AFA Labor Relations Thread 10/6---

[flyus2]

And that's just it. Some people believe it shows bad work ethic if you call off during a major holiday. Well let me tell you something, Usairways doesn't give a damn about it's employees. To me that's a FACT. So why in turn should an employee give a DAMN about them. As for impacting passengers....well THAT my friends is in the hands of the company. The f/a union has been ready to sign on the dotted line were a proposal for TRUE holiday pay to be negotiated as a side letter. The company wants to play hardball and screw the employees left, right and sideways? Fine. Other businesses that need to operate over a holiday give you time and a half or something similar as a way of protecting their operation and saying thank you to the employee for showing up. The company OWES us nothing? Well I don't owe the company anything either. It's a sword and it cuts both ways. 🙄

I really don't think the holiday pay would make that much of a differnce. For some, they'd be more apt to work, but the bottom line is for others, all the money in the world wouldn't make a difference. They want to spend the holiday with family and it is what it is. I would imagine it is very difficult to plan on f/a numbers.....I just heard several say, "well if I lost my id, I can't work." And then there is always PCL. They can plan on a certain percentage will probably call off sick, but there's more to it than sick. I would jump on a decent holiday pay.

 

[Travelpro72]

Oh sure I agree with what your saying. It's always a numbers game and obviously a guessing game with scheduling when it comes to staffing. That said, I do believe that with a true holiday (time and a half) pay formula for working the holiday or even the day before or after would make staffing issues during a holiday period nonexistant. It would also put a stop to the unnecessary beating reserves endure during a period like a major holiday.

Now as for working your days off.....no matter how ya try and paint it it's WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. Sure it's a sliver of a bone they are throwing while at the same time a slap in the face. Reserves will take it as they do ETB out of desperation. It's really quite sad. Something so simple could be changed with the stroke of a pen but NOPE. Just another example of stupidity. How about this.....Address overflying so more trips go into the reserve book alleviating many having to work their days off to keep their lights on at home and rent/mortgage paid. 😉

 

[beachboy]

Address overfly? Did ya get the crew mail? They allowed people to overfly by raising the MAX in DECEMBER because THEY needed it. So- just again shot themselves in the foot for the overfly issue.

 

[BajaBabe]

What the HELL is wrong with all of you? Extortion pure and simple- the sucklings of the MEC waiting to suck on the blood of all of us. NO NO NO..........side letter you Mikey I mean Mickey. Want a side letter? Put all your Idiots in the MEC to fly especially CLT. This is disgusting.

 

[beachboy]

DELETED-

Screw it. Already people ready to take a hit off the crack pipe. :down: If you people can't add this up you deserve NO contract and you deserve to be tricked out. Have a nice holiday.

 

[beachboy]

MEC REJECTS COMPANY OFFER TO ALLOW RESERVES TO PICK UP COMPANY TIME DURING OFF/INV DAYS

Dear Member,

MEC REJECTS COMPANY OFFER TO ALLOW RESERVES TO PICK UP COMPANY TIME DURING OFF/INV DAYS AND RECEIVE PAY ABOVE THE RESERVE GUARANTEE

On Monday the Company sent a letter to me detailing a proposal to allow Reserves, on a strictly voluntary basis, the ability to pick up Company Open Time trips on off (OFF or INV) days during any month in which Irregular Operations was declared or Vacation Buy Back was offered and receive pay/no credit (above the Reserve guarantee) for any trips flown on those days.

As this proposal would change the Collective Bargaining Agreement, any agreement of this nature would require approval from the voting members of the Master Executive Council (MEC)-the five Local Council Presidents. Therefore, a special meeting of the MEC was convened last night in order to discuss the issue.

After over two hours of debate, the voting members rejected the Company proposal 3 to 2. The results of the vote were as follows:

FOR THE PROPOSAL
Council 41 Local President, Alin Boswell
Council 70 Local President, John McCorkle

AGAINST THE PROPOSAL
Council 89 Local President, Ann Crowley
Council 69 Local President, Lynne Caramello
Council 82 Local President, Rob Wessinger

I am not going to speak for any of the Local Presidents with respect to their reason(s) for casting their votes. They can all be reached at their local offices or via email if you have any questions or concerns.

