Flight Attendant Picketing to begin next week

[s80dude]

I have a big axe to grind with the APFA administration as well. They hate me and I hate them. But this issue is bigger than that for that reason, I went and picketed at DFW today. We had some folks from the Ramp and some pilots as well. We also had some people in "civies" but I don't know if they were furloughed or just friends/family, but either way they were welcomed.

You could have come out of uniform or worn your eagle uniform. You would have been welcomed, but sorry you chose not to participate. Maybe next time.

 

[nbmcg01]

I have a big axe to grind with the APFA administration as well. They hate me and I hate them. But this issue is bigger than that for that reason, I went and picketed at DFW today. We had some folks from the Ramp and some pilots as well. We also had some people in "civies" but I don't know if they were furloughed or just friends/family, but either way they were welcomed.

You could have come out of uniform or worn your eagle uniform. You would have been welcomed, but sorry you chose not to participate. Maybe next time.

We had a great turn out in STL. Pax were supportive and for the first time all AA f/as, active and furloughed. walked together with a common goal. I know we enjoyed meeting the active f/as and I hope the feeling was mutual. This was the first opportunity for many of the active f/as to meet their new chairperson and vice-chair person. I hope they will come to respect them as much as we do...baby steps. Even the base management was glad to see us. We had such a different relationship with our management and it was nice "catching up".

Hey Jim, where were you? We were all hoping to finally meet you.

 

[jimntx]

We had a great turn out in STL. Pax were supportive and for the first time all AA f/as, active and furloughed. walked together with a common goal. I know we enjoyed meeting the active f/as and I hope the feeling was mutual. This was the first opportunity for many of the active f/as to meet their new chairperson and vice-chair person. I hope they will come to respect them as much as we do...baby steps. Even the base management was glad to see us. We had such a different relationship with our management and it was nice "catching up".

Hey Jim, where were you? We were all hoping to finally meet you.

I am in Dallas. Between 4/08 and 4/16 I flew 9 days. The last day (yesterday), I flew an STL-BOS turn that included a diversion to ORD (for a mechanical) after almost 2 hours in the air. I was supposed to get back to STL at 1310. We got back at 1630. I can't pass a chair without trying it out.

 

[s80dude]

I was able to be a good wife, mother to many children(11), room mother, team mom, childbirth instructor, doula, LaLeche League Leader, Junior League, realtor, political activist, union rep, substitute teacher, classroom guest instructor, legal advocate for the Women'sCenter, domestic violence counselor, Legal Aid paralegal, and on and on.... All because I was SMART enough to become a TWA flight attendant in Jan. of 1970.

I was just reading this thread and saw this post Nancy! Evelen children! This qualifies you for stew of the century! You made the most of everything and I am only sad that you and I will never get to fly together.

Warm Regards,
s80dude

 

[Nor'Easta]

This was awesome to see driving around the upper level horseshoe at LAX, during the picketing. This was a strong message and all the passengers got to see it at every terminal.

We had a huge turnout at LAX. Over 300 AA flight attendants along with AA pilots, rampers, mechanics and ticket counter agents. We even had a Southwest flight attendant join us. He flew in from PHX just to walk the picket line with all of us. Now that is what I call UNITY!

 

[nbmcg01]

I was just reading this thread and saw this post Nancy! Evelen children! This qualifies you for stew of the century! You made the most of everything and I am only sad that you and I will never get to fly together.

Warm Regards,
s80dude

The 11 were a combination of birth and foster. I seemed to "collect" the children having difficulties at home. I honestly believe there should be a "rule" that you have to trade your teenagers with another family. They ALWAYS seem to excel with someone else...lol. Mine were convinced that not only did I have eyes in the back of my head but that TWA was in on the deal. I always seemed to go "non routine" and show as something was being planned. Kept them totally off guard. My youngest is the only one ever brave enough to throw a party (and she was 18..lol). Hand writing and delivering apology notes to every neighbor, the police, mayor, and parents of those attending stopped any future visits to my home.

