Cwa Workers Will Vote "no!" On More Concessions...

[PITbull]

PIT Bull:

Where were you when SAN, LAX, SFO, MIA. GSO, SYR, BWI Crew Bases as well as Reservations Centers at various locations were closed? It was a harsh reality for those then affected, just as it will be a harsh reality for those at Fort Pitt in the very near future.

Very few at USAir shed a tear for any PSA or PI employees when we were adversely affected by that "Cool Northern Efficiency" that was Colodny's forte.

How about a salute and "Well Done" to all the displaced Pilots, FA's, IAM & Related, CWA and other employees that have been risking the added expense and discipline for the last 15 years while you've been protecting your flock in PIT. Come on in PIT Bull the water's fine!

Sorry it's happening to you, but get over it and get on with it. U has let SWA kick sand in our face since Operation Desert Storage One in 1991 when Messrs. Malin and Scofield cut and run from the West Coast. Then we gave them the Florida Shuttle followed by BWI. Now PHL is our Waterloo.

Remember, those previous meetings were in February. A lot has changed since then. I don't think you can count on the Pilots to subsidize unskilled labor going forward. Many pilots feel concessions made prior to and during CH 11 were way to excessive compared to other employee groups. While the Pilots have the most to lose if U liquidates, I wouldn't count on other groups being concession free this time around.

N9,

Rest assured, if the PIT base closes or evaporates, we are a very senior base, Mechanics too, many many will commute, and that will start "bumping chaos".

PITs downsizing effects every other base. If you think NOT, you are in serious denial.

PS: And you say that the pilots won't subsidize "unskilled" labor....here's your epiphany, ALPA just cost this co. over $7 million dollars for April for demanding Siegle and Cohen's outster, and still having the same business plan Siegel developed with the SAME managment implementing it...who you think is going to subsidize that?????

Another piece here is you are in great denial.... YOUR group does NOT control the other labor groups...kapeesh!

 

[N924PS]

Hi PITBull:

Looks like I struck a nerve there. Now that PIT is no longer U Mecca you are the one in denial.

In case you haven't noticed, labor is no longer in control at U. Twenty years of deregulation, plus LCC's, plus 9-11, plus soaring fuel costs, plus plummeting business fares, plus incompetent management, you name it have conspired to put U out of business.

They've bald faced lied. They've bailed out with their golden parachutes. Nothing changes the fact that their basic premise is correct. Costs too high! Revenues to low. SWA a comin', Jet Blue a hummin'.

You'll like commuting. At least the Pilots have an equal opportunity to book a jumpseat a week in advance. Unless your seniority number is ONE there may be a senior momma there to bump you out of your F/A jumpseat. Go ahead, make my day!

 

[PITbull]

N9,

Make your day? To prove what, exactly?

Labor was never in control. WE don't make the rules and we DON"T create the plan. What we do is implement the plan. Without us, it doesn't operate.

So, if your on here to bring me into some revelation....you are focused on the wrong poster.

PIT is not the first base to downsize or diminish. It won't be the last. Personally, I don't live for U. And if this plan goes through, I will make my own decisions, as I control my own destiny and make my own reality.

However, you seem a little paniced. You need to worry about your own group and what they will obviously give up.

Flight attendants are not in the position you are in, and they are not desperate.

Good luck in your endeavors, hopefully, they are not dependent on the rest of labor.

I won't make your day; but, I know I made your night!

 

[TheLarkAscending]

You'll like commuting. At least the Pilots have an equal opportunity to book a jumpseat a week in advance. Unless your seniority number is ONE there may be a senior momma there to bump you out of your F/A jumpseat. Go ahead, make my day!

I simply adore, as a paying customer, the unity and camaraderie I've just read here. What a heart-warming sentiment you've doled out to your fellow employees. Such a sweet person -- keep 'em coming, just bear in mind that karma can be an amazing thing. <_<

 

[N924PS]

Hi Lark,

There are a lot of F/A's at U that would embrace a "first come-first served" jumpseat policy.

Just ask anyone with less than 30 years seniority!

 

[MCORORES]

What I find ironic is that the company was comparing our group to the WN pay and benefit scale and I guess that someone in CCY did there homework finally... we are paid less than LUV with the benefit package about the same. Now the company is trying to compare us with B6 and HP.....I guess the next round of comparison will be with Greyhound!!!!!

 

[4merresrat]

What I find ironic is that the company was comparing our group to the WN pay and benefit scale and I guess that someone in CCY did there homework finally... we are paid less than LUV with the benefit package about the same. Now the company is trying to compare us with B6 and HP.....I guess the next round of comparison will be with Greyhound!!!!!

How does it figure? What does SW pay their agent and hr, and exactly what stats are you using to say this?

 

[MCORORES]

Info still should be available at CWA.org

 

[tadjr]

How does it figure? What does SW pay their agent and hr, and exactly what stats are you using to say this?

Let me save you the time from having to search. THIS is the comparison from the CWA site.

 

[tadjr]

www.CWA.net 5/10/2004

CWA Update on the May 7th Management Restructuring Presentation
5/10/2004
CWA Local Officers and Staff met with US Airways executives Friday, May 7, to receive a briefing on the company's finances and new business plan. This briefing was more specifically focused on passenger service than the earlier Labor Advisory Committee briefing, but covered the same subject matter.
The following description of the new business plan was given at the Wednesday, May 5, LAC meeting and also at our Friday, May 7, meeting:

PHL will be the core of US Airways network, adding more point-to-point flying;
LGA, BOS and DCA will grow with increased point-to-point flying;
The Shuttle will continue to be a key US Airways asset;
CLT will continue as a hub with a significant focus on Caribbean destinations
PIT will have far fewer flights but US Airways will still have a focus there;
There may be an expansion of European destinations some day in the future.
The following additional information from the Friday meeting was brought out in the give-and-take between the CWA'ers and US Airways executives:


There will be furloughs due to the new business plan in addition to the furloughs generated by airport automation (card readers and more kiosks).

