A CWA VOTE THAT WONT BE INTIMIDATED

wontDOit

Newbie
Jan 4, 2003
3
0
PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS RATHER LONG POSTING. My only intention is to try to convey how this CWA agent and I am sure many others feel based in the past, the present and the possible future. This will be my one and only post. As an agent with almost 3 decades of service to USairways, I have always tried to judge the company by their management, how they treated their employees, and whether their WORD translated into equivilent action.
As an employee group, NO other group has been taken advantage of, disrespected, reduced in numbers, and been blatantly mistreated as the Agent group. Some may say that we were screwed over by management while we were non union and prior to organizing, thru our own fault, by not having a Union. Well, some agents didnt vote for a union then because they believed management when they said things would change and that we as a group would be treated fairly without the need for a 3rd party outsider, IE a Union, involved. The company through their actions, predictably, totally renegged on that promise and continued to treat the agent group like an unplanned baby in a bad marriage. They have taken advantage of EVERY instance and possible situation to demoralize and divide the Agent group. Sadly they have been sucessful to a point. From the Days of Randy Malin up to the present, the company''s goal has been to snow the public into believing that USairways puts Customer service as a number one priority,somehow while trying to eliminate as many Customer Service agents as they could, while planning to outsource the rest. Since the days of People Express''s incursion into US territory I have believed that it was just a matter of time before the bubble popped and industry wages, benefits and work rules would somewhere equalize so that USairways would be able to compete. During these years that have since passed, certain employee groups have negotiated contracts that have kept them at the levels of compensation competetive with the major carriers in the country. In all Honesty, USairways has NEVER been a United, American or a Delta. At best USairways has been a scrappy large regional carrier with a mismatched fleet, poor management, and a total lack of foresight. The old expression of saving for a rainy day apparently was never a lesson learned by any of USairway''s management over the last 14 or so years. All of the large profits that were made in the good years, were PI**ed away by management who must have been delusional in thinking that the lean days would never return. Well guess what? The lean days are HERE and this company''s balance sheet looks like that of some PI** poor south American county. The leaders of the company could not have been expected to forsee 9/11, but whatever the cause of an industry downturn, it was sure to come, as sure as winter follows fall. You dont need an MBA to know that. This is a cyclical industry.But then those at the top dont really have to account for what they do, right or wrong. Their expertise, or in our case their total ineptness and incompetence, is still rewarded with hugh salaries, stock options, obscene bonuses and of course their golden parachutes.
I could go on and on. Management''s song and dance routines are as tiresome as the recurring four year flow of lies and verbal con jobs that our politicians spew forth trying to convince their constituents that THEY are the ones to once and for all finally change things for the better if we only give them the chance and trust them to run the country. You can package them as Wolfs in Sheeps clothing, or as car rental company heads that are now airline experts. Thing have not changed.
I do owe an important lesson to the observation of the financial irresponsibility of USairways management. I learned years ago that I better plan to be self sufficient, and in short order, because it was obvious that the company was being mismanaged into one of two places. The first being....straight into the ground and out of business. The second being where it is today; a company crying the blues and reducing the workers ranks, pay and benefits to the point where it is no longer worth putting up with the hours, working conditions and low compensation level that the company is willing to offer. Several of the employee groups stand to have their furloughed employees recalled, initially to a lower paying position and then ultimately ( if the company actually accomplishes the amazing turn around that they are touting) to a position that is at a tolerable level of renumeration. The agent group, if the current contract changes are ratified, will be totally demolished. A LARGE portion of the agents will be outsourced, and an equally LARGE number of agents that are left will be working at low wage and benefit rates that in the past have been only paid by small commuter carriers. Some members of the other employee groups have stated that at least the company will be maintaining a minimum number of mainline jets in the company''s fleet. That in itself ONLY guarantees that a certain number mainline pilots and flight attentdants will be needed to operate these mainline jet flights. Through the changes in the purposed CWA contract, the company will have enormous flexibility to fly these Mainline Jets with Mainline pilots and mainline flight attendants earning MAINLINE PAY AND BEN EFITS.. IN AND OUT of cities that are staffed with EXPRESS Agents at EXPRESS PAY AND BENEFIT RATES. On top of that, with the seasonal option of flying jets into EXPRESS agent staffed cities for months at a time, not ONE mainline agent would be returned to MAINLINE work with MAINLINE PAY AND BENEFITS. The inequities of how the CWA represented workers will be adversly affected by the company proposed contract changes are so obvious that its almost rediculous.
I have heard it stated by our resident Pilot spokesman and others that if one doesnt want to go along with the affirmative vote that the company needs to survive that they should just simply quit. I disagree. I have been a dues paying union member and have the right to exercise my choice with my vote.After working for this company for three decades and taking into careful consideration the past treatment of the agent group, I will vote NO without reservation. Is there anything to say that if the CWA members vote these contract changes down, the company could not negotiate further to attempt to reach a more equitable agreement??? Do any of the CWA represented employees actually believe that is this is voted down that the company will fold up its tent, takes it ball and go home????
The speed at which ALL of the concessionary negotiations have been handled has been unprecedented. I honestly dont believe a matter of possibly a week or so, in which a more palatable contract for CWA members could be reached, will cause the shutdown and liquidation of the airline.
I am not calling the companys bluff, because i actually dont believe i have anything to lose. As I stated previously, I have been preparing for this scenario for a long time. But even if i hadnt, the pay and benefits that the company is offering to what would be a large portion of a decimated customer service agent group, is no where near acceptable for what is required to perform this job. Other posters on this site ( many being passengers and airline outsiders) try to make a comparison of Airline customer service agents to.....telemarketers and call center employees. I dont actually believe that those employees have ever had to carry a 300 pound passenger down the stairs of an aircraft in the middle of a thunderstorm or in 10 degreee weather. I dont think they are forced to work mandatory double shifts, many times back to back due to being short staffed as a result of short sighted managment decisions to cut right to the bone based on a smooth operation. God forbid we should have bad weather or air traffic delays. And foremost...I have never personally dealt with a call center employee or telemarketer face to face. Its much tougher dealing with a customer, passenger, face to face than as a voice on the other end of a phone or headset. No matter what the cause of a delay or cancellation, it is the AGENT that must face the customer and smile and then do the best to resolve a bad situation over which the agent had no control. It very well may have been a flight crew or mechanic working to rule , or another employee goups CHAOS, but it never matters. It is the agent standing in front of the customer taking the hit.I only want it emphasized that no matter who or what is the cause of the customers problem, the agent has to resolve it. I am not faulting any employee group for doing what they deem their right and necessary to achieve their contract goals. I ask that we receive the same tolerance to vote what we feel is best for our CWA members group.
I wish the best for all employees, especially my fellow CWA members, but I feel the only way to get the company to deal with us as fairly as it should, is for me to vote NO.
I ask that you vote what you believe is right, bearing in mind what you have read above. Thank you.
 
