Flight attendants plead with Arpey

[FWAAA]

Don't think this is gonna go anywhere.

Flight Attendants Plead With CEO

Monday October 22, 4:57 pm ET
By Cheryl Wittenauer, Associated Press Writer

Former TWA Attendants Appeal to Airlines' CEO

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Former TWA flight attendants who are fighting to get their old jobs back have made a plea to American Airlines' chief executive officer.

In an Oct. 15 letter, they asked CEO Gerard Arpey to agree with their union to extend the recall rights of workers who were furloughed as a result of the September 2001 terrorist attacks.

"We respectfully ask that you place the short-term financial gain of terminations aside and draw upon the experience and high standards of customer service these workers can afford American for the long-term," the letter said.

American has discussed, but not reached an agreement with the union, the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, about extending recall rights, airline spokeswoman Tami McLallen said.

"We remain open to discussing this issue but are bound by the current collective bargaining agreement," she said.

American parent AMR Corp. bought TWA out of bankruptcy in early 2001. The union representing American's flight attendants put their TWA counterparts at the bottom of the seniority ladder, meaning the TWA workers were first to lose their jobs as AMR slashed thousands of jobs.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071022/twa_flight_...dants.html?.v=1

 

[StarStreamJets]

While it may seem like a long shot to some, we must explore every possibility. I sure hope this does not fall on deaf ears, though.

 

[nbmcg01]

While it may seem like a long shot to some, we must explore every possibility. I sure hope this does not fall on deaf ears, though.

The Company does not have to do anything but announce the recall. The clock then stops. Attrition alone is reason the recalls would be valid. The list could be cleared by offering a "paper return" to retirement. So easy, yet the Company continues to play games with people's lives. This is not an "opener" or CBA issue. The announcement would fall within the terms of the current CBA and classes could be schedules as needed. The upside of this gesture would be unbelievable "good will" and the Company could then become ready for the hiring process. So easy, so many games. I think a $600,000,000 "shared sacrifice" is reason enough to expect the Company to "do the right thing".

 

[StarStreamJets]

I agree with you Nancy. My concern is that those already recalled will have all but forgotten the "rest of us" not recalled.

 

[nbmcg01]

I agree with you Nancy. My concern is that those already recalled will have all but forgotten the "rest of us" not recalled.

NOT A CHANCE!!!!! Keep the faith. There is much going on in many different areas. No one furloughed will be forgotton, including those already "fallen off the cliff".

 

[StarStreamJets]

NOT A CHANCE!!!!! Keep the faith. There is much going on in many different areas. No one furloughed will be forgotton, including those already "fallen off the cliff".

I hope Nancy!

 

[WeAAsles]

The Company does not have to do anything but announce the recall. The clock then stops. Attrition alone is reason the recalls would be valid. The list could be cleared by offering a "paper return" to retirement. So easy, yet the Company continues to play games with people's lives. This is not an "opener" or CBA issue. The announcement would fall within the terms of the current CBA and classes could be schedules as needed. The upside of this gesture would be unbelievable "good will" and the Company could then become ready for the hiring process. So easy, so many games. I think a $600,000,000 "shared sacrifice" is reason enough to expect the Company to "do the right thing".

God Bless. I hope one day this Co. could learn to have a heart but unfortunetly I don't think they do. Your experiance, professionalism, and attitude doesn't seem to meen anything to them. They count TWA as a mistake on there part and will do anything they can to try to wipe that mistake clean. Unfortunetly they have never realized that some of those people could be real assets if they just gave them a chance. It's a wonder why sometimes I really hate this Co. Good luck, Good luck, Good luck to all of you. God's blessings.

 

[nbmcg01]

God Bless. I hope one day this Co. could learn to have a heart but unfortunetly I don't think they do. Your experiance, professionalism, and attitude doesn't seem to meen anything to them. They count TWA as a mistake on there part and will do anything they can to try to wipe that mistake clean. Unfortunetly they have never realized that some of those people could be real assets if they just gave them a chance. It's a wonder why sometimes I really hate this Co. Good luck, Good luck, Good luck to all of you. God's blessings.

It is going to be hard not to acknowledge the commendation letters from the AA elite flyers. TWA thought they would be better off without the full term strikers. What they discovered was the DOT complaints went down and commendations went up in direct proportion to the #s recalled. I think it has more to do with being in the "honeymoon" phase when you first get back in the air. This is expecially true if you worked in a hard 9-5 environment. And how do you put a price on good will?

 

[skyhoosier]

Jeez! I'm no expert on the RLA, but every union contract I know of sets MINIMUMS. There is nothing that prevents the company from doing more that the contract provides for. For example, if you are in a movie, the Screen Actor's Guild contract says you must be paid X dollars a day. But if your name is something like Brad Pitt, nothing prevents you from asking for 10 million dollars...and getting it. American keeps hiding behind ths balony that they are bound by the CBA, and someone who is talking to the media should call them on it. American has gone beyond the CBA in the past when it suits them. For example, when the final TWA group was furloughed, American offered two years of passes for perfect attendance, fearing a sick-out. In the event, everyone acted like a true professional and got their passes. That certainly wasn't provided in the CBA. The people in Labor Relations seem to be buying into the old political axiom that if you repeat something often enough, it becomes true. There is nothing in the CBA that prevents American from being a good corporate citizen. Using the CBA as an excuse for gaining some negotiating leverage when it affects the lives of hundreds of people, many with decades of service is beneath contempt.

