US Airways has no plans to put more money into the Flight Attendant Agreement

I have 25 years in the industry, and a passion for labor.

Here's my agenda....how do you like me now????

http://teddyonaviation.com/

I always liked you! Then and now!

Remember how we fought like cats and dogs on here? I kind of miss it actually as now I find we have more to agree on. Respect for another is a funny thing. It forges some odd Friendships for sure.

Right or wrong of the specifics, you've been a zealous advocate for the US Airways Flight Attendents. A fact that some here should reaize or shut the bleep up. It's OK to disagree, we proved that. However we were never disagreeable. Keep fighting.Your passion is your most admirable trait.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 people
If US Airways wants to get an agreement with the flight attendants, all they would have to do is offer an early out program similar to American's $40,000 offer. The offer would only need to be offered to a few hundred flight attendants, with the same terms as the last t/a, and it would pass. Perhaps the AFA could propose that to the company as a fairly easily solution that would save face for both sides.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
Not to be pessimistic, but you started your post with 'if'. I don't think usair cares about a deal with the fa's, as the topic of this thread indicates.
 
I always liked you! Then and now!

Remember how we fought like cats and dogs on here? I kind of miss it actually as now I find we have more to agree on. Respect for another is a funny thing. It forges some odd Friendships for sure.

Right or wrong of the specifics, you've been a zealous advocate for the US Airways Flight Attendents. A fact that some here should reaize or shut the bleep up. It's OK to disagree, we proved that. However we were never disagreeable. Keep fighting.Your passion is your most admirable trait.

Miss you plenty. Hope you are well. Life is quiet now and I would have stayed quiet if the f/as would have gotten a fair agreement and one that could be ratified by the maority after them waiting a decade. As you use to say many years ago, "wait to fight another day".. remember that? Well, that day has come for the f/a group.

Can't tell you how much I wish I was there in the trenches, sepcifically now, and in light of what is going on...I would represent the group for free.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
Miss you plenty. Hope you are well. Life is quiet now and I would have stayed quiet if the f/as would have gotten a fair agreement and one that could be ratified by the maority after them waiting a decade. As you use to say many years ago, "wait to fight another day".. remember that? Well, that day has come for the f/a group.

Can't tell you how much I wish I was there in the trenches, sepcifically now, and in light of what is going on...I would represent the group for free.

Yes I remember my comment "Live to fight another day" (I also recall how many times you ripped my ass off for it!!)

I agree that the time is at hand for the Flight Attendents to make a stand. In business and in life timing is everything ad I find it hard to see a better time then right this very instance to go balls to the wall in an effort to gain a contract that offers sgnificant improvement.

the worst case scenario is they do a deal and try to undo that deal if a merger takes place, Either way unless the world economy collapses you end up with a contract like AA has now, I don't see a huge downside except as a group you have to go "All In" and show a willingness to walk the picket line and fully engage yourself in the struggle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people
Yes I remember my comment "Live to fight another day" (I also recall how many times you ripped my ass off for it!!)

I agree that the time is at hand for the Flight Attendents to make a stand. In business and in life timing is everything ad I find it hard to see a better time then right this very instance to go balls to the wall in an effort to gain a contract that offers sgnificant improvement.

the worst case scenario is they do a deal and try to undo that deal if a merger takes place, Either way unless the world economy collapses you end up with a contract like AA has now, I don't see a huge downside except as a group you have to go "All In" and show a willingness to walk the picket line and fully engage yourself in the struggle.

Exactly!
 
Doug Parker told employees at the October 16, 2012 Crew News that the NMB informed the AFA and US Airways when the TA was reached that if the rank-and-file rejected TA2 that the NMB would indefinately recess the parties or "park" negotiations. Therefore, it appears the F/A's have little leverage, their strike vote is meaningless, the F/A's cannot take a job action, and except for doing informational picketing there is not much they can do to obtain a new contract.

Furthermore, per the www.ourafa.org website this could create an economic disadvantage with APFA if the proposed AMR-US Airways corporate combination proceeds for a MacCaskill-Bond Seniority List Integration (SLI).

Maybe the rank-and-file should ahve listened to the advice of every AFA East and West MEC Officer, LEC Rep, JNC member, financial, and legal advisers and ratified the deal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 people
Maybe pilots should mind their own business, if they can't congratulate the FAs for simply exercising their democratic rights regardless of how that vote turned out.

Hey 320, don't forget to vote on Wednesday!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 people
Doug Parker told employees at the October 16, 2012 Crew News that the NMB informed the AFA and US Airways when the TA was reached that if the rank-and-file rejected TA2 that the NMB would indefinately recess the parties or "park" negotiations. Therefore, it appears the F/A's have little leverage, their strike vote is meaningless, the F/A's cannot take a job action, and except for doing informational picketing there is not much they can do to obtain a new contract.

