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cavalier

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www.usaviation.com
Transportation NewsWire
IAM Transportation Department
General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr.
9000 Machinists Place
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
www.iamaw.org
March 5, 2004
IAM Members Protest US Airways’ Management Tactics

Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace
Workers (IAM) today are conducting informational picketing at four US Airways airport terminals to protest the airline’s treatment of its employees and passengers.

Informational picketing is occurring in Boston, MA; Pittsburgh, PA;