 

[FWAAA]

Jeez! I'm no expert on the RLA, but every union contract I know of sets MINIMUMS. There is nothing that prevents the company from doing more that the contract provides for.

I'm no RLA expert either, but I suspect that there is something that prevents the company from unilaterally handing some union members a benefit while not benefitting all members of the union. On top of that, don't airline unions file grievances when their company sets up extra-contractual bonus plans for the union members? IIRC, NW unions grieved when management did something unilaterally that looked like a benefit for the employees.

 

[StraaightTaalk]

It is going to be hard not to acknowledge the commendation letters from the AA elite flyers. TWA thought they would be better off without the full term strikers. What they discovered was the DOT complaints went down and commendations went up in direct proportion to the #s recalled. I think it has more to do with being in the "honeymoon" phase when you first get back in the air. This is expecially true if you worked in a hard 9-5 environment. And how do you put a price on good will?

That was the 1980's. I don't think that any additional commendation letters are going to overcome the company's objection to recalling more high pay employees.

 

[Maark767]

Jeez! I'm no expert on the RLA, but every union contract I know of sets MINIMUMS. There is nothing that prevents the company from doing more that the contract provides for. For example, if you are in a movie, the Screen Actor's Guild contract says you must be paid X dollars a day. But if your name is something like Brad Pitt, nothing prevents you from asking for 10 million dollars...and getting it. American keeps hiding behind ths balony that they are bound by the CBA, and someone who is talking to the media should call them on it. American has gone beyond the CBA in the past when it suits them. For example, when the final TWA group was furloughed, American offered two years of passes for perfect attendance, fearing a sick-out. In the event, everyone acted like a true professional and got their passes. That certainly wasn't provided in the CBA. The people in Labor Relations seem to be buying into the old political axiom that if you repeat something often enough, it becomes true. There is nothing in the CBA that prevents American from being a good corporate citizen. Using the CBA as an excuse for gaining some negotiating leverage when it affects the lives of hundreds of people, many with decades of service is beneath contempt.

That's American for you !!! That's just the way they do business..... seen it a million times over...

 

[operaations]

They count TWA as a mistake on there part and will do anything they can to try to wipe that mistake clean. Unfortunetly they have never realized that some of those people could be real assets if they just gave them a chance. It's a wonder why sometimes I really hate this Co. Good luck, Good luck, Good luck to all of you. God's blessings.

How can you not believe the TWA purchase or merger or whatever you want to call it was not a HUGE mistake. It was a colassal mistake. If everyone from TWA emploeyees to AA employees could take it back i bet they would. Nobody knows where TWA would be if AA had not purchased them or merged or took over them. We dont know what shape AA would be in if we didnt. The only thing we all know that it was a huge mistake that it ever happened. And unfortunatley Casualties came part of that deal.

I wish everyone from TWA well and I hope one day we would have all of them back. But it is looking more and more like that will never happen. But we need to drop the subject already...what is done is done.

 

[eolesen]

Jeez! I'm no expert on the RLA, but every union contract I know of sets MINIMUMS. There is nothing that prevents the company from doing more that the contract provides for.
....
American keeps hiding behind ths balony that they are bound by the CBA, and someone who is talking to the media should call them on it. American has gone beyond the CBA in the past when it suits them. For example, when the final TWA group was furloughed, American offered two years of passes for perfect attendance, fearing a sick-out. In the event, everyone acted like a true professional and got their passes. That certainly wasn't provided in the CBA.

Two points of order....

1) Passes are not a CBA issue. Never have been at AA, so the company could offer more passes to people born in odd-numbered years than those in even-numbered years, and be within their rights.

2) AA isn't the only one hiding behind the "bound by the CBA" argument. The APFA has also hid behind it when it came to discussing productivity items that could be addressed now as opposed to in a new contract.

Both sides have dirty hands here. I wouldn't expect anything to happen unless APFA shows some willingness to start working a little more cooperatively.

 

[nbmcg01]

I'm no RLA expert either, but I suspect that there is something that prevents the company from unilaterally handing some union members a benefit while not benefitting all members of the union. On top of that, don't airline unions file grievances when their company sets up extra-contractual bonus plans for the union members? IIRC, NW unions grieved when management did something unilaterally that looked like a benefit for the employees.

They wouldn't have to do anything to the CBA if the ANNOUNCED a recall of all remaining folks. This isn't a bonus. The furloughed f/as have paid more than $600,000,000 in shared sacrifice. Now what was the number associated with the most recent bonus? This doesn't just benefit the former TWA f/as. The most recent to "fall offs" were nAAtive (for the lack of a better delineation) The recall issue also revolves around the acceptance of Federal dollars after 9-11.

As for commendation letters not being important..hummm Why is AA spending so much time of asking the frequent traveler "what's wrong"? If you think good customer service doesn't HELP return passengers, even when the service product has "changed", then why is this called a customer service job? By virtue of the time spent with a customer in-flight, a f/a has the opportunity to win the customer no matter prior frustrations, and they can also lose the customer, regardless of how wonderful the rest of their airline experience. Never sell your skills short. Experience warrants the pay.



ps..I hope al of you California folks are ok. Please know you're in our thoughts.