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[lgwcalling]

Reserves alone cannot ratify anything. The number of blockholders out number the reserves, when ratifying anything majority rules. Did anyone see the amount of transfers available for DCA for February? I'm sure many many reserves in PHL can hold a block there. Its only going to get worse for PHL beginning March 1.

Yes, it's true that the number of blockholders out number the reserves, but this shouldn't be about pitting blockholders against reserves, as this is what the Company loves (Divide & Conquer). The blockholders at US Airways need to realize that our Union, our membership, is only as strong as our weakest link in the chain. The reserves at US are that weakest link and the Company's attempts to de-humanize their role in the operation is only the beginning of the Company's larger goal to de-humanize our entire profession. The blockholders at US need to know that an assault on their way of life will come soon enough and that a divided membership in our union will make it that much easier for the Company to achieve their goals. Nothing would surprise the Company more that our senior membership going "to bat" for the reserves and telling the Company that the reserves need to have some hope, some slice of the pie! The reserves need to be awarded a piece of that pie and a rotating reserve system would create harmony amounst our membership and that would be a nightmare for this Company.

I participated in the online survey and I commented that a rotating reserve system would be the best improvement for our membership. My idea was that the first few years of employment would strickly be as a reserve. After that, everyone would have a line of flying 3 months out of every 4 - the 4th month everyone would sit reserve. I also commented that, as a reward for years of service, the top 10%-20% (in domicile or systemwide) would never have to sit reserve again. I think that this is fair and it makes you "pay your dues" before holding a line and it rewards one's longevity by not having to sit reserve after so many years. When I have shared this idea with other US F/As, they have all said that this sounded like a fair idea and a reasonable approach.

Bueller, Bueller, anyone.

 

[Mrs. Doubtflier]

SKY HIGH States: Mike KNOWS he'll never get Blockholders to go on rotating reserve. For a blockholder to go on reserve is concessionary! Is anyone in this company interested in MORE GIVE BACKS????? Pref Bidding is your best hope to create more blocks. But.....that doesnt improve the quality of life for "all reserves" either.

Side note: I'm all for having Pref.


only stating opinions

Try on this scenario.....The union listems to the reserves and in parallel with the company does the numbers on a rotating reserve or PBS system. After the numbers are looked at the company finds that there is a financial and operational benefit to using this system (must be something to it as American has never backed off of it and recently tried to up the cut off to pure lineholder to 18 years). So the outcome there is that it is good for the company and good for the reserves and is fairer system that gives the "majority" of the total F/A work force some ability to control their monthly income and plan their lives. The visionary part is if in the future we merge with an airline that has it ....well then..it is already contractual and we are all used to it and a smoother transition will occur.

And let me appeal to your good business sense and your sense of fairness. It is not concessionary to the company or a "give back" it is a long overdue "sharing" of the life style that keeps most F/A's in the industry.

Please be aware. We will be asking the Reserve Chairs for the information . Have these systems been put on the table and if not we will go to the company and ask the same question. We will not be intimidated by the majority and are aware of our value. We are the company's cost saving and again, the people you walk past on your way home when the the days get too long and scheduling needs cannon fodder for irregular ops. Don't underestimate us, work with us for the benefit of all and be realisitic that a system that has 18 year reserves is severely broken and UNFAIR and should be modified into the 21st century. Or be prepared to defend your apathy towards and usery of your fellow crew members through the negotiation and ratification process every step of the way.

 

[flightattend21]

FYI I am on reserve, consider myself a career reserve thank you very much. My response was to your post quoting Flores that a rotating reserve would not be ratified, of course it will not because the blockholders out number the reserves they will never vote that in. You missed my entire point. You are so bitter and angry you can't see anyone elses point of view. Believe it or not there are some of us on reserve that understand what a contract means, this LTO system sucks we all know it the union knows it. The union will negoiate a better reserve system in the new agreement until then we have to live with it. I'm not saying we have to like it, but the company has said on more then one occassion they will not change the current reserve system outside of a new agreement. The union can and has presented the company numerous times with proposals to enhance/change this LTO the company will not do it.

First it is not a quote it is a direct email from MIKE. be glad to forward it to you if you like. At the meetings there are quite a few reserves who have brought up different ways to change the reserve system. MIKE's response has been "no the company wont go for it" end of story. If you look at when he has made changes for the good of b/h his letters always state "we wont stand for this, we will fight" when it comes to the reserve system his response is always the same. NOT INTERESTED. again I did not quote him - that was his email and I got your point you stated it - and I am not bitter - I want what is right and fair no more no less. that is why instead of talking about it - doing something about it - is much better. No one is asking senior f/a to go on rotating reserve. limit to 15 years and under - something like that - look at delta - depending on seniority up to 15-18 years (depends on base) they have a 3 day a month reserve ---- 3 days out of the month - would that be so hard on those of us who have 15 years or less to do - honestly - what in the world do you think that we want? of course we want pay hike, vacation, sick pay and the union is fighting for that. but most of us cant even make a paycheck -

 

[FlightChic]

My blog has been dormant for quite a while but I just added some new posts. Feel free to read it and post comments. I have a lot more to say so I will update it more this week.

