Letter To All Us Flight Attendants

[firstamendment]

My My My....what a happy little camper we are!!!
First, lets address the sick time. If there is a need for FMLA, the government has made that available to all of us, and it does not count for the "dependability program". If there is a valid need, you should have no problem obtaining the leave.

As for the "dig", perhaps in your paranoia it can seem like a dig. Speaking of paranoia, whats this crap with the "concerted effort to rid US/east of as many sr. f/a's as possible"? Geeezus, get a grip! You really can get FMLA for mental stress you know.

As for undermining AFA, don't you think that if the shoe were on the other foot, that we would have done the same thing with US/west? You are lieing to yourself if you say, Oh mercy child, no...we would never do that!
I must have missed the memo that stated that Sherri/west was behind the diabolic scheme to undermine AFA, perhaps you could forward it to me.

You sound like the type of person who feels the world owes them. Clue honey....this company owes you nothing! YOU owe the company.
Wasnt that long ago that we fought the us vs them, ie north/south, and now this garbage with east vs west.
pathetic!

Oh, where do we start with the typical response that if you have a differing opinion you are unhappy, embittered, or entitled. Sweety, you picked the wrong queen for this one!!

Actually, I AM a happy camper and if you read the post on here enough, you will see that to be true. However, I will not just sit around and agree all the time just because it makes everyone feel good.

Let's address a few things. FMLA is a joke. US Airways has made it so difficult that few people truely qualify. You have to have flown 95 plus hours a month average over a certain amount of time to qualify. Well, that cuts out a large amt of people...especially if you were sick BEFORE you applied for FMLA. SO to apply is useless.

The senority thing. NO!! We at US East have proved through three mergers that we HONOR the process of the bylaws of AFA and as srewed up as our management WAS, they would never THINK to interfer with union process, so you are way off base here, "honey".

I never said Sherri was behind the undermining of AFA...put down your cocktail...but your MEC pres. knows the truth and besides...do you REALLY think it beneficial to allow management to interfer with what is a union process? There must not be much respect for AFA from US West f/a's....only if it benefits them. ALSO, read the side letter from your MEC pres. that the managements of BOTH US East and US West would stay out of the business of the unions work. YES, 'hon, check it out yourself sense you seem to know SOOO much and want to paint me as the bad guy.

As far as entitled, I don't even know where the hell you got any kind of message of entitlement...again, put down the cocktail. Infact, going back through the post I have always made it clear and MORE towards the US West f/a's with regards to doh, that the company owes you nothing...that we do not OWN the company and therefore we are as one. I care not HOW we do things at the new US, what we wear, or where we go. We ARE one group. My beef are earlier actions and past (and current) actions at US East. It just so happens that there is a new Sherri in charge.

I am not fighting a us vs. them...but if you think for a moment that I am going to sit back and say yes ma'am without ever questioning a thing presented to me, then have another drink, 'hon. I am looking after the interest of ALL of us and if that means making sure the other 2/3's of the new US Airways are not lost in the shuffle, so be it. If you are involved with the politics of US East at all, then you know what I am talking about. If not, you don't know what the hell you are talking about.

I hope Sherri is all she has been painted. I know many of you would like for all f/a's over 40 to just go away, but there are issues with an aging workforce that need to be addressed...health, aging parents, etc. A 55 year old f/a should not have to worry about the wrath of management when a parent is in the final stages of their life.

A flight attendant with a high blood pressure shouldn't have to come dangerously close to a stroke because they are worried about being fired.

An AIDS or cancer patient shouldn't have to debate about going to work when the medicine they are taking leaves them flat on the bed. Again, FMLA is no help if you were already sick before it was around.

THIS IS REALITY HEY RAY!!!!

And by the way, we lost a f/a to a heart attack a few weeks ago. She was one of the flight attendants spoken about that was eventually fired because of sick dependability. Well, "hon, she's DEAD now. DEAD!! So please don't lecture me about being entitled or bitter when these kinds of injustices are going on.

I'll be the first to whoop up and have fun, but please keep it real.

 

[calibrator]

Good Christ!

Your acknowledgement of this fact only focuses your disrespect to the very power that will determine your destiny, which at this point is a very dark one. Contrition is a foreign concept in your dark spirit, there’s no light, unless you are shocked into reality before your last heart beat you are sealing your eternal fate with every blasphemous writing, your arrogance will be made meek, but it will be too late. I’ll look over and wave at the great divide, but I won’t be able to offer you water.

 

[heyray]

Firstamendment, (and anybody else who was offended by my reply)

I would like to begin by apologizing for the rudeness of my previous post.
Although I try not to make any of this personal, I failed in my response to your
post, and for that I am truly sorry.