Seriously CWAers, take your blinders off.

I'm with Chip. If you feel so strongly, give your 2 week notice, find another job, and let your more motivated colleagues turn US Airways around.
 
This is not about CWA'er being greedy.

This is not about the CWA'er not being willing to give the company every dime they have ask us for.

It's about the CWA'ers not being willing to sign a blank check that leads to our total elimination, so the other groups can keep their jobs and pensions.
 
From another 30 year employee,you could not have said it better![BR][BR][STRONG]ENOUGH IS ENOUGH![BR][/STRONG][BR][BR][STRONG] I VOTED NO TOO![/STRONG][BR][BR][BR][STRONG]REMEMBER FOLKS .....'ITS JUST A JOB'!........THERE ARE OTHERS.[/STRONG][BR][BR][BR]AND DONT GIVE ME CRAP THAT I CAN'T MAKE $13HR SOMEWHERE ELSE,[BR]MY WIFE WHO HAS A GED[STRONG] STARTED [/STRONG]AT $14HR.. [STRONG]NOT[/STRONG] IN CUSTOMER SERVICE EITHER.[BR][BR]AND CHIP,BUG OFF,YOU ARE JUST TRYING TO PROTECT YOUR $125,000 A YEAR,JOB AND WE [STRONG]ALL [/STRONG]KNOW IT,SO JUST STOP![BR][BR][STRONG]THE COMPANY HAS TO RESPECT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS,VOTE NO![BR][BR]IF THE COMPANY GOES CHAPTER 7,SO BE IT![/STRONG]
 
Wheels -

If you can go out and replace your income in this economy then do so. What does your NO VOTE do for your fellow employee who does not share your marketablility in this economy?
 
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On 1/4/2003 11:14:18 PM wontDOit wrote:

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ THIS RATHER LONG POSTING. My only intention is to try to convey how this CWA agent and I am sure many others feel based in the past, the present and the possible future. This will be my one and only post. As an agent with almost 3 decades of service to USairways, I have always tried to judge the company by their management, how they treated their employees, and whether their "WORD" translated into equivilent action.

