2014 Fleet Service Discussion

[Tim Nelson]

Tim,
 
You have the right to feel any way you want. Vote how you please too. I respect that. Ask any and all questions but if you start with your talking s**t then I will respond accordingly. I am not going to put up with your BS. Your parrot in PHX is spewing his hate and trying to cause controversy and word is he is saying per Tim on all his hate. The hate is not going over well here either BTW.
 
P. Rez

Lol, I have no idea what on earth you are talking about. I wouldn't expect you or anyone to put up with BS.  Stick to answering the questions instead of calling folks names.  If you can, please jump in on my questions to Charlie Brown. My questions are legit and thus far all I have received are personal attacks or comments that have nothing to do with my questions. 
 
At any rate, if you can focus on this TA, then I'd appreciate you answering the following question regarding health care:
 
From a cut and paste above directed towards Charlie Brown:
 
 
At any rate,  I am just one of many who don't fully understand the new ACA.  For instance, would it benefit the company, if the taxes were triggered, to create a new plan instead of having the grandfathered plans?  I honestly don't know but it was a curious question since the company has that right to do that, based on the new health care attachment we are voting on, if things are triggered.
 
And by furthering your earlier comments,  you are saying that this attachment won't have anything to do with the 80% plan at all, even though the attachment covers the 80% plan where the company could abolish the plan and devise a new plan if the excise taxes are triggered?  Why would the company want this exclusive protection if what you said was true?  What scenario is management concerned about?

 

[WeAAsles]

Somewhere you asked a curious question about part time leads.  Part time leads were established during the America West merger but they were and still are only limited to I believe a dozen or so former Awest stations, mostly in PHX. But in any case, I don't think they can exceed 68 in the total system.  And we kept the lead ratio of one lead to every 12 members, which is very good.  I don't believe I remember seeing a lead ratio at LAA but this is something we definitely will want to keep moving forward in joint talks as well.

I don't think I asked anything about Part Time Leads or on our side Crew Chiefs and I'm not sure why you attached this to my posting about the Bookstore Union but what the heck anyway. 

In our CBA see Article 11 (H) I would attach it but it comes out massive on this forum in size. We have 1 Crew Chief for every 9 members. So actually we would want to improve to our language under a JCBA.

We do now have Part Time CC's in the contract as well (BK Agreement) That part is under Article 43.

 

[robbedagain]

WeAAsles,  how many rampers per aircraft do you have?   in my station some days we have 5 on our PHX but then 3 or 4 on CLT and for the commuters we have typically on the 230   3 or 4 to work the turn then for the 430p 2 agents to work it.   just curious to see how AA does it

 

[700UW]

Be thankful that you have Healthcare in your CBA, many companies are dumping HC and paying the penalty and letting their employees fend for themselves.

 

[Kev3188]

FWIW, we had 1 for every 12 (max) in our CBA at NW... I agree that a set ratio is a good goal to move toward.

 

[Kev3188]

WeAAsles,  how many rampers per aircraft do you have?   in my station some days we have 5 on our PHX but then 3 or 4 on CLT and for the commuters we have typically on the 230   3 or 4 to work the turn then for the 430p 2 agents to work it.   just curious to see how AA does it

I'm curious as well.

BTW, 3 man teams (including the Lead) are the norm in my world...

 

[charlie Brown]

It's clear in the ta that the cross utilization was traded for the scope by allowing the TWU members to do our work in what I believe are a dozen or so stations.  Obviously, that's something I'm uncomfortable about in my station but I can understand the tradeoff as the company wouldn't want to insource IAH and would love to bypass a fence and go immediately to cross utilization flexibilities, and the union would want to extend the scope of all stations.
 
At any rate,  I am just one of many who don't fully understand the new ACA.  For instance, would it benefit the company, if the taxes were triggered, to create a new plan instead of having the grandfathered plans?  I honestly don't know but it was a curious question since the company has that right to do that, based on the new health care attachment we are voting on, if things are triggered.
 