As the MEC President and a member of the Joint Negotiations Committee I do not have a vote, but I do have an opinion. My opinion is that since the proposal was purely voluntary in nature, no one would be harmed if a Reserve wanted to increase their earning potential. I also want to make it very clear to Reserves that this proposal in no way would fix the current Reserve system. The Company has made no effort to resolve Reserve issues or Holiday Pay outside of negotiations. The current system can only be fixed in single agreement negotiations and the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is working extremely hard to do that. THE JNC has already secured some very beneficial improvements in the Reserve Section and are not stopping in our goal to restore quality of life and financial gains for our Reserve members. The JNC does not believe that the single agreement should make it necessary for Reserves to work their days off in order to earn a living.

However, the current agreement does, and this might have been a way to increase Reserve earning power in the interim.

Thank you,

Mike Flores, President
The US Airways Master Executive Council
AFA-CWA

Mike Flores
President
Master Executive Council
Association of Flight Attendants
205 Regency Executive Park, Suite 310
Charlotte, NC 28217

Dear Mike,

The purpose of this letter is to modify Section 10.3.c. and Section 7.J. of the Flight Attendant Collective Bargaining Agreement for the purpose of allowing Reserve flight attendants the ability to pick up trips as pay-no-credit on off days when a system Irregular Operation is declared or Vacation Buyback is offered in a bid month.

Concurrent with Company's ability to increase the monthly maximum by up to five (5) hours for flight attendants in any domicile when an Irregular Operation has been declared or Vacation Buyback has been offered, the Company will be required to offer Reserve flight attendants the ability to pick up Company time as pay-no-credit on off days. Reserve flight attendant participation in this voluntary option will be mutually beneficial by encouraging flight attendants to work on their off days to assist the Company in recovering from an Irregular Operation or adding coverage in a month with Vacation Buyback and conversely, the Reserve will benefit by receiving pay-no-credit for trips flown vs. pay and credit as provided for under the current contract language.

If a system Irregular Operation is declared by Director of Crew Scheduling or Vacation Buyback is offered, Reserve flight attendants shall have the ability to make themselves available and fly trips offered through Company time that originate and terminate on OFF/INV days as pay-no-credit. Such trips must meet the contractual/legality constraints as outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. A flight attendant may request to take advantage of this option by contacting Crew Scheduling. Such flight attendant will be processed after all Reserve flight attendants who are on AVL days and all Reserves on OFF days who requested to fly a trip as pay and credit. A trip awarded consistent with this agreement will reflect as pay-no-credit, will not impact the flight attendant's LTO and will be paid in addition to the Reserve's guarantee.

This Letter of Agreement shall become effective as of the date it is signed. This agreement shall remain in full force and effect concurrent with the Agreement signed January 10, 2005.

 

[ebwgs]

MEC REJECTS COMPANY OFFER TO ALLOW RESERVES TO PICK UP COMPANY TIME DURING OFF/INV DAYS

Dear Member,

MEC REJECTS COMPANY OFFER TO ALLOW RESERVES TO PICK UP COMPANY TIME DURING OFF/INV DAYS AND RECEIVE PAY ABOVE THE RESERVE GUARANTEE

On Monday the Company sent a letter to me detailing a proposal to allow Reserves, on a strictly voluntary basis, the ability to pick up Company Open Time trips on off (OFF or INV) days during any month in which Irregular Operations was declared or Vacation Buy Back was offered and receive pay/no credit (above the Reserve guarantee) for any trips flown on those days.

As this proposal would change the Collective Bargaining Agreement, any agreement of this nature would require approval from the voting members of the Master Executive Council (MEC)-the five Local Council Presidents. Therefore, a special meeting of the MEC was convened last night in order to discuss the issue.

Those three members of the MEC who voted against this ought to be forced to explain why they would oppose any reserve the opportunity to put more money in their pockets and food in their bellies. Disgusting.

