Cwa Meeting With Management

tadjr

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Aug 19, 2002
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CWA / Management meeting 1/29/04

CWA'ers met with management representatives from Reservations, Operations and Labor Relations at our regular monthly meeting on January 29. Present for CWA were all local presidents: Chris Fox – 13302; Tina Perry – 13301; Louie Rocha – 9423; Betty Grove – 4404 Acting; James Root – 3641; Becky Gerald – 3640; John Tyler – 3140; Pam Terry – 2000; John Hanson – 1171; Tim Yost and Velvet Hawthorne – staff; Nick Manicone – attorney; and Rick Braswell – staff.

The following is the list of issues presented by CWA. Management did not present issues for discussion (No, the "new business plan" was not presented):

Pro-rata work at combined US Airways/United SFO Club – The SFO Club is scheduled for shut-down. Our contract provides that US Airways passenger service work that is combined due to an alliance with another airline (United in this case) will be assigned to US Airways employees on a pro-rata basis. However, management says the SFO US Airways Club work is not being combined with the United Club because US Airways Club members are not being offered access to the United Club – they are simply losing the SFO US Airways Club. Both parties are continuing to check the facts in this case.

WorkBrain issues - CWA'ers and management involved in the roll-out of WorkBrain will meet in BOS next week to discuss issues related to the program. BOS is the first WorkBrain station and next week is the first "live buffer" week for the program.

Corporate Policy Changes – CWA'ers objected to several provisions in the new Corporate Policy Manual distributed to employees. We stated that CWA would present a detailed, formal objection to several parts of the Manual (possibly in conjunction with other unions), but we took advantage of this meeting to present three serious issues that either violate past practice or evidentiary standards in the grievance/arbitration process, or just plain don't make sense in the modern workplace:

Management screening the employment of family members or domestic partners of US Airways employees' to determine if the family member's employment is a "conflict of interest" for the US Airway employee – way out of line;

Management randomly requiring employees to fill out a report listing their own, or other employees', "violations" of corporate policy – a fishing expedition designed to produce self-incrimination or (unsubstantiated) information about co-workers;

The recently instituted program of encouraging employees to anonymously report their co-workers to an "800" number for any real or imagined infraction – a type of system notoriously open to abuse by management or disgruntled individuals with an axe to grind.

Management at the meeting said they were not familiar with these Corporate Policy programs and would seek guidance before responding to our three issues and to the formal, written objections we submit.

Arbitration List – CWA'ers and management agreed to take further steps to clear out the backlog of cases awaiting arbitration. We agreed to set two "Global Settlement" meetings in the very near future to try to settle many of the cases listed for arbitration. CWA'ers also made several corrections to management's arbitration database.

Grievance process: timing out and deployment for 3rd level and Arbitration – CWA'ers reviewed several management practices that, in our view, are excessively bureaucratic and hinder the resolution of grievances rather than facilitate the process. Management felt most of their practices were justified, but we agreed to review several of the procedures going forward.

California FMLA – CWA'ers questioned whether US Airways has a plan for notification and implementation of the new California paid-FMLA program. CWA'ers described the outlines of the law, along with the requirement that employees be notified of the new program by management. Management present was unfamiliar with the program but committed to get back to us with their information on it.

Dividend Miles understaffing – CWA'ers presented data that understaffing at the DMSC has led to an avalanche of unanswered e-mails from Dividend Miles members (We're talking thousands and thousands of unanswered emails). This is in spite of management's use of excessive overtime and their suggestions that they will go to mandatory overtime to answer the e-mails. CWA'ers pointed out that there are over thirty DMSC reps on furlough and the obvious solution is to recall reps and eliminate the understaffing. Management present said they will dig into the situation and get back to us.

Notification to union of recalled reps and agents – Management has begun providing the union with more timely data on the number and location of recalled employees. The management list provided following this meeting shows that 223 agents and reps have been recalled from furlough since July last year.

CWA policy is to keep you informed of all meetings with management.
 
#1 #2 and #3 under corporate policy changes are typical and commonplace in the American workplace - thanks to EEOC and sexual harrassment litigation. I'm not taking sides here, but I am telling you the facts - an 800 # for folks to call in and report issues DOES significantly shield a company from litigation. Company can go to court and present this, and steps followed, as evidence that there is not a "hostile work environment". I am not a lawyer. But I have numerous friends in numerous industries and this is standard practice.

#1 seems very common sense as well. What am I missing here?

I'm actually shocked that these have not been implemented in the past 10 years or so.

If they upset you, join an organization against frivilous lawsuits - this is not USairway's fault.
 
tadjr said:
CWA / Management meeting 1/29/04
Pro-rata work at combined US Airways/United SFO Club – The SFO Club is scheduled for shut-down. Our contract provides that US Airways passenger service work that is combined due to an alliance with another airline (United in this case) will be assigned to US Airways employees on a pro-rata basis. However, management says the SFO US Airways Club work is not being combined with the United Club because US Airways Club members are not being offered access to the United Club – they are simply losing the SFO US Airways Club. Both parties are continuing to check the facts in this case.
US CLub members DO have access to RCC's currently when flying on UA. Perhaps this is the ulterior reason why we don't have access when flying US???

