Cwa Board Clears The Way For Possible Strike

[Mike]

I SAY VOTE NO MOVE ON DON’T LET THEM WIN THIS OR IT WILL BE OVER FOR MANY OTHERS IN THIS INDUSTRY.

No..they still win. They will remain rich while you "move on"

 

[PITbull]

Ya know, if you went over to the Airways board on flyertalk, the general consensus is that the airline employees, while doing a good job and being praised for their perserverence, are beyond stupid for contemplating strike actions.

Read the posts yourselves. The only exception appears to be CluebyFour who clearly appears to have a vested connection to an employee. These comments come from business people, consultants, attorneys, sales people, CEOs, and accountants. So, they're not simply whistling Dixie.

Here's a sampling of the comments on the rumors of a FA strike:

"Just my opinion, but a strike would be the absolute worst thing the union could do right now. I'd like to think that if the airline survives & can turn a profit (which I do believe they can if given time), then the agreements with the unions for profit sharing in exchange for concession now would be beneficial. With the positives we have seen lately & with the great performance over Thanksgiving (way to go US folks!!!!) I think we will see a turnaround. Strike now & this airline is dead."

"However, the global marketplace is changing plenty these days when it comes to labor. Several of my super-smart IT pals (many with masters degrees) with years of loyal work to global corporations have lost their jobs in the past 2 years as those jobs go to India. The few IT friends I still know locally have agreed to substantial pay cuts and benefits losses in order to just keep their jobs these days. Ouch. I hate it for them, but that's the future for some of us."

"US employees are in a tough situation and I feel badly for all of them, but I just don't see how a job action or a strike does anything positive at this moment either for their situaiton or the airline. I'm gonna hang in there as I want US to keep flying, but it's getting harder and harder to do so. Let's hope for the best for everyone."

[post="205199"][/post]​

Goes to show you that some who are not on the "inside" have NO CLUE what is going on and what is being demanded....just goes to show how STUPID many business people, consultants, attorneys, sales people, CEOs, can be...especially if they subscribe to "economic fascism", which I strongly suspect this poster does.

 

[4merresrat]

Settle for $13.00 an hour? That is insane. Most employees started at US with the promise of making "X" amount of dollars after so many years of loyalty, "X" amount of vacation and sick time, "X" amount of health care,. . . .
A promise? You have got to be joking, right? It is a business, and if the business is going bankrupt then how can they continue to pay employees over inflated salaries. I know many will jump all over me for saying this but come on. You act like it is your due, or your right to make $20.00 an hour or whatever even as the company is going under. Even if the discount airlines are paying $9.00 an hour, or comparable jobs are paying $10.00 I am not saying how the company handles everything is acceptable but Usairways does not "owe" employees X standard of living, even if you are use to X amount of dollars a paycheck, and even if you have grown accustomed to X lifestyle, and even if you are living X amount of dollars above your means!

 

[bobcat]

This company would not be in this boat if it weren't for mismanagement and greed. So now the filthy rich must figure out how to get out of this mess so they take it out on the employees when this company should have been revamping a long long time ago. As everyone keeps saying...employee concession are not going to do it.

Promises no, written in black and white yes, an agreement, terms for employment. Some hard times maybe but slitting the throats of the employees that have kept this company going year after year is down right criminal. Come on! None of this should be happening and every employee that is bitter and p###ed off has a right to be and they have a right to make or break this popsicle stand. If they want to try and keep it alive so be it. If they want to see it burn in hell so be it. What ever makes one feel ok inside is the way it should and will be no matter how much you like or do not like it.

 

[basher]

The question is, if you strike and lose your job, can you go somewhere else and even make $13.00 an hr? Unfortunately the answer is probably not. I worked in res and i understand after making $20.00 an hour, unlimited OT, even double time, lots of time off, flexibility, and good benefits, it is hard to accept losing it all. However, it seems a lot of people are willing to cut off their foot to spite the company. They say "I'll just get unemployment" etc etc. Well, the reality is it is pretty tough out there. And THERE ARE NO cushy jobs out there anymore like USAIRWAYS was for many years. There are no 45K jobs out there anymore that require no education, just perserverence and seniority. That is the reality. $13.00-16.00 an hour is not bad, if you want more you should look into going further in your education or getting some type of skill that will warrent a higher salary because unfortunately the hay days of airline pay is pretty much over.