After over two hours of debate, the voting members rejected the Company proposal 3 to 2. The results of the vote were as follows:

FOR THE PROPOSAL
Council 41 Local President, Alin Boswell
Council 70 Local President, John McCorkle

AGAINST THE PROPOSAL
Council 89 Local President, Ann Crowley
Council 69 Local President, Lynne Caramello
Council 82 Local President, Rob Wessinger

I am not going to speak for any of the Local Presidents with respect to their reason(s) for casting their votes. They can all be reached at their local offices or via email if you have any questions or concerns.

As the MEC President and a member of the Joint Negotiations Committee I do not have a vote, but I do have an opinion. My opinion is that since the proposal was purely voluntary in nature, no one would be harmed if a Reserve wanted to increase their earning potential. I also want to make it very clear to Reserves that this proposal in no way would fix the current Reserve system. The Company has made no effort to resolve Reserve issues or Holiday Pay outside of negotiations. The current system can only be fixed in single agreement negotiations and the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is working extremely hard to do that. THE JNC has already secured some very beneficial improvements in the Reserve Section and are not stopping in our goal to restore quality of life and financial gains for our Reserve members. The JNC does not believe that the single agreement should make it necessary for Reserves to work their days off in order to earn a living.

However, the current agreement does, and this might have been a way to increase Reserve earning power in the interim.

Thank you,

Mike Flores, President
The US Airways Master Executive Council
AFA-CWA

Mike Flores
President
Master Executive Council
Association of Flight Attendants
205 Regency Executive Park, Suite 310
Charlotte, NC 28217

Dear Mike,

The purpose of this letter is to modify Section 10.3.c. and Section 7.J. of the Flight Attendant Collective Bargaining Agreement for the purpose of allowing Reserve flight attendants the ability to pick up trips as pay-no-credit on off days when a system Irregular Operation is declared or Vacation Buyback is offered in a bid month.

Concurrent with Company's ability to increase the monthly maximum by up to five (5) hours for flight attendants in any domicile when an Irregular Operation has been declared or Vacation Buyback has been offered, the Company will be required to offer Reserve flight attendants the ability to pick up Company time as pay-no-credit on off days. Reserve flight attendant participation in this voluntary option will be mutually beneficial by encouraging flight attendants to work on their off days to assist the Company in recovering from an Irregular Operation or adding coverage in a month with Vacation Buyback and conversely, the Reserve will benefit by receiving pay-no-credit for trips flown vs. pay and credit as provided for under the current contract language.

If a system Irregular Operation is declared by Director of Crew Scheduling or Vacation Buyback is offered, Reserve flight attendants shall have the ability to make themselves available and fly trips offered through Company time that originate and terminate on OFF/INV days as pay-no-credit. Such trips must meet the contractual/legality constraints as outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. A flight attendant may request to take advantage of this option by contacting Crew Scheduling. Such flight attendant will be processed after all Reserve flight attendants who are on AVL days and all Reserves on OFF days who requested to fly a trip as pay and credit. A trip awarded consistent with this agreement will reflect as pay-no-credit, will not impact the flight attendant's LTO and will be paid in addition to the Reserve's guarantee.

This Letter of Agreement shall become effective as of the date it is signed. This agreement shall remain in full force and effect concurrent with the Agreement signed January 10, 2005.

 

[galley princess]

The one thing that Stewardesses had twenty years ago was a good understanding of when to hold the line.

I am amazed and disgusted that MF or anyone seriously considered this.

The couple hundred dollars that a few would go out for would cause somewhere in the range of a hundred thousand in lost negotiating power.

If it has come to this, dangling an inferior and insulting offer in the noses of desperate under paid and abused reserves and it is taken seriously by those entrusted to represent them then we are truly dead in the water.


They just threw away any respectable future negotiating for a few hundred a person.

We are screwed.

