairliy or non-voluntairly the same rule would apply.

Maybe Pitbull can clarify this for all.

INVOLs do not pay union dues at all. The VF folks pay 90 days as it is considered a LEAVE. Check the contract. It speaks to union dues while on leave.

Voluntary furloughees are NOT required to pay beyond 90 days, you should know that. The 90 days has to do with dues while on "leave".

 

[PITbull]

I'm oh so patiently waiting for PITbull to respond. She is a fiesty lass to be sure but sometimes when her union looks foolish or their actions are indefensible she lurks in the tall tall grass.

Not interested in a flame war, I'm curious as to exactly what the F/A's get for the $40/month they shell out. Always have been since nearly $35.00 of it goes not to the local but the national, which I have oft stated may or MAY NOT have your interests at heart.

Hide in a TALL GRASS??? LOL....you must be bored. I guess CAV got the best of you and now you set your sites on others.

Come on over, I've been waiting for a slice!


Ask the f/as on this board what they receive from PIT Council 40 for their union $$$$.

Management comments not wanted. We already know what you think about the union LOL...