[post="205229"][/post]​

I have a degree and could get another job. I dont make 13.00 an hour nor do many others. I make $9.12. My point is I wont bow down to corprate greed. This has become more about making a stand. If Mgnt will take a 21% then I would say we are all in this together. They are taking 1%, and that is BS. Why? Because they were the cause of this. If someone would have the balls and say, we made some bad decisions, paid too much for golden parachutes, we are going to take a pay cut to help the cause, then fine people will swallow this and move on. What we keep hearing is OUTSOURCING, take jobs away from America. Destroy the middle class, and the ones who force it on us sit at home and count their cash while we work our asses off to save this airline. I wont leave till they kick me out, and will stand up for the cause.

 

[EightySix]

I am not saying how the company handles everything is acceptable but Usairways does not "owe" employees X standard of living, even if you are use to X amount of dollars a paycheck, and even if you have grown accustomed to X lifestyle, and even if you are living X amount of dollars above your means!

[post="205301"][/post]​

Well the CEO of this company thinks that employees in management are "owed" X standard of living, X amount of dollars, and the X lifestyle. The one issue that is leaving such a bad taste in everyone's mouth is the lack of management givebacks. It's a war between classes in this case management and labor and the damage is done. Nothing they do now is going to save this airline, it will just be a matter of time before we are all gone.

 

[bobcat]

4merresrat

Who said anything about living beyond means? You know what you make and what kind of payment you can handle when you buy a home, car, charge things to a credit card, etc. When you lose almost 25% of your pay plus more on the horizen and healthcare contribution goes up significantly it's a devastating situation. I'm not talking boats, second homes, a Porsche or a wall-size high tech TV. I'm talking just living day to day.

Yes, they do owe it to the employees. The employees lived up to their part of the bargain so, management should have lived up to their part by doing their job and keeping this a viable well managed airline. THE EMPLOYEES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR MANAGEMENT'S MISTAKES WHILE MANAGEMENT CONTINUES TO RAKE IN THE BIG BUCKS AND LIVE THE HIGH LIFE!

 

[deano]

Settle for $13.00 an hour? That is insane. Most employees started at US with the promise of making "X" amount of dollars after so many years of loyalty, "X" amount of vacation and sick time, "X" amount of health care,. . . .
A promise? You have got to be joking, right? It is a business, and if the business is going bankrupt then how can they continue to pay employees over inflated salaries. I know many will jump all over me for saying this but come on. You act like it is your due, or your right to make $20.00 an hour or whatever even as the company is going under. Even if the discount airlines are paying $9.00 an hour, or comparable jobs are paying $10.00 I am not saying how the company handles everything is acceptable but Usairways does not "owe" employees X standard of living, even if you are use to X amount of dollars a paycheck, and even if you have grown accustomed to X lifestyle, and even if you are living X amount of dollars above your means!

[post="205301"][/post]​

People like you are why I was thrown off as cavalier because I loved to throttle your ice...what about the CEO's and top executives do they DESREVE millions while employees wonder how to pay utility bills...your kind of bred is why corporate America gets away with what they do. As long as you have yours and not hurting to hell with everyone else and they should take what’s handed them and not moan, that is your pathetic attitude. God help you when your personal house falls upon you.

 

[NeedForSpeedNFS]

I strongly disagree. It may not happen in a week but with a little help from our wonderful Gov…( only if company goes chap 7)……you can get a job in the medical field maybe in nursing by the way they have the same program as we did with swapping shifts and lots of OT….Or maybe in x-ray department with just 12 to 18 months you can get a job starting much more than 16.00 an hour.

[post="205246"][/post]​

Doc, your almost correct, forget about the government dole! For PIT employees who may be interested...UPMC has a program..... they will train you to be an x-ray technician. It takes just under 24 months. First year is mostly classroom,2nd year is classroom/mostly clinical(actually doing the job). You do NOT get paid while going through the course. However, after certification, you WILL get a job with UPMC. I believe you start at around $16/hour with pay going to approximately $20-21/hour. There is a 2 year commitment to UPMC after receiving your certification. If you break the commitment, total cost is around $6,000 owed to UPMC. My daughter went through this program, started working immediately after graduating. 2 months later she took a job in Naples, Florida starting at $20/hour, going to $24/hour. She works 4 tens....Wednesday,Saturday, Sunday off....daylight, she hooked a good one!!! Not A bad deal, if your willing to go through it!!....Hope this info may help someone!! NFS....GOOD DAY!!!!!

 

[4merresrat]

4merresrat

Who said anything about living beyond means?

Who said it? Well, in reading these boards, a lot of people. A lot of posters have mentioned having to file for BK etc etc. I was just commenting on the things I have read on this board. A lot of employees said they get use to a certain lifestyle, and have commented about having to file.

