CWA US Airways Update 11-18-04
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Additional stories are on www.CWA.net
Bankruptcy hearing on management’s motion to eliminate the union contracts will be held on December 2... Negotiations momentum has been lost because of management contracting-out demands...
Management ‘s last proposal (posted at cwa.net) still has several extreme demands, including the demand to contract out US Airways’ reservations work to non-US Airways employees at other companies. Management’s proposal would use our Early Out plan to gain enough votes to ratify a contract that would undermine the pay, job security and work rules of the remaining workforce for years to come. Here are some of management’s proposals:
Cut pay scales then move down 2 steps on the scale, then freeze at that level until November 2006. Here’s how it would work for somebody at top scale today: You would drop from $20.05 per hour to $16.30 per hour, then in December 2006 you would move up one step to $17 per hour. In December 2007 you would move up to $18.60 per hour.
If you are furloughed, when you are recalled you would be reduced at least two steps below your pay level when you were furloughed.
Customer contact premium would be eliminated after two years
Holidays cut to 5 per year
Vacation weeks cut (2 at top seniority), but paid at 100%
All shift premiums eliminated
Double time OT eliminated
Straight time pay for holidays worked
Relocation allowance eliminated
Sick days paid at 50% pay
A new classification, Ready Reserve, can be scheduled like part-timers, but they are only paid at the first step ($8.72) forever. This couldlead to regular agents being replaced by the low paid Ready Reserve agents if we don't get safeguards in the agreement, and management is resisting those safeguards.
Management would force out res agents by consolidating the two res centers, then permanently contract out the work as agents quit, retire or are discharged. This will provide a big incentive for management to pressure res agents to leave or to discipline them at an accelerated rate to force them out, so management can contract out more work. It would also allow management to leave the remaining res reps with weekends and other desirable shifts while contracting out the better shifts.
Retire Medical is cut from a maximum of 10 years of coverage to a maximum of 3 years. Premiums will be increased in a way that is different for each group. For example, passenger service retirees will pay about twice as much as a pilot for the same level of coverage. You must pay for the plan with banked sick days.
The very extreme part of management’s demand is that, even after US Airways employees have our pay and benefits cut to below the average of the Low Cost Carriers (America West, Jet Blue, AirTran and Southwest), management would still contract out our jobs (res) or bring in underpaid Ready Reserves to take our work (airports).
We are still working on proposals this week. The Bankruptcy hearing will be on December 2, 3, 9, 10, 14, 16, and 17. The judge is on vacation from December 17 until January.
We'll keep you informed...
CWA Local Offiers and Staff
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
Tell-a-friend!
| | | Inbox
PLEASE POST AND DISTRIBUTE TO YOUR CO-WORKERS
Additional stories are on www.CWA.net
Bankruptcy hearing on management’s motion to eliminate the union contracts will be held on December 2... Negotiations momentum has been lost because of management contracting-out demands...
Management ‘s last proposal (posted at cwa.net) still has several extreme demands, including the demand to contract out US Airways’ reservations work to non-US Airways employees at other companies. Management’s proposal would use our Early Out plan to gain enough votes to ratify a contract that would undermine the pay, job security and work rules of the remaining workforce for years to come. Here are some of management’s proposals:
Cut pay scales then move down 2 steps on the scale, then freeze at that level until November 2006. Here’s how it would work for somebody at top scale today: You would drop from $20.05 per hour to $16.30 per hour, then in December 2006 you would move up one step to $17 per hour. In December 2007 you would move up to $18.60 per hour.
If you are furloughed, when you are recalled you would be reduced at least two steps below your pay level when you were furloughed.
Customer contact premium would be eliminated after two years
Holidays cut to 5 per year
Vacation weeks cut (2 at top seniority), but paid at 100%
All shift premiums eliminated
Double time OT eliminated
Straight time pay for holidays worked
Relocation allowance eliminated
Sick days paid at 50% pay
A new classification, Ready Reserve, can be scheduled like part-timers, but they are only paid at the first step ($8.72) forever. This couldlead to regular agents being replaced by the low paid Ready Reserve agents if we don't get safeguards in the agreement, and management is resisting those safeguards.
Management would force out res agents by consolidating the two res centers, then permanently contract out the work as agents quit, retire or are discharged. This will provide a big incentive for management to pressure res agents to leave or to discipline them at an accelerated rate to force them out, so management can contract out more work. It would also allow management to leave the remaining res reps with weekends and other desirable shifts while contracting out the better shifts.
Retire Medical is cut from a maximum of 10 years of coverage to a maximum of 3 years. Premiums will be increased in a way that is different for each group. For example, passenger service retirees will pay about twice as much as a pilot for the same level of coverage. You must pay for the plan with banked sick days.
The very extreme part of management’s demand is that, even after US Airways employees have our pay and benefits cut to below the average of the Low Cost Carriers (America West, Jet Blue, AirTran and Southwest), management would still contract out our jobs (res) or bring in underpaid Ready Reserves to take our work (airports).
We are still working on proposals this week. The Bankruptcy hearing will be on December 2, 3, 9, 10, 14, 16, and 17. The judge is on vacation from December 17 until January.
We'll keep you informed...
CWA Local Offiers and Staff
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
Tell-a-friend!