Customer reductions for Jun 9

[Mike W]

In Class 1 stations (More than 84 departures a week),ramp work,loading and unloading of aircraft and receipt and dispatch in stations where fleet service does that function,cannot be contracted out per the Collective Bargaining Agreement of 1999.In Class II stations with more than 28 mainline flights per week,the same applies.In Class II stations with less than 28 flights per week,cannot be contracted out until March 1 ,2004.If you''re in one of those stations,don''t worry about being contracted out.You''ll probably be mainline express before 2004.
The extortion agreement of January 2003 allows for the outsourcing of mail and freight functions.Keep in mind that Diamond Dave hasn''t seen a contract yet that he won''t try to work around or outright violate,so all bets are off.

 

[RedOne]

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On 5/10/2003 6:42:15 AM PineyBob wrote:


Why is it extortion when management uses every tactic at it's disposal to gain what it wants? But if a union engages in various job actions, like strikes, slowdown, sickouts and in some cases even violence and intimidation is it just good unionism?

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LOL. That's part of it PB! C/S and F/S have never experienced "good unionism!" Until just a few years ago we were both non-union...and took what we had taken from us! (almost said what we could get...but we never "got" we were "got from") And now F/S has IAM! (Which by the way was not the union of my choice...although they are now MY union, and as I have said before, I'm better offf with them than without them!) I've never participated in a slowdown, sickout, or strike...I have expeierenced intimidation (directed at me!) Does that make me a good ole boy?

 

[Hope777]

Just back to work last night from a week off, and heard that MIA is going to EXPRESS Class. Can anyone confirm?

 

[gilbertguy]

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On 5/10/2003 6:42:15 AM PineyBob wrote:

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On 5/9/2003 602 PM Mike W wrote:

The extortion agreement of January 2003 allows for the outsourcing of mail and freight functions.Keep in mind that Diamond Dave hasn''t seen a contract yet that he won''t try to work around or outright violate,so all bets are off.

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Why is it extortion when management uses every tactic at it''s disposal to gain what it wants? But if a union engages in various job actions, like strikes, slowdown, sickouts and in some cases even violence and intimidation is it just good unionism?

Because the COMPANY signs the paychecks....the unions don''t!

 

[Mike W]

PB,
I know you read the drivel that management puts out all of the time.Don''t they always term it extortion when organized labor threatens to invoke their LEGAL right to strike.Now because I use that term it''s somehow not right.The bottom line is that BOTH times the company came looking for concessions,we were threatened with the permanent shutdown of the company.Whether that threat was real or not we''ll never know because those proposals were ratified.My guess is the next time they come calling we''ll see if they''re serious.
Dave and Jerry will tell you that those agreements were negotiated.That''s absurd.There was no negotiation involved,they were take it or leave it.But you''re right.We''ll live to fight another day.If Dave ever figures out how to take in more money than he dishes out,then when it comes time to vote on a new contract payback will be a *****. You know.
DISCLAIMER... That''s provided the Republicans do not continue to control all branches of government.If that is the case,they will modify the railway labor act to force us into baseball arbitration.Then,we''ll be working for peanuts the rest of our lives.

 

[REACC1]

Mike,
Is that quit as in take furlough, or, you know, just quit?

 

[PITbull]

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On 5/10/2003 6:42:15 AM PineyBob wrote:

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On 5/9/2003 602 PM Mike W wrote:

The extortion agreement of January 2003 allows for the outsourcing of mail and freight functions.Keep in mind that Diamond Dave hasn't seen a contract yet that he won't try to work around or outright violate,so all bets are off.

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Why is it extortion when management uses every tactic at it's disposal to gain what it wants? But if a union engages in various job actions, like strikes, slowdown, sickouts and in some cases even violence and intimidation is it just good unionism?

Seems to me we have a double standard here. YES, they had you between a rock and a very hard place THIS TIME! What about the other times when the shoe was on the other foot? And management felt they had a gun to their heads?

Their is an economic ebb and flow and this time your side got walloped, big time! But historically that has not been the case. There were many many good contracts signed with boosts in real earnings and gains in benefits. That is why I continually urge you to prepare for the NEXT contract instead of lingering on this one. It's like when a very good football team gets surprised and losses 54-0, you can't dwell on it because ou have a game next week. Well you have another contract. I know it's 6 years from now, but that gives you time to plan and organize and build a strike fund.

It is not to early to begin preparing for the next round. It is however to late to fight this round.


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Bob,

Unfortunately, what you are seeing here, is called "labor unrest". Mangement continues to violate our contracts and act in "bad faith". Doesn't mean labor will not do their jobs to the best of their abilities regardless. Just means that consequentely, informational picketing will commence this summer among the labor groups.

With regard to your thread above saying that unions participate in sick outs, slowdowns and wildcat strikes, and unions consider this ok. No, it is NOT ok. these activities, if done by the unions as a collective effort, is illegal. Sick outs and slow downs are always illegal even after you've been released by the mediators during section 6 negotiations. The only activity that is legal after released from the mediators during sec 6 only , is job actions that have to do with striking (self help) activities. Those are legal actions for unions; otherwise unions would confront major law suits. So, to your thread above, no it is not ok to do these activites you cite above as they are illegal. And it is not ok for a mangement to continue to extort from their employees as the negotiations are over and we have contracts. And it is also not ok for them to viiolate those contracts and for labor to turn their heads and look the other way.

 

[PITbull]

With regard to job losses...we will lose 310 flight attendants out of PIT base starting June 4. Total system wide jobs gone again 890 as of June 4 for f/as only. 9/11 ranks for f/as were approx 10,300... As of June 4 2003, approx 5,100 are left system wide at U.

Does anyone know of any downsizing of upper mangement ranks?

 

[Mike W]

PineyBob,
I''ll give you the Reader''s Digest condensed version.I can only do this from the Fleet Service perspective because that is who I represent.
When US Airways decides to pull all of the mainline flights from a station''s schedule and replace them with express flights,that station is in our eyes,CLOSED.Until the restructuring agreement of January (there I didn''t use the word extortion)agents working in that station had the option to transfer if their seniority would allow it,attempt to get hired by the express carrier,or take the furlough.As of January 10th,a new classification was added to the Fleet Service group.Mainline Express.Any mainline station that closes where Fleet Service previously worked the express aircraft,will be classified as Mainline Express.Those agents will remain US Airways employees,working under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.With some slight modifications.If you choose to remain in your station you will take a 40% paycut (for agents who are at the top of the payscale).In my station (CLE) everyone is at the top of the payscale.We don''t have an agent full or part time with less than seventeen years.The pension contribution that the company makes will be at 50% of the mainline rate.US Airways has the right to bring in mainline flights seasonally also.I''m sure they will,so you will be paid 40% less for doing the same job.
Agents also have the right to transfer to another mainline station.That''s the route I''ll be taking.I can''t get to where I''d like to go,so I''ll have to take a transfer somewhere else until I can be called to my recall station.The last option to to quit.Unfortunately some very good agents have had enough and they are leaving.It''s quite obvious that US Airways could care less but in the end it can only hurt the company.Sometimes the shortsitedness (?) of this management team is amazing.
I hope this helped to clear up a perfectly confusing situation.I wish I could tell you more but they''re still working out the terms of surrender.

 

[Mike W]

REACC1,
They will take the furlough and the severence pay,but they have no intentions of ever returning to US Airways.