I recall when I was in training at AWA that I came close to walking out, because something told me that things over there on that side of US Airways just reeked. I looked at the misery that they called contract and could not believe how any MEC could negociate something with so many loopholes. My classmates talked me into staying and I figured that I would be under that pathetic contract only for a year or so. But then immediately after training I ran into the wonderful supervisors over there at AWA. I could not believe the hostility and quiet frankly put up quite a fight back for as long as I had patience to do so. During my time there I got to understand how politics worked over there and how AWA managed to just keep a tight abusive grip on their workforce - despite union and all. Also, having read about how the executives would never repeat the story of what the original US Airways did after their mergers, I understood that they were serious on their quest to make sure that they would keep things as cheap for themselves for as long as they could.
To sum it up once again. The execs over there have never cared about the employees and never will. Employees are seen as a costly liability that they wished that they could do without. This mentality will continue for as long as Doug and Co continue to run the company.
I started to drink the coolaid for a while... cuz it seemed like the only way to make it... for the time. I started to think that the company was right. But then the merger of Delta came along. I truly believe that Delta was now gonna be taught a lesson about trying to integrate two different pilot groups. I thought and expected them to have just as bad of a time integrating pilots as US Airways had. But then Delta just showered both DL and NW pilots with money so that their integration was far from anything that resembles US Airways. Only then I realized that it really was truly just the evil way that US management wanted things to be over at US. Now I see United doing a similarly good thing with the F/As at UA and CO. Two pictures have already emerged that show that indeed it can be done differently than US Airways. Having seen this, reinforces my believe that the execs over at US are nothing short of scumbags.
Remember that AWA flight attendants were out of a current contract already by 2003 or so. (I am not too sure about when their CBA actually expired.) In 2005 they came close to voting for a new contract. Believe me that a new contract was definitely needed as the only one on premise (their first one) was an absolute disaster with too many loopholes and vague areas that the company just loved to exploit. And just as the merger was announced, everything that they negotiated and fought for so hard was pulled from underneath them. What can I say? Unscrupulous.
As a former east F/A, I have to say to all east: "Just take a glance at the AWA contract so you can see what kind of company you are dealing with today. You don't have it nearly as bad as the folks at AWA." I have carefully read all sorts of airline F/A contracts before from different companies. If you know how to read one very well, I truly suggest that you take the time, find the online version of it at AFA66.org, and take a glance at it. You will either laugh or be horrified, although I tend to believe that anyone not being under that contract would most likely laugh at it.
US Airways (America West management) refused pay parity for AWA flight attendants during these last 7 years, no-matter how many times AFA66 and even individual teared-up employees during crew news sessions asked for it. The execs at US stood their ground: "no pay parity, ever..." The bastards just absolutely have no sympathy for AW flight attendants that have barely sustainable salaries way below any other airline. Even new-start airlines like VX had a minimum of $20 bux an hour when AWA offered it's F/As $16 to $17 reaching 20 after five years, and staying on a seven year average well below any of the other 5 large carriers. Then you add the horrible working conditions and the companies blatant violations on vaguely written contract rules, that puts AWA below the lowest thresh-hold of minimum decency of a normal human being. I have to say, AWA has been the worst that I have ever seen of any employer out there. I should have followed my gut and left while in training.
All I can advocate for is for some serious analysis of whatever the company concocts out there as a TA proposal. Read very carefully the TA and make sure you bring to light any vague language and potential loopholes, as AWA just hopes for these in the masses. There is nothing that the company wants more than a hasty contract with lots of loopholes that they can take advantage of.
Just because it has been so long, don't feel pressured into voting in a CBA full of mistakes. I would be happy to see you guys actually go on strike and take the company a little bit down just for revenge and to show them that they have f***ed with you enough. I would be happy to see US shut down for months, sort of like Comair Pilots did to their airline once in the past. I would love to see the execs be brought to their knees and begging for anything to stop the strike, even a more expensive contract than other major carriers that US F/As really deserve.
I'll keep my fingers crossed for all of you and hope that you get a decent proposal, just because it just looks so bad on US Airways already what they have done to you.
Good luck to you all. May the starting salary be increased to $22, 5 year anniversary have a $10 dollar jump and the top out pay be $55 to $60.