Res employment is not being targeted by the new efforts to increase usairways.com sales. Instead, those new "dot-com" sales are expected to come from former Travelocity and Expedia customers and others who already use other on-line services. (We're skeptical about that assumption. We think there will be a drive to force people to the internet the way they are forced to the kiosks, but we'll see). CWA'ers pointed out that advertising for the new GoFares does not even carry the toll free res number.

The new business plan does not have any job-growth component for passenger service.

Management brushed off our protest that, by taking RJ's slated for MDA service and placing them with another carrier, they have eliminated the MDA passenger service jobs that they agreed to provide in return for our previous concessions. That doesn't give us much confidence in their ability to honor an agreement.

Management said their previous written agreement not ask the Bankruptcy Court to reject or modify the passenger service contract if the previous concessions were ratified, does not prevent them from again asking the Bankruptcy Code to reject or modify the passenger service contract, even though the concessions were ratified. Again, that doesn't give us much confidence in their ability to honor an agreement and indicates that they will try to play the bankruptcy card again in future negotiations. We will challenge that.

CWA'ers disputed management's view that kiosks and card readers are an "enhanced airport experience" for the passenger. CWA'ers point out that not all, but the large majority, of passengers still prefer deal with an agent and resent being pressured to go to a kiosk. They also pointed out that no passenger is likely to view a gate card reader as "an enhancement" to their travel experience. CWA'ers said that management should just admit that these forms of automation are designed to get rid of agents, not to enhance anybody's travel experience, and that over time this lack of customer service will be a competitive disadvantage to the airline.

CWA'ers went through the long list of previous passenger service pay cuts, furloughed employees, competitive productivity and lack of defined benefit pension plan that puts us on solid ground when we say, "We already gave!" We pointed out that the main threat facing the airline is Southwest at PHL, and that agent-for-agent, Southwest pays much more than US Airways ($5,966 more this year alone).
What Executives did not reveal at the Friday meeting is their plan for employee concessions. Executives have said they want further employee concessions in these areas:


pay (we expect drastic proposals),
benefits (retirement and healthcare),
seniority (we think they're talking paydate seniority),
productivity (we are already hyper-productive at both airports and res), and
scope (subcontracting out of work).
But Executives at the Friday meeting still had no proposals or even general descriptions of the cuts they are going to demand.
It's not clear to us what they think the process will be going forward, but it seems the threat of bankruptcy will be a part of it. It seems that, at this point, their idea is to excite everybody with the new business plan and then say they need to finance it with employee salary, benefit, scope, seniority, and productivity cuts.
Unfortunately, when executives say "We'll win with this new business plan," the we doesn't include thousands of furloughed passenger service agents and reps.


We'll keep you informed.
CWA Local Officers and Staff

 

[youngblood]

Here's a good suggestion. Don't give, just
Quit. If you don't like the direction the company
is going in, you'll continue to be a drain on
resources and productivity. If you quit,
you'll be happier and so will the employees
who want to stay at lower wages.

Will quit when I am handed my furlough packet. Why? Because I can't afford to apy for my Masters. If I go on unemployment, will have assistance. It is all about me and furthering myself with the tax dollars I have paid thus far. Selfish? Maybe. The best alternative for me? Undoubtedly.

 

[FM2436]

I'm sure I'll strike a nerve with this comment, but how skilled are airline computer reservationists and customer service agents anyways. Its not like they're computer programers and technicians. In my early career I worked in airline operations where the computer work was basically monkey-see-monkey-do work. All you really needed to learn was how to fill in the blanks on the computer screen.

I can't imagin the huge majority of laidoff US Airways CWA members finding any thing greater ($$$) outside of US Airways. I suppost they'll would be able to operate the cash register at WalMart or at the Piggly-Wiggly.

 

[CS AGENT]

All you really needed to learn was how to fill in the blanks on the computer screen.

It really amazes me how many people think that is all we do.
The gate agent deals with EVERYTHING that happens from the time that A/C comes to the line until it goes airborn.
Special Assist, Carry ON/OFF's / Misconnects, Delays, Rerouting, Finding crews, Dealing with Mechanicals, Security Issues, Oversales, and THE PUBLIC.
And has to do it in the 45 minutes groundtime for that aircraft.

I can't tell you how many times I have been told by Chpr and Gold travelers that they wouldn't want my job for all the money in the world and God bless us for what we do and what we put up with.

It may not look that hard because you are seeing what 20+ years experience doing this does.

Put an express agent at $7.00 an hour on an OVERSOLD, DELAYED 757 to PHL and see what the result will be.

I EARN EVERY DOLLAR I MAKE.

 

[FM2436]

I EARN EVERY DOLLAR I MAKE.

But if US Airways goes out of business, you my friend will not be earning anymore dollars.

Lets be realistic, what job outside of US Airways, with your job skills, awaits you that would pay more than your making with your current employer? If there is such a job, take it now because if US Airways does go out of business you will be completing for that job together with a bunch of other ex-US Airways employees.

 

[CS AGENT]

When I was hired in 1984, This was the most desired job for many.
Piedmont hired 1 out of every 250 applications in CLT. Most of us have college degrees and chose to work for an airline.
I have many talents and a General Contractors License. I do home repair and remodeling on the side, but still like airline work and have invested 20 years of my life in it.
The employees of this company are not the reason we are in this predictiment, nor is 9-11. IT IS MANAGEMENT and I will Not work for less. I will simply see them close the doors and start building homes full time.