How Soon Till U Is Broke?

[PITbull]

Bear,

Well, I am more clear now. And you do understand that members have a role and a responsibility as active members.

Now, if you were in the U MEC, you would see a different AFA IMO. Our MEC is big on resolving our grievances, and are aggressive and active. Often times when we file the grievances, especially individual grievances, we can resolve them without going to Arbitration. The Local PIT Pres. makes every attempt to resolve these types of grievances on the "Local level" where she has most of the control of the outcome. She also has Mid-Atlantic f/as...all of them for now, and administering an entirely different contract. Local 40 his highly agressive in that arena too.

And guess what? It works. Just ask the PIT f/as.

So, most of the disappointment in union organizations has to do with Leadership and their lack of cognitive scope and intellect on researching an argument and being agresseive enough to use all resources to be heard. The arguments in Pittsburgh Local are all written and they are sent to ALL of Labor Relations and senior mangement (believe it or not). Why? Because when you present the argument to just 1 grievant manager on the local level, you depend on her/him to take it forward to present to Labor Rel. where all decisions are made regarding employees, specifically termiantions. The Local Pres. has found that depending on 1 manger to present the argument to those who make the decisions is not good, unless the argument is written out (like a brief) with what resolution is sought to Labor Relations themselves. Depending on the case, the Union rep. will by pass the manager and go directly to Labor Relations to give thema summary of the case to prepare them for AFA's argument. It works for Pittsburgh.

What United needed to do is read the Constitution and start recalling their leadership. But, I guess United f/as are taking a different road and hoping that forming their own union and own structure will be ....easier? I think not. Setting up elections again for all the bases is a tough road, and again, you have to hope thaqt the right people run for these positions.

Just look at the PIT local website.... regarding medical leaves and sick policies, and how to protect yourself while we grieve it. Nope, AFA at U is far from inactive.

 

[Bear96]

What United needed to do is read the Constitution and start recalling their leadership. But, I guess United f/as are taking a different road and hoping that forming their own union and own structure will be ....easier? I think not. Setting up elections again for all the bases is a tough road, and again, you have to hope thaqt the right people run for these positions.

Believe me I know all about how grievances work. The problem as I see it is with the wording of our CBA. But I am glad you have such a wonderful process in place at U for resolving grievances and everything is being resolved expediently and to your satisfaction. I had sworn I had read postings to the contrary by you about how management is ignoring the contract and refuses to discuss some things and is not receptive, but I must have been mistaken, I guess... :unsure:

Here at UA, I am (and most UA F/As, from what I can tell, are) relatively pleased with the representation I am getting on the LEC and MEC levels. In case I wasn't clear in my last post, my problem is with the structure of AFA on the INTERNATIONAL level, and how we have no real or effective voice at that level. What UA F/As want does not appear to match what the AFA BOD wants, and even though we are around half of the AFA membership, because of the way AFA Int'l is structured, we are just forced to continue to pay 50% of AFA's total dues while watching it be spent on things that we do not see as in our best interests.

That cannot be changed by recalling LEC and MEC leaders. And if you recall at Pat's last election, the UA contingent was against reelecting Pat. And you know how that election turned out-- another example of how we feel powerless the way AFA is set up, how our concerns remain unaddressed, and how the UAL MEC and BOD priorities seem out of whack.

So we are left with few options. Sure AFA is now on a kick with the survey and trying to be more receptive to the members. Funny how that only becomes a priority when another union is sniffing around their main dues source. We have had the same complaints for years about the problems with the structure of AFA and how the other airlines seem to just detest UA (except for our dues money of course)-- why only NOW is AFA pretending to listen? Hmmm.

BTW there has been some detailed planning for UFAU already. You can check out their C&B online at www.ufau.org. There are a few things here and there in it I don't necessarily agree with but it is certainly set up to have its leaders more accountable to the membership than they are at AFA, beyond the LEC level.

 

[PITbull]

Bear,

I understand your views.

With regard to the last AFA International election, in retrospect, what choices did we really have?

You mention my posts regarding the many violations by managment of our CBA at U. That still occurs, because they have changed policies that are so much more punitive and accelerate the discipline process for our f/as to termination. We too have fought back in our own way as members. We now file EEOC and ADA cases for terminations that have to do with sick occurences that are legitimate with really serious illnesses. Even while they are in the grievance process internally, one can still file the discrimination cases concurrently. Management has become so agressive with these policies that we've had f/as even terminated on Medical leaves.

The PIT pres. is extremely vocal and has taken the issues of the f/as to evry single medium at her disposal. You name it, press, TV, radio, newsletter campaigns, pickets to draw negative attention to this managment. Even filing EEOC and ADA cases. This will continue until the Culture of management changes. Unfortunately, that maybe a long time as this new CEO is for "show" and the rest of Siegels hinchmen are still in place.

I think managment works with the PIT Pres. just to keep her calm and out of the media. When they respond to her members, she backs off. When they don't...it gets real ugly in Pittsburgh. And the E-lines are even more anti mangement.

We can only hope that someday, U employees along with all the labor leaders will have a management in place that extreme measures do not have to be used in order to create a "balance of fairness" and some long lacking humanity.

 

[GadgetFreak]

I was surprised to see that there was very little discussion of the original thread topic here. More some philosophical discussions. Any thoughts on when the management has likely decision points based on the financials?

 

[BoeingBoy]

Without specifics on the restructured requirements of the ATSB-backed loan, the only "drop dead" events I can see are the $700 Million unrestricted cash requirement and the "going business" letter if one is included in the '04 annual report (quarterly reports are unaudited).

Hopefully, cash flow will be neutral in the 2nd & 3rd quarters - though all groups contract talks and the WN presence in PHL could affect that either way.

So, my short (??) answer is 4th quarter 04 or 1st quarter 05.

Jim

 

[Harry Callahan]

I was surprised to see that there was very little discussion of the original thread topic here. More some philosophical discussions. Any thoughts on when the management has likely decision points based on the financials?

If we have another baggage situation like someone told me they had las night in CLT it wont be long. Hundreds & hundreds of bags missed & left overnight. Much of it was from the commuters but mainline also had their share.