Cwa Workers Will Vote "no!" On More Concessions...

[firstamendment]

There are many out there who are crude, rude, and know-it-alls. Unfortunately, that's life. It amazes me how many really DO love the thought of hard working men and women starting over.

I am sick and tired of the "changing for the future" line of BS put out here. I don't think there is one U employee that is not painfully aware of the current state of affairs, but to act like somehow it's the norm for 40-50 year olds to start back to $20,000 a year makes me sick. This country continues to devalue the work force by indirectly telling you to move out by the time you are 40. And here lately, everyone has an opinion or wise a** remark where the employees here are concerned.

I for one will sacrifice more because I like my current lifestyle and I like my job. What is sooooooo wrong with that? Yes, liking my $41,000 a year after 17 years of loyal service to this company, 2 complaint, dozens of compliments, A scale, adult, fun loving, mindless flight attendant job. Must we at US Airways constantly be shamed or warned or whatever the hell those of you that are "concerned" beat us in the head about on here 24 hours a day? Just shut the hell up and try in your little hearts to show support for once. It is constant. WE GET IT!!! WE KNOW!! OK? NEW SUBJECT, PLEASE!!!! :angry: :angry:

 

[jetman3133]

:wacko: Well I hope you have your resume ready and you have picked up the latest help wanted ads. This is going to happen whether you like it or not, and right now, it sound like you don't like it.

This whole industry is just a big bus ride. when the bus stops, I'll get off. There is a whole world out there...open your eyes. So vent as you need to....it's all bigger than all of us.

 

[4merresrat]

FYI

The majority of the people I work with have degrees, including Masters and PhDs. Personally, I have a teaching degree majoring in Literature and minoring in communications and art. I am certified to teach Secondary English Education. I took the job as a res agent because I was not willing to move out of state and did not want to titute for peanuts. The schedule fit my needs and my spouse and I were able to both work without putting my children in day care. That has changed and I am now the sole income. I am preparing my house to sell and will move half way around the world if need be to support my family.

Well, I can assure you, there were not many (if any) people with PHD's, or masters degrees running around in res. And maybe that is why one works for an airline if they have a degree in "english" etc. you may indeed make more money working for an airline. And what you are saying certainly hasn't been what I have observed. Most I know who have lost their jobs in res have had a very hard time of it. Yes, you can get another phone job, but for 9-11.00 an hr. And they are no picnic. Most people are jolted by the harsh realities of life after U. And alot of these jobs do not offer the "cushion" that a union provides. They can't abuse FMLA and they do not have unlimited sick time, flexibility, great benefits. And if they do get fired they do not have a union who goes to bat for them and gets their job back under questionable circumstances. Most I knew in res realized they had a good job but they were miserable in it. They liked their co-workers, the benefits, and pay but hated the grind of the yes, rude demanding general public. But they stayed until the doors literally closed because they were smart enough to know they would NEVER find a job with the benefits of U.

 

[SalesGuyCCY]

Actually, the Internet can/will be able to do everything that is claimed cannot be done--infant seats, re-issues, DM # locator, award redemption, etc...it's VERY powerful and we'll see more capabilties soon.

 

[Reservation Agent]

I still don't believe the company will spend the kind of money needed to do that...
With the financial problems it has...It is still running "Windows 95", in its Res offices...lol

There is a difference between it can be done... and it really works well...

Plus, you have alot of passengers who just don't trust that what they have done on their computer is right...or that it accepted it...And some folks have older computers or don't maintain their own computer and get freezes due to their own file errors....

Even now.... people call reservations to see if it accepted...or cause they couldn't pick seats, etc..Or are confused...

I don't believe by a slight redesign and adding a few "bells & whistles" there will be much difference...By adding upgrading, the folks who don't get their upgrade will call in to ask why didn't I get it ?...Ask how else they can upgrade?...Where am I on the upgrade list? I never got an E mail...

