CWA Merger Question

[usa1]

If US hooks up with AA what happens to the CWA? AA is larger?

How the FAA reauthorization bill may encourage American's unions to want to merge with US Airways

Rumors have been circulating for weeks that US Airways has upped its courtship of American Airlines' unions and creditors, trying to convince them that their idea of merging the two carriers is better than AMR chief executive Tom Horton's restructuring plan.

.... language in the FAA reauthorization bill may have alleviated concerns that American's unions might have with merging with US Airways.

Labor unions blasted the bill when it was signed because according to the bill, when two airlines merge, if the larger of the two carriers is non-unionized, then the smaller carrier's workers lose their union representation. The bill also raised the threshold that unions need to petition the National Mediation Board for an election, making it harder for a union to gain representation at a non-unionized airline.

So a merger of the larger Delta Air Lines and smaller American would hurt American's unions. But some American union workers interpret the bill to also mean that a merger of the larger American and a smaller US Airways would be beneficial. Since American is bigger, they infer under their interpretation of the law, American's unions would be retain control of the membership, essentially throwing out US Airways' unions in a merger. As one worker put it to me, this solves the problem faced by US Airways chief executive Doug Parker if two pilot unions had to duke it out for control.

Whether or not this reading of the new FAA reauthorization bill is accurate remains to be seen and I'm in the process of contacting labor experts to see what they think.

And this is all leading up to Monday's court hearing where American will start its Section 1113 arguments in front of U.S. bankruptcy judge Sean Lane.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://blogs.star-telegram.com/sky_talk/2012/04/how-the-faa-reauthorization-bill-may-encourage-americans-unions-to-want-to-merge-with-us-airways.html#storylink=cpy

 

[737823]

john john must not like this! All the CWA has brought is concessions for USAir agents.

Josh

 

[wings396]

Another thing you have no first hand experience with. What is it lately with all of these trolls chiming in who don't work for the company, or even the industry...

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

john john must not like this! All the CWA has brought is concessions for USAir agents.

Josh

The CWA has not done a exceptionally great job representing its members at US, especially those at the airport. But IMHO they are far better off than had they not been represented.

 

[mike33]

The CWA has not done a exceptionally great job representing its members at US, especially those at the airport. But IMHO they are far better off than had they not been represented.

Really?....is that why they got snapbacks from bK?..... i'm not a Ticket Agent but i wish i got the vacation weeks and holidays back!

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Really?....is that why they got snapbacks from bK?..... i'm not a Ticket Agent but i wish i got the vacation weeks and holidays back!

I believe that the agent group would have been hit far harder in the cutbacks if they were not unionized.

Everyone should have gotten the five holidays back that were given up in the 05 concessions, as well as shift premiums.

 

[737823]

Another thing you have no first hand experience with. What is it lately with all of these trolls chiming in who don't work for the company, or even the industry...

Clearly the CWA hasn't prevented pay cuts and other unpleasant changes from being imposed. I'm glad I switched from AT&T to Verizon several years ago since the store employees at AT&T were CWA they didn't want pesky customers bothering them and worked incredibly slow, took long breaks and didn't appear to enjoy their job. Just look at how the CWA handled the strike at Verizon with their IBEW "brothers and sisters". They called off their own strike and many of their own members crossed picket lines. Perhaps the USAir agents would be better non-represented like DL and AA. Besides, the AFA is an affiliate of the CWA and we all know what a fine job they are doing for USAir FAs.

Josh

 

[700UW]

Do you not understand US filed bankruptcy twice within two years?

Are you that clueless?

Every union had no choice but to negotiate concessions, that's the law.

Truly make yourself look ignorant.

Let me educate you what happened in 1992 when the agents and the ramp were non-union.

Paycuts
Layoffs
pension frozen
Elimination of sick time, vacation time and occupational injury time.
Mail, Freight and Express work outsourced
40% of full-time downgraded to part time, forcing their family medical to over $300 a month on 20 hours per week pay.

This was done to them because they were non union, in CLT you had to have 15 years to hold full time, I was Utility for only three years, working under a union contract, that stuff didnt happen to us, and when we did give some concessions, it was negotiated, not imposed.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Every union had no choice but to negotiate concessions, that's the law.