As I joined the group in St. Louis, I met some of my former peers that I have known by name but have never known "in person" , old friends, and some that AA has very effectively kept away from "our influence". My thoughts were so emotional. What a loss that you all might never know these wonderful people and how easy it was after a moments awkwardness to walk together, find common ground and talk as if we had known each other for a lifetime. That jumpseat mentality never goes away..(or maybe its the jet fumes). As word came in from other bases, I was very proud that the message of corporate greed came across loud and strong. We were all willing to "give" to help shore up "the Company" after 9-11. But to see those hard earned dollars be used for personal gain instead of tangible infrastructure improvements is obscene. Retenetion of talent is just about the lamest excuse ever used to justify this payout. Airline executives are a dime a dozen and the "good old boy/girl network" insures a ready supply. Jane Allen and Beth Mack come to mind as an example. (not to mention Carty)

For a moment, I missed my old job.

 

[woztwa]

Former flight attendants picket American Airlines
By Tim Logan
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
04/18/2007

American Airlines flight attendants, outside of the main concourse of Lambert Airport, protest the bonuses that executives received.
(Karen Stockman/P-D)

Fuming flight attendants took to the terminal at Lambert Field Tuesday, throwing up pickets against American Airlines.

Their beef?

More than $160 million in stock bonuses that 874 American executives are set to receive today, even as thousands of laid-off former TWA employees remain on furlough and active American employees work longer hours at lower wages than they did four years ago.

"We've shared all of the pain, and got none of the gain," said Dixie Daniels, chair of the St. Louis base of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which organized pickets at 17 airports nationwide.

American defended the bonuses, part of a performance-based incentive plan set up in 2003 by parent company AMR Corp. In 2006, the company turned its first profit in seven years, and it's now among the country's healthiest major airlines.

"We have made tremendous progress working together under the turnaround plan," said American spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan. "We're committed to staying the course."

But for rank-and-file workers, seeing that kind of cash go to executives is hard to swallow. They point to the $1.6 billion in concessions unions agreed to in 2003 to help keep American out of bankruptcy, and say they now should share in the company's profits.

"We got through the worst of times," said Carol Thomeczek, a 19-year American employee. "Now it just seems like the executives are going to step on us again."

For many of the picketers at Lambert Tuesday, it was just the latest blow from American.

Most of the picketers were former TWA flight attendants, who were among thousands laid off from 2001 through 2003 after American bought the company. They dusted off their old uniforms and argued the airline should use some of its profits to extend their rights to be re-hired if American adds flight attendants. Those rights expire after five years and will run out for everyone in July 2008.

But recall rights are part of American's contract with the APFA, Fagan said, and any change would have to be negotiated in that context. There's been little progress on that front. And that had some ex-TWA workers holding a separate protest Tuesday inside Lambert's main terminal.

One of them was Bob Applegate, a laid-off TWA attendant from Granite City who said his former colleagues are falling by the wayside as their recall rights expire.

"There are a lot of veteran flight attendants who are ready, eager and able to go back to work," said Applegate, who now works as a truck driver. "We're being ignored."



tlogan@post-dispatch.com |

 

[ArtTang]

"Most of the picketers were former TWA flight attendants, who were among thousands laid off from 2001 through 2003 after American bought the company. They dusted off their old uniforms and argued the airline should use some of its profits to extend their rights to be re-hired if American adds flight attendants. Those rights expire after five years and will run out for everyone in July 2008.

But recall rights are part of American's contract with the APFA, Fagan said, and any change would have to be negotiated in that context."

I have always felt the recall rights should be extended indefinitely until every single person has been recalled. I have communicated as much to APFA vice-president, Brett Durkin, on several occasions. As we all know, AA has taken full advantage of the furloughs and refuses to budge on the issue. Instead, the company uses it as blackmail to extract further concessions from the flight attendant group. This is typical modus operandi on AA's behalf. The "human factor" never seems to matter to the bean counters in the ivory towers of Euless, Texas.

Despite differences of opinion on certain issues, I wish the TWA f/as the best of luck in their efforts to secure extended recall rights. Hopefully ALL furloughed flight attendants, both TWA and "AA natives," will one day be offered the option of returning.

Peace,
Art Tang
IMA

 

[nbmcg01]

Former flight attendants picket American Airlines
By Tim Logan
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
04/18/2007

American Airlines flight attendants, outside of the main concourse of Lambert Airport, protest the bonuses that executives received.
(Karen Stockman/P-D)

Fuming flight attendants took to the terminal at Lambert Field Tuesday, throwing up pickets against American Airlines.

Their beef?

More than $160 million in stock bonuses that 874 American executives are set to receive today, even as thousands of laid-off former TWA employees remain on furlough and active American employees work longer hours at lower wages than they did four years ago.