It may make it easier for people to book domestic awards online, but now there are also a total of " 15 Star Alliance airlines" to book awards on in coach, business, & first class...for travel all over the world, Airpasses, Round the World Fares, etc....



(By posting here, I am not saying I work for USAIRWAYS...)

 

[deltawatch]

5/12/04
CWA Update: Union/Management meeting on the impact of new technology (kiosks and card readers) on passenger service employees.
CWA'ers met Wednesday, May 12, with management from labor relations, passenger service and operations to discuss the implementation of new technology (installation of card readers and additional kiosks) and to seek ways "to minimize the impact of such changes on affected Passenger Service employees," as provided for in Article 2 Section I (page 7) of our contract.
Management's plan for technology changes:
Card readers will be installed at gates in 22 cities;
Card reader installation will begin in July and should be fully implemented by September;
An additional 87 kiosks will also be installed;
Reductions in Force resulting from the automation will take place in September
Management projects they will reduce staff by the equivalent of 200 Full Time Agents system  wide (it could be a combination of FT and PT).
They estimate that those September reductions will complete the staffing reductions due to this technology.
Implementation:
The card readers will be installed right at the gates, at the jetway door, and the check-in podium will be eliminated.  Two computer terminals and printer from the check-in podium will be moved over to the gates along with the (bar code) card reader.  The gate position will retain "full functionality" according to management.  Management went to lengths to state that, "...rumors and on-line speculation in 'chat rooms' that the card readers would eliminate the need for Agents is incorrect.  The positions will be staffed by agents."
Management stated that the card readers will produce labor savings primarily in eliminating duplicate seat assignments, over boarding, and other errors, and in processing and transmitting the data related to the boarding.  They also stated that US Airways is the last of the large carriers to implement card readers at the jetway, and that the other carriers had been doing it for some time.

The CWA proposal to lessen the impact on passenger service employment:
End all airport subcontracting of passenger service and passenger service related jobs and assign that work to US Airways employees.  Even at lower paid classifications, those positions would save some jobs at affected airports.
A. Non-TSA ticket verification positions at security checkpoints should be performed by US Airways passenger service employees; 
B. Any curbside check-in should be performed by passenger service employees as soon as existing company-to-company contracts can be amended to relieve contractual obligations to existing skycap companies.
 Encourage senior employees to volunteer for early retirement by instituting the following "early out" offer at airports where staffing is expected to be reduced by the implementation of new technology:
A. Eligibility: employees age 50 or more with 15 or more years of service.
B. Offer:
i.   Normal retiree healthcare coverage;
ii.  Normal retiree lifetime travel privileges;
iii. An amount equal to the employee's normal furlough allowance plus $15,000
C. Status: An employee accepting this offer will be placed on retired status with no right to recall.
Note: Every top-scale agent or rep who is replaced by a new-hire saves the company almost $130,000 over 5 years.  A buy-out plan like this, if instituted two years ago, could have saved the company millions and resulted in a much lower-seniority workforce.
Offer a Voluntary Furlough package to employees at locations where there will be force reductions due to the new technology:
A. Ability to remain on voluntary furlough for up to two years, with the right to return to former position each six months;
B. No furlough allowance to be paid, but company will not contest Unemployment Compensation;
C. Medical coverage to continue, with the employee paying the normal premium for active employee.
In addition, CWA'ers made the following points about management's eagerness to eliminate passenger service jobs:
Executives' statements that kiosks and card readers are being installed to "enhance the airport experience" for passengers are not accurate - eliminating agent positions is clearly the primary goal.
There is a huge resentment in the workforce over management's attitude that the employees who made this airline are expendable. Over 3,000 Agents and Reps have already been furloughed, and hundreds of others part-timed or reduced to Express Agent. 
Management continues to invest scarce capital in automation designed specifically to eliminate jobs.  It's one thing when jobs are eliminated due to 9/11 and restructuring...it's something else when management is eager to invest in plans that eliminate employees.
Where is the humanity in this company?  When do our executives acknowledge that their drive to furlough employees has caused lifetime damage to thousands of people and their families.  Where is the commitment to put employees' interests on a par with the interests of executives and investors? 
The relentless drive to cut passenger service agents and reservations agents will come back to haunt US Airways.  Customers who have paid several hundred dollars for a product do not want to be herded, put on hold, told to use a machine when they want answers, or face an endless line because a position is understaffed.  There will come a day when airlines will again compete on quality and service and US Airways will be way behind the curve.
Management has our proposals and will review them, cost them out, and respond to us in another meeting. 
Management also agrees to set up a meeting to discuss the impact on our MDA passenger service jobs due to the Pilots' recent agreement allow aircraft slated for MidAtlantic to be delivered to other airlines.
We'll keep you informed.
CWA Local Officers and Staff 

