UA AND US Merger Talks

[HP2USFA]

Mr. Howard,

Please stop posing. I fly with West F/As who still put the ice on top of the cart, still use the old announcments, can't handle an HHD, and to my great dismay, still refuse to sit in the direct view jumpseat. What is their excuse for their aversion to minor changes?

The Me Too clause was something that the 40+ saw as an improvement in their work life The very good CRM that comes with it is a great safety benefit.

I am neither for or against it but I can understand that it is not something to be tossed aside lightly.

Unless you have had personal conversations with senior East F/As you have no concept of the number of changes that they have adapted to in their careers. To this day they are adapting to new aircraft, service procedures and some mighty long flying to TLV and all of the cultural changes that go with it. Your opinion of them reeks of AFA66 over-generalizing.

These mature F/As had the foresight to build snapbacks and protections into their contracts that address protracted negotiations, change of control, and let us not forget profit sharing. A big part of your financial worries is that you whippersnappers didn't think of these things and consequently have, well, financial problems.

Stop being smarmy. The may be in their later years of flying but there is alot you can learn from them.

Posing and Smarmy? Seriously? I'm doing neither. As I said, I don't knock them for being senior, I knock their dislike for change. It shouldn't be a shock nor matter how many changes someone's seen in a 40+ year career. Change shouldn't stop simply because those at the top don't think they should happen. I'm glad you built snapbacks and protections in that we didn't think about. I hope to enjoy those same protections and snapbacks in a merged contract. But I not going to wait another 40 to get them. You're senior, great. You have more experience, wonderful. You've given much to the industry, amazing! I'm happy for you. I'm not willing to quietly wait in the sidelines for the pilots simply because the top 40 think it's best. There's no reason on god's green earth we can't negotiate the same protections we have with the pilots into our CBA with out the 'Me Too' clause and start enjoying a better quality of life for everyone. Not just those who were pushing the carts while I was just a glimmer in my daddy's eye. I don't doubt they have stories and experience I would LOVE the chance to drown in, but I'll never get that chance if we don't get a contract.

And for the record, we were in the process of our section 6 negotiations when this merger happened. We were trying to make our lives better when this merger happened. It got stalled to negotiate a merged contract that is now on hold. We were close to finishing when this mess started and 'Me too' is keeping food from my table right now. You'll forgive me if I don't hold it in the same regard. It offers nothing that can't be gained with these vaulted negotiating skills you spoke so highly of.

One final thought, I have friends that have habits and traits I can't stand. I have some they can't. That doesn't mean we dislike eachother, quite the opposite. Just because I voice my displeasure at some East FA's unwillingness to consider breaking from the pilots doesn't mean I dislike or hate them or view them as a whole with disdain. I'm not an East hater. Right now, I'm a 'Me Too' hater and that's a whole different animal

And we have lazy folks on both sides... I never said anything about that at all. I think you're mixing me up with the poster directly behind me who made the 'stupid' and 'don't know their contract' remarks.

 

[malikie]

You cant blame us either because the west took our futures away from us.

What future did you have? US Airways in its previous form was facing liquidation. Your future was going to be working for another airline at the bottom of the seniority list as a new hire or a whole new field of work. Nothing was taken from you.

 

[DCaf]

Actually, that's incorrect. The Nicolau award does not prevent any further progress, the East pilots failing to abide by the terms of binding arbitration prevents any further progress.

Objection. Argumentative.

 

[cltrat]

You cant blame us either because the west took our futures away from us.

What future did you have? US Airways in its previous form was facing liquidation. Your future was going to be working for another airline at the bottom of the seniority list as a new hire or a whole new field of work. Nothing was taken from you.

what part of this isn't the pilot labor thread or the FA thread for that matter can't you people understand? hopefully they cornfield the lot of you

 

[robbedagain]

i have a feeling it wont be long before this thread is shut down due to the fact that some folks have made this into a east vs west thing very sad very pathetic :angry: :angry:

 

[nycbusdriver]

They make this big statements about never splitting from the pilots at all cost, then in the next breath they ask why we don't have a contract yet, which shows just how stupid many of them are.

There's the whole situation in one line. Well said. Although I think I would have not said "stupid." I would have used the word "ignorant," which is a condition easily cured through education. Most who make this argument have not heard your dead-on correct reasoning put so plainly. Thank you for the insight.

Nothing at all is holding the AFA back from getting a contract besides their propensity (misplaced, I think) to try to ride on the pilots' flapping-in-the-wind coattails.

I agree that paired crews is definitely a more convenient way (for the crews) to run things, having been at original Piedmont with many years experience of non-paired crews. My last trip under the old Piedmont rules was a 4-day with 14 legs. I had 12 different flight attendant crews on those 14 legs. That was 12 opportunities for needless crew delays. It can be incredibly dysfunctional from an operating standpoint, but the Tempe brain trust seems willing to endure this dysfunction (at the customers' expense) to save a few pennies.

As far as flight attendant having to fly PHL-LAX turns, I guarantee those trips would me flown by some of the most senior flight attendants on the system. Being home every night, and flying 8 or 9 days a month to get your full block will be WAY too great a deal for them to pass up. Whining over LAX turns is crocodile tears. No question.

 

[etops1]

I am sorry. I thought this thread was about US/UA merger talks . I must be in the wrong one . My mistake .

 

[Edward]

I am sorry. I thought this thread was about US/UA merger talks . I must be in the wrong one . My mistake .

And since it no longer is it's closed.

If anything NEW comes up on the merger a thread may be started but NOT a labor thread unless you desire time off.