"We've shared all of the pain, and got none of the gain," said Dixie Daniels, chair of the St. Louis base of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which organized pickets at 17 airports nationwide.

American defended the bonuses, part of a performance-based incentive plan set up in 2003 by parent company AMR Corp. In 2006, the company turned its first profit in seven years, and it's now among the country's healthiest major airlines.

"We have made tremendous progress working together under the turnaround plan," said American spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan. "We're committed to staying the course."

But for rank-and-file workers, seeing that kind of cash go to executives is hard to swallow. They point to the $1.6 billion in concessions unions agreed to in 2003 to help keep American out of bankruptcy, and say they now should share in the company's profits.

"We got through the worst of times," said Carol Thomeczek, a 19-year American employee. "Now it just seems like the executives are going to step on us again."

For many of the picketers at Lambert Tuesday, it was just the latest blow from American.

Most of the picketers were former TWA flight attendants, who were among thousands laid off from 2001 through 2003 after American bought the company. They dusted off their old uniforms and argued the airline should use some of its profits to extend their rights to be re-hired if American adds flight attendants. Those rights expire after five years and will run out for everyone in July 2008.

But recall rights are part of American's contract with the APFA, Fagan said, and any change would have to be negotiated in that context. There's been little progress on that front. And that had some ex-TWA workers holding a separate protest Tuesday inside Lambert's main terminal.

One of them was Bob Applegate, a laid-off TWA attendant from Granite City who said his former colleagues are falling by the wayside as their recall rights expire.

"There are a lot of veteran flight attendants who are ready, eager and able to go back to work," said Applegate, who now works as a truck driver. "We're being ignored."
tlogan@post-dispatch.com |

This event was AA's Senior F/a Management's worst nightmare. AA active and furloughed flight attendants walking, talking, and laughing TOGETHER. No fights, no name calling, no "you should have done this", or "you're lucky to have had that". Just a common goal of making the traveling public aware of the greed of another large corporation. Customer service is a joke due to minimum staffing, exhausted staff, and no amenities for the customer. The workers are tired of having to work double their required company obligation just to make ends meet, and the furloughed f/as just want to come back to work. Not fit into American's Corporate Culture? First of all, no one has ever been able to define WHAT AA's corporate culture is, (and I'm talking about from AA's senior management, not rank and file employees), and why they have been promoting that myth. I think every base had at least a showing from the furloughed f/as and they fit in "just fine". Good flight attendants are just that, good flight attendants. It doesn't matter the color of the uniform, or how may stripes or stars you have on your sleeve,
in an airplane, on the jumpseat, you are equal.

 

[jimntx]

I have always felt the recall rights should be extended indefinitely until every single person has been recalled. I have communicated as much to APFA vice-president, Brett Durkin, on several occasions. As we all know, AA has taken full advantage of the furloughs and refuses to budge on the issue.

Art, the APFA is not anxious for the former TW f/as to return, either. They are just using the company as a smokescreen.

A friend of mine (who, by the way, is a "nAAtive") tried to contact his former base chair AND his Division Rep to find out when and where the picketing was to be held at BOS. Neither would return his call. Nor, have they called back on any issue he has tried to address.

The APFA does not want the former TW f/as back for the same reason that a lot of the line AA f/as don't want them back. What if one of us dropped one number in seniority due to their return? Horrors!

One of the more senior f/as at SLT asked this question of me expecting me to say, "Oh yeah, you're right. I hadn't thought of that, but then I'm just a junior f/a." My response was, "I am 17 from the bottom of the active list at SLT. If all 4500 came to STL and no one was furloughed to make room for them, I would still be 17 from the bottom of the active list."

 

[Ifly2]

Total PUP payouts over two years (2006 and 2007): $275 - $300 million.

That's the big picture. Everybody shared in that $1.0 billion of option profit. Stupid Worthless Bastard Management elites will share about $300 million in PUP payout stock. Yawn.

Not quite a "yawn"...

~80,000 employees who were sold "Pull Together, Win Together", and all the other B.S. slogans receive stock options worth, at the very best, less than one year's (out of at least five...)pay cut.

And then there are still the productivity concessions, which equate to less $$, more work, and lower QOL.

The elite, on the other hand, largely had their pay restored after ~ one year, and then receive bonuses averaging ~$350,000.

My department head will receive nearly 100 times the value from his bonus than his highest paid frontline employee received in stock options...

