ATTENTION RESERVE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS (and BH's too...)

[Glucose Intolerant]

Oh, please. Fear mongering at its best. Please tell me how your pilots protect you now from scheduling abuses? Short answer, they don't. Hell, scheduling can reschedule you now! Clear contractual language will protect the flight attendants from abuses. Many airlines do it and they are not constantly abused or exhausted. The real abuses would come from the FA's not bothering to learn their contractual language....Why? I would have no problem flying with West pilots. They are professionals, just like you and me.

Bottom line is this.....if you want to know the track record about someone or something....look at it's history. Not really sure how long you have been around (and don't really care) but one of the things I have learned in the past 48 months with our new "management" is that you can tell when they are lying by when their lips move.

The duty time limitations that are going to be implemented protect "flight crews" not the "flight attendants", and I would love to have trips that were more productive, but not at the loss of real "black in white protection you know the FARs (even if it is contractual)". If the pilots can't do it - the F/A's can't either. If you really think this outfit is going to abide by "black and white" protections in split language, then you need to avail yourself to EAP.

This is the same outfit that can't print a trip with the correct pay time because they know that if we have to file a claim for it - a good portion will forget or won't. Then they will deny it - so you have to resubmit - then reluctantly pay. Don't know about you but that doesn't give me the warm fuzzies even after TEMPE went to all the trouble to print the "Ethics and Conduct" rules.

One of the reasons they are so quick to NOW entertain splitting the F/As from the pilot's is because it will cost them something. Even when things were marginally better TEMPE has not performed on contractual issues. Remember PBS???? That was black and white too. The LTO came in as a stop gap but now has exploited the reserves for how long???? because of what was the exact reason???? blah blah blah $$$ Insert BS here $$$ blah blah blah. How's LTO working out for the reserves?

The company continues violates the contract - and if you think they are going to stop now BECAUSE they wrote down that the F/As have protections in a split language contract. Tell me that you and the membership are not that naive. Grievances are usually heard 8 months after the fact along with the other 497 grievances at the end of the year. Ask your LEC reps if you think I am joking.

IF you really think that a NEW split language flight attendant agreement is going to improve your situation - IMHO your wrong - but you have to vote your conscious.

But don't misconstrue people that have a credible opposing view point as "fear mongering", the company NOT I are the real experts in that endeavor. It's up to you to differentiate between the two.

Have you flown through PHX or LAS lately? IF the gate agents are any indication of the level of anoimosity between East and West.......Thanks but no thanks.

BTW - No issues with the pilot's out WEST - just would rather not fly with them at the present time. Having the J/S denied going home for childish political reasons will jade you.
That's just how I roll.

I take a pass until all this is worked out - even if it means flying a lower valued trip. You do what you have to DO. After more than two decades with this outfit and over 3/4 of it on reserve- I do too.

This seems to be nothing more than one union official trying to do "something" before losing their "power base" within the membership. Any way you slice it - too political - and way too little - too late not to mention ineffective.

My wife flies for an airline that has split crews - they would rather stay with their pilots instead of CONTINUALLY waiting around for them when the WX goes down in a major SE city (Happens a lot). But that NEVER happens in PHL. Kinda like when when we no longer needed closets on our planes because it doesn't get cold in PHX.....

Right now just another Bad Idea in a long line of them - but willing to be proven wrong.

 

[Glucose Intolerant]

Mike may have a big ego (who in his position doesn't?), but he has the interest of ALL US Airways f/a's at heart.

I love being with the pilots, however enough is enough. Take the increases and have in BLACK and WHITE protections that are equal to the pilots of those issues we deem important. And I MEAN BLACK and WHITE!! No gray!!

Unless there is a FAR backing it up - it is not a matter of "if the contract is violated" but a matter of when.

 

[beachboy]

If you really think this outfit is going to abide by "black and white" protections in split language, then you need to avail yourself to EAP.

Beachboy snickers

 

[beachboy]

flybynight asks: Which Local?

Pick one out of a hat. I think they are refering to AFA Philly. What a shock. McCorkle can't engage his group. He hates sitting at the airport and having the fire turned up on him. Mike got out there it seems and while I don't agree with his hard sell at least he showed his face and talked to people. Doing John's job...classic. I tell you McCorkle and the gang are in a downward spiral and the chickens are coming home to roost.

