Over 97% of FA's in 1st Group Accept Recall

[Bob Owens]

Wow, thats a suprisingly high rate. Nearly the exact opposite of what they are seeing with aircraft maintenance. I think a large part of the reason for this lies with the way the FAs were integrated. Since the TWA FAs were stapled, what we are seeing is the oldest most senior FAs being offered a job where they are coming in with 30 or more years of company time. Their age severely limits their marketability which makes returning to AA a worthwhile option. It also gets them their flight benifits, they can come back, work the minimum hours till they make 55 and then retire. So their choice is likely stay with a job where they have between 8 and one years or go back to AA with 30 years company time.

I think as we get further down the line, to the NAAtives who have more years out of AA than they had with AA we will see a rate of decline more in line with what we see with mechanics.

The shortage of mechanics is coming if not already here. AA just decided to eliminate the two year experience requirement for line maintenence. So it went from 5 years heavy turbine air transport experience (when I was hired)to 4, to 2 to ZERO. Years ago we had to work for five years for the LCCs like todays SWA, Air Tran, Polar, Evergreen , Kalita etc, now those carriers are no longer the training grounds for the majors their pay has surpassed ours, not that their real pay has improved but rather, that our real pay has declined to the point that we are below them. In some cases the guys at some of those carriers work there full time as well as AA full time.

That should leave a warm feeling inside as you roll down the runway! As we see the experience requirement for the mechanics who fix the plane dissapear at least you have seasoned FAs to help you to get out those emergency exits!

 

[kirkpatrick]

Wow, thats a suprisingly high rate.

It's a lot higher than I guessed it would be.

I think a large part of the reason for this lies with the way the FAs were integrated. Since the TWA FAs were stapled, what we are seeing is the oldest most senior FAs being offered a job where they are coming in with 30 or more years of company time. Their age severely limits their marketability which makes returning to AA a worthwhile option. It also gets them their flight benifits, they can come back, work the minimum hours till they make 55 and then retire.

I'm in the bottom ten in this group and I'll be 61 next month. Every one of this group could retire with passes and health insurance, and most of them with Social Security as well, so I don't think marketability is the reason. And keep in mind that most of this group will be commuting, many from the west coast, and will be setting up commuter pads with ten to fifteen other people in order to take public transportation to three different airports, all to fly reserve and maybe hold ORD turns if they're lucky.

Those of us who have gotten this far have done so for one reason: we love our jobs.

 

[czerny]

Those of us who have gotten this far have done so for one reason: we love our jobs.


I agree. I love my job too and I have asked to be a chase flight attendant so that I can assist the recalled fas when they get back on the line. Having been furloughed before, I know how many of you feel. Best of luck and see you all soon!

 

[PHL]

t. Do you understand that the men and women who ensure your aircraft getting you to and from BOS possess knowledge, skill and INTEGRITY? SCABS DO NOT POSSESS INTEGRITY.

Integrity doesn't put food on the table and pay the mortgage. SCABs are no different than their peers in terms of qualifications to do the job. I neither condone nor condemn them for their actions, since their personal situation may far outweigh any benefit of staying behind the picket line with the risk of no job or an out of business employer.

 

[jimntx]

I think as we get further down the line, to the NAAtives who have more years out of AA than they had with AA we will see a rate of decline more in line with what we see with mechanics.

No, you won't. There are no nAAtives left on the furlough list. All of the remaining furloughees are former TW f/as. The few nAAtives that were on the furlough list below the former TWs dropped off the recall list some time ago along with the most junior former TWs. There is a misconception that ALL the former TW flight attendants got their recall rights extended. This is not so. Only the ones who were still on the list at the time the extension was granted got the extension.

And, starting today, let's all stop using the term TW flight attendants. When they come back, their paychecks will say AMR Corporation, and they will pay dues to the APFA. I believe that makes them AMERICAN AIRLINES flight attendants. Don't you?

 

[Hopeful]

.

And, starting today, let's all stop using the term TW flight attendants. When they come back, their paychecks will say AMR Corporation, and they will pay dues to the APFA. I believe that makes them AMERICAN AIRLINES flight attendants. Don't you?

Great idea, Jim...This should apply to everyone in every title group. And yes it is a two way street.

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

Integrity doesn't put food on the table and pay the mortgage. SCABs are no different than their peers in terms of qualifications to do the job. I neither condone nor condemn them for their actions, since their personal situation may far outweigh any benefit of staying behind the picket line with the risk of no job or an out of business employer.

PHL,

A loaf of bread costs the same... blah, blah, blah.

