Fewer Speakers = Fewer Recalls

[AAStew]

American and the APFA announced last night that on our language trips, which formerly required 1 speaker per cabin, there would now be one speaker per airplane at any position! This was in order to not recall as they could not recall out of sequence and we are short of language speakers.
This will be very unpopular! After 14 years of being denied for my languages. I can finally use them to my advantage to hold better trips. For those of you who felt this is unfair, remember I was unable to hold or trip trade anything my seniority would of afforded me! NOw the company has come up with this doozy!
If the TWA'rs think there is any chance of getting called back, this proves again the company and the APFA will do anything not to bring you back!

 

[MiAAmi]

American and the APFA announced last night that on our language trips, which formerly required 1 speaker per cabin, there would now be one speaker per airplane at any position! This was in order to not recall as they could not recall out of sequence and we are short of language speakers.
This will be very unpopular! After 14 years of being denied for my languages. I can finally use them to my advantage to hold better trips. For those of you who felt this is unfair, remember I was unable to hold or trip trade anything my seniority would of afforded me! NOw the company has come up with this doozy!
If the TWA'rs think there is any chance of getting called back, this proves again the company and the APFA will do anything not to bring you back!

[post="274795"][/post]​

How many years have you been bid denied? 14? I find that hard to believe. Nice spin on the announcement but in reality this really helps you. Recalls will happen by the end of the year with just attrition needs. Typical of some f/a's, gripe about everything. Remember this is just a test and here are the actual new test rules.

767 & A300 two-class flights will be staffed with one (1) speaker

777 three-class flights will be staffed with two (2) speakers

On the 777 where there are two language speakers, one will be assigned to a premium cabin - either First or Business- and the other will be assigned to Main Cabin

Otherwise, speakers will no longer be designated by cabin or position and may even hold a galley position

The test will begin July 2, 2005 and run through January 1, 2006


Not only will this help with bid denials but also non-speakers trying to do trip trades in certain cabins. Not as many restrictions helps us all.

 

[AAStew]

MiAAmi, are you a speaker? Obviously not. Yes I have been denied for 14 years. I had to switch bases and commute in order to not be denied! NOw at JFK I can hold a somewhat better trip because of my languages, but I still can't get PVD's. or TT, or drop. Yes this will help that aspect but it will ruin my bidding. Recalls may happen by years end but the company and APFA are doing everything they can so they don't have to!

 

[MiAAmi]

MiAAmi, are you a speaker? Obviously not. Yes I have been denied for 14 years. I had to switch bases and commute in order to not be denied! NOw at JFK I can hold a somewhat better trip because of my languages, but I still can't get PVD's. or TT, or drop. Yes this will help that aspect but it will ruin my bidding. Recalls may happen by years end but the company and APFA are doing everything they can so they don't have to!

[post="274809"][/post]​

What language are you qualified on? Where are you based? How many years seniority do you have? How will this ruin your bidding if your so worried about being bid denied? Lets be real here, your real beef is that you think APFA and AA don't want to recall, right? Well that may be true of AA but hardly of APFA. Why wouldn't APFA want more dues paying members around? Your arguement that this test with speakers is evidence of this really doesn't hold water.

 

[AAStew]

What language are you qualified on?  Where are you based?  How many years seniority do you have?  How will this ruin your bidding if your so worried about being bid denied?  Lets be real here, your real beef is that you think APFA and AA don't want to recall, right?  Well that may be true of AA but hardly of APFA.  Why wouldn't APFA want more dues paying members around?  Your arguement that this test with speakers is evidence of this really doesn't hold water.

[post="274815"][/post]​

Wow everything they post on here about you is true isn't it?
I have been flying 14 years. It doesn't affect me whether they recall or not at the moment. Yes I have been denied for 14 years, i am FR and SP. I have been denied for both. I was able to hold lines that my seniority would not have held without my language (french). After being bid denied for so many years and having restrictions placed for so many years, I never dropped the languages as I thought they would eventually help. As for my bases JFK and DCAI. DCAI, I would still be bid denied there with 14 years. Do your homework!
You are an angry person, do you behave this way on the airplanes?

 

[TWskyliner]

It wouldnt suprise me if APFA didnt suggest this. I just don't feel the love B)

 

[MiAAmi]

I'm not angry just trying to figure out where someone at 14 years is getting bid denied. You were pretty vague about the facts. You seem to be the one angry about being bid denied. The Union trys to offer relief for you as a speaker and you turn it around into something bad. The union doesn't do the recalls the company does. If you want to bash APFA thats fine, but this new test only helps speakers as I see it. Try looking on the brighter side of things once in a while. Cheer up! If I sounded negative about your posts please forgive me, I just get tired of hearing some f/a's whine and complain about everything. Whether the recalls affect you or not we should be hoping that recalls come sooner than later. There are alot of people wanting to come back to work regardless of the new working conditions.

 

[AAStew]

I did not believe the rumors of the commpany not wanting TWA'rs back until this happened. But I guess it is true. Two more years? I am sure though it is the company's and APFA's payback for the lawsuits. You can't fight big brother.

 

[MiAAmi]

I did not believe the rumors of the commpany not wanting TWA'rs back until this happened. But I guess it is true. Two more years? I am sure though it is the company's and APFA's payback for the lawsuits. You can't fight big brother.

[post="274828"][/post]​

There is still going to be the same number of positions on the a/c, just less need for one of the positions to be a required speaker. How do you figure this affects the need for recalls?

 

[AAStew]

Laurie's message. We don't need more f/a's just more speakers. This is according to her. And you are right, I am angry. But just at the APFA and company. Unfortunately everything we think is a negotiated item turns out to have a clause in it. It almost always reads"at the discretion of the company". I give up...

