LATEST USAirways political correctness

[PITbull]

AFA Update July 8, 2007

In a Must Read issued on Tuesday, US Airways informed flight attendants that over 8,000 Hindi youths from around the country will be traveling to the 12th Annual BAPS Youth Convention held in Jacksonville FL from July 5th through the 15th.

Along with the young people traveling to Jacksonville the company has indicated that approximately 70 Hindi spiritual leaders, or Swamis, will also be traveling to the convention on US Airways. The company issued a series of instructions to female flight attendants in order to "respect" the spiritual vows of the Swamis. They instruct female flight attendants to not speak with the Swamis except for emergency and safety related matters, to avoid any physical contact, and for female flight attendants to remove themselves from the aisle when they board.



In essence, US Airways would have our female flight attendants follow a different set of procedures than our male flight attendants; and to act and behave in a subservient manner to these individuals all in the name of "respect".



Let’s be clear however, this is not about treating our passengers with respect based upon a cultural difference, it's about a double standard. It's about a company's culture that would disregard a core and fundamental right of an employee- that of equality in the workplace, free from discrimination.



As Safety Professionals and First Responders, Flight Attendants interact daily with passengers from all cultures and all beliefs, these interactions are done with courtesy and respect. We know what respect is; and we give it. We also know what disrespect and discrimination is; and that is something we will not tolerate.



For over fifty years the Association of Flight Attendants has fought to put an end to discrimination in the workplace. All Flight Attendants, female or male, will not deviate from Standard Operating Procedures. We will not clear the aisle if our duties and responsibilities require us to be there. We will not retreat to the "back galley" of ignorance and sexism where a flight attendant is instructed to act and behave differently solely because of their sex. We will treat everyone equally with respect.



Gary Richardson- President

Master Executive Council 66

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA



This is just one of the many reasons this Senior management from the West should NOT be at the helm!

Why is it that those of different cultures and religion EXPECT tolerance from the U.S. and western nations, BUT NONE OF THESE respective religions will tolerate ANYONE ELSE other than their own??? It's a wonder the company didn't demand the flight crew to denounce JESUS as our savior on the intercom for the sake of appeasment...GEESUS people!!!!

What happens if the ENTIRE crew is FEMALE??????

Political correctness gives these types of folks the liscense to ABUSE others, AND OPPRESS women! THEY DON'T DESERVE RESPECT!

I wouldn't do it for any company OR religion!

 

[Dog Wonder]

Can't wait for fundamentalist Muslims to demand headscarves on all females in their view.

 

[songbirdstew]

This is what the East side sent out----Have to say that Gary Richardson says the same thing, much better in my opinion---than the long windedness of Mike Flores.....

MEC E-LINE July 8,2007
On Tuesday the Company sent out a CBS message informing Flight Attendants of the 2007 BAPS Youth Convention in Jacksonville Florida. The convention, held between July 5 and July 15, convenes a group of over 8,000 Hindu youths to carry out their humanitarian efforts for different cultures worldwide. Included in the group are approximately seventy Swamis. As noted in the CBS, Swamis are similar to 'living saints' in other religions and live by a set of five vows, among them a lifelong vow of celibacy that forbids personal (verbal or physical) contact with women.

The CBS message and other Company communications noted that as a worldwide carrier:

"US Airways provides service to many cultures. Respect for cultures other than your own is a part of our service to the world. Cultural differences are fascinating but can also be awkward and confusing. A sincere interest in other people and a respect for people who are different from ourselves is important when serving multicultural customers. Your extra effort in understanding and accommodating our multicultural customers in accordance with their needs is greatly appreciated."

For over two decades US Airways and the US Airways Flight Attendants have provided worldwide service and are acutely aware of the cultural differences and needs of the passengers who fly our airline. US Airways Flight Attendants have always conducted themselves appropriately with respect to individuals of different cultures and beliefs.

