Swa To Get Mediation In F/a Negotiations

[s80dude]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/030910/daw028_1.html


Looks like things will hopefully start to move at an agressive pace. The SWA flight attendants have waited long enough for a decent contract. Good luck! The rest of us at legacy carriers are counting on you to set the bar!

 

[wnfan37]

the swa flight attendants are fortunate to still have a flight attendant job - and "legacy" carriers are either bankrupt, on the brink, or laid off hundreds of positions.

let's get this over with, yes. but let's be realistic: a "decent" contract is probably going to set the bar alright, but don't count on industry leading.

 

[ACrazy8]

The number "1" airline should pay their employees accordingly........number "1". Industry leading if you will.........hardest working fa/s in the biz. Bar none!

 

[wnfan37]

and what is the value of job stability?

 

[ACrazy8]

Are you in management......? :huh:

 

[WNrforlife]

This is great news. Finally , our great F/A's will get the pay that they deserve. They work very hard and should demand a big raise!!

 

[wnfan37]

Are you in management......? :huh:

im a long time stock holder and have lots of friends in SWA. im just fed up with the talk of "deserve, deserve, deserve."

Ya know, I "deserve" to win the lottery - i work hard too, ya know.

 

[KCFlyer]

You know if there is one thing I HAVEN'T heard coming from the FA group, it's the word "deserve". I have heard that word coming from FA's at OTHER airlines, but not the FA's at this one. And don't think that WNrforlife is an employee...he or she is not. Just do a search on their posts - the attitude they display pretty much insures that they'd never be offered a job at SWA.

 

[ACrazy8]

True. I am not an employee of SWA.

I have worked as a f/a for an Express carrier for several years. I know what hard work is. If the company you work for is a success.....you should share in that success. Period. Fair is fair. Every f/a group at every airline is affected by what other f/a groups agree to and sign off on with regard to contracts. DUH! This profession has seen many changes. We are a hard working group of people dealing with the safety of those who fly with us. Today, we know how to use handcuffs and are prepared to die before letting anyone through the flight deck door ever again. We live in different times. We have added responsibilities. Not to mention we get very little respect from PAX still to this day. Given the hard fact it's still difficult to make rent, unless you live with a handful of other f/a's just doesn't seem fair. I'm not asking for the world mind you. Just let me have a one bedroom apt. I can afford by myself.....heck I'm in my thirties.......


I'm sorry if your stock dips a little so I can live and work happy.......

 

[KCFlyer]

True. I am not an employee of SWA.

I have worked as a f/a for an Express carrier for several years. I know what hard work is. If the company you work for is a success.....you should share in that success. Period. Fair is fair. Every f/a group at every airline is affected by what other f/a groups agree to and sign off on with regard to contracts. DUH! This profession has seen many changes. We are a hard working group of people dealing with the safety of those who fly with us. Today, we know how to use handcuffs and are prepared to die before letting anyone through the flight deck door ever again. We live in different times. We have added responsibilities. Not to mention we get very little respect from PAX still to this day. Given the hard fact it's still difficult to make rent, unless you live with a handful of other f/a's just doesn't seem fair. I'm not asking for the world mind you. Just let me have a one bedroom apt. I can afford by myself.....heck I'm in my thirties.......


I'm sorry if your stock dips a little so I can live and work happy.......

I don't doubt the LUV FA's are the hardest working bunch in the business. I don't know if you now work for LUV or are just "standing up" for the LUV FA's, but a couple of points..."my" stock price is also "their" stock price. You impact that via a contract that "punishes" the company and it's sort of like robbing Peter to pay Paul... to goal is to reach an agreement that is fair to all parties, and this is what I believe most LUV FA's are looking for. Second - pretty much accross the board at Southwest, the preferred term is "customers" and not "PAX".

 

[ACrazy8]

Your right. What was I thinking?

 

[sfb]

ACrazy8-

So if we're to accept the statement, "If the company you work for is a success.....you should share in that success. Period. Fair is fair," should we also assume that the converse is true, i.e. "If the company you work for is a failure.....you should share in that failure. Period. Fair is fair." Or is it only management's fault when a company fails?

I most wholeheartedly agree (as a peon myself) that a company should pay its rank-and-file employees well -- happy employees are productive ones, too. But I also feel that a company shouldn't be railroaded into paying wages that it can't afford in the long term, either. Those "industry-leading" contracts at United, American, and Delta seem to have led those companies into billions in losses or the bankruptcy courts.

It seems appropriate to ask what the value of job security is, especially in Southwest's case. After all, there has been a long-standing commitment on management's part to protect jobs, even if there may have been short-term costs associated with that. Most of the major network carriers still have thousands of employees on furlough and/or have asked their labor groups for substantial concessions.

In any case, few of us have any idea what management has offered and what the flight attendants have requested -- and without that info, it's tough to come to any conclusion about how reasonable each side has been in the negotiations.

 

[missgoose]

I have been a F/A with the Southwest Airlines for almost 2 years. I started right after September 11. I couldn't love my job more. Do I think I need to get paid more? YES!! I am 22 years old and still need my parents help, just to live on my own and be able to afford to go out on my trips. Many Customers don't know this, but when we are on the ground and the jetway is pulled up to the plane, WE ARE NOT GETTING PAID!! So when there is a delay we don't want to be there anymore than you. I also don't get paid to "tidy" the plane and babysit the Unaccompanied Minors. These are the things that we are trying to get paid for. We are not asking for alot we are just asking to get paid for what we do. I do a great job at my job and I think I should get paid for the things I do. Did I sign up for this job?? YES

BUT....
DO I WANT TO GET PAID WHAT I SHOULD?? YES

I hope that this does not reflect a negative attitude, I just thought I would put some insight on the job

Miss Goose

 

[KCFlyer]

Miss Goose...don't fight for the "tidying the plane" issue...fight for the wage. No other FA at any other airline gets paid when the plane is at the gate either. Yes, you all have to clean the planes between turns - that's part of the territory. I would hope your union is pressing the wage issue and not the "at the gate" issue. IMHO, you'll have more leverage there than you would trying to implement something (pay for ground time) that none of the other airlines have. BTW- thanks for the good work you and your cohorts do...your customers do notice...


BTW Miss Goose...luv the name - My nickname for my daughter is Goose.

 

[wnfan37]

It seems appropriate to ask what the value of job security is, especially in Southwest's case. After all, there has been a long-standing commitment on management's part to protect jobs, even if there may have been short-term costs associated with that. Most of the major network carriers still have thousands of employees on furlough and/or have asked their labor groups for substantial concessions.

In any case, few of us have any idea what management has offered and what the flight attendants have requested -- and without that info, it's tough to come to any conclusion about how reasonable each side has been in the negotiations.

AMEN. i was disturbed to hear about the "summer of tough luv" and other media events - hate to say it tho, but i don't think the everyday joe is sympathetic.

unemployment is still staggering and while there is nothing wrong with wanting a pay increase, i have to say my impression of the "union" for SWA F/A's is negative. the "summer of tough luv" is ill-timed in light of current events in the industry. kudos to those in dallas (guess that would be "management") that seems to be taking the high road.

everyone wants this to be over, and to satisfy both parties. there are lots of things i do in my job that i am not paid for. that's the working life, i suppose. this needs to move forward - but shame that it just might be a taste of things to come with "unions" at SWA.