While we may agree in some areas, and disagree in others, I do respect the fact
that you are entitled to your opinion, as is everybody else. I cant say that I meant
no disrespect, because if you look at my post, it is quite evident that at the time, I
did. Unfortunately, I let a unrelated issues impact my response to your post and
I regret that.

HR

 

[USstew23]

Your acknowledgement of this fact only focuses your disrespect to the very power that will determine your destiny, which at this point is a very dark one. Contrition is a foreign concept in your dark spirit, there’s no light, unless you are shocked into reality before your last heart beat you are sealing your eternal fate with every blasphemous writing, your arrogance will be made meek, but it will be too late. I’ll look over and wave at the great divide, but I won’t be able to offer you water.

No offense or anything but can you say this in English? unless we have a LOD/O present.

 

[calibrator]

No offense or anything but can you say this in English? unless we have a LOD/O present.

Sure...this individual is going straight to hell

 

[PITbull]

Oh, where do we start with the typical response that if you have a differing opinion you are unhappy, embittered, or entitled. Sweety, you picked the wrong queen for this one!!

Actually, I AM a happy camper and if you read the post on here enough, you will see that to be true. However, I will not just sit around and agree all the time just because it makes everyone feel good.

Let's address a few things. FMLA is a joke. US Airways has made it so difficult that few people truely qualify. You have to have flown 95 plus hours a month average over a certain amount of time to qualify. Well, that cuts out a large amt of people...especially if you were sick BEFORE you applied for FMLA. SO to apply is useless.

The senority thing. NO!! We at US East have proved through three mergers that we HONOR the process of the bylaws of AFA and as srewed up as our management WAS, they would never THINK to interfer with union process, so you are way off base here, "honey".

I never said Sherri was behind the undermining of AFA...put down your cocktail...but your MEC pres. knows the truth and besides...do you REALLY think it beneficial to allow management to interfer with what is a union process? There must not be much respect for AFA from US West f/a's....only if it benefits them. ALSO, read the side letter from your MEC pres. that the managements of BOTH US East and US West would stay out of the business of the unions work. YES, 'hon, check it out yourself sense you seem to know SOOO much and want to paint me as the bad guy.

As far as entitled, I don't even know where the hell you got any kind of message of entitlement...again, put down the cocktail. Infact, going back through the post I have always made it clear and MORE towards the US West f/a's with regards to doh, that the company owes you nothing...that we do not OWN the company and therefore we are as one. I care not HOW we do things at the new US, what we wear, or where we go. We ARE one group. My beef are earlier actions and past (and current) actions at US East. It just so happens that there is a new Sherri in charge.

I am not fighting a us vs. them...but if you think for a moment that I am going to sit back and say yes ma'am without ever questioning a thing presented to me, then have another drink, 'hon. I am looking after the interest of ALL of us and if that means making sure the other 2/3's of the new US Airways are not lost in the shuffle, so be it. If you are involved with the politics of US East at all, then you know what I am talking about. If not, you don't know what the hell you are talking about.

I hope Sherri is all she has been painted. I know many of you would like for all f/a's over 40 to just go away, but there are issues with an aging workforce that need to be addressed...health, aging parents, etc. A 55 year old f/a should not have to worry about the wrath of management when a parent is in the final stages of their life.

A flight attendant with a high blood pressure shouldn't have to come dangerously close to a stroke because they are worried about being fired.

An AIDS or cancer patient shouldn't have to debate about going to work when the medicine they are taking leaves them flat on the bed. Again, FMLA is no help if you were already sick before it was around.

THIS IS REALITY HEY RAY!!!!

And by the way, we lost a f/a to a heart attack a few weeks ago. She was one of the flight attendants spoken about that was eventually fired because of sick dependability. Well, "hon, she's DEAD now. DEAD!! So please don't lecture me about being entitled or bitter when these kinds of injustices are going on.

I'll be the first to whoop up and have fun, but please keep it real.

Firstamendment,

You are by far...the BEST! Thank you for the representation on behalf of U-East

 

[hula-flyguy]

rock on firstamendment!

 

[firstamendment]

Firstamendment, (and anybody else who was offended by my reply)

I would like to begin by apologizing for the rudeness of my previous post.
Although I try not to make any of this personal, I failed in my response to your
post, and for that I am truly sorry.

While we may agree in some areas, and disagree in others, I do respect the fact
that you are entitled to your opinion, as is everybody else. I cant say that I meant
no disrespect, because if you look at my post, it is quite evident that at the time, I
did. Unfortunately, I let a unrelated issues impact my response to your post and
I regret that.