That is obscene...

Not yawning here dude...

 

[kirkpatrick]

The APFA does not want the former TW f/as back for the same reason that a lot of the line AA f/as don't want them back. What if one of us dropped one number in seniority due to their return? Horrors!

The thing is, nobody will drop a number if we come back. We will push senior reserves to permanent line holding and junior lineholders to holding better lines. More bodies mean fewer trip extensions and less short staffing. The APFA gains by having more dues money coming in. Everybody wins.

My response was, "I am 17 from the bottom of the active list at SLT. If all 4500 came to STL and no one was furloughed to make room for them, I would still be 17 from the bottom of the active list."

I don't think anyone in SLT has to worry. There's no reason to think the company will be building up the hub again, so at the most only a small handful of TWA people stand a chance of getting in.

This reminds me that there are still questions about just how the SIA will be implemented if some of us return. The original agreement (between the APFA and the company; we never agreed to anything) had us retaining our seniority in STL unless we voluntarily transferred elsewhere. We could come back to STL within two years and regain our seniority there, but after two years we'd lose that right.

The present reality is that we'll be coming back to other bases. What if we want to go back to STL but can't get in for over two years? If I accept a recall to LGA have I "voluntarily" transferred out of STL? If I put a bid in for STL and it takes three years to get in have I lost my TWA seniority there?

These questions must be addressed soon. Unfortunately, I fear only a few hundred of us even have a chance of getting our jobs back.

MK

 

[ArtTang]

Art, the APFA is not anxious for the former TW f/as to return, either. They are just using the company as a smokescreen.

A friend of mine (who, by the way, is a "nAAtive") tried to contact his former base chair AND his Division Rep to find out when and where the picketing was to be held at BOS. Neither would return his call. Nor, have they called back on any issue he has tried to address.

The APFA does not want the former TW f/as back for the same reason that a lot of the line AA f/as don't want them back. What if one of us dropped one number in seniority due to their return? Horrors!

One of the more senior f/as at SLT asked this question of me expecting me to say, "Oh yeah, you're right. I hadn't thought of that, but then I'm just a junior f/a." My response was, "I am 17 from the bottom of the active list at SLT. If all 4500 came to STL and no one was furloughed to make room for them, I would still be 17 from the bottom of the active list."

Jim,

I know the union claims to have approached the company on a few occasions about extending the recall rights. How determined or sincere the efforts were remains unknown to me. I have two very good friends who were furloughed and have already lost their recall rights. I think it is wrong and, sadly, very representative of the corporate culture that defines this company.

I realize there are line flight attendants who do not think the recall rights should be extended. However, my closest friends as well as yours truly do not feel this way. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to come back.

Peace,
Art Tang
IMA

 

[jimntx]

The present reality is that we'll be coming back to other bases. What if we want to go back to STL but can't get in for over two years? If I accept a recall to LGA have I "voluntarily" transferred out of STL? If I put a bid in for STL and it takes three years to get in have I lost my TWA seniority there?

Per the contract, if there is a recall, the company has to first open the transfer list for the proposed bases for the recalled f/as. Any f/a currently on the payroll and on the transfer list for that base(s) gets first dibs on open slots.

Once the transfers are complete, the openings left at whatever base would be what the recalled furloughees bid for. There might very well be openings in St. Louis. I know a lot of f/as at SLT are on the transfer list to other bases--particularly DFW. They came to SLT to be off reserve, but since there are no furloughees coming in the entire active list gets more senior everyday, and the reserve list goes more senior. Reserve went to 14 years at SLT this month. It drops back to 8 years in May, but that is because most of the most junior f/as in the base are on reserve in May.

If you accepted an assignment to LGA, you might very well finish your career there. It is not a base that has people clamoring to get in.

 

[AC AA LA FA]

As Unionist we all has to seiz the moment and force this recall right into the spotlight. Again, we are Unionist, we are no better than the company if we justify anything other than unlimited recall rights. THB and AA has to hear from all of us, daily. By riding the crest of these efforts, we might, might be able to leverage more public and internal support for our former TW folk. In any case, it is GREAT, GREAT GREAT to see some galvanization of our membership. I feel we are growing up as an institution and hope it continues as our contracts open up next year. These efforts might not redeposit the bonus, but have served the institution tremendously. I hope that the Sharks and the Jets are done rumbling and we can focus on our collective future as a Union..