 

[700UW]

I just read your blog, better becareful you are on the edge of promoting a slowdown and you have to pay dues as a condition of employment, better read the union security clause in your CBA, if you dont pay your dues there is a process to get you terminated.

Article 29 of your CBA.

 

[N109UW]

I just read your blog, better becareful you are on the edge of promoting a slowdown and you have to pay dues as a condition of employment, better read the union security clause in your CBA, if you dont pay your dues there is a process to get you terminated.

Article 29 of your CBA.

700 is definately right about this. If you don't pay your dues, there is a clause in the contract that lets the company start to have you removed. They started the process on a friend of mine. After he didn't pay for 3 months. We were shocked that it was in there.

 

[Zarah]

700 is definately right about this. If you don't pay your dues, there is a clause in the contract that lets the company start to have you removed. They started the process on a friend of mine. After he didn't pay for 3 months. We were shocked that it was in there.

I could be wrong, but I thought I read about a group that is going to play the numbers game with the dues. Basically, the FAs would be paying their dues and the union will get them at a later date before anybody got fired over it in order to draw attention to the group.

I am not sure what this new group is calling themselves off the top of my head, but I think they posted on this thread somewhere as well as a few others threads.

 

[FlightChic]

I could be wrong, but I thought I read about a group that is going to play the numbers game with the dues. Basically, the FAs would be paying their dues and the union will get them at a later date before anybody got fired over it in order to draw attention to the group.

I am not sure what this new group is calling themselves off the top of my head, but I think they posted on this thread somewhere as well as a few others threads.

That's what someone told me. You go a few months without paying dues. Then when the union calls you and tells you to pay then you pay. That's it. But I'm sure they have already heard about this whole dues thing so maybe they would try to get us fired since they know what we are doing. I haven't actually tried it.

 

[Travelpro72]

Withholding dues hurts the company how though? They don't really care. Even if we did withhold dues it wouldn't force the company to revisit the reserve section of the contract. It's frustrating to say the least but I just don't see what this will accomplish. We do need to let the union know what WE want in our contract though. I was thinking about negotiations and when a contract comes to fruition ad we vote on it. With the majority of west f/a's being lineholders and the majority of east flight attendants being BLOCKholders do we seriously think reserve issues being hammered out will be a priority? HELL NO it won't. We reserves can vote no on it but I bet it would STILL pass. It's the way it is around here. Sad but true. After being here 10 I find it extremely hard to believe we'll see some tremendous change and all sing praise. Are we defeated as reserves? YOU BET! ! Are we going to see improvements to the reserve section only to diminish the more senior lineholders? NEVER HAPPEN! ! It's a losing battle folks. Kick and scream all you want. I know I'm waaaaaay over it.

 

[flightattend21]

700 is definately right about this. If you don't pay your dues, there is a clause in the contract that lets the company start to have you removed. They started the process on a friend of mine. After he didn't pay for 3 months. We were shocked that it was in there.

National Right to Work
Legal Defense Foundation, Inc.

About Your Legal Rights: Railway or Airline Employee
Can I be required to be a union member or pay dues to a union?
You cannot be required to be a union member, but you may be required to pay union fees. Employment relations for employees in the railway and airline industries are covered by the Railway Labor Act (RLA). Railway and airline employees are not protected by state Right to Work laws.

Under the RLA, you cannot be required to be a member of a union or pay it any monies as a condition of employment unless the collective bargaining agreement between your employer and your union contains a provision requiring all employees to either join the union or pay union fees.

Even if there is such a provision in the agreement, the most that can be required of you is to pay the union fees (generally called an "agency fee.")

If you are not a member, you are still fully covered by the collective bargaining agreement that was negotiated between your employer and the union, and the union is obligated to represent you. Any benefits that are provided to you by your employer pursuant to the collective bargaining agreement (e.g., wages, seniority, vacations, pensions, health insurance) are not affected by your nonmembership. (If the union offers some "members-only" benefits, you might be excluded from receiving those.)

If you are not a member, you may not be able to participate in union elections or meetings, vote in collective bargaining ratification elections, or participate in other "internal" union activities. However, you cannot be disciplined by the union for anything you do while not a member.