Every union did have a choice - negotiate concessions or just let the Judge abrogate the contract. Bankruptcy law even envisions a union refusing to negotiate. A choice doesn't have to be pleasant to still be a choice...

Jim

 

[usa1]

Well if the facts in this story turn out to be the case, a merger with AA will be the end of the union for customer service. What will this mean? I guess the union will try to re-organize at the combined company? The company could then toss out some incentives to encourage a no vote? AA customer service still has a defined pension plan. Could get very interesting?

CWA is aware of a merger scenario that could involve pensions and no union. Several months ago a union official mentioned it to me. Time will tell?

 

[john john]

I'm glad I switched from AT&T to Verizon several years ago since the store employees at AT&T were CWA they didn't want pesky customers bothering them and worked incredibly slow, took long breaks and didn't appear to enjoy their job.

Josh

The Verizon store employees aren’t in the CWA ?

Just look at how the CWA handled the strike at Verizon with their IBEW "brothers and sisters". They called off their own strike and many of their own members crossed picket lines. Perhaps the USAir agents would be better non-represented like DL and AA. Besides, the AFA is an affiliate of the CWA and we all know what a fine job they are doing for USAir FAs.

Josh

They (Verizon&AT&T) have some of the best benefits and pay in the world because of the CWA
You do realize that a large part of DL agents are temporary employees with no benefits, and a large part of AA agents are express paid and benefit employees


Click around and educate yourself. Sure am glad you are bringing out the reality of it all
http://web.archive.org/web/20040810085503/http://cwa.net/jumppages/JUNE22MEETINGjump.asp
http://web.archive.org/web/20041206003739/http://cwa.net/
http://web.archive.org/web/20060115052657/http://www.cwa.net/
http://web.archive.org/web/20040827220439/http://www.cwa.net/
http://web.archive.org/web/20070628005946/www.cwa.net/news/
http://web.archive.org/web/20041031025329/http://www.cwa.net/

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Communications+Workers+of+America+prepares+for+US+Airways+strike.-a0125572458



http://web.archive.org/web/20041030113039/www.cwa.net/PDFs/Management10-22-04proposal.pdf

 

[john john]

A choice doesn't have to be pleasant to still be a choice...

Jim

A combine AA and US agent group???????? NBM will have to make a decision and you better believe the combine company’s is/will are/is making strategy on this very issue

This were Jerry Glass of F&H Solutions Group and gang come into play
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3D4kBKukFU

Armchair 700 and boeingboy seems to have good insight on what the NMB/Bankruptcy law can/will do
Maybe they can predict

 

[737823]

The Verizon store employees aren’t in the CWA ?

They (Verizon&AT&T) have some of the best benefits and pay in the world because of the CWA
You do realize that a large part of DL agents are temporary employees with no benefits, and a large part of AA agents are express paid and benefit employees


Click around and educate yourself. Sure am glad you are bringing out the reality of it all
http://web.archive.org/web/20040810085503/http://cwa.net/jumppages/JUNE22MEETINGjump.asp
http://web.archive.org/web/20041206003739/http://cwa.net/
http://web.archive.org/web/20060115052657/http://www.cwa.net/
http://web.archive.org/web/20040827220439/http://www.cwa.net/
http://web.archive.org/web/20070628005946/www.cwa.net/news/
http://web.archive.org/web/20041031025329/http://www.cwa.net/

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Communications+Workers+of+America+prepares+for+US+Airways+strike.-a0125572458



http://web.archive.org/web/20041030113039/www.cwa.net/PDFs/Management10-22-04proposal.pdf

AT&T store is CWA, Verizon store is non-union. You guys have no leverage at Verizon and are paying more for health care and having unfavorable work rule changes.

Josh

 

[hp-csr-phx]

Does anyone know what pay grade AA CSA's are? This is from American yesterday:

•Level 55 pay range will be reduced to $19.65 per hour (max of L55 range)

•Level 54 pay range will be reduced to $18.04 per hour (max of L54 range)

I can't seem to find AA's work rules or pay scales for agents.

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/

 

[john john]

Verizon store is non-union.

Josh

You sure about that