HR

No problem, HR...all's forgiven. Anyway, it was getting alittle too boring here on the boards...starting to think we're on the CAL boards.


Anyway, I apologize if I came across alittle too strong.

The problem with the internet is that we only get a glimpse of the person writing and not at the true person.

There probably isn't a person out here that wants our new airline to work as bad as me...although that may be debated. I just feel now is the time to address issues that are important to an aging workforce. I say mandatory retirement with full benes at 55.




Right,

 

[SKY HIGH]

Even though we won't fly trips together for some time, I know that both groups of flight attendants share similar feelings about this merger, Cautious optimism, hope for a more viable future, as well as nervousness about seniority integration are just a few of the feelings we are all experiencing. During our transition, flight attendants may find themselves in an uncomfortable or awkward situation, such as riding the van to the hotel or standing in the same airport security line with other East or West crewmembers, and for whatever reason, no one is taking the initiative to recognize each other. At times like this, the silence can be deafening. When you find yourself in the company of East and West crewmembers, please don't be shy about speaking up and introducing yourselves. Sherri Shamblin
Managing Director,
InFlight Services Operations

.....sky high states: NO ONE is taking the initiative to recognize each other? Sherry, that BEGAN after the Piedmont/USAir merger and continues to this day. Take a walk through the halls of CLT or PHL or PIT, crewmembers got tired of the "civil war" attitude and CHANGED the way we interact. I shake my head at the number of crewmembers who go out of their way NOT to make eye contact or return a hello. US flight attendants KNOW all about merger integration..................no one's shy here, it's NOT about speaking up, its when YOU DO. The un-returned hello's. Treatment based on where you're "based." We're better than you comments. (Matthew Gardner).
It's ALL ABOUT "CORPORATE CULTURE"................anyone in charge of that?

 

[cokeorsprite]

hate to say it but i was in the phx terminal the other day and i or the rest of the crew was not felling much love. Hopefully it was a one time thing but no one would even look our way. No big deal life will go on, many of us have been done this road a few times.

 

[etops1]

you can see a picture of sherri and the new phx staff on the hub. just click on inflight division and then on inflight services home page.

actually i meant to click on flight crew information then click on inflight services home then click on departments . go to bases then go on from there.

 

[goodgirl37]

It is my privilege to introduce myself to all of you as the new Managing Director of InFlight Operations. In this role, I will oversee all of the US Airways Flight Attendants, who are located at 8 bases: BOS, CLT, DCA, LAS, LGA, PHL, PIT, PHX, and MidAtlantic Airlines that make up the new US Airways. Also, each of the base Directors/Managers and their staff will be part of the new US Airways InFlight leadership team, and will report to me. I know, I speak for all of them when I say we are all very excited to be part of the new US Airways.

Thanks and I look forward to seeing you on the line.
Sherri Shamblin
Managing Director,
InFlight Services Operations
[/quote]


With all due respect Ms Shamblin are you telling me that MidAtlantic is mainline and they report to you, you guys need to take the bonuses you are receiving and get some help deciding what MidAtlantic is and if that is the case then they need to be INCLUDED in the merger - you see you are affecting peoples lives here, but as long as it works to UPPER mngmt. advantage they could care less at how it affects the lives of others, since this whole MidAtlantic thing started up you guys use to your advantage to call it mainline when you want and express when you want but they are all mainline employees and getting disregarded in the merger - you should be ashamed of yourself and that includes upper management and the AFA!!! Just wait till they express out your "division" or should i say group of seniority numbers - I really think you should do some research on the subject - nice letter but lets face facts!!

 

[tahitigirl]

It is my privilege to introduce myself to all of you as the new Managing Director of InFlight Operations. In this role, I will oversee all of the US Airways Flight Attendants, who are located at 8 bases: BOS, CLT, DCA, LAS, LGA, PHL, PIT, PHX, and MidAtlantic Airlines that make up the new US Airways. Also, each of the base Directors/Managers and their staff will be part of the new US Airways InFlight leadership team, and will report to me. I know, I speak for all of them when I say we are all very excited to be part of the new US Airways.

Thanks and I look forward to seeing you on the line.
Sherri Shamblin
Managing Director,
InFlight Services Operations
With all due respect Ms Shamblin are you telling me that MidAtlantic is mainline and they report to you, you guys need to take the bonuses you are receiving and get some help deciding what MidAtlantic is and if that is the case then they need to be INCLUDED in the merger - you see you are affecting peoples lives here, but as long as it works to UPPER mngmt. advantage they could care less at how it affects the lives of others, since this whole MidAtlantic thing started up you guys use to your advantage to call it mainline when you want and express when you want but they are all mainline employees and getting disregarded in the merger - you should be ashamed of yourself and that includes upper management and the AFA!!! Just wait till they express out your "division" or should i say group of seniority numbers - I really think you should do some research on the subject - nice letter but lets face facts!!

