$20,000 Buyouts.. - merged topics

[USCREW]

You lose your travel with other airlines when you stop being active... something to keep in mind.

I'm aware of that, thanks.

 

[l8rd8r]

I think this is a pre=merger activity and that is why its not offered to west. West may not be included in the merger.

 

[USCREW]

West may not be included in the merger.

Really?

 

[cynic]

I think this is a pre=merger activity and that is why its not offered to west. West may not be included in the merger.

Not this crap again.

 

[songbirdstew]

I'm very close, but past the June SEP offer. My family and I have always used the travel benefits extensively, and not always on USAir. Plus my buddy passes seem to all go away in January. I know many don't even attempt to nonrev...but we go to Hawaii and Asia on a regular basis and my flight benefits have helped a lot.

I'm with you on this one......If they had included the S4 travel benefits for those of us w/ less than 25 years, I would be jumping on this. believe it or not, having that benefit figures into my future retirement plan. From what I understand, the union wanted more as far as travel went and the company said no. How stupid of them, they cut off their nose to spite their face. It's something that would not have cost them a thing to offer.

Guess they don't really want to get rid of us 15-25 yr. F/As as mush as we think they do.

 

[Twicebaked]

How stupid of them, they cut off their nose to spite their face.

Why?

They are only doing this to shut us up!!!

They could give two sh!ts less if we take the money and run or not.

Actually, they probably would hope we didn't take the buy-out!

 

[Career Reserve]

I'm with you on this one......If they had included the S4 travel benefits for those of us w/ less than 25 years, I would be jumping on this. believe it or not, having that benefit figures into my future retirement plan. From what I understand, the union wanted more as far as travel went and the company said no. How stupid of them, they cut off their nose to spite their face. It's something that would not have cost them a thing to offer.

Guess they don't really want to get rid of us 15-25 yr. F/As as mush as we think they do.

Songbird: Are you not eligible for this? You would be entitled to S4 Status.

"65 Point Plan: Your age plus your years of service equals or exceeds 65 points. You are therefore eligible to separate from the Company and receive retiree travel privileges in accordance with Company policy. Under this program, your status will be listed as that of resignee, and you will not be able to collect your pension benefits until you reach age 55. Current travel benefits associated with this plan include unlimited on and offline travel for you and your eligible dependents, boarding priority of S4 (inactive), and receipt of four (4) companion passes and two (2) SA1 vacation passes each year. There is no tax liability associated with this plan, and a travel card will be issued approximately two to four weeks after your separation date."

 

[beachboy]

I think people are referring to the GOLD CARD with S3 (active) boarding. Unless you have 25 years forget it and that is a negotiated item. Who is to say it will be in the next contract? And these days buy a ticket on Kayaka.com for gosh sakes. Much less headache and much more enjoyable. On vacation I can't be bothered with all this nerdowell business of norev. I like the benefit but it's has become exhausting and should not stand in the way of someone leaving and taking a little change with em.
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[N109UW]

Hey, how about the union asking the company for some relief for the rsv's. there are more than 314 of them on the property. It's been four years now with this LTO system and 90% of the rsv's are unhappy with it. Get your s**t together AFA. When they closed LAX and some of those other bases, did they offer a buyout then. I don't recall them, if they did.

 

[diamondcutter]

Hey, how about the union asking the company for some relief for the rsv's. there are more than 314 of them on the property. It's been four years now with this LTO system and 90% of the rsv's are unhappy with it. Get your s**t together AFA. When they closed LAX and some of those other bases, did they offer a buyout then. I don't recall them, if they did.

Afa has consistantly asked the company for rsv relief. They presented them with many options and the company said NO! Unlike the company AfA cannot say "you have to change this". I was there. We have a closed contract at this time and they wont budge. With that being said its hard to keep your "s**t together".

 

[N109UW]

Afa has consistantly asked the company for rsv relief. They presented them with many options and the company said NO! Unlike the company AfA cannot say "you have to change this". I was there. We have a closed contract at this time and they wont budge. With that being said its hard to keep your "s**t together".

I wonder if the things that are negotiated this time for a contract will actually get implemented? Thats going to be a first question of mine when they come around sellng us on the new agreement. In other words, what happened to "Pref Bid"? Good or bad, we voted on it and it wasn't put in place. But lord knows this LTO system was put in within a few months. Yep, June 2004 came and went pretty fast. This should be a concern of everyone, BH and RSV.