Furthermore, per the www.ourafa.org website this could create an economic disadvantage with APFA if the proposed AMR-US Airways corporate combination proceeds for a MacCaskill-Bond Seniority List Integration (SLI).

Maybe the rank-and-file should ahve listened to the advice of every AFA East and West MEC Officer, LEC Rep, JNC member, financial, and legal advisers and ratified the deal.
Anyone remember this?

From the July 26, 2002 Charlotte Observer:

UNIONS CAN SINK US AIRWAYS
WITHOUT AGREEMENTS FROM ALL ITS UNIONS, AIRLINE'S FUTURE IS BLEAK

In recent days US Airways has made much progress toward ensuring that it
will have a future. It has reached tentative contract restructuring
agreements with its pilots, flight attendants and the Transport Workers
Union, which represents the dispatchers, simulator engineers and flight crew
training instructors, and with subsidiary PSA Airlines' pilots and flight
attendants.

The International Association of Machinists (IAM) unit representing
mechanics is close to a deal, and the IAM Fleet Service negotiators are
making good progress.

But that's not enough.

The Communication Workers of America (CWA), which represents customer
service and reservation agents, remains far from agreement with the company.
US Airways is on the brink of court-ordered bankruptcy because its situation
is "unsustainable." Failure to improve the situation will have devastating
effects on employees, customers and companies that depend on US Airways.

The airline has received a "conditional" federal loan guarantee approval,
but can't use those funds unless it gets restructuring agreements with all
labor groups, in accordance with the business plan submitted to the Air
Transportation Stabilization Board (ATSB).

Needed for loan guarantees

Major obstacles remain in the way of a voluntary restructuring.

US Airways may not be able to reach agreements with lenders without
tentative agreements with the remaining unions. Unless it has those
agreements the company wouldn't get final ATSB loan guarantee approval,
government sources believe.

How bad is the situation? The carrier continues to burn cash during what is
historically the best-performing time of year. Ten months after Sept. 11, US
Airways has not resolved its cost problems, the economy remains sluggish,
revenue is off 20 percent and low-cost competitors are aggressively
attacking its market share. The industry has not recovered as expected.
Domestic fares are at 15-year lows. Shifts in buying patterns and travel
options indicate airlines may never get the revenue per available seat mile
they previously enjoyed.

Disturbing reports

US Airways needs restructuring agreements for either a voluntary
restructuring or successful bankruptcy reorganization. If the company gets
union concessions and qualifies for government financing, then if it's
forced into bankruptcy, it probably could get in and out of bankruptcy
quickly.

What's disturbing are reports that the CWA leadership is misleading its
members. Last Friday, company negotiators asked the union to meet, to try
and resolve their differences. The union said its negotiators couldn't meet,
but its advisers would be available. However, I'm told that when management
tried to schedule a meeting, they were told the advisers had other
commitments. Meanwhile, the CWA issued a report telling its members the
company met with the advisers last weekend - which management disputes.

Brinkmanship by any union could push the airline into bankruptcy. It's
disappointing to see a relatively small group of employees risk the
destruction of a viable company, with a devastating effect on 40,000
employees and their families.

No one can be sure what will happen in bankruptcy, but it's certain that if
the company reorganizes and successfully comes out of bankruptcy, the labor
groups that don't have tentative agreements with the company prior to
bankruptcy will lose.

As in other union negotiations, the parties that reach savings targeted in
the business plan will get a bankruptcy protection letter, which protects
against even deeper salary and benefit cuts if the company enters
bankruptcy.

Some may face pay cuts

If the company files for bankruptcy, workers in labor groups without that
bankruptcy protection letter may face deep cuts in pay and benefits, loss of
unused sick and vacation time, slashed retirement benefits and a crash in
the value of common stock in 401(k) accounts. In addition, they'll work for
a smaller airline that will hand out layoff notices at once with no
severance pay, and will pay members of unprotected unions significantly
less.

Each day the company moves nearer bankruptcy. New chief executive officer
David Siegel has brought a breath of fresh air to management. US Airways'
best chance to survive is for unions and creditors to bet on him and his
team. Employees wanting to keep their jobs must impress upon union
rank-and-file employees the importance of ordering union leaders back to the
bargaining table at once, to reach an agreement that is 85 percent of the
targeted concessions.

The choice is simple: Either all stakeholders move past their anger,
frustration and denial to obtain and ratify restructuring agreements, or the
carrier will almost certainly enter bankruptcy.

History has shown only two major airlines have successfully restructured in
bankruptcy - not good odds for this company to continue operation.

Chip Munn is a US Airways captain
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 people