Cwa Proposes Buyout Package

[deltawatch]

"CWA has proposed a passenger service employee buy-out to management. We will continue to refine our proposal to make it better; we welcome any feedback and input you can give to your union representatives. To help inform the discussion, we have posted the detailed Southwest Airlines employee buyout at our website. Please take the time to look at it as you shape your thoughts on this subject."

PDF FILE WN BUYOUT OFFER

 

[RowUnderDCA]

Has anybody ever heard of buying-out a furloughee's recall rights? I'm asking out-of-the-blue.

I'm the one that likes the idea of fewer, senior, but well paid CSAs, perhaps hired out of other employee pools (F/A, ground personnel).

 

[mweiss]

You're not the only one who likes that. I like it especially if the CSAs are empowered to make reasonable decisions.

 

[tadjr]

I know lots of people at work who SAY they would take the CWA OR WN proposed buyout in a minute and be gone. Not sure how many would actually leave, but any would be better than none. I try to keep in touch with most of the furloughees from here and out of the 10 or 12 who have recall rights, I can say maybe 2 or 3 at the most would come back. Most have moved on to other things and arent interested in coming back, especially with things so uncertain right now so we should be able to replace with lower paid CARS or newhires if people took the buyout here. I think the senior person on recall (part time) has 89 date and the junior is 99 or 00. Full time is about 85, but there are only a few who arent still working at least PT with the company.
The company will never know if it will save or cost money in the long run until they actually present a proposal and have agents tentatively sign up for it. Then they can see who and in what city the people would be leaving and if they are going to have to recall senior people or new hires to fill their positions. This is the only way they are going to be able to tell. Just because someone who is topped out has recall rights doesnt mean that they will necessarily come back. If the company is truly interested in getting labor costs down this would be a big step in lowering them in the next few years. It might cost a little now, but should make up for it soon enough.

 

[wench]

Let's see the company put 'their money where their"mouth is...

Or... is this just another lie...?

 

[diogenes]

Hate to rain on the parade, but ask the agents in CLE, MEM or AVP how much buyout they got - none.

Why would the company buy you out when they can screw you out at will?

For future prognostications at U, ask yourself, "what is the right thing to do?" Then, plan for the opposite.

 

[AIRMAIL]

The conversation I had with our local president of CWA is that the company wants the person leaving via the buy out to be replaced by someone from the street not the recall list. A one for one deal. Also CWA has advised the company that the buy out would have to be offered first before the vote on a new contract. Only time will tell how this will play out.

 

[wench]

I'll go...GLADLY!!!

Wont even participate in a vote...

Turn Me Loose!

 

[bagosh]

Once again management will drag their feet on a cost saving plan.They want to compare us to other carriers but don't want to follow suit.
Buy me a coffee and a donut and I'm gone

 

[Expectorant]

Just curious: Obviously, cash-flow is a problem right now for the Company. From where would all these funds come to pay the proposed buy-out? As much as I would love to see it, I don't see how it could ever come to pass, given the dire condition that the Company is in. The Res Dept is so understaffed as it is, how could they even consider offering a buy-out to active Res Reps with two hundred or more calls on hold at any given time? Training new hires takes lots of time, and lots of time for the new hire to become a productive employee. Does USAirways have this kind of time? I don't know.

 

[OldGuyinPA]

Bogus Dude...

I suspect that all this buyout talk is just wishfull thinking. If they spent their cash, what would be left to compensate our most excellent executives. I believe that the company will make a small attempt at negotiations and then right back to BK...7 or 11

Have you ever seen this company do anything well......I think they know the end game is near.

 

[apofurlough]

The conversation I had with our local president of CWA is that the company wants the person leaving via the buy out to be replaced by someone from the street not the recall list. A one for one deal. Also CWA has advised the company that the buy out would have to be offered first before the vote on a new contract. Only time will tell how this will play out.

And if they allow this what happens to all the furloughed workers? Are we just forgotten? Just another example of totally ignoring contracts. I would vote no for any contract that allows hiring off the street when you still have employees on furlough. And yes, I still get to vote while on furlough so I feel I still have a stake in this. :down: :angry:

 

[DCAflyer]

Just curious: Obviously, cash-flow is a problem right now for the Company. From where would all these funds come to pay the proposed buy-out? As much as I would love to see it, I don't see how it could ever come to pass, given the dire condition that the Company is in. The Res Dept is so understaffed as it is, how could they even consider offering a buy-out to active Res Reps with two hundred or more calls on hold at any given time? Training new hires takes lots of time, and lots of time for the new hire to become a productive employee. Does USAirways have this kind of time? I don't know.

Funny... the company manages to find millions and millions every couple of years or so to pay ineffective, incompetent CEOs. If the company is told no givebacks by labor until there is a serious retirement offer to topped-out people (and, by the way, the terms need to be ironed out BEFORE a vote) and a one-for-one rehire of furloughees as topped out people leave, I suspect the company may just find a way to do it.

NO RETIREMENT OFFER... NO DEAL!
NO ONE FOR ONE HIRE OF A FURLOUEE... NO DEAL!

Period.

 

[deltawatch]

Bogus Dude...

I suspect that all this buyout talk is just wishfull thinking. If they spent their cash, what would be left to compensate our most excellent executives. I believe that the company will make a small attempt at negotiations and then right back to BK...7 or 11

Have you ever seen this company do anything well......I think they know the end game is near.

June 2 email from the CWA, quote.

"CWA’ers met alone briefly following the meeting (a full CWA strategy review will take place next Tuesday, June 8) and decided to further explore ways to reduce seniority through the only acceptable means – a buyout. Management said in the meeting they are still considering a CWA buyout. We also plan to explore various Reservations “work-at-homeâ€￾ options and possibilities to see if they can be made acceptable to the reps and at the same time save costs for the company. We will also look at ways to reduce benefit accounting costs without reducing actual benefits."

Maybe a little more than wishful thinking .... as far as furloughed employees go, it would have to go to a vote and those that stand get the buyout plus those that stand to move up in seniority (better shifts) probably win the day. If it's like the WN offer it will probably fly...

 

[FLYUSAIRWAYS]

A CWA buy out, or early retirement (AGE 50), with benefits, is a MUST. If it takes a vote by our members to get it approved, I'm sure it will fly. Even if the company replaces all of us with people off the street for $8 an hour, this buyout is a must for the thousands of 25 year agents that want to leave with something. The only agents that have recall rights in our station, are pre 9/11 new hires, that have been gone since October 2001. I'm not sure about the seniority of laid off agents in other cities. I only know that it would be a shame to lose the buy out, to both the senior employees and the company, over the recall of rights of laid off junior agents, that have probably moved on with their lives by now. I know this might sounds selfish to some, but if that what it takes, to make this program work, we must do it.