US Airways Flight Attendants are also entitled to equal treatment and respect for their own cultural beliefs and societal norms. Our culture, after years of struggle, treats women as equal to men. Our culture does not treat females as a potential impediment to the fulfillment of others’ cultural vows.

The Company communiqués directed our female Flight Attendants to ignore their own cultural beliefs and placed the burden on them to alter their behavior and job duties in order to allow the Swamis to fulfill their vows.

The directives placed the cultural needs of the Swamis above the rights and feelings of female US Airways Flight Attendants.

The BAPS youth convention did not have to be held in a country that does not share or believe in the special needs of some of their members. The BAPS youth convention participants did not have to choose to fly US carriers-but they did. The aura of political and corporate correctness encouraged the Company to make a revenue decision- sell tickets to the Swamis and force United States citizens employed by the Company to pretend they live under the value set of a different culture. The Swamis did not have to fly on a US carrier, staffed by US citizens but they chose to do so. Many of our members feel buying a ticket does not entitle anyone to force a different set of behavior patterns on our employees.

Within our airline and our Union we have strived to provide a workplace that respects diversity. We will continue to do so, and we will respect the values of others, as long as they also respect ours. The appearance is whatever group that books tickets on US Airway has the right to dictate the behavior of our members. In this case it is the Swamis, but it begs the question- where will it end?

The debate on political and cultural correctness will continue on a world stage. The world is diverse and cultures differ, but it seems to me, we have a right to have our own cultural standards considered and take precedence when living and working in our own country.

What would have been the consequence for the Company to turn this around and say, "this is the United States, and we are not going to tell our Flight Attendants to ‘stay out of the aisle and not make any verbal contact with the Swamis’; you sir(s), have to absent yourself and use your escorts to run interference and ignore females on the airplane" (except in safety or emergency situations).

While the Company has the right to sell seats and provide transportation to whomever they choose they also have to respect the rights and culture of their own employees.

The Company policy and directives have offended our members. I agree with our members’ assessment; the policy does exactly the opposite of what the Swamis themselves profess. In the CBS message the Company noted the following:

"The Swamis respect all women, and are taught to honor women and their inherently unique and valuable role in society."

The Company made a decision to accept the needs of passengers who have different cultural beliefs and force female Flight Attendants to ignore theirs. I am not sure that is the same as providing, "extra effort in accommodating our multicultural customers in accordance with their needs."



Thank you.

Mike Flores, President
US Airways Master Executive Council
AFA-CWA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AFA US Airways Website

http://www.afausairways.org

 

[Dog Wonder]

That certainly wasn't long winded.

 

[PITbull]

"The Company made a decision to accept the needs of passengers who have different cultural beliefs and force female Flight Attendants to ignore theirs. I am not sure that is the same as providing, "extra effort in accommodating our multicultural customers in accordance with their needs."

As Flores states above...once again, he doesn't take a position, just circles the wagons. He just long winds, and jaw flaps!

That's the major difference between Flores as MEC and Richardson as MEC...one flaps and speaks either in vague riddles, or forktongue,

and one takes a position of intelligence and decisive attitude every single e-line he sends out.

 

[N965VJ]

Insert ussnark baloney below:

















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[ussnark]

Can't wait for fundamentalist Muslims to demand headscarves on all females in their view.

Why would they?

While it would be a sign of respect to do so, there is no requirement for a non-Moslem to comply in that manner. In the same way that, in certain Asian cultures, a bow in a certain manner denotes respect for the parties of a business deal. The lack of the bow simply means the deal does not go through. Capitalism moves on. Americans, not so much.

 

[hp_fa]

Bravo Sierra

 

[Itestwell]

I love how the company email says that the Swamis, of course, "respect "women. They just don't wanna see them, and that is acceptable, as long as they are buying a Y fare... Bend over once again, cherished USAir employees, and bow to the almighty dollar...

I cannot wait for the first all female crew to jack that boarding music up and shake their boooooooty down the aisle!