Maybe this is also tied into the realignment of Club fees--another boneheaded idea which is going to blow up in their faces.

I am not a conspiracy fan but perhaps this is all food for thought.

By the way we were also told that the SFO club WOULD be merged into a UA RCC.

Does anyone know when the SFO club closes? And what about realignment of the gates both at SFO and LAX???

My best to you all.....
 
hopethingswillbeok said:
What is workbrain?
It is the computerized attendance system taking over the paper trail left by admin. :p In addition to the time clock part of it, you will be able to do shift swaps and bid via the computer without having to fill out paperwork.
 
I hope the CWA does not cave...THIS TIME! I wish we were not even talking with them.
Southwest ticket agents top out at approx. $5.00 per hour more than us, NOW, after 11 years of service. I got that from a Southwest employee who told me $24.?? was their topout.
Seigel has got to find some other ways than just screwing us on our abilities to live and make a reasonable wage.
I will vote "NO" if they bring me something to vote on! Nearly 15 years without a cost-of-living raise, reduction in wages and benefits, and a sour attitude towards us tells me I have to say, "NO," even if it*s just out of pride.
I know, I know, many might say something about a little is better than nothing. I*m sorry. I have reached my defined minimum. I*m already putting together my resume.
It*s sad that things have come to this point. However, I cannot let this company stick me again. I feel like a human pin cushion at usairways. I*ve hit my bottom line and I*m sticking to it. Am very disappointed that CWA is even talking with them.
GOOD LUCK, ALL!
GOD BLESS!
 
tadjr said:
It is the computerized attendance system taking over the paper trail left by admin. :p In addition to the time clock part of it, you will be able to do shift swaps and bid via the computer without having to fill out paperwork.
Workbrain is also the company that departing "Managing Director" Elizabeth "Liz" Jackson is leaving U as of today , to go to work for.

This place operates more like the Pentagon every day...but the Pentagon is not geared to showing a profit.

The observation here is this. She endorses a program (Work Brain) that will put people out of work (Meeds Dept.)..and then she goes to work for those whom she endorsed.

This is exactly like the soon to be retiring Army General that endorses a particular item for procurement , then becomes an employee for that compnay after leaving the military.

This type situation happens all the time....but it fails to insure the procurement of the best avialable product..and at the best possible price.
 
Art at ISP said:
tadjr said:
CWA / Management meeting 1/29/04
Pro-rata work at combined US Airways/United SFO Club – The SFO Club is scheduled for shut-down. Our contract provides that US Airways passenger service work that is combined due to an alliance with another airline (United in this case) will be assigned to US Airways employees on a pro-rata basis. However, management says the SFO US Airways Club work is not being combined with the United Club because US Airways Club members are not being offered access to the United Club – they are simply losing the SFO US Airways Club. Both parties are continuing to check the facts in this case.
US CLub members DO have access to RCC's currently when flying on UA. Perhaps this is the ulterior reason why we don't have access when flying US???

Maybe this is also tied into the realignment of Club fees--another boneheaded idea which is going to blow up in their faces.

I am not a conspiracy fan but perhaps this is all food for thought.

By the way we were also told that the SFO club WOULD be merged into a UA RCC.

Does anyone know when the SFO club closes? And what about realignment of the gates both at SFO and LAX???

My best to you all.....
If I am not mistaken I believe that is ending soon.
 
CynicalResAgent said:
Art at ISP said:
tadjr said:
CWA / Management meeting 1/29/04
Pro-rata work at combined US Airways/United SFO Club – The SFO Club is scheduled for shut-down. Our contract provides that US Airways passenger service work that is combined due to an alliance with another airline (United in this case) will be assigned to US Airways employees on a pro-rata basis. However, management says the SFO US Airways Club work is not being combined with the United Club because US Airways Club members are not being offered access to the United Club – they are simply losing the SFO US Airways Club. Both parties are continuing to check the facts in this case. 
US CLub members DO have access to RCC's currently when flying on UA. Perhaps this is the ulterior reason why we don't have access when flying US???

Maybe this is also tied into the realignment of Club fees--another boneheaded idea which is going to blow up in their faces.

I am not a conspiracy fan but perhaps this is all food for thought.

By the way we were also told that the SFO club WOULD be merged into a UA RCC.

Does anyone know when the SFO club closes? And what about realignment of the gates both at SFO and LAX???

My best to you all.....
If I am not mistaken I believe that is ending soon.
Yes, access ends in September, unless we have paid the added fee. As UA has chosen NOT to impose a similar fee, and have announced NO plans to terminate access for their members in US clubs, the handwriting is on the wall.

To clarify, ONLY US has announced that THEIR members will not have access to UA clubs after 9/1, NOT the other way around.

Chalk up another one for the brain trust at CCY.
 
Art at ISP said:
By the way we were also told that the SFO club WOULD be merged into a UA RCC.
Art -

When were we officially told this? I've asked US on many occassions and always gotten a "we have no idea"-type response.