US AFA Labor Thread

[beachboy]

I think it's the first week of June I was told a while back. Poor Kirby will not be pleased if he has to cancel all the TLV service because rest bunks have to be installed. This place does the stupidest stuff out of either spite or sheer stupidity. It's like a fixation almost and I think they need a hobby. Go get an ant farm or something.
Next they will chain us to the beverage cart with Roller Skates so our gals hips won't wear out too fast.

 

[flybynite]

Don't give them any ideas. They already want to put interpreters instead of LODO's on the TLV flight.

 

[Itestwell]

Don't give them any ideas. They already want to put interpreters instead of LODO's on the TLV flight.

I don't think they want to use interpreters, I just don't think they have enough Hebrew lod/o's.

Back to the grievance: I would love to see the argument that the Company/ AFA is presenting. I hope the AFA is taking tips from CO, as they went thru the same fight (I believe?).

 

[beachboy]

They want to use LODOs and hire off the street. The contract strictly prohibits hiring while we have flight attendants on a furlough as well it should. Hey, I am sure afa will grant them relief but it will cost them something in exchange. How about the crew rest pod? If the interpreters think they are touching any of our equipment including the PA think again. Scope violation. Nope.

 

[flybynite]

The interpreters are not f/a's so they can hire off the street. We don't have any contract language that I'm aware of that can prevent them from hiring interpreters. However, as I understand it, when a LODO position is left vacant it has to be filled with a non-lodo f/a.

I've got a bad feeling about this.

 

[beachboy]

They are free to hire interpreters. As long as they don't touch any emergency equipment or perform any of our current F/A duties. They are just going to be in the way! THE most important section of our contract is Section 1- SCOPE.


"Language of Destination/Origin (LOD/O)" Flight Attendant is a
designated flight attendant awarded or assigned to a flight requiring a
foreign language qualified flight attendant, who has successfully passed a
Company-approved proficiency test in the language used at the point of
destination/origin. For example, on a PHL-FRA flight, the LOD/O flight
attendant would be German qualified.

B. Scope

1. Only US Airways employees as defined in Section 2.E. of this
Agreement shall be used as flight attendants in accordance with Section 2.E.

E. "Flight Attendant" as used in this Agreement shall include both male
and female employees who are responsible for the performing or assisting
in the performance of all en route passenger service, and who have
completed training as prescribed by the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA)
and whose names appear on the current Flight Attendant System Seniority
List. A flight attendant may also be required to assist in the ticket lift
process.

 

[beachboy]

This should really make our blood boil! Good for the SW group. Here we are still swimming in the abysses. Let this be an example of how you should be involved in AFA.

Southwest flight attendants ratify labor contract

DALLAS (AP) — "By a wide margin, flight attendants at Southwest Airlines Co. have approved a new contract that gives them annual pay raises of 3 percent and bigger retirement contributions.

The Transport Workers Union, which represents the flight attendants, said Monday the contract was ratified by 89 percent of workers who voted.

About two-thirds of Southwest's 9,700 flight attendants cast ballots in electronic voting that ended at noon Monday. The union said the final tally for ratification was 5,308 to 652.

The union said flight attendants will get 3 percent raises in each of the first three years of the contract, while raises in the fourth year will depend on company performance. The deal is retroactive to June 2008 and runs through May 2012.

The contract also includes larger contributions to employee 401(k) retirement plans and improvements in leave policies, the union said. Negotiators for the company and the union reached a tentative agreement in March."
The Associated Press

 

[BajaBabe]

Thank You BeachBoy there are great places to work. The nerve of the Company making us go to Arbitration over crew rest and we know how that works, so that we can rest and not have our varicose veins burst. You want to talk about forward movement? A party for a B Crew room its OK but charming it will never be. It is like half of the Sups or Snups in the Dungeon, are morally broken. Can you imagine you have to be announced to the King and Queen..........hahahahahaa!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope your pompous attitude at least makes you look great on Pay Day.
Sorry folks you have made no strides in a new Culture, its just not there. Yes I am still here and at times always question the fact that I am barely at $42,000. Something NOT to brag about I definitely knew that better days. Wait until this Summer it will be poetry in slow motion. I wish only but good for corporations that hire and pay decent. Slave Labor its so unreal but it's alive here for sure. We all deserve so much better but none of you know that because your insane chasing the rabbit.

 

[hp_fa]

If no Hebrew LOD/O's are currently qualified couldn't the Company hire and train eight or so folks, who would be the most junior reserves, but be LOD/O qualified so that they could bid and hold TLV flights? I seem to remember a similar situation at AWA years ago with qualified Spanish speakers and they hired folks who became FA qualified and then they bid only LOD/O lines and reserve, always getting the LOD/O lines. They were unpopular with the other reserves because they would do a PHX-MEX or PHX-SJO turn every day and never have to see reserve duty.

What does your contract provide for that scenario?

 

[beachboy]

In the East contract you can't hire PERIOD if there is anyone on the sen list on furlough.

 

[hp_fa]

So can they conditionally offer all the furloughs recall as long as they are a Hebrew speaker and failing that then hire and train?

 

[BajaBabe]

We do have Hebrew speakers but the trip will be TOUGH the Company through the Union should have offered a benefit that would bring them over. Lets say allow them to fly 4 trips and get paid for 6 . This is year around flying soooooooo.

 

[beachboy]

There can't be even one non-language speaking F/A out on furlough. So the list must be pure active before they can hire anyone.

 

[Iheartflying]

As of right now there are only 3 Hebrew Speaking F/A's on the East seniority list. I emailed Mike Flores about the need for interpreters and he doesn't get why the company is doing this. We have a tuition reimbursement program with Berlitz and it would cost the company about $1,500 to get a FA conversant in Hebrew. I don't know about you but it seems like a much cheaper option than hiring an interpreter off the street. I'm sure they'll offer health benefits and such to the interpreters and there's also the loss revenue from the seat they will use during the flight. What's the point of having an interpreter if they can't help when you're on the meal, beverage or duty free cart?

To me it makes more sense for the company to invest in the FA's they already have as it will cost them less in the long run but hey I'm just a Flight Attendant. What do I know about running an airline.

 

[theFLYonthewall]

Being based in CLT I currently do not have a dog in this fight over this TLV issue but I'll add my two cents.

I would think once the company does such an act (putting on an interpreter instead of having a language qualified flight attendant) it could set a precedence. The last thing we need them to do is start hiring interpreters for our transatlantic flights vs LODO flight attendants.

Also if I were based in PHL and was flying this trip, the interpreter better not have a better seat then the flight attendants are given for crew rest seats! What are the work rules for this person, are they going to be allowed to sleep for 13 hours will they be included as crew for customs and immigration. Is an interpreter going to be required on every flight, truthfully most of the plane could be used as an interpreter. How many times going into an Island have you been shorted a LODO and you have asked another passenger to interpret for you?

It doesn't appear as though PHL's LECP communicating any information to his members concerning this? Is he doing anything at all about this does he really bring anything to the table for PHL? This could evidentually affect the transatlantic flying in CLT. Does anyone know if Ann is paying attention to this issue that could trickle down to us?