 

[youngblood]

4Merresrat,

You obviously have no clue what you are talking about and do not know many people who work in reservations. I work with a gentleman who just completed his Masters and is juggling a part time job in his field and a fulltime job at U. A young lady I know is close to completing her Masters. Another in CSD has a PhD. I have a BA in English. I have direct contact with many people every day who have either furthered their education while working for U or did so prior to U and took on a job there while looking for a position in their field. Ironically, a lot of these people stayed because they liked the job. They enjoyed the benefits. Something you will never comprehend.

Personally, I took the job because I needed something to fit my husband's work schedule. You see, when I had children I was in the position to quit teaching for a while and stay home with my children. Ironically, since I was out of the teaching circle, it was difficult to find a another position once my children started reaching school age. Especially because schools wanted to hire fresh out of college at a lower salary or their brother's neice's nephew. Politics in the North East is a killer when you're a teacher.

The fact is this. Most people stayed because they liked the job or learned to like the job. We have 5 sick days, 75% vacation pay, higher premiums than most, and most do not abuse FMLA. What unlimited benefits are you talking about? The laborers of this company have built a reputation on being more professional than most. We have invested blood, sweat, and tears. So forgive us, if at this moment we feel obligated to ride it to the end and get our just rewards. I have already been in the unemployment line and am not scared to face it once again. This time I am prepared - as are most of my collegues. Perhaps you should keep an eye on your position. We might just underbid your salary by a few thousand and save your employer money. That is - if you actually have a job.

P.S. Do not imply I am a liar. I will be tempted to make you look silly. When I say I work with people with Phds and Masters, I mean it.

 

[OldGuyinPA]

You know ...as you get older you realize how wrong assumptions are. Most agents have far more skills and education than you think. Most of those skills are current and marketable. We'll soon find out.

Ex Business Owner.....BYCU

 

[4merresrat]

What unlimited benefits are you talking about? The laborers of this company have built a reputation on being more professional than most. We have invested blood, sweat, and tears. So forgive us, if at this moment we feel obligated to ride it to the end and get our just rewards. I have already been in the unemployment line and am not scared to face it once again. This time I am prepared - as are most of my collegues. Perhaps you should keep an eye on your position. We might just underbid your salary by a few thousand and save your employer money. That is - if you actually have a job.

P.S. Do not imply I am a liar. I will be tempted to make you look silly. When I say I work with people with Phds and Masters, I mean it.

Honey, if you don't know the benefits you have with US, then there is no use pointing them out to you. In fact, you yourself actually listed quite a few of them in your rather hostile defensive post. "You will be tempted to make me look silly," if that is a threat then, please do. I don't know where you work but if you do not believe FMLA is abused then you are quite naive, or insulated, or have your head buried in the sand. I stand by my point, most in res do not have advanced degrees, and most will end up working low-end type jobs if US goes under. Most are middle-aged and unskilled. If that offends you I am sorry. If you have an English degree good for you. Having marketable skills is different than having a degree. Yes, alot of people with liberal arts degrees and English degrees may have been able to make more money working for an airline than trying to find a job using that degree. But the key work is "have been" the hayday of airlines jobs is, unfortunately over.

