CWA/Teamster labor thread -
- Thread starter Edward
- Start date
awaflyboy
Member
Reducing staff at several stations:
Dear Fellow Employees,
I am writing this afternoon to share with you some information about the need to make staffing reductions at 11 stations. While we normally wait until after the affected employees are notified to make these types of announcements, we felt we should clarify and share the news with everyone in light of circulating rumors and the resulting uneasiness they have created.
The reductions, which affect 54 airport customer service and 122 fleet service employees, are occurring in Boston, Buffalo, Burbank, El Paso, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Memphis, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Rochester and San Jose. These changes mean approximately 175 airport customer service and fleet service employees will have the option to move to other locations across our system or move to a furloughed status. At this time there are sufficient openings throughout the system so that all impacted employees can move to different locations and continue in their active status if they so desired.
This difficult decision was driven by several factors. These include reduced flying in specific markets as a result of schedule adjustments, significantly low attrition rates resulting in overstaffing in some stations, and the discontinuance of mainline employees handling ramp functions for Express flying at two mainline stations.
Because this news comes early in the year and at a time when the airline industry is operating profitably sends a confusing message, so I want to take a moment to explain. Each year, and throughout the year, we regularly adjust flying which creates changes in the staffing needed to handle our flight schedule. In years past, normal attrition rates (people leaving US Airways permanently) meant we wouldn’t have extra people on the payroll as we shifted that flying around. Today that simply isn’t the case given the economic conditions of the past few years. People are postponing retirement and working longer for their current employer. Also, people who used to leave one employer, US Airways for instance, to transition to another company or job are no longer doing so; rather they’re choosing to stay where they are. Both of these factors have contributed to overstaffing in cities where flights have been reduced, and this overstaffing creates unnecessary costs that we simply can’t continue to absorb.
While US Airways is performing well today, this comes after two years of significant losses. Our economy remains in an extremely fragile position. We have to constantly look for ways to operate efficiently with the goal of stable employment for as many of our employees as economically possible.
We will do our best to minimize the impact this action imposes on our colleagues. Meetings are currently being held in some locations today and others will be held throughout the day tomorrow at the affected stations where specific employee impact will be discussed. Those who are directly affected by this announcement will be receiving options as outlined in their collective bargaining agreements very soon, and company representatives will also be on hand in the coming days to provide more information.
We appreciate the contributions to US Airways everyone has made over the years and especially those made by the people who are affected by the changes we are announcing today. Thank you for all that you are doing to take care of our customers.
Sincerely,
Robert
Dear Fellow Employees,
I am writing this afternoon to share with you some information about the need to make staffing reductions at 11 stations. While we normally wait until after the affected employees are notified to make these types of announcements, we felt we should clarify and share the news with everyone in light of circulating rumors and the resulting uneasiness they have created.
The reductions, which affect 54 airport customer service and 122 fleet service employees, are occurring in Boston, Buffalo, Burbank, El Paso, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Memphis, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Rochester and San Jose. These changes mean approximately 175 airport customer service and fleet service employees will have the option to move to other locations across our system or move to a furloughed status. At this time there are sufficient openings throughout the system so that all impacted employees can move to different locations and continue in their active status if they so desired.
This difficult decision was driven by several factors. These include reduced flying in specific markets as a result of schedule adjustments, significantly low attrition rates resulting in overstaffing in some stations, and the discontinuance of mainline employees handling ramp functions for Express flying at two mainline stations.
Because this news comes early in the year and at a time when the airline industry is operating profitably sends a confusing message, so I want to take a moment to explain. Each year, and throughout the year, we regularly adjust flying which creates changes in the staffing needed to handle our flight schedule. In years past, normal attrition rates (people leaving US Airways permanently) meant we wouldn’t have extra people on the payroll as we shifted that flying around. Today that simply isn’t the case given the economic conditions of the past few years. People are postponing retirement and working longer for their current employer. Also, people who used to leave one employer, US Airways for instance, to transition to another company or job are no longer doing so; rather they’re choosing to stay where they are. Both of these factors have contributed to overstaffing in cities where flights have been reduced, and this overstaffing creates unnecessary costs that we simply can’t continue to absorb.
While US Airways is performing well today, this comes after two years of significant losses. Our economy remains in an extremely fragile position. We have to constantly look for ways to operate efficiently with the goal of stable employment for as many of our employees as economically possible.