 

[BajaBabe]

We all have been down this road before, we will have Double Gatekeepers to pick the Contract apart. I am certain there will be some improvements ,but we are not going to be short sighted. Listen to what is said but we will have a complete contract before we have to Vote. So lets look at the whole picture it can not be the East vs West vs Junior or Senior READ ......it has been hard but we have nothing to lose and all to gain........We all await the final day and being engaged and lucid will make a case.I want to pretend that I work for USAirways CSI. Wake up people.

 

[galley princess]

Okayyyyyyyyyyyy,

So what you're seeing is just a continuation of what is plaguing US across the board.

No one trusts Tempe. Gee, imagine that. Unless it's enforced by federal law, the consensus is, it doesn't meant a damn thing.

I have no desire to wait for the pilots to settle their morass, indeed, I don't think that they can. So where does that leave us? Basically where we were before. Waiting for 2012--one year after our contract is amendable and coincidentally an election year where a liberal democrat will be up for re-election.

The reality is, this management will not cough up a penny until someone jabs a finger down its throat. They've had their way under eight years of an unfettered business friendly environment, let's see how it works the other way.

No one should be getting excited about ANYTHING. The rest of that email detailed the sections that were OPEN. Moby Dick was shorter. Get comfy, this isn't going to end any time soon.

In the meantime, I'd like to hear how the separate negotiations for AWA F/As are going.

 

[VAflyGal]

Okayyyyyyyyyyyy,

In the meantime, I'd like to hear how the separate negotiations for AWA F/As are going.

... There are no separate negotiations. The company has been clear that they are not interested in negotiating separate agreements. Progress is being made, as well.

 

[Travelpro72]

Wait a minute I thought that the former HP flight attendants were granted section 6?

 

[galley princess]

They were. And there were indeed separate negotiations, whether they're being held up by current West Union troubles is what I don't know.

The company has had the last three years to negotiate a joint agreement. They haven't. AWA F/As need to look after their interests.

 

[USPHX]

They were. And there were indeed separate negotiations, whether they're being held up by current West Union troubles is what I don't know.

The company has had the last three years to negotiate a joint agreement. They haven't. AWA F/As need to look after their interests.

The company has REFUSED to negotiate under Section 6. Our MEC is gearing up for CHAOS. Lisa, Jeff and the rest of the NT are starting large scale informational meetings beginning August 25th to rally the troups. That will be followed by picketing, etc. until time which we know we have the momentum, solidarity and public support to ask to be released by the NMB.

 

[flybynite]

From what I've read, the company has refused to negotiate. Please don't ask where I read it. I can't remember.

Their position is, it's a waste of time and resources. And this is one of the few times where I have to agree with the company.

Personally, I think it was just a political ploy to rally the troupes behind Lisa.

 

[Travelpro72]

Lisa and Jeffy poo better round up their troops fast. Isn't their recall due to enough signatures in order? Me's thinks so. THIEVES and LIARS

Rally the troops? Give me a G'damn break. Nobody likes ya.

 

[BajaBabe]

my biggest problems from separating from the pilots is not that I am so against the pilots themselves or no allegiant to them, it's imagine us scheduled at the mercy of our schedulers! OMG I just went to hell....in this lifetime! :wacko:

 

[flybynite]

Like I said, I thought it was a waste of time. We're already in joint negotiations and any thing they came up with would still have to go thru the JNC so it would have just dragged out the process even more.

The company blew off the pilots too when they tried to get mediation.

But that is a whole different kettle of fish.

Between the two, the company might be looking at a little job action. IMO.

 

[flybynite]

my biggest problems from separating from the pilots is not that I am so against the pilots themselves or no allegiant to them, it's imagine us scheduled at the mercy of our schedulers! OMG I just went to hell....in this lifetime! :wacko:

The only thing that holds the company's feet to the fire is the pilot's FAR's.

It's my belief that if we separate, we will be in a constant battle with scheduling over rest requirements. And we have enough of that as it is. They are pushing our crews now to the limit and doing their best to hoo-doo them into going over duty day requirements.

The company has been violating our contract from day one and they have no intention of stopping.

The FAR's are the only thing that keep them in check.