10/28/2004
CWA'ers met Wednesday to plan their response to management's demand for $136 million in passenger service cuts annually through the year 2011, including a pay reduction of 34%...
After meeting with management on Tuesday to get clarification and explanations of their proposals, CWA'ers met Wednesday to plan their response and strategy and to draw up a counter proposal.
At the Tuesday meeting with management, CWA'ers made it clear to management that their demands on the lower paid employees - passenger service - are unfair and extreme. The 34% pay cut alone (our earlier 29% estimate did not include effects of dropping four pay steps) will drive many individuals and families into financial ruin. CWA'ers at the bargaining table pointed out the great discrepancy between the pay cut management is demanding of passenger service (34%) and the 5% pay cut they say management will contribute.
The CWA'ers pointed out that nobody can imagine the passenger service employees ratifying such a proposal. Nobody in management seriously disagreed with our point. That leads us to conclude management expects the bankruptcy court to impose their demands without a vote of the employees.
The goal of the CWA negotiating team is to reach a fair agreement that agents can ratify, an agreement that maintains our pay and our standard of living.
CWA local presidents have sent a mailing to each member's home address explaining our current situation and asking for your strong support as we move forward. Please review your materials and vote your support to protect our contract, our careers and our standard of living.
Bankruptcy proceeding establishes the Retirees Committee...
There are five representatives on the committee, one each representing AFA, CWA and ALPA retirees, and two for non-union represented employees. CWA retirees' rep is Judy Dreyer. Judith Schmidt is from AFA, Tom Davis from ALPA, and Gerard Carusi. The judge declined to set up a timetable, but ordered the committee to meet with US Airways within three business days. All the committee members were at the hearing this morning, and they said that they would meet this afternoon to begin selecting professional representatives.
CWA Local Officers and Staff
CWA Passenger Service Hotline Message (800) 559-0579