 

[700UW]

NO OFFER TO pilots, GROUND WORKERS
US Airways is offering $20,000 severance packages to its East Coast-based flight attendants, but not to 280 pilots and ground workers who also will be affected by the airline's decision to reduce flights and jobs in Pittsburgh in January.
US Airways said it is recalling laid-off pilots and hiring new ones, which "makes a pilot early-out program impractical."
The airline said ground workers whose full-time jobs are being phased out in Pittsburgh "have more options that aren't available to flight attendants." They could receive layoff pay and extended benefits, work in Pittsburgh on a part-time basis or take a full-time job elsewhere in US Airways' system.
"These options simply aren't available to flight attendants, many of whom face a 'commute or quit' decision," a letter to employees read.


US Airways announced Monday that it has offered $20,000 severance packages to all East Coast-based flight attendants with at least 15 years of service.

The move is related to US Airways' decision to close the Pittsburgh flight crew base in January, announced early this month. With the closing, 314 flight attendants and 180 pilots based in Pittsburgh will have to transfer to another base if they want to remain with the company.

Their displacements could wreak havoc throughout US Airways' system.

As Pittsburgh's seniority-laden pilots and flight attendants transfer to new bases, they would bump less senior workers from their posts. In turn, those displaced workers would wind up forcing out less senior workers wherever they go, and the bumping would continue down the line.

Avoiding that very scenario was one reason the airline decided to offer the severance packages, according to a letter sent to airline employees Monday morning.

"Junior flight attendants at other bases have expressed concern that they would be displaced by large numbers of more senior flight attendants bumping them from their bases," the letter said.

The company said it also was looking out for the senior flight attendants.

"Most of our PIT (Pittsburgh-based) flight attendants are very senior, some with 40 years or more of service, and are just months or a few short years from retirement. The options for many of these flight attendants are to commute to their new base or quit," the letter said.

"We hope this payment will help many of them ease their transition to retirement or to an opportunity outside of US Airways."

The company also wants to make commuting less competitive. The letter said 500 employees already commute from homes in the Pittsburgh area to bases elsewhere, and the looming base closing would add another 500 workers to the mix.

US Airways said it plans to award up to 314 severance packages based on seniority. Flight attendants with at least 15 years of experience who are currently based at Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York-LaGuardia, Washington-Reagan and Boston are eligible.

"It's something," said Luke Deese of the Pittsburgh-based Association of Flight Attendants Local 40.

"It's welcome because it gives employees an opportunity to have something without just quitting. But it might not reach enough people, and there are restrictions," Deese added, noting flight attendants' age and years of service must add up to 65 for them to keep their free-flight benefits.

 

[Twicebaked]

Hey, how about the union asking the company for some relief for the rsv's. there are more than 314 of them on the property. It's been four years now with this LTO system and 90% of the rsv's are unhappy with it. Get your s**t together AFA. When they closed LAX and some of those other bases, did they offer a buyout then. I don't recall them, if they did.

It would not make economical sense (to the company) to give a reserve $20,000.00 to leave. They barely make over that as it is. They don't care if you or I are unhappy.

As with Southwest, you over the buyout to the highest paid employees not the lowest.

As far as reserve, I can't agree with you more. But, this WILL benefit the reserves. 314 people gone will allow 314 flight attendants to get off of reserve.

 

[Twicebaked]

NO OFFER TO pilots, GROUND WORKERS
US Airways is offering $20,000 severance packages to its East Coast-based flight attendants, but not to 280 pilots and ground workers who also will be affected by the airline's decision to reduce flights and jobs in Pittsburgh in January.
US Airways said it is recalling laid-off pilots and hiring new ones, which "makes a pilot early-out program impractical."

I believe that this article misrepresnts what this actually is.

The buyout is NOT for the Pitsburgh flight attendants. It is for ALL flight attendants system wide (West not included).

This has been something that the membership has been pushing for for a long time. Way before the PIT domicile closing.

Southwest does this with their flight attendant group every so often.

Is it unfair to the other groups? Possibly! But it is up to your unions to fight for these things. And I am quite sure that the ground workers WILL get a severance package. It may not be as good as what the flight attendants are getting, but it IS NOT A SEVERANCE PACKAGE!!! It is a BUYOUT for ANY based flight attendant.

 

[songbirdstew]

Songbird: Are you not eligible for this? You would be entitled to S4 Status.

"65 Point Plan: Your age plus your years of service equals or exceeds 65 points. You are therefore eligible to separate from the Company and receive retiree travel privileges in accordance with Company policy. Under this program, your status will be listed as that of resignee, and you will not be able to collect your pension benefits until you reach age 55. Current travel benefits associated with this plan include unlimited on and offline travel for you and your eligible dependents, boarding priority of S4 (inactive), and receipt of four (4) companion passes and two (2) SA1 vacation passes each year. There is no tax liability associated with this plan, and a travel card will be issued approximately two to four weeks after your separation date."

Hey ---How old do you think I am ????? LOL !
Actually, my age plus my years of service will equal 65 in January 09 so I'm short by about 7 months........