Not exactly how I meant this topic to go. But if we are on the subject I'm going to throw my 2 cents in. Btw, I know there are going to be alot of people that disagree, but once again it's just my opinion.

First off I'm going to say I'm very sorry how the whole MidAtlantic thing has gone for those employees who went there. Now here is the BUT:

When you cashed that first paycheck that said MidAtlantic you agreed to the pay scale of which you were being paid. Yes, I'm sure it sucked but it was a job. From what I understand now the MidAtlantic f/as are sueing US and AFA. I'm not a huge union girl, but the union has made it possible for your seniority to remain intact when and if you decide to come back to mainline. I don't understand how you can say you are being disregarded when you are still on the seniority list and now will have many f/as junior to you.

I know it's been hard, but it has been tough on ALL of us. Not only us at US Airways, but over the entire industry.

I posted this letter due to it being one of the only positive things we have received from management in some time. I know alot of people are very sceptical, and rightfully so. But it's like playing the lottery, you can't win if you don't buy a ticket.

Once again, this is just my opinion and I don't mean to hurt anyones feelings.

 

[firstamendment]

Not exactly how I meant this topic to go. But if we are on the subject I'm going to throw my 2 cents in. Btw, I know there are going to be alot of people that disagree, but once again it's just my opinion.

First off I'm going to say I'm very sorry how the whole MidAtlantic thing has gone for those employees who went there. Now here is the BUT:

When you cashed that first paycheck that said MidAtlantic you agreed to the pay scale of which you were being paid. Yes, I'm sure it sucked but it was a job. From what I understand now the MidAtlantic f/as are sueing US and AFA. I'm not a huge union girl, but the union has made it possible for your seniority to remain intact when and if you decide to come back to mainline. I don't understand how you can say you are being disregarded when you are still on the seniority list and now will have many f/as junior to you.

I know it's been hard, but it has been tough on ALL of us. Not only us at US Airways, but over the entire industry.

I posted this letter due to it being one of the only positive things we have received from management in some time. I know alot of people are very sceptical, and rightfully so. But it's like playing the lottery, you can't win if you don't buy a ticket.

Once again, this is just my opinion and I don't mean to hurt anyones feelings.

Oh Tgirl

Don't worry about hurting feelings. You are entitled to your opinion and to be honest, I agree with what you said. Only time will tell how things go. One good thing...the stock market has alot of faith in us.

 

[DCAflyer]

Not exactly how I meant this topic to go. But if we are on the subject I'm going to throw my 2 cents in. Btw, I know there are going to be alot of people that disagree, but once again it's just my opinion.

First off I'm going to say I'm very sorry how the whole MidAtlantic thing has gone for those employees who went there. Now here is the BUT:

When you cashed that first paycheck that said MidAtlantic you agreed to the pay scale of which you were being paid. Yes, I'm sure it sucked but it was a job. From what I understand now the MidAtlantic f/as are sueing US and AFA. I'm not a huge union girl, but the union has made it possible for your seniority to remain intact when and if you decide to come back to mainline. I don't understand how you can say you are being disregarded when you are still on the seniority list and now will have many f/as junior to you.

I know it's been hard, but it has been tough on ALL of us. Not only us at US Airways, but over the entire industry.

I posted this letter due to it being one of the only positive things we have received from management in some time. I know alot of people are very sceptical, and rightfully so. But it's like playing the lottery, you can't win if you don't buy a ticket.

Once again, this is just my opinion and I don't mean to hurt anyones feelings.

Welcome to the US Airways board... topics never stay on what was intended. The usual 5K posters have to have their say in everything, whether on topic or not, and whether it's any of their business in the first place.

Now let me tell you why the US Airways/Midatlantic flight attendants are suing. Believe it or not, it is largely to protect ALL flight attendants in EVERY airline, but especially US Airways. And the US West and US East flight attendants had better get their heads out of the sand pretty damn quickly and pay attention to what the company has done.

First, let's be clear, Embraer flying is replacing 737 aircraft (as it should). Do you want to fly those A/C as part of mainline, or do you want mainline jobs to be further eroded? That is what the company is doing, and that is exactly what AFA has allowed to happen. Most of the routes the 170s are flying are former 737 routes... we're taling 1500 mile/three and a half hour flights in many cases.