We will do our best to minimize the impact this action imposes on our colleagues. Meetings are currently being held in some locations today and others will be held throughout the day tomorrow at the affected stations where specific employee impact will be discussed. Those who are directly affected by this announcement will be receiving options as outlined in their collective bargaining agreements very soon, and company representatives will also be on hand in the coming days to provide more information.
We appreciate the contributions to US Airways everyone has made over the years and especially those made by the people who are affected by the changes we are announcing today. Thank you for all that you are doing to take care of our customers.
Sincerely,
Robert
Are these reductions in customer service due to outsourcing or reduction in flights
NO! THIS IS NOT A KIDDING MATTER
Is the company contracting out the "above wing" operation at any of these stations?
So, it is your belief the company did this because the passenger service agents(you)? got a raise
Was your station protected ?
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11012/1117273-455.stm
The airline will eliminate more than 70 fleet service jobs and 18 ticketing and gate jobs at Pittsburgh International Airport, dealing yet another blow to a region that has suffered loss after loss at the hands of the carrier.
Gregory Bodrog, outgoing president of Lodge 1044 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said Tuesday that 65 full-time and 11 part-time fleet service workers will lose their jobs in March as part of the reductions.
The affected Pittsburgh employees now service US Airways mainline jets and those operated by commuter affiliates Republic Airlines and Chautauqua Airlines, Mr. Bodrog said.
US Airways workers who will still have jobs in Pittsburgh will service only US Airways mainline jets, he said. He added he's not aware of any flights being eliminated as a result of the layoffs.
Mr. Bodrog suspects the Republic and Chautauqua work will be subcontracted out to people making lower wages than the US Airways workers, who earn an average of $19 an hour. He said the union is powerless to do anything about the layoffs under the contracts negotiated during the last US Airways bankruptcy.
"We don't feel good about it," he said of the cuts. "Contractually, we can't do anything about it until August [when the contracts expire]."
formerislandgirl
Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2009
- Messages
- 13
- Reaction score
- 1
As this sad news is being announced. I returned to work in a Station away from my home, just to get back before furloughed expired. They are hiring off the street a part time person and will not let me transfer into this position, because have not been at new Station at least six months. The City they are hiring in, is much closer to my home. I have 26 years with the Company.
They say it's because of the CWA contract. But when I arrived at the Station where I am working, I could not work extra hours, shift trade and ect. for six weeks. This was after going to new hire class and receiving 99 percent average. Union finally gave me an answer and said this should be allowed to work extra hours and shift trades, advised me about this after my six weeks were up. Lost many extra hours because of this. I did not come back a new hire.
They say it's because of the CWA contract. But when I arrived at the Station where I am working, I could not work extra hours, shift trade and ect. for six weeks. This was after going to new hire class and receiving 99 percent average. Union finally gave me an answer and said this should be allowed to work extra hours and shift trades, advised me about this after my six weeks were up. Lost many extra hours because of this. I did not come back a new hire.
formerislandgirl
Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2009
- Messages
- 13
- Reaction score
- 1
No, this was not an EO position I accepted, it was non eo part time
The Man
Advanced
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2007
- Messages
- 123
- Reaction score
- 29
Losing 3 full timers and 16 part timers here in BOS customer service. No flight reductions. We were all ready struggling with the staffing levels. I guess Tempe has all the answers. So to all flight crews, we'll get you a jetway driver as soon as we can.
......and the CWA says.......................nothing.
......and the CWA says.......................nothing.
As I continue to say....
Replace them...Have you considered the TWU?
Our p/t work a 4.0 hr shift.
If you work the am gates, you have 2 agents..No problem...until the flt cancels or delays....after your 7am dep, you have to head to the ticket counter, for maybe 10-15 min, take your break, head back to the gates work 2.5 trips, till the full time arrives..then its quitting time.
I'm done busting my butt..I will do my job to the best I can...
This indeed is a different company...
The CWA is USELESS
Replace them...Have you considered the TWU?
Our p/t work a 4.0 hr shift.
If you work the am gates, you have 2 agents..No problem...until the flt cancels or delays....after your 7am dep, you have to head to the ticket counter, for maybe 10-15 min, take your break, head back to the gates work 2.5 trips, till the full time arrives..then its quitting time.
I'm done busting my butt..I will do my job to the best I can...
This indeed is a different company...
The CWA is USELESS
Kev3188
Veteran
PAFCA is geared toward dispatchers and operations control employees. I'm not sure they're looking to represent fleet/customer service groups.
Similar threads
- Locked
