Fence Agreements

[USAirBoyA330]

A 2-3 year fence is just not going to happen. It's a logistical nightmare for the company and cost too much money. It's going to be more like ripping off a Band-Aid so to speak.....just one quick swipe and it's over. Otherwise your just prolonging the inevitable and wasting money that can be spent elsewhere. Nothing to be scared of and people can't go through life hiding behind fences. If I can survice the last 7 years at USAir then the AW F/A can survice a 6 month fence.

 

[goodgirl37]

I'm not sure they would recall invols first, before the fence comes down, if they have reserves sitting in the east bases. If there is an operational need, it might make more sense for the company to retrain and rebase junior actives, in which case they would have to slot in at their seniority. Once flying balances out, then the company might start recalling. I think we've been making this blanket assumption that invols would go to PHX and be junior until the fences come down, but that won't necessarilly be the way it plays out once the good folks in Tempe realize that we have reserves flying 30 hours in the east and getting paid for 75. Just a different perspective here that probably not many people want to hear about.

DCA - isn't that the purpose of a fence - very doubtful they will pull active f/as to retrain and become very junior to the bottom again- could happen but very doubtful - fact is there are appx. 57 people a month just quitting- over a year that is 600 people - those numbers came from the AFA, the numbers will probably start to slow as the new year arises and people take the buyout but attrition is a normal factor in any corporation and I guess they can't keep the same staff for another 100 years on top of the 100 years of service they already have LOL!! I personally think the PHX recall for invols is a RAW deal and it is a very SHALLOW thing for management to do - but hey what will be will be and I am just glad I have a ticket for the show!! It is going to be great to see these work forces coming together!!!

 

[RowUnderDCA]

If management has an environment of fences, basically isolating one base to and from the others, would management be motivated to simply schedule out flying from the fenced base to account for attrition, while soaking up furloughees into the other bases, until all involuntary furloughees are pulled back, then go date of hire?

 

[DCAflyer]

DCA - isn't that the purpose of a fence - very doubtful they will pull active f/as to retrain and become very junior to the bottom again- could happen but very doubtful - fact is there are appx. 57 people a month just quitting- over a year that is 600 people - those numbers came from the AFA, the numbers will probably start to slow as the new year arises and people take the buyout but attrition is a normal factor in any corporation and I guess they can't keep the same staff for another 100 years on top of the 100 years of service they already have LOL!! I personally think the PHX recall for invols is a RAW deal and it is a very SHALLOW thing for management to do - but hey what will be will be and I am just glad I have a ticket for the show!! It is going to be great to see these work forces coming together!!!

Whose purpose of a fence, the employees or the company?

First, we need to realize that each have their reasons for implementing a fence. The USAW (US Airways West) people want a fence to protect what they perceive is their turf. The Company needs a fence for operational reasons (they can't wave a magic wand and have everything integrated, so the fence is in place to keep both ends operating fluidly until all logistical parts can come together)

But we need to remember that fences are a two-way street. If we, as employees, can't move from one base to the other, the company can't pull from one base to the other. That's why I think Tempe will be loathe to offer anything approaching three years. From an operations standpoint, especially since there are furloughees, they must begin integrating workforces, policies, procedures, IT systems, and contracts as soon as it is practical. This becomes even more critical when USAE (USAirways East) has become such a hodge podge, three wholly-owneds plus MidAtlantic, and there are people on the street who must be recalled, and there are people in the east who are resigning, and there are aircraft being retired. They company must have the ability to move people to fit its needs and to move the company forward so it can heal and grow.

And while yes, from a corporate standpoint it looks good on paper to begin bringing furloughed flight attendants and pilots back and place them into a quasi-fenced unit, (and the quagmire is that it absolutely cannot hire from the streets) aircraft will continue to go away and there could very well be an overstaff situation before the fences come down. Then who get's furloughed? People on the east who are now hanging on by the skins of their teeth? Formerly furloughed people because they are at the bottom of seniority within the fenced unit? Current USAW people because they are junior to returning furloughees? And if it is the current furloughees who get re-furloughed on the eve of the fence coming down, should they now have bumping rights to the current USAW people? Will the company begin at that point force-tranferring people from the east?

Can you see how the company might not want to open this potential pandora's box? The easiest way is a very short fence period, only that which is necessary for operational conerns, and thereafter letting the chips fall where they may.

 

[jec9]

This is an interesting, well thought out answer.

Thank you.

-JEC9