Get' em, girls! Dance like you have never danced before.....

And we thought Pecan pie and trash bags were a problem... whoda thunk being a female stewardess would play into the works.... :mf_boff:

 

[flybynite]

Many years ago, I had 60 swamis on my flight into Syracuse. Boy, was that an experience. We were briefed by their escort/translator prior to boarding and where told all the things we couldn't do in flight. Well, you can just imagine how well that sat with the f/a's. :down:

So, they start boarding these guys and I've got to tell you....they smelled so bad they would have knocked down a cape buffalo at 50 yards.! Believe me...you don't want to be anywhere close to these men. Whew!!! And they also rub some kind of scented oil on themselves which made it even worse. My nose hairs still tingle at the thought of it! My other passengers cringed the entire flight.

The service went okay but the swamis would not were their seatbelts and we had to get the escorts to handle that for us. It was really frustrating.

We finally get into Syracuse and I think it was 30 below zero there and snowing and I threw both back doors open to clear the air. I didn't care if the swamis froze their asses off or not. The poor caterers were gagging as soon as they stepped on board. My nose had shut down at this point.

Hopefully, these swamis will be briefed on personal hygiene before they fly on US or anyone else for that matter. I doubt it though. That's a cultural difference I'd like to see addressed.

 

[WCT]

Many years ago, I had 60 swamis on my flight into Syracuse. Boy, was that an experience. We were briefed by their escort/translator prior to boarding and where told all the things we couldn't do in flight. Well, you can just imagine how well that sat with the f/a's. :down:

So, they start boarding these guys and I've got to tell you....they smelled so bad they would have knocked down a cape buffalo at 50 yards.! Believe me...you don't want to be anywhere close to these men. Whew!!! And they also rub some kind of scented oil on themselves which made it even worse. My nose hairs still tingle at the thought of it! My other passengers cringed the entire flight.

The service went okay but the swamis would not were their seatbelts and we had to get the escorts to handle that for us. It was really frustrating.

We finally get into Syracuse and I think it was 30 below zero there and snowing and I threw both back doors open to clear the air. I didn't care if the swamis froze their asses off or not. The poor caterers were gagging as soon as they stepped on board. My nose had shut down at this point.

Hopefully, these swamis will be briefed on personal hygiene before they fly on US or anyone else for that matter. I doubt it though. That's a cultural difference I'd like to see addressed.

No pax's should be subject to there horrible hygiene. The swamis should get a chartered flight. And no female flight attendant should be subject to disrimination. Shame on the company for posting this must read crap. This is not going we'll with our West flight attendants. Major uproar about this. And Sherry Shamblin is the director of inflight?? She needs to rethink her postion, and should be held accoutable!!! :angry:

 

[trvlr64]

As they board, have the male flight attendants or pilots spray them down with Febreeze !!

 

[TheLarkAscending]

As noted in the CBS, Swamis are similar to 'living saints' in other religions and live by a set of five vows, among them a lifelong vow of celibacy that forbids personal (verbal or physical) contact with women.

Given that caveat, perhaps their best option would have been to contact any carrier and request that they transport their mass numbers via charter and request male attendants due to cultural restrictions. Some responsibility for the comfort of the Swamis does lie at the feet of the persons involved in booking for their group. Proactive planning would have been nice.

Those "Living Saints" wouldn't even exist without benefit of the, oh dare I say it.....female!

I can only hope that their pilots are women.

 

[JS]

I'm assuming the flight attendants are going to ignore the company's idiotic demands.

Wait, this is a joke, right?

 

[diogenes]

Those "Living Saints" wouldn't even exist without benefit of the, oh dare I say it.....female!

I can only hope that their pilots are women.

In light of that one little fact, the milleniums of institutional misogyny seem rather foolish, don't they? I guess some men can't stand the fact a woman can do something they can't.

And even crazier, it's not a chore men actually want. If childbirthing were up to men, the species would have never gotten off the ground ;>)