 

[Bradly71]

Honey, if you don't know the benefits you have with US, then there is no use pointing them out to you. In fact, you yourself actually listed quite a few of them in your rather hostile defensive post. "You will be tempted to make me look silly," if that is a threat then, please do. I don't know where you work but if you do not believe FMLA is abused then you are quite naive, or insulated, or have your head buried in the sand. I stand by my point, most in res do not have advanced degrees, and most will end up working low-end type jobs if US goes under. Most are middle-aged and unskilled. If that offends you I am sorry. If you have an English degree good for you. Having marketable skills is different than having a degree. Yes, alot of people with liberal arts degrees and English degrees may have been able to make more money working for an airline than trying to find a job using that degree. But the key work is "have been" the hayday of airlines jobs is, unfortunately over.

Ya know... in reading these posts it never fails that one person will get personal and rude instead of admitting they were mistaken. So, if you can't beat them - join them.

As a former CSD/RES/ATO agent I must agree with the majority. Go down with the ship. I was lucky and found a job (thanks to the masters degree I obtained while working for US) that actually pays quite a bit more than I was making, and it is on the phone. Sure, the benefits don't match what I had at US, but they aren't that bad. In fact, they are better than what you have at US now. There are jobs out there, plenty of them. At this point many warehouse jobs that require no rational thought process pay better than what a majority of agents are making. Why would you make fun of unskilled labor and the jobs they have? Isn't it more respectable to earn your keep than take a handout, regardless of how you earn it?

4merresrats' posts are actually funny in way. You sound exactly like the kind of agent that always got complaints for their attitude and unwillingness to help anyone. You are either very young and naive or one of those "jurasic park'ers" that have been with US for 100 years and became part of the furniture, until they were forced out without ever planing for the "what if's" that life brings.

Just because you think that you know more than anyone who has posted thus far or are somehow a better person does not give you the right to attempt to belittle others. You are all working towards the same goal, keeping your job, keeping your benefits, and making it. Take a pill (preferably a downer) and chill.... life is too short. h34r:

 

[ktflyhome]

Ovisously, First Amendment, if you have 17 years and are making a whopping $41,000 a year, you are a Block Holder. I too love my job, but I wonder what your vote would be, if you were stripped of your Block and on Reserve Time Balancing and never breaking guarantee??? You sit in a time wharp, afraid to make a move, for fear that scheduling will call at any given moment. It is extremely difficult to maintain a second job to compensate for the extreme pay cut and scheduling issues.I too, have had many good letters, I too have enjoyed the oportunity to fly and meet people. Reserves on this new Time Balancing have less of a life now, then ever before. On top of it all we have NO SENORITY. I can't imagine what else the company could take away from reserves that they haven't all ready, except for a job PERIOD, which looks like the way things are heading. <_<

 

[4merresrat]

4merresrats' posts are actually funny in way. You sound exactly like the kind of agent that always got complaints for their attitude and unwillingness to help anyone. You are either very young and naive or one of those "jurasic park'ers" that have been with US for 100 years and became part of the furniture, until they were forced out without ever planing for the "what if's" that life brings.

Just because you think that you know more than anyone who has posted thus far or are somehow a better person does not give you the right to attempt to belittle others. You are all working towards the same goal, keeping your job, keeping your benefits, and making it. Take a pill (preferably a downer) and chill.... life is too short. h34r:

