F/a Recalls..will They Happen?

[Flyboy4u]

Has anyone on the line heard anything about recalls happening anytime soon? I keep hearing rumors that the first group could happen before the holidays, but again these are rumors. AA keeps adding all of these flights and they seem to already be short flight attendants. Any info would greatly be appreciated.

 

[operaations]

I bet we dont see a recall until we see moren than three straight quarters of profitability

 

[TransWorldFirst]

Even if SOME recalls happen, which IMO is doubtful, with no furlough pay what you now have is a seasonal workforce. Recall-furlough-recall-furlough; with no financial penalty for AA to break the cycle. John Ward was so intent on giving the TWAers an extra helping of sand in the vaseline, you naatives got plenty yourselves. Lots of luck.

TransWorldFirst

 

[meechy36]

Don't forget before the first furloughed flight attendant can be recalled, all the people on Partnerships and Overage leaves have to be recalled first.

I know it sucks but that is the order of recall.

Mike-BOS

 

[Flyboy4u]

Yes but with the company already short flight attendants, don't you suspect those overage leaves, and partnerships to be cancelled fairly soon.? Rumors are flying again that a large recall will happen sometime before the holidays. With the attrition numbers and the addition of so many new flights something has got to happen. I know of already five resignations alone out of MIA.

 

[TWAnr]

Yes but with the company already short flight attendants, don't you suspect those overage leaves, and partnerships to be canceled fairly soon.?

I have a vague recollection that several hundred flight attendants, who are currently on Overage Leave of Absence (OVL), are due to return to the line in November. Unless a new proffer for such leaves is extended prior to such time, their return should alleviate some of the expected (wo)manpower shortage during the holidays.

Keeping in mind the CBA provisions that OVL and Partnership Flying must both be canceled before anyone is recalled from furlough and taking into consideration the number of flight attendants who participate in these programs, I would be very surprised if anyone is recalled from furlough in the next couple of years. I doubt that anyone from the ranks of TWA LLC will ever be recalled. The company would rather struggle with staffing shortages, until the five years recall period expires, in order to be able to employ new hires off the street, at beginning wages, instead of recalling those at the top of the pay scale.

 

[Flyboy4u]

I actually beg to differ and I hope I am correct. 5 years is along time and I would suspect to see TWA f/a's return to the line within that period. Also, there are a lot of those currently on Overage leaves who will never return to the line. The industry is already rebounding and if they think the sick list is high now wait until the holidays hit. Keep in mind, flights are being added back to the schedule almost on a weekly basis, and attrition is consistently taking place. There will be a point in time when they have no choice to recall. If it doesnt happen by the holidays I guarntee is has to happen by spring '04.

 

[MiAAmi]

Yes but with the company already short flight attendants, don't you suspect those overage leaves, and partnerships to be cancelled fairly soon.? Rumors are flying again that a large recall will happen sometime before the holidays. With the attrition numbers and the addition of so many new flights something has got to happen. I know of already five resignations alone out of MIA.

There may seem to be a lot of new flights but remember alot of those flights are made possible by the downsizing of STL.

 

[L1011Ret]

They have to cancel a total of about 2000 overage leaves and partner flying and then about 1000 nAAtive F/As before getting to TWA F/As. The AA Director of Labor Relations testified that recalling TWA F/As would be more expensive than hiring new F/As. That testimony was in conjunction with questions about the length of furlough. APFA was asking for more than 5 years, but it was going to cost APFA several millions in concessions to get the furlough recall raised to 7 or 10 years. Of course APFA said no! Supposedly pilot recall could be extended to almost unlimited for "cost neutral." Sometimes I was under the impression that AA was setting APFA up agreeing to cancel furlough pay, not extending recall rights and some other issues that came up. Even the Judge took a lot of interest in the furlough pay issue and in her opinion I believe she questioned the wisdom of it. As a general statement, it appeared that she was on a track of thinking APFA was not representing F/As on both sides very well. Given all the stuff about voting and John N's testimony it is understandable how someone might think that way. However, that was not the issue before the court.

 

[AC AA LA FA]

I would bet we will see recalls before the end of the year...Regardless of the mechanics behind it all..the company is short flight attendants period. They can not continue, esp. over the holidays to continue running the airline piece meal as they are now. There are a huge number of f/as burning up SK and ending OL with no intention of flying over the holidays and into 2004. The continued working conditions-now with more preasure from all unions and involving actions in D.C. can only help us out in recalls. The local paper here yesterday had a article about crew fatuige and saftey to the public, thats only the begining. Operational performance in pulling out of the slump carriers have been in will be paramount in recapturing customers-they know that and with the good news comming in from Wall St. almost weekly about the sector I think there will be more pro active rather than re active business decissions ahead
also..with the victory in the FLM Arbitration-many f/as who were before denied- will be again able to take time off leading to increased manning needs..

 

[Flyboy4u]

I would completely agree. From what I am hearing from those on the line now, Manning is already at critical levels. Also, recent APFA hotlines have indicated the same. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out over Thanksgiving and X'mas. If you thought the sick list was bad over labor day I am sure you haven't seen anything yet. Not to mention, those F/A's being thrown back on reserve after being off so many years. I know of one f/a who has 11 years seniority and is on reserve at LGA domestic for October. Talk about crazy!!!

 

[kirkpatrick]

I actually beg to differ and I hope I am correct. 5 years is along time and I would suspect to see TWA f/a's return to the line within that period.

I agree. I think we'll see the overage and job share people all back on the line by the summer of 2004, then there are just 1320 natives to go through before getting to the TWA people.

Probably 10-20% of the first group of furloughees will not come back and large numbers of the senior TWA people will throw in the towel. I would hope that the first TWA people will get their recall letters starting in late 2005 or early 2006.

I really don't think this is an overly optimistic forecast. Attrition alone should bring this about, and I expect both the economy and the airline to continue to improve.

MK

 

[Garfield1966]

Man, it really must suck to get sick over the holidays year after year.

OH yea, I forgot..... you guys did not read that part of the contract when you signed on. I guess that excuses your behavior.

What a bunch of pathetic losers.

Your calling in sick has nothing to do with the work conditions. If it did there would be no variation in the sick list between Jun 20th or Dec 25th. I guess it is lucky for you folks that AA has no way of enforcing the sick policy.

 

[AC AA LA FA]

there is not much to say about the year after year SK list numbers over the holidays other than until there is a change in the way we do business with eachother..(labor/mgmt) it will continue..Is it right? Eithical? maybe not always...but it is our situation..our problem..our reality..and all the name calling isnt going to change it...
so..if we can get off our soap boxes long enough..lets deal with the issue at hand. Lets see management manage...thats what their getting paid to do..........

 

[Flyboy4u]

I would think that if someone has put in over 11- 12 years of service to this airline then they do deserve to get the holidays off. It's really sad what has gone on with this airline. Yes, I am furloughed, and yes I agreed to fly the holidays. However, their should come a point in time when those holiday days off are earned. Instead, this company has gone back in time forcing those 11+ years to work the holidays again. I can tell you this...If I am recalled I will work the holidays but alot of my colleagues will also be on the sick list if they are recalled. We know what will happen to us if recalled. We will work the holidays to be furloughed again come January when traffic slows down. If these policys AA practices are allowed to continue, I can't imagine the kind of people AA will be hiring in the future. Nobody will want this job. By the way, many of my friends on the line right now are still saying AA is really low on F/A's. Thanks to Hurricane Isabelle many crew bases are out of reserves. That's really sad since this company has had over 2 weeks to plan for this possible situation . It will be interesting to see what this winter brings when weather hits ORD,LGA and "God forbid" and ice storm at DFW.