And by furthering your earlier comments,  you are saying that this attachment won't have anything to do with the 80% plan at all, even though the attachment covers the 80% plan where the company could abolish the plan and devise a new plan if the excise taxes are triggered?  Why would the company want this exclusive protection if what you said was true?  What scenario is management concerned about?

I didn't say our 80% wouldn't. I said if we had a 80% like AA currently has then we wouldn't have to worry about it. One of the ways you would lower the cost of the plan is to up the deductibles or the max out of pocket one would pay. AA,s 80% plan as far as those two scenarios go, is quite a bit higher than our 80%, meaning ours is much better. I know the part of the letter your concerned about. I honestly understand the concern, but if you read the whole letter there are several " ifs " that must come about before the company could abandon any of the plans. And each plan will be handled separately. I think it is very unlikely that our 80% would reach Cadillac status. As far as the tax goes. That's debatable sure. The company doesn't want this tax. And we sure as hell don't want it passed on to us. So the letter is a cover your ass if you would, that is protection for both sides against the tax. And remember, several "ifs " have to be exhausted first before the company can just abandon a policy.

 

[roabilly]

Tim,
 
You have the right to feel any way you want. Vote how you please too. I respect that. Ask any and all questions but if you start with your talking s**t then I will respond accordingly. I am not going to put up with your BS. Your parrot in PHX is spewing his hate and trying to cause controversy and word is he is saying per Tim on all his hate. The hate is not going over well here either BTW.
 
P. Rez

If Nelson tells two half truths does that equal ONE whole truth?—Nope it equals two falsehoods! Let’s review... Tim said some months ago that we had NO leverage because of the TWU SCS LOA. He also said that our agreement was tied into the same circumstances as the UA agreement, and would thus compromise job protection...
 
Tim wants to make everything personal for HIS own gain, screw the Membership... that's why he hates the IAM!
 
The list goes on and on...

 

[WeAAsles]

WeAAsles,  how many rampers per aircraft do you have?   in my station some days we have 5 on our PHX but then 3 or 4 on CLT and for the commuters we have typically on the 230   3 or 4 to work the turn then for the 430p 2 agents to work it.   just curious to see how AA does it

Wow great question. It varies it seems all the time. I'll take my crew at the moment here in MIA. We are a 5 man crew. If there are a lot of transfers on a flight, control will send out one or two runners to connect bags. Now if a flight comes in light (everything in one belly) we might get no one. Sometimes it can be a little back and forth getting the appropriate amount of help to try and get the mission accomplished at turning the flight. 

I know small stations many times only have a 3 man crew. But the thing is they don't have connections, just locals. Still the same problem when it comes to how heavy the flight is?

Something snuck into the lexicon of our job called "Quick Turn" I've been trying to get people to stop using that term because "Quick" to me implies rushing and I don't rush. Rushing causes mistakes and injuries and it's just not something I do or let my crew do. If we don't have the proper manpower to turn the flight then it get's a justifiable delay. Plain and simple.

 

[WeAAsles]

WeAAsles,  how many rampers per aircraft do you have?   in my station some days we have 5 on our PHX but then 3 or 4 on CLT and for the commuters we have typically on the 230   3 or 4 to work the turn then for the 430p 2 agents to work it.   just curious to see how AA does it

Oh and by the way. I wonder if in the future I'm going to be called an Agent or you are going to be called a Fleet Service Clerk? I prefer my own made up term, GSS. "Ground Service Specialist."

Hey everyone wants a nice title huh?

 

[Kev3188]

Something snuck into the lexicon of our job called "Quick Turn" I've been trying to get people to stop using that term because "Quick" to me implies rushing and I don't rush. Rushing causes mistakes and injuries and it's just not something I do or let my crew do. If we don't have the proper manpower to turn the flight then it get's a justifiable delay. Plain and simple.

Happy to hear it. No running at my pool, either- that's how people (or planes) get hurt.

We have a set amount of time to turn any late arriving equipment. Sometimes we can beat that, and make up some time. Sometime we need every last second of it. So be it.