Bradly 71, since you have told me what amazes you... let me tell you what amazes me. Anytime someone disagrees with YOU, instead of presenting your side in a coherent way, you must insult and try and put down anyone who dares disagree with you. Name calling is immature and petty. No, I am not an older agent but to call senior agents "jurasica parkers" is insulting, not to me but to other agents. Ya know, Bradly you don't have to have high seniority to be bitter and have a bad attitude. Actually, when I was in res I realized what a great paying job it was. I appreciated the flexibility, the beneifits and the perks. The sad thing is, many agents, and obviously you included are at a party and don't even realize it, but the party may be over soon. Also, I find it almost sad that you have to trott out your degree, "I finished up my masters." Well, bully for you! With a disagreeable attitude like yours no wonder you couldn't find a job in you field

 

[scot]

Now that we know what amazes everyone, can we please return to the topic at hand and knock of the personal comments? Take it to PM if you want to continue.
Thanks.

 

[Bradly71]

Bradly 71, since you have told me what amazes you... let me tell you what amazes me. Anytime someone disagrees with YOU, instead of presenting your side in a coherent way, you must insult and try and put down anyone who dares disagree with you. Name calling is immature and petty. No, I am not an older agent but to call senior agents "jurasica parkers" is insulting, not to me but to other agents. Ya know, Bradly you don't have to have high seniority to be bitter and have a bad attitude. Actually, when I was in res I realized what a great paying job it was. I appreciated the flexibility, the beneifits and the perks. The sad thing is, many agents, and obviously you included are at a party and don't even realize it, but the party may be over soon. Also, I find it almost sad that you have to trott out your degree, "I finished up my masters." Well, bully for you! With a disagreeable attitude like yours no wonder you couldn't find a job in you field

:blink: Oooookay then. My point is proven, thank you very much.

As you can see from my statistics, I'm more of a "lurker" than a "poster", so where you get this information that I don't put anything coherently and only insult when people disagree with me is beyond me.

To clarify for the intelectually challenged - I worked full time at US while going to school to finish my Bachelors degree and then complete my Masters degree. They both came in quite handy when our center was closed by US. I said nothing about not finding a job in my field of study. What I did say is that I had a job on the phones, nothing about it not being in my field. My field is insurance law, therefore I spend a great deal of time on the phones. By jumping to conclussions you do yourself no good. The term "Jurasic Park'er" is no more insulting than the attitude you take in your posts. I am beginning to wonder if you really were or are a reservations agent but rather a F/A based out of Philadelphia (reference to an old joke - and yes THAT was an insult).

I really don't mind people who disagree with anyone, just as long as they understand the facts. Misquoting someone and twisting things to serve your own purpose only makes you look foolish. If anyone here is immature and petty, it is you my dear. Regardless though, this is a free forum on which we may express our thoughts in regards to the topic without hinderance of any kind. So, please, feel free at this point to use the forum to tell us again how everyone on here is wrong and you are almighty and correct. We shall sit back and enjoy ourselves while reading the latest amusing entry.

On the subject at hand though - I don't see why CWA shouldn't approve anymore concessions. I realize that isn't the sentiment of the majority, but by giving a bit more you could win in the long run. It does come down to a personal decision though. If you can't live with the cuts at all, then you'd have to look for other options. There is also the chance that even with the cuts, the jobs go away. If the company goes under or is "merged" there is a very good chance you would get no benefits at all. It's a just a chance you have to decide if you want to take or not.

As for the automation issue, I don't see that happening either. Older travelers and the once a year travelers would never feel comfortable using the Internet or Kiosks to handle things. They would be better served by a friendly face and attitude, not a monitor and keyboard. The cost side would be a bit prohibitive as well. The costs to implement them system wide would be hard to justify. Then, the costs for fixing them when they break (and they will) would be high too.

The best end would be for both sides to give a little and meet in the middle. Is that likely to happen, probably not. The best of luck to those that remain.. you'll need it. But always remember, it's just a job after all..and there are others.

 

[4merresrat]

Well, Brad, I guess the insults and name calling continues... Even with the request from Scot to stop the personal name-calling and insults. I guess even with all your "advanced degrees" following directions in not one of your strong suites. Ta Ta Oh pompous one.