CWA President Morty Bahr meets with US Airways CEO Dave Siegel...
CWA President Morty Bahr, CWA's US Airways BOD member Magdalena Jacobsen, and CWA staff met with US Airways CEO Dave Siegel and Senior VP for Employee Relations Jerry Glass in Crystal City today.
The executives said they had requested the meeting to review the status of US Airways’ restructuring process and to alert CWA that management is undertaking a review of the company’s business plan and expects to make significant changes to the plan in order to better address various market realities. They said Southwest’s entry into the Philadelphia market was one catalyst for the review of the business plan.
The executives described that many of the trends benefiting JetBlue, Southwest and other carriers are proving to be structural and permanent rather than the normal, cyclical changes experienced in the past. They acknowledged that it is not realistic to try to achieve JetBlue-like costs, but they intend to come up with a competitive plan. They offered no particulars of the modified business plan – they say they are just beginning the process – but said they will review the new plan with the unions as it is evolved. They said they expect to have preliminary ideas on the new plan in mid-December.
CWA'ers raised several additional questions with the executives:
Merger: CWA'ers questioned whether recent public statements by CEO Dave Siegel about industry consolidation indicated that management is looking to sell or merge the airline. We asked specifically if there were any merger or sale discussions or approaches going on. The answer from the executives was an unequivocal “Noâ€.
MidAtlantic: CWA'ers described that there is a suspicion that something is wrong with MDA or that MDA plans have been sidetracked or changed. CWA reminded the executives that the pledge of MDA jobs for furloughed employees was the major component in the two concession agreements, and that we have yet to see any of those jobs. Executives said that MDA is definitely on track, and that roll-out may be delayed short-term (by up to two months), but there is no financial or technical impediment to MDA.
Airport Rage: CWA'ers asked that management join with the union in an effort against airport rage that would include two components: 1) jointly approaching airport authorities to publicize the federal airport rage law in their airports; and 2) jointly urging federal prosecution, rather than local prosecution, in cases where airport rage results in physical aggression or injury of an agent. Executives seemed open and receptive to the suggestion of a joint program and said they would respond early next week.
Employee Relations: CWA'ers told executives that US Airways management/employee relations at an all time low, and that CWA'ers believe there is an aggressively negative style of labor relations in the company at this time. Examples of management’s unilateral approach and unwillingness to compromise were cited. Management, for their part, stated that they feel the union(s) are too negative toward management. Executives stated that they intend to take prompt, definite steps to change the atmosphere and asked that the union participate in establishing more cooperative management/employee relations. We agreed.
Passenger Service Employee Survey: CWA'ers took advantage of the meeting to present the results of the Lauer Research passenger service employee poll to executives. We reviewed the results showing that agents and reps feel customer service has declined drastically, that there is understaffing, that 95% are opposed to further concessions, and that 49% of airport workers have experienced or seen an airport rage incident in the last six months. We said we think these employee opinions are significant and should be taken as input in the executives’ decisions and in discussions with the union. The executives listened, and said they would review the survey results.
Source: cwa.net 11/14/2003
What I find interesting is "They expect to have preliminary ideas on the new plan in mid-December. What have they been doing this whole time? (Thats a rhetorical question, I've seen what they've been doing myself).
CWA President Morty Bahr, CWA's US Airways BOD member Magdalena Jacobsen, and CWA staff met with US Airways CEO Dave Siegel and Senior VP for Employee Relations Jerry Glass in Crystal City today.
The executives said they had requested the meeting to review the status of US Airways’ restructuring process and to alert CWA that management is undertaking a review of the company’s business plan and expects to make significant changes to the plan in order to better address various market realities. They said Southwest’s entry into the Philadelphia market was one catalyst for the review of the business plan.
The executives described that many of the trends benefiting JetBlue, Southwest and other carriers are proving to be structural and permanent rather than the normal, cyclical changes experienced in the past. They acknowledged that it is not realistic to try to achieve JetBlue-like costs, but they intend to come up with a competitive plan. They offered no particulars of the modified business plan – they say they are just beginning the process – but said they will review the new plan with the unions as it is evolved. They said they expect to have preliminary ideas on the new plan in mid-December.
CWA'ers raised several additional questions with the executives:
Merger: CWA'ers questioned whether recent public statements by CEO Dave Siegel about industry consolidation indicated that management is looking to sell or merge the airline. We asked specifically if there were any merger or sale discussions or approaches going on. The answer from the executives was an unequivocal “Noâ€.
MidAtlantic: CWA'ers described that there is a suspicion that something is wrong with MDA or that MDA plans have been sidetracked or changed. CWA reminded the executives that the pledge of MDA jobs for furloughed employees was the major component in the two concession agreements, and that we have yet to see any of those jobs. Executives said that MDA is definitely on track, and that roll-out may be delayed short-term (by up to two months), but there is no financial or technical impediment to MDA.
Airport Rage: CWA'ers asked that management join with the union in an effort against airport rage that would include two components: 1) jointly approaching airport authorities to publicize the federal airport rage law in their airports; and 2) jointly urging federal prosecution, rather than local prosecution, in cases where airport rage results in physical aggression or injury of an agent. Executives seemed open and receptive to the suggestion of a joint program and said they would respond early next week.
Employee Relations: CWA'ers told executives that US Airways management/employee relations at an all time low, and that CWA'ers believe there is an aggressively negative style of labor relations in the company at this time. Examples of management’s unilateral approach and unwillingness to compromise were cited. Management, for their part, stated that they feel the union(s) are too negative toward management. Executives stated that they intend to take prompt, definite steps to change the atmosphere and asked that the union participate in establishing more cooperative management/employee relations. We agreed.
Passenger Service Employee Survey: CWA'ers took advantage of the meeting to present the results of the Lauer Research passenger service employee poll to executives. We reviewed the results showing that agents and reps feel customer service has declined drastically, that there is understaffing, that 95% are opposed to further concessions, and that 49% of airport workers have experienced or seen an airport rage incident in the last six months. We said we think these employee opinions are significant and should be taken as input in the executives’ decisions and in discussions with the union. The executives listened, and said they would review the survey results.
Source: cwa.net 11/14/2003
What I find interesting is "They expect to have preliminary ideas on the new plan in mid-December. What have they been doing this whole time? (Thats a rhetorical question, I've seen what they've been doing myself).