 

[T5towbar]

It's not for me to say Mike.  It's not for you to say either.  It's for management to say according to our TA.  None of us know what management will do with the blank check.  Although United's contract regarding health care incorporated affordable care with numbers that suck, it at least made things objective by filling in numbers and locking them into a contract as opposed to just serving up health care to outsiders without any further negotiations.  That's why I asked the question about the ACA, i.e., does it benefit the company financially to just abolish all 3 plans, due to grandfathering, and come up with a new 80% plan?  I dunno, but they have the opportunity to abolish all 3 plans and come up with a new one that it feels is appropriate.  And what about that "Reasonable timetable"?  I'm uncomfortable with that as well since 'reasonable' may mean a lengthly delay as it has at United.  
 
Whatever the case, it's a legit question and one that should be answered since we are being asked to vote on this predicament.

The health care issue would be a troublesome one since the ACA was passed. People with lower cost plans saw their rates increased. That was going to happen anytime the insurance companies have a say in the law. At least we had a "do-over" sort to speak where we could at least get a better plan. And a better and lower dental rate. The "low cost" or nearly "free" health care for sUA was going to go by the wayside, no matter what contract we voted in. In this environment it would be problemsome to implement since the company was going to change over EVERYBODYS health plans. The pilots set the tone for what was going to happen. The only thing you can do is figure out the best cost solution for the group as a whole.

 

[737823]

Wow great question. It varies it seems all the time. I'll take my crew at the moment here in MIA. We are a 5 man crew. If there are a lot of transfers on a flight, control will send out one or two runners to connect bags. Now if a flight comes in light (everything in one belly) we might get no one. Sometimes it can be a little back and forth getting the appropriate amount of help to try and get the mission accomplished at turning the flight. 
I know small stations many times only have a 3 man crew. But the thing is they don't have connections, just locals. Still the same problem when it comes to how heavy the flight is?
Something snuck into the lexicon of our job called "Quick Turn" I've been trying to get people to stop using that term because "Quick" to me implies rushing and I don't rush. Rushing causes mistakes and injuries and it's just not something I do or let my crew do. If we don't have the proper manpower to turn the flight then it get's a justifiable delay. Plain and simple.

If you transfer to FLL it will be all local bags.

Josh

 

[WeAAsles]

I didn't say our 80% wouldn't. I said if we had a 80% like AA currently has then we wouldn't have to worry about it. One of the ways you would lower the cost of the plan is to up the deductibles or the max out of pocket one would pay. AA,s 80% plan as far as those two scenarios go, is quite a bit higher than our 80%, meaning ours is much better.

In the interest of fairness CB.

I know the part of the letter your concerned about. I honestly understand the concern, but if you read the whole letter there are several " ifs " that must come about before the company could abandon any of the plans. And each plan will be handled separately. I think it is very unlikely that our 80% would reach Cadillac status. As far as the tax goes. That's debatable sure. The company doesn't want this tax. And we sure as hell don't want it passed on to us. So the letter is a cover your ass if you would, that is protection for both sides against the tax. And remember, several "ifs " have to be exhausted first before the company can just abandon a policy.

Your medical for a FTer is better partially because it's subsidized by PTers paying the double rate. I was told by one of your guys that currently you're at 27% of PTers so I'm glad to hear that US isn't at the max rate of 40%. We're not at the max rate on our side either.

I pay currently as a single having chosen the best plan (Everyone asks me why) $124.76 per month just for medical. Now we also know that you have to factor in out of pocket costs to make a fair assessment of who's medical choices are better though and this is not meant to be one of those dumb "I'm better than you" shcticks. But I think if you compare the apples and the oranges they probably come out pretty close to each other?

Oh and for Tim. My cousin Donna has a crappy medical plan and pays $800 per month for her and her two kids. My buddy Fred in NY who has mental problems and is on medication pays $1200 per month just for himself. Perspectives Tim even if we do benefit extremely from being Unionized.

 

 

[WeAAsles]

If you transfer to FLL it will be all local bags.

Josh

You never know what the future holds? All I know is when I get there they better give me an IAM pin to go next to my TWU one. No problem buying my own shirt if I have to.