I have no doubt what you say has validity. Your profession and your work group are being hit very hard. However, I have two thoughts: First that you try and assess the probabilty that a no vote leads to Chapt 7; and second, that there are a lot of "I's" in your post so I assume you are feeling particularly personally hurt by what is in your post. I understand your feelings, especially anger about what is going on. However, and I speak for myself here, when I get quite I hurt I tend to lash out. And of course acting out my hurt has a tendency to hurt others. So my thought is that your right to vote is of course your guaranteed right, but I note that if I think about how my acting out is likely to effect others, I often change the course of my thinking and acting so others are not so effected. I wish you all a prosperous New Year in these not so hot looking times.
 
[P][SPAN class=BodyFont]From another 30 year employee,you could not have said it better![BR][BR][STRONG]ENOUGH IS ENOUGH![BR][/STRONG][BR][BR][STRONG]I VOTED NO TOO![/STRONG][BR][BR][BR][STRONG]REMEMBER FOLKS .....'ITS JUST A JOB'!........THERE ARE OTHERS.[/STRONG][BR][BR][BR]AND DONT GIVE ME CRAP THAT I CAN'T MAKE $13HR SOMEWHERE ELSE,[BR]MY WIFE WHO HAS A GED[STRONG] STARTED [/STRONG]AT $14HR.. [STRONG]NOT[/STRONG] IN CUSTOMER SERVICE EITHER.[BR][BR]AND CHIP,BUG OFF,YOU ARE JUST TRYING TO PROTECT YOUR $125,000 A YEAR,JOB AND WE [STRONG]ALL [/STRONG]KNOW IT,SO JUST STOP![BR][BR][STRONG]THE COMPANY HAS TO RESPECT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENTS,VOTE NO![BR][BR]IF THE COMPANY GOES CHAPTER 7,SO BE IT![/STRONG] [BR][BR][/P]
[P][/SPAN][/P]
 
I fail to understand why so many people slam people who vote the way they want to regardless of the implications! Most of us have union leadership and thats the way bargaining goes>>>> The pilots f/a and mech all have taken us to the brink before I know im one of those groups. If this is what someone wants to vote whatever the majority votes is what they voted. This is a free society we have no right to tell someone u dont like leave! They have every right to vote no just like we have the right to vote yes. Remember, none of our groups so far has said NO in a majority so far and cant be accused of being the ones who closed the doors. The bottom line usair and other airlines and their greedy ways is the PRIME reason we are where we are today ! PERIOD! Im voting yes this one and final time! I under NO CIRCUMSTANCES NONE will i vote yes after this! If we cant make it now we dont deserve to! Chip if you dont like the democratic way of america you know there other countries where you dont have a say so period ! I suggest you move there ! You see it sounds the same as if Im telling people they should leave if they arent happy!
 
[FONT face=System]wontDOit.....I couldn't have said it better. The bottom line is if we vote YES, most of us are voting to take a $7-$10 pay cut per hour. If this is what the company want's to pay then you know the old saying...."You get what you pay for". The stats will speak for themselves.[/FONT]
 
"Seriously CWAers, take your blinders off.

I'm with Chip. If you feel so strongly, give your 2 week notice, find another job, and let your more motivated colleagues turn US Airways around."


"more motivated" my big ole' butt...you won't find anybody more motivated that customer service (CWA) employees....it's just that you pilots, F/a's and mechanics have more to lose than we do...we've already had everything taken away from us. Enough is enough! I'm through giving back.
 
Hello,

Where is the money? In the cockpits of course, if the company was serious about getting savings, they have to take it from the pilots period. Nothing else they do will assure the company will not file chapter 7. They have but one choice, and they and the pilots on the board have already made it. They will file chapter 7 because none of them will go after their friends pockets when it is still possible that afterwards they end up in 7 anyway. So this is all about show here folks. Pilots want to extend their paychecks a bit further, get a few more pilots those million dollar bonuses to retire, get them some early out deals etc etc. before the company folds. If they have to take it from others to do so, then that's what they have set their minds to do. They keep threatening chapter 7 if everyone else doesn't comply right, well why wait for them to get their bonuses and retire early while we slowly go broke ourselves?
Scrap the airline now and scrap their bonuses along with it. GO OUT FIGHTING, NOT WHIMPERING!

Lilninj