FA Deal

[spacewaitress]

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On 4/5/2003 10:41:56 PM FA Mikey wrote:
I just love how these sanctimonious holier than thou people who have or had absolutely nothing to lose in the deal .... Tell us about how bad we all are and how they are so much better. How they THINK or try to believe that''s how they would have done it, at their airline. Until you forced to face it head on, until you face a real loss in the situation.
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Finally, you made my point. Now go take a very long look in the mirror!

I knew you had it in you!

 

[L1011Ret]

As for the big wage increase, several TWA LLC F/As have compared 2002 AA wages with TWA LLC 2000 wages using the Social Security wages boxes on your income tax numbers provided by the employer. The difference is nearly nil amounting to a 2.2% yearly increase. If you take out the forced commuting expenses and increased medical and dental expenses,it is a monetary loss. Then there is the stress of forced commuting (APFA reguirement) resulting in some depression and anxiety disorders in the F/A group.

 

[Us/Metro]

All Piedmont and PSA f/a were given there date of hire seniority when they were merged into U. Also Piedmont bought Empire air and put them at the bottom of the seniority list. When Piedmont was merged U went through the Piedmont list and moved all Empire f/a to there original date of hire and put them on there original date of hire pay scale. The Trump Shuttle f/a had a clause in there new contract when they left Eastern, If the shuttle was ever sold that they would retain there Eastern Date of hire. This was the reason that some of the Shuttle f/a chose to take a chance on leaving Eastern and going with the Trump shuttle. When they were merged into U they did receive there Eastern date. Most of them now have over 25 years at U. I know that the culture at AA does not support this kind of integration but we at U feel that all these different airlines made U a great place to work and its part of the reason everyone gave up so much to save the airline. Date of hire is fair. I dont care what union you were before you came to U. On the date of a merger with U you become one of us and deserve the date you worked for. I work out of Boston and the Shuttle f/a moved me down the list by 40 numbers in a base of 300Plus F/A. I didn''t have to like it but it was fair and there is no anger here between merged airlines just a strong desire to survive. I know there are some issues about how TWA was aquired but to put them all on the bottom and now toss them all out man thats harsh! Did all TWA employees know about being stapled before they were aquired? If someone could give me a quick explanation about what was agreed to I would appreciate it.

 

[Us/Metro]

Is this seniority issue still in the courts? Are TWA f/a fully integrated. Could they transfer to other AA bases. Can AA f/a transfer to STL?

 

[TWAB717]

Of course we (or the unions) didn''t know we were getting stapled before it happened. Most of us expected it, given AA and its mentality, but I''m sure the unions would not have signed off our rights knowing that their members would be a sacrificial lamb. A quick summary of the deal is: TWA employees were promised fair and equitable treatment regarding integration. I''ll let you decide if someone flying 28 years is junior to someone flying who is 28 years old!

 

[L1011Ret]

The first is a yes. The other three are a no.

 

[Us/Metro]

Anyone know what happens to STL after all the layoffs? Will AA F/A fill in the base or will it close as a crew base?

 

[kirkpatrick]

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On 4/7/2003 550 PM Us/Metro wrote:

Anyone know what happens to STL after all the layoffs? Will AA F/A fill in the base or will it close as a crew base?

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That question is still open. AA could continue to run STL as a hub but not a base, crewing flights through from other bases. But as with any hub, it''s advantageous to have a base so you have a reserve pool, standbys, ect. The head of STL has said AA would probably bring in AA people from other bases, most of whom would almost certainly be forced transfers of junior people, but I don''t know that the integration agreement even addresses that issue.

I, for one, have my doubts that every one of us will be furloughed immediately on ratification of the concessions. For one thing, there are overlaps in the headcount numbers for each one of the changes, so that the overall hit just happens (coincidence?) to almost exactly equal the number of TWA FA''s left, which will be just over 1800 on May 1. And 863 of the headcount cuts come directly from the reduction in vacation days from 42+2 to just 28, and these cuts cannot even begin to be felt until the vacation days accrued in 2003 are actually taken in 2004-2005. Attrition will probably climb steeply from 62 in Feb to I don''t know what, but let''s hope for big numbers. And the economy might actually begin a slow improvement once the war is over.

I also have my doubts that the company will instantly ground the entire LLC fleet. What would they do with the pilots who have been feathered into the AA seniority system and are not subject to furlough but haven''t yet been trained to the AA certificate? Pay them to sit around? The aircraft integration just began, with the first MD80 entering service on the AA side yesterday, the 6th, and I don''t think the transfer of AC can be sped up. The court cases, even if won, won''t happen quickly enough to save us and the arbitration on the offering of overage leaves might force the company to offer leaves that no one wants anymore, since most of the benefits will be removed.

All in all, there are so many things that can still happen or not happen that it''s difficult to say just where we (TWA FA''s) will be six months or a year from now.

MK

 

[L1011Ret]

APFA has just posted that furloughs will take at least a year.