well it seems as if the AM West MEC finds it necessary to require pay parity for the US West employees or not bring back the invols to PHX. Of course they can hire off the street since we are operating under two different certificates, however that would break the agreement that we made in early stages, No? From my understanding if they hire off the street - then after the fence comes down we could go to one seniority list, if you hold a spot - great, if you are too junior and an invol can bump you out - enjoy the VACATION!! They need to worry about their pay in their contract negotiations, lets get people their jobs back!!! I guess if the West MEC doesn't want to then fine - we will have no choice but to bump the most junior flight attendants in PHX and move in.. I am guestimating that would possibly be about 500 US West flight attendants being furloughed... at least if not more .... since we have 1700 invols that are on furlough between 1999- and 2001. Just posting this to make people aware of what could happen if we don't bring back the invols...
Invols to PHX or bump and flush
- Thread starter mdarules
- Start date
That's exactly right, quit using the invols as a
negotiating tool. These are peoples lives that the MEC is playing with, both the INVOLS and those to be hired off the street and then subsequently let go. Remember, this is to be the NEW US Airways, not Phoenix AIR.
well it seems as if the AM West MEC finds it necessary to require pay parity for the US West employees or not bring back the invols to PHX. Of course they can hire off the street since we are operating under two different certificates, however that would break the agreement that we made in early stages, No? From my understanding if they hire off the street - then after the fence comes down we could go to one seniority list, if you hold a spot - great, if you are too junior and an invol can bump you out - enjoy the VACATION!! They need to worry about their pay in their contract negotiations, lets get people their jobs back!!! I guess if the West MEC doesn't want to then fine - we will have no choice but to bump the most junior flight attendants in PHX and move in.. I am guestimating that would possibly be about 500 US West flight attendants being furloughed... at least if not more .... since we have 1700 invols that are on furlough between 1999- and 2001. Just posting this to make people aware of what could happen if we don't bring back the invols...
USstew23
Veteran
- Oct 19, 2005
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Have they been talking again? I just cannot see them hiring off the street. Now don't get me wrong, I think West should be brought up to East pay just like the agents but why do they insist on stirring the pot so much? All it is doing is hurting innocent people, creating friction and making West MEC look silly. I'm right with you here, if they get their way and hire off the street then our MEC needs to fight to do the bump, start calling people back and let those junior flight attendants fall where they may. I mean I really do not think that bump and flush is fair but using innocent people as leverage isn't either!!!
Dea Certe
Veteran
- Aug 20, 2002
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Who's not innocent here? The invols or the juniors?
Folks, a lot of f/a's are retiring or quitting.
Why not request another VFLR? I bet we could get enough takers to recall the invols. How many will come back?
Maybe open a bid, if PHX is short, let the other bases transfer and recall the invols to the east, probably where most of the invols want to go anyway.
Could this work? No one loses their job, people get jobs back. Some folks might lose a bit of seniority but can't be bumped out of PHX.
Can we work something out?
Dea
Folks, a lot of f/a's are retiring or quitting.
Why not request another VFLR? I bet we could get enough takers to recall the invols. How many will come back?
Maybe open a bid, if PHX is short, let the other bases transfer and recall the invols to the east, probably where most of the invols want to go anyway.
Could this work? No one loses their job, people get jobs back. Some folks might lose a bit of seniority but can't be bumped out of PHX.
Can we work something out?
Dea
If you're trying to stir the pot and bring about fear from US West by posting this, the problem will only get worst. There will be no "bump and flush" even after the fence agreement expires, vacancies will be filled by a vacancy bid, awarded by seniority...but no bump and flush. So don't worry West, you won't see 500 furloughs, no way. I agree that US East invols should be rehired back to US West with their longevity pay, however the MEC in the west is trying to confuse section 6 negotiations with a transisiton agreement, these are separate issues. I think they west may be playing "hardball" with the company, therefore would not agree to bringing US East back without the pay parity. As we have it, right now there is currently no recruiting taking place, it is at a standstill with new hires.
- Thread Starter
- Thread starter
- #6
This is somewhat true - the west f/a's should def. be paid more (we all should) but they need to worry about this in their negotiations.. Yes there CAN be a bump and flush maybe you should consult your MEC, I did mine and it can happen and the US West has been advised of this, but continue to play hardball. We shall see!
Whatnow?
Veteran
- Nov 4, 2003
- 862
- 8
The problem I'm hearing is that there aren't enough F/A's leaving to counteract the A/C that are leaving the property. We are still shrinking and have become overstaffed again, which is evident with how high seniority has become being put back on Reserve. Because of the first VFLR that was offered and over subscribed to, the Company and the Union agreed that another VFLR would be offered sometime in the beginning of 2006. However, the last VFLR was under subscribed to and the feeling is that this next one will be too. It seems that most or all of the F/A's that are left are the one's that actually want to stay and ride it out. The magic answer would be to let F/A's from US/East transfer to US/West to fill the 200 or so positions that US/West is currently short. It would alleviate the overstaffing on the US/East side somewhat. But that would make too much sense and I'm sure it would cause a huge hornets nest to be open. While the integretion and the fence will be up for 2 more years it will come down and the chips will fall where they should, although it kind of seems like we are putting off the inevitable.
Twicebaked
Veteran
- May 22, 2003
- 1,788
- 18
I totally agree. If you are in corporate America and one company merges with another, they will "shift" people were they need to be. It is going to happen anyway, so just let it happen now.
Although I don't believe there is going to be another furlough, it would be a kick in the a$$ for furloughees to go to PHX in the next 2 months or so and then those left on the East get furloughed in the spring.
Therefore, for once, they should be looking ahead of the game here. Yet, that would make to much sense and the MEC West apparantly doesn't want to listen to reason.
USstew23
Veteran
- Oct 19, 2005
- 862
- 0
Sorry I wasn't trying to play hardball or anything like that, just trying to make a point about the West MEC. I would not want to see anyone get furloughed. I have quite a few friends at West and most of them would probably be in that group of flush. We're all family now. So I guess like any family it's ok to be disfunctional but just not get nasty and fight.
AstroLounge
Veteran
- Oct 10, 2005
- 1,491
- 213
Very GOOD point! The thought of hiring off the street when US/East has a multitude of invols furloughed is ludicrous! One day or another these invols will be back on the property and things will get ugly......totally predictable and unneccesary. Hopefully Management will seriously look at the staffing inbalances (too short in the West, beyond heavy in the East) and make sensible decisions accordingly.
They still have to be trained. Remember, it's a different certificate.
Furloughd4now
Veteran
A/C differences in training and company procedures at best. 3-5 days max ... not weeks like initial. "most" know FARs ... again can be performed like recurrent. this is another negotiating tool to be used. and FAA will work with the us.
Whatnow?
Veteran
- Nov 4, 2003
- 862
- 8
true...but it would be a lot less expensive and would only be days compared to weeks to do "differences" training instead of starting fresh from scratch off the streets.
The whole idea here is to save $$$ and utilize the resources we already have, isn't it? I'm sure this would be a good idea in DP's eyes.