The Supreme Court, in Ellis v. BRAC, 466 U.S. 435 (1984), a lawsuit that was supported by the Foundation, ruled that objecting nonmembers cannot be required to pay union dues. The most that nonmembers can be required to pay is an agency fee that equals their share of what the union can prove is its costs of collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance adjustment with their employer.

Except in extraordinary cases, the union's costs of collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance adjustment do not equal the dues amount.

Ellis makes clear that nonmembers required to pay union fees as a condition of employment have a right under the RLA to object and obtain a reduction of their compulsory payments so that they do not include union expenses for purposes other than collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance adjustment.

The union must establish certain procedures to safeguard your right to pay only a limited fee to the union. These safeguards include giving you:


audited financial information about how the amount of the agency fee was calculated;
an opportunity to challenge the amount of the agency fee before an impartial decisionmaker; and,
the right to place the contested amount of the agency fee in escrow so that the union will not be able to illegally use your money while a decision on the proper amount of the agency fee is pending.



All pages copyright 1996-2007, NRTWLDF

 

[FlightChic]

Withholding dues hurts the company how though? They don't really care. Even if we did withhold dues it wouldn't force the company to revisit the reserve section of the contract. It's frustrating to say the least but I just don't see what this will accomplish. We do need to let the union know what WE want in our contract though. I was thinking about negotiations and when a contract comes to fruition ad we vote on it. With the majority of west f/a's being lineholders and the majority of east flight attendants being BLOCKholders do we seriously think reserve issues being hammered out will be a priority? HELL NO it won't. We reserves can vote no on it but I bet it would STILL pass. It's the way it is around here. Sad but true. After being here 10 I find it extremely hard to believe we'll see some tremendous change and all sing praise. Are we defeated as reserves? YOU BET! ! Are we going to see improvements to the reserve section only to diminish the more senior lineholders? NEVER HAPPEN! ! It's a losing battle folks. Kick and scream all you want. I know I'm waaaaaay over it.

The company doesn't care whether we pay our dues, it's the union that cares. If we all put the money in escrow don't you think the union will definitely take notice which will hopefully cause them to get up off their butts and do something about the reserve system. We will stay on the union's back until they do something. It may not be a priority for them but it is a priority for many of us and the west f/as should be concerned or they will be reserves for the next 10-15 years as well. We are not defeated as reserves! How can you say that? We are just beginning to fight! It's not over yet. It will be an uphill battle but we will win!

 

[flightattend21]

sorry for the long version. again im not talking about not paying dues, im saying put in escrow. the paperwork would be done by an attorney. i want the uninon to know we are serious about this. they raised our rates and what have they done? just the reason they gave would make you pull your hair out. "we feel everyone should pay the same ...not on paycheck.." ok we cant meet our own obligations now we have to pay the same because it would not be fair to the b/h?

 

[flightattend21]

That's what someone told me. You go a few months without paying dues. Then when the union calls you and tells you to pay then you pay. That's it. But I'm sure they have already heard about this whole dues thing so maybe they would try to get us fired since they know what we are doing. I haven't actually tried it.

i was out for a few months between vol furlough and medical and i did not pay for 7 months all they did was send me a bill

 

[freedom]

National Right to Work
Legal Defense Foundation, Inc.

About Your Legal Rights: Railway or Airline Employee
Can I be required to be a union member or pay dues to a union?
You cannot be required to be a union member, but you may be required to pay union fees. Employment relations for employees in the railway and airline industries are covered by the Railway Labor Act (RLA). Railway and airline employees are not protected by state Right to Work laws.

etc etc so on and so forth


All pages copyright 1996-2007, NRTWLDF

National Right to Work
Legal Defense Foundation, Inc. :down: Cutting American’s throats since 1968

http://www.nrtw.org/

 

[beachboy]

IMO all the energy can be channeled through perfectly legal means in your AFA Bylaws. If you don't like who is representing you, you gather enough people (the reserves and others) and flip to your Constitution and Bylaws. It states:

ARTICAL IX RECALL
C. Local Council Officers

At a Local Council meeting, which has been called to consider, among other things, a recall, (recall requires a petition in accordance with Article III.D.9 that is signed by 30% of the Active Members in Good Standing, and notice in accordance with Article III.D.4.) such Local Council, by a majority vote of the members present, may request the International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union to initiate and circulate a ballot among the active members in good standing of such Local Council for the removal of a Local Council Officer. Said ballot shall be mailed within fifteen (15) days of the request thereof. The International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union, upon completion of such balloting, shall certify to the Local Executive Council and the Local Council the results of such vote.

Then an election will follow. Other AFA airlines have tossed out officers with little problem. My suggestion. Pay careful attention to who you vote in. This is a prime example. We are not helpless.