Are The Workers Too Old?

[700UW]

Is staff too old for airline?

Some say US Airways wants younger workers who will take lower pay

STAN CHOE AND TONY MECIA
Staff Writers

Many union members think they've figured out US Airways' goal in its latest cost-cutting proposals: to replace its graying workers with younger, cheaper versions.

The nation's seventh-largest airline has among the oldest work forces in the industry, which makes it among the most expensive.

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[wench]

HM??? didn't think 50-51 was OLD...


On that subject that goes as well for the BOD>>>

Get YOUNGER BLOOD AND IDEA'S there as well...

I call's the way I see's it..

 

[aerosmith]

It's pretty hard to fix an airplane while using a walker and wearing a colostomy bag.

 

[linemech]

HM??? didn't think 50-51 was OLD...
On that subject that goes as well for the BOD>>>

Get YOUNGER BLOOD AND IDEA'S there as well...

I call's the way I see's it..

[post="196530"][/post]​

Old in the way of senority.

I think all of the employees that are left must be topped out as are those who have been furloughed.

When one retires another take his or her place, returning from furlough at the top of the pay scale.

Hiring some kid at a new lower starting wage or bringing a furloughed employee back at $9.00 per hr. while benefiting from that employees experience leaves much more bonus money to go around for upper management.


linemech.

 

[wings396]

Their definition of Old, is anyone who is a top rate on the Payscale. They would love for the senior people to leave or retire to make room for the H.S. kids that can live on $9 an hour while still living at home. Once they get OLDER and Wiser, they will move on to bigger and better jobs. Then the Cycle will start all over again, with the high turnover rate that the Company desires. The Quality of the employee no longer counts, just how cheap they can get them to work for. The days of good C/S are fading fast. This is already taking place in the MDA and Expressed stations with H.S. kids and a few retired people just looking for a few free tickets and a little spending money.

 

[Art at ISP]

Wings,

Your comment that the quality of the employee no longer counts is most bothersome to us, the frequent customers. We keep telling the company that the PRIMARY reason we stay so loyal to the US Airways system is the EXPERIENCED employees and the way they help us.

Do they not realize that if those employees leave, most of their best customers will leave as well?????? Or can it be they just don't care??

If the whole system becomes like Terminal F in PHL, frequent fliers will be gone in droves.

I know I say this all the time, but I mean it...my BEST to you all....

 

[Whatnow?]

I'm sorry but older to me means more EXPERIENCED and that's makes me feel much better than these new kids on the block!

 

[PITbull]

Calseveter did not finish his thought in the article.

He states basically that they are not discriminating, that they need to get their cost in line with the competitor....

What he didn't finsh saying is that ..."and in order to do that we have to drive the wages down below the average low cost carrier to entry level, and develop new strick policies to accerlerate the dicsipline process in order to terminate these folks that don't have the same vision we do...."

 

[wizzz]

Wings,

Your comment that the quality of the employee no longer counts is most bothersome to us, the frequent customers. We keep telling the company that the PRIMARY reason we stay so loyal to the US Airways system is the EXPERIENCED employees and the way they help us.

Do they not realize that if those employees leave, most of their best customers will leave as well?????? Or can it be they just don't care??

If the whole system becomes like Terminal F in PHL, frequent fliers will be gone in droves.

I know I say this all the time, but I mean it...my BEST to you all....

[post="196549"][/post]​

 

[RedOne]

When one retires another take his or her place, returning from furlough at the top of the pay scale.

That's the reason, at least in the F/S proposed contract, the wording "Employees returning from furlough will return to the first step of the pay scale" is there. They want returnees to be "newbees/newhires" on the pay scale. (Page 2 on Transaformation Plan Proposal) :rant:

 

[wizzz]

Sorry, Art and all...still havn't figured this posting thing out...
I believe that this company is becoming like so many others...looking for highest quantity for lowest cost as opposed to highest quality...One quality employee can outwork 10 others...been there, done that...and still maintain professionalism...There were many times that we've felt hampered by inappropriate priorities.."get off the call in 2.3 minutes.." when the reality is that if the length of time to find a solution for the caller is greater than that, not only will you prevent several future calls with more questions, but you create a better relationship with the customer...treat them as though they are important, not as though we're playing Beat The Clock....
And, there are times when I feel that some of the upper management still feels like they can treat passengers however they like...leftover from the day when there were no other choices out of ISP..or others...They forget that we are not the only game in town....

 

[PITbull]

Wings,

Your comment that the quality of the employee no longer counts is most bothersome to us, the frequent customers. We keep telling the company that the PRIMARY reason we stay so loyal to the US Airways system is the EXPERIENCED employees and the way they help us.

Do they not realize that if those employees leave, most of their best customers will leave as well?????? Or can it be they just don't care??

If the whole system becomes like Terminal F in PHL, frequent fliers will be gone in droves.

I know I say this all the time, but I mean it...my BEST to you all....

[post="196549"][/post]​

Art,

What wings expresses is correct.

I don't want to speak for him, but I do not think he is saying that the customer doesn't want experienced work force...he's saying management doesn't want an experienced work force,because management sees no real value to it.

They just don't get it. They think a high turnover is better than keeping folks here who are seasoned workers and having to pay them higher wages, vac, benefits for that experience.

We are a people business, and the employes who have experience in working with the public and serving the public, return on investment is priceless when you have a management team that has a sound business plan first.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Personally, I think the company "doth protest too much" about the longevity issue. Sure, the pay goes up but it doesn't double or triple from entry level to TOS (although, frankly, the pilots are different because of the probation pay rate for 1st year folks - if we had any).

I cite B6 and WN as an example. B6 has only been in operation 4-5 years, so nobody is higher on the pay scale than that. WN has been in operation for over 30 years and has employees at every step of the scale and presumably a significant percentage (30-40% maybe) at TOS. If looking at their respective reported CASM (6 vs 7.5 cents), it's easy to say B6 is lower cost and assume that the difference is labor. But if you adjust for stage length (1300+ vs 600- miles), the cost difference all but disappears. B6 has no cost advantage over WN from all those low-time employees (or those relaxed work rules, either).

Jim

 

[Art at ISP]

Pitbull,

I know quite well that only the company wants the experienced folks gone. You know how active I have been (and will continue to be) through my own travels and through my work with FFOCUS in supporting the employees as the backbone of the company-- a company which has all the ingredients in place to be the most successful of any airline....

ALL the frequent fliers I come in contact with, both in the system and through our group FFOCUS, have the utmost of respect and admiration for those of you who are continuing to put your best foot forward in light of the current situation. We are also VERY vocal in expressing our appreciation of you to the company. While we realize that it may have little effect on the situation, we will keep trying to make the point.

As I said before, there are two significant risks to the strategy currently in place. First, as I already said, I do not think that the fact that if the general performance of employees gets to the level similar of what has become the norm at Terminal F in PHL, the most frequent fliers will bolt very quickly. No disrespect toward the folks there, but when I have to teach an agent what "protecting" a passenger means, there is a problem.

Secondly, if turnover becomes as much of an issue as it is there, how much money is wasted in training and retraining new employees. I am sure that if it were closely watched, the wage savings would mostly be absorbed by this added expense.

I don't have all the answers, but I do have some ideas...

I want this company to not only survive, but to grow and become an industry leader--the ingredients are all there--I only hope we can find the recipe.

My best to you all....

 

[PITbull]

Art,

Truly, I can never express this enough to you and our loyal customers..

Thank you.

If it wasn't for your group's patronage still, in all this mess, I think our demise would have happened.