My point about integrity is that the REASON people go on strike is to PROTECT their cuurent/future standard of living, ie. pay and benefits. Being in a union EVERYONE must stick together in order to achieve the required goal. A SCAB will harm a stike while HONORABLE men and women fight for justice while they sell their souls for 30 pieces of silver. When a strike is over and the honorable return to work the SCABS will benefit from the sacrifices of others. That does not define integrity.

SCABS are different than their peers because their peers will have the same pressures going on strike but have chosen to fight standing up alongside other like minded people. A SCAB should have considered the possiblity of a strike sometime in their careers and planned for such an event. A SCAB is the exact opposite of a true union person.

I repeat... knowledge, skill and INTEGRITY are the foundation which AMTs use to elevate our craft and profession.

 

[PHL]

My point about integrity is that the REASON people go on strike is to PROTECT their cuurent/future standard of living, ie. pay and benefits. Being in a union EVERYONE must stick together in order to achieve the required goal.

Everyone in a union is not required to stick together (or "must" as you say). It's a personal decision if someone wants to cross the picket line. Suppose 60% of the membership votes to strike, does that mean the other 40% have to "stick together" with the opposing votes, since their goal is not the same that the majority? Are those 40% who didn't vote to strike without integrity?

 

[Bob Owens]

Everyone in a union is not required to stick together (or "must" as you say). It's a personal decision if someone wants to cross the picket line. Suppose 60% of the membership votes to strike, does that mean the other 40% have to "stick together" with the opposing votes, since their goal is not the same that the majority? Are those 40% who didn't vote to strike without integrity?

If they cross the line it does. You obviously know nothing about being in a union. Its as if Congress approved going to war, if your Congressmen vote agaisnt it that doesnt mean that the people from your state can sit it out.

 

[737823]

"Yes, scAAbs will allow me to perform my job functions and return home to my dear wife and daughter."

Sorry that a potential strike would inconvenience your return home to your dear wife and daughter but SCABS will inconvenience the dear wifes, daughters and sons of those fighting to protect our pay and benefits. Anyone who condones SCABS deserves what they get. Do you understand that the men and women who ensure your aircraft getting you to and from BOS possess knowledge, skill and INTEGRITY? SCABS DO NOT POSSESS INTEGRITY.

If the employees are worried about SCABs compromising their pay, benefits, work rules, etc the simple solution is not to strike. Accept the industry leading wages and benefits AA offers or seek employment elsewhere. If someone is willing to work harder, for less pay, with more corporate favorable work rules, how do you justify AA keeping APFA members that are clearly dissatisfied with AA and their profession? At the risk of getting blasted by others on this board I'll face the fact that the FA position requires no formal education beyond high school and only a company furnished training program. If AA could replace the FAs they would have ample applications for replacement workers particularly given the current job market dynamic.

Josh

 

[Ken MacTiernan]

Everyone in a union is not required to stick together (or "must" as you say). It's a personal decision if someone wants to cross the picket line. Suppose 60% of the membership votes to strike, does that mean the other 40% have to "stick together" with the opposing votes, since their goal is not the same that the majority? Are those 40% who didn't vote to strike without integrity?

I see debating the strengths a union possesses with a member of management is futile. Think what you wish. You cross a picket line you are a SCAB. Your first sentence is so far off the mark it actually could be considered funny.

 

[midnights]

Everyone in a union is not required to stick together (or "must" as you say). It's a personal decision if someone wants to cross the picket line. Suppose 60% of the membership votes to strike, does that mean the other 40% have to "stick together" with the opposing votes, since their goal is not the same that the majority? Are those 40% who didn't vote to strike without integrity?

If they cross the line, yes. If you choose to work in a union shop, you must accept the fact that there might be a strike. I don't know of anyone here at AA that wants to strike, but the way this company has treated us over the last few years of contract talks, we gotta be prepared for the possibility. And those that choose to cross know the consequences.

 

[Duke787]

If the employees are worried about SCABs compromising their pay, benefits, work rules, etc the simple solution is not to strike. Accept the industry leading wages and benefits AA offers or seek employment elsewhere. If someone is willing to work harder, for less pay, with more corporate favorable work rules, how do you justify AA keeping APFA members that are clearly dissatisfied with AA and their profession? At the risk of getting blasted by others on this board I'll face the fact that the FA position requires no formal education beyond high school and only a company furnished training program. If AA could replace the FAs they would have ample applications for replacement workers particularly given the current job market dynamic.

Josh

Well said, i think it's foolish to go on strike when you work the least and get paid the most. Not much sympathy in the real world for that. Then there is the fact that Delta had 85k applicants for their few hundred open FA positions.

One side note though, FA's on the whole are a highly educated work group. Unfortunately that education isn't required to be a FA.

 

[Ralph]

Since some of you would turn a discussion of the benefits of regular exercise into a union/anti-union discussion and since we've evidently said all that needs to be said about the good news of the recall, this thread is closed.