Now, lets say, for instance, that you are working at ABC Shoe Store on Main Street at Birch Avenue. You and a group of coworkers have a union contract with ABC to work for $10.00 per hour the first year, plus benefits worth $500 per month. Because you've been there a few years, you are currently being paid $12.00 hour. Then the company realizes that it can get workers for $8.00 per hour plus $400 worth of benefits. So it tells you it is downsizing the store and you are laid off.

Then they announce that they will start another store, across the street, called XYZ Shoe Store. They lead everyone to believe that the store will be something it isn't, offering a different line of shoes. It will hire laid off employees before going "on the streets" to hire. Now, because you have already been laid off, you aren't in "good standing" with the union, therefore you are not afforded an opportunity to vote on the new pay, benefit, and work rule provisions, that vote is done by people who will never be affected by it. But because you are a new employee of XYZ Shoe Store, you will have to start at year 1 for pay purposes. They will pay you $7.50/hour and only $350 worth of benefits. Because you don't have another job offer, you decide to take it. Well, on your first day at XYZ, you find out that the you are selling the exact same shoe lines you were across the street, yet for more money because its a newer, trendier store with flashy strobe lights and retro music. The costs of doing business are lower because the storefront is in the middle of the block. The energy costs are lower because there are floor-to ceiling windows and more natural light.

Then it reduces even further the size of the first store, laying off more people and hiring them at XYZ for a fraction of the pay and benefits they were making.

Then let's say you find out that the company never completely formed the new corporation because the licensing agencies won't grant permits to an alter ego entity. ABC/XYZ never tell you this and, in fact, take actions to hide the fact that they never obtained the proper licenses in the name of XYZ, that XYZ is merely an alter ego of ABC. There is no president and CEO of XYZ. No vice presidents. No accountants. They do a few things to throw you off the track... opening bank accounts in the name of XYZ, things of that nature. And suppose when union that you pay almost $500 a year to finds out, it does nothing. And after two years of working at XYZ, you still don't have a written contract, even though you are told that it was ironed out two years prior. You don't have a contract, but you do sort of have a contract, and it goes by the terms of MNO Shoe Store a thousand miles away, located in a lower socio-economic market with lower costs of living selling lower-market shoes to unskilled blue collar workers.

You contact your union officials and tell them what you've discovered, that an alter-ego entity was created merely as a vehicle to pay it's employees less money, that they've deceived you and the union into believing XYZ was something it wasn't, and in fact is taking market share away from itself, only for the purposes of paying employees less money. And as the market share of XYZ increases, the size of ABC decreases, employing fewer and fewer people at the higher salary.

And your union does nothing. It can't invoke the terms of a contract because no contract exists. When the employees mention a strike, they are told by the union that it's a violation of the contract. Yet the contract isn't signed... hadn't been ratified... and actually doesn't exist. When the employees and the union can bring ABC/XYZ to its knees, the union does nothing about it. Doesn't even try!

When the employees ask the union for copies of the contract for two years they are told things like "it's being printed" "It's being fine-tuned" " We're meeting with the company to finalize it!" When the manager tries to schedule you, she has a copy of the contract and knows what you are required to work and not required to work. But you don't have a copy. Does it exist? Who knows. Seems that when it's convenient for the union, it exists. And when it's convenient with the company, it exists. Do the employees know the terms, conditions, requirements. NO!

Now turn to US East and US West... In all of our contracts up to the time MidAtlantic was created (or actually, wasn't created) flight attendants are paid by the hour irrespective of the equipment they work (with a few exceptions, galley pay, lead pay, LOD/O pay, etc.). Sadly, that is no longer the case, and it is the union that allowed that to happen. It did not give the AFFECTED employees an opportunity to vote on their own contract, yet it required them to certify AFA and collects that roughly $500/year from each and every one of them... when you go to your base orientation right after training, the first thing AFA does is hands you a payroll deduction authorization for dues. So now what we are left with is a C pay scale for people doing the same jobs on the replacement mainline aircraft. Something tells me that wasn't what the mainline people had in mind when they voted in the provisions of the quasi-contract... that junior people would be paid less money to fly mainline-like equipment that is purchased, in part, to replace the company's largest single fleet-type to right-size markets and realize fuel and other efficiencies.

But make no mistake, MidAltantic was conceived MERELY AS A VEHICLE TO PAY PEOPLE LESS MONEY AND REPLACE MID-SIZED JETS WITH MID-RANGE LARGE SMALL JETS.

Oh, and about AFA making it possible for MAA seniority to remain intact... Hello... that's their job and their SOLE PURPOSE... to protect us. Unfortnately, AFA failed the MidAtlantic flight attendants miserably.

-DCAflyer