 

[bobcat]

It is not really a "lifestyle", which gives the impression of being well to do and having luxuries. It's living life with necessities! When 1/4 plus of your pay is snatched away, when you don't really make that much anyway, things like bankruptcy are going to be forced. That 21% plus, that paid a lot of bills, is no longer there. I'm not talking luxuries, I'm talking mortgages on modest homes, car payments on sensible cars, education, CLOTHES, FOOD, HEALTH CARE!!!!! You know the stuff "regular" middle class need to live a "regular" "basic" life. The only ones living a "lifestyle" are pilots and management! The remainder are just trying to live!

 

[MCORORES]

The fact of the matter is there are other jobs out there. Usairways does not own the job market. No you will not start out at what you make now but who cares anymore??? With a few cuts here and there WE will survive. The world and your life DOES NOT REVOLVE AROUND CCY!!!! Like I have posted b4 I will work like I have in the past and when I am gone I know I did my all and can only hope that the company might miss the revenue that I pulled in. Yes maybe someone off the street will one day be able to do all I have done but then again maybe not. The ironic thing for me is that I have never lived beyond my means. I for one hate debt. I just hate owning anyone money. Not tooting my own horn but for 13 dollars an hour would be no problem. I do understand my situation is different than others. But as basher has pointed out if management had taken the 21pct cut along with the work groups then all employees would be in it together. WE ARE NOT!!!! It is the "grunts" of this company who are being asked to take on the burden. And the only explanation we get is that they need to keep those in the Crystal Palace happy to see us through these rough waters. Ironic that it is "those" who have us here in this situation who are supposed to navigate us through this storm. For those who cry "IT IS THE PRICE OF OIL!!!" or "IT IS THE CURRENT ECONOMY!!!" I beg to differ. Good management has vision and looks beyond the problem and bad management just looks at the problem. The fact of the matter for me is that I have no faith in our management. NONE...NADA!!!! Yes in my situation I could work for this company for less than what I make now. Yep I could and do the good job that I do now. The fact is I WILL NOT. I have the choice, this company will not and cannot dicate to me. This company has become irrelevant to me just as management has deemed me irrelevant. I for one have no problem starting from the bottom once again and working my way up to another company that actually HAS FAITH AND TREATS ME LIKE AN ASSET AND NOT A LIABILITY. Bottom line is management without vision is management lost.

 

[NeedForSpeedNFS]

You know the stuff "regular" middle class need to live a "regular" "basic" life. The only ones living a "lifestyle" are pilots and management! The remainder are just trying to live!

[post="205493"][/post]​

Bob....C'mon, man!!! Class envy won't get you anywhere in life!!! The bottom line is, this whole situation SUCKS...But, take the bull by the horns, and go do something about it!! GOOD DAY!!!!!!

 

[4merresrat]

It is not really a "lifestyle", which gives the impression of being well to do and having luxuries. It's living life with necessities! When 1/4 plus of your pay is snatched away, when you don't really make that much anyway, things like bankruptcy are going to be forced. That 21% plus, that paid a lot of bills, is no longer there. I'm not talking luxuries, I'm talking mortgages on modest homes, car payments on sensible cars, education, CLOTHES, FOOD, HEALTH CARE!!!!! You know the stuff "regular" middle class need to live a "regular" "basic" life. The only ones living a "lifestyle" are pilots and management! The remainder are just trying to live!

[post="205493"][/post]​

Sorry Bobcat, Bankruptcy is never FORCED on you. It is the result of bad choices and irresponsibility. USAIRWAYS has been in trouble for a very long time. EVERY single employee knew it. It was time to start saving for a rainy day about 2 years ago. This is not something that came about suddenly. There is no excuse. The victim attitude that many of U employees take is really pitiful. Most U employees make a good salary. I am not saying living a life of luxuries, or as many of you say, boats, 2nd cars, second homes, but most employees i know anyway take several nice vacations a year, and many in res indulge in VTO WHENEVER it is offered. I am sure i will get a lot of backlash from this but it is true. Take responsibility for yourself. Saying one is "forced" into BK is such a vcopeout. No, management has not handled everything the best, but take responsibility for your life!!

 

[bobcat]

No not "class envy"....reality! I'm just putting this mess into perspective. The pilots agreed to give what they did and can still live a fairly nice life. They have room to breath. The rest have no more room to breath. There is basically nothing left at US for most employees and they ARE planning to do something about it if you get my drift.