 

[operaations]

Wow everything they post on here about you is true isn't it?
I have been flying 14 years. It doesn't affect me whether they recall or not at the moment. Yes I have been denied for 14 years, i am FR and SP. I have been denied for both. I was able to hold lines that my seniority would not have held without my language (french). After being bid denied for so many years and having restrictions placed for so many years, I never dropped the languages as I thought they would eventually help. As for my bases JFK and DCAI. DCAI, I would still be bid denied there with 14 years. Do your homework!
You are an angry person, do you behave this way on the airplanes?

[post="274823"][/post]​

What were you bid denied at DCAI. All they fly is caribean. Early departures late returns. What is there to get denied.

 

[operaations]

I did not believe the rumors of the commpany not wanting TWA'rs back until this happened. But I guess it is true. Two more years? I am sure though it is the company's and APFA's payback for the lawsuits. You can't fight big brother.

[post="274828"][/post]​

You have got to be kidding. Conspiracy theory. You make me laugh. Being TWA has nothing to do with recalls or not. The companies performance and the economy and the need for more bodies on planes determines recalls. Quit trying to start nasty rumors and just fly.

I agree with Miaami. If only one speaker is not needed on some flights you will have an easier time trading and getting PVDS and drops because less is needed.

But that would actually be a benifit and you would not be able to complain about it so you make it into something bad so you can continue to complain.

 

[L1011Ret]

Ok, they reduce the numbers of speakers per airplane but that does that reduce the number of F/As per airplane? Does it cost AA less to have fewer speakers per airplane? If they take off the pillows saving 500 thousand dollars, and can save by having less speakers, that would seem to be more motivating than avoiding TWA recalls.

 

[ArtTang]

Well, after much consideration and angst vis-à-vis this side-letter
of agreement, I plan on keeping an open mind about it. Perhaps it
will prove beneficial to the more junior f/as who are repeatedly
tortured by bid denials and it will appease some of the senior f/as.
The immediate downside I perceive is the diminished customer service
and the increased responsibility which will fall on the remaining
speaker's shoulders. The system is not perfect, nor will it ever be.

I have been a qualified speaker in Portuguese, Italian, and French for many years. Also, I am now at the stage of my flying carreer at AA where I actually have a modest amount of 'real' seniority (hired as a F/A in 1986). So, I feel I can comment on this matter with a degree of experience to back my opinion. Bid denials are a common and unpleasant reality to being a speaker. I have had vacation months ruined from bid denials, and I have been pulled from the back-up list out of seniority to serve reserve for my language qualification. These were defiinitely infuriating moments I experienced as a speaker. However, I have also enjoyed holding very senior trips which I could never touch without my language qualifications. It is a double edged sword. I know many speakers, including myself, will miss holding lines we are used to holding as a result of the speaker reductions, but I know that many junior speakers will find relief from the bid denials and some senior F/As will finally get what they have been demanding for years. After all, the 'battle' between non-speakers and speakers has been around as long as AA has been flying international routes requiring language speaking F/As.

As someone already pointed out, this initiative is a test. I encourage everyone to let the company and the union know how you feel about it...both pro and con. If you do not make yourself heard, then you cannot gripe about it. If
you are a speaker, document every instance of increased
responsibilty (ex: did the purser request you do duty free both
legs, were you awakened from your break for a 'speaker' issue,
etc.).

Also, I realize that many of us feel our voices are not heard by the
company and the union...an understandable charge stemming from years
of experience (spanning various CEOs and union administrations).
Nevertheless, I feel it is important to express your opinion if only
to "have it on record."

Peace,
Art Tang
IMA

 

[operaations]

Well, after much consideration and angst vis-à-vis this side-letter
of agreement, I plan on keeping an open mind about it. Perhaps it
will prove beneficial to the more junior f/as who are repeatedly
tortured by bid denials and it will appease some of the senior f/as.
The immediate downside I perceive is the diminished customer service
and the increased responsibility which will fall on the remaining
speaker's shoulders. The system is not perfect, nor will it ever be.

I have been a qualified speaker in Portuguese, Italian, and French for many years. Also, I am now at the stage of my flying carreer at AA where I actually have a modest amount of 'real' seniority (hired as a F/A in 1986). So, I feel I can comment on this matter with a degree of experience to back my opinion. Bid denials are a common and unpleasant reality to being a speaker. I have had vacation months ruined from bid denials, and I have been pulled from the back-up list out of seniority to serve reserve for my language qualification. These were defiinitely infuriating moments I experienced as a speaker. However, I have also enjoyed holding very senior trips which I could never touch without my language qualifications. It is a double edged sword. I know many speakers, including myself, will miss holding lines we are used to holding as a result of the speaker reductions, but I know that many junior speakers will find relief from the bid denials and some senior F/As will finally get what they have been demanding for years. After all, the 'battle' between non-speakers and speakers has been around as long as AA has been flying international routes requiring language speaking F/As.

As someone already pointed out, this initiative is a test. I encourage everyone to let the company and the union know how you feel about it...both pro and con. If you do not make yourself heard, then you cannot gripe about it. If
you are a speaker, document every instance of increased
responsibilty (ex: did the purser request you do duty free both
legs, were you awakened from your break for a 'speaker' issue,
etc.).

Also, I realize that many of us feel our voices are not heard by the
company and the union...an understandable charge stemming from years
of experience (spanning various CEOs and union administrations).
Nevertheless, I feel it is important to express your opinion if only
to "have it on record."

Peace,
Art Tang
IMA

[post="274854"][/post]​

well put Art