 

[MustangSally]

As the MEC President and a member of the Joint Negotiations Committee I do not have a vote, but I do have an opinion. My opinion is that since the proposal was purely voluntary in nature, no one would be harmed if a Reserve wanted to increase their earning potential. I also want to make it very clear to Reserves that this proposal in no way would fix the current Reserve system. The Company has made no effort to resolve Reserve issues or Holiday Pay outside of negotiations. The current system can only be fixed in single agreement negotiations and the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is working extremely hard to do that. THE JNC has already secured some very beneficial improvements in the Reserve Section and are not stopping in our goal to restore quality of life and financial gains for our Reserve members. The JNC does not believe that the single agreement should make it necessary for Reserves to work their days off in order to earn a living.

However, the current agreement does, and this might have been a way to increase Reserve earning power in the inte

:down: OK ONCE AGAIN MIKE DOES HIS TWIST ON WORDS!!! Please Mike stop trying to put blame on the LEC's for the bad proposals that you are trying to get passed on behalf of the company. The reserves got hosed with this reserve system that was supposed to be implemented with preferential bidding. Get it back to the old reserve system and we will be able to make our pay when we are on call. We should not have to give up our days off to do that. If I want to make time above my guarantee then I will fly ETB trips. But the best part of this is that the company is the one who wanted it where reserves could not fly company time on their off days and once again it has bit them in the booty. So to put it in a nut shell Mike STOP thinking that you work for the company. You work FOR the flight attendants and for the LEC's so start working!!!!!

 

[IMAKEUSFLY]

OK. I'm new here on these boards. But is all this regarding this weekends airbus cancels as well? Does it relate to all these issues? I guess, as a union member with reservations, I have seen this year in and year out for years over holidays. Sad part is, usually its the pilots. We were told yesterday it was due to lack of pilots the airbus cancels on sat/sun. So, here we are, one of the lowest paid in the company and we have to sit and deal with passengers all week already screaming and yelling over all the weather cancels and now this weekend crew cancels on mostly airbus flights. I don't know, but what ever happened to old fashioned...go to work...do your job...go home. Why is everyone so self-centered in demanding their "rights" all the time? Where do other union employees care about how their decisions affect others within the company?

You think you're affecting management! HA!! They're home, enjoying their families this week. It's the other union employees who have to work overtime because of the selfish cancels this weekend now too. I don't know, harass me all you want on this issue, but seems very wrong ethically in my book, but over 10+ years with HP and now US and seems it's constantly like this every holiday.

 

[BajaBabe]

Merry Christmas to all of US. I look hopefully to 2010 stay strong ,be tough ,laugh,and remember to place importance in your contributions that need to be nourished..............

 

[VAflyGal]

I love how some foreign national was able to get on an intl flight into the US and light up some fireworks on descent.

What. The. Mother.

 

[flybynite]

I love how some foreign national was able to get on an intl flight into the US and light up some fireworks on descent.

What. The. Mother.

What a knucklehead. He'll love his vacation behind bars.

 

[BajaBabe]

you all have to ask yourself with all the angry emails going around on the sideletter why this didnt pass. look no further than the largest base phl and dc. can you say ROLL CALL ROLL CALL ROLL CALL. Look no further than JM JM JM and AB AB AB!!! they really didn't want it to pass they knew it was a shady deal and wanted to put the other people on the mec in the line of fire. its easier to redirect the flames than take the heat yourself. i feel oh so sorry for all of us.

 

[2clippedwings]

you all have to ask yourself with all the angry emails going around on the sideletter why this didnt pass. look no further than the largest base phl and dc. can you say ROLL CALL ROLL CALL ROLL CALL. Look no further than JM JM JM and AB AB AB!!! they really didn't want it to pass they knew it was a shady deal and wanted to put the other people on the mec in the line of fire. its easier to redirect the flames than take the heat yourself. i feel oh so sorry for all of us.

I'm glad it didn't get passed. If I have to work on my days off (and I do to survive) for the company time then I want pay above guarantee AND CREDIT for LTO. We should insist on nothing less. Nothing. At least we "B" scale people can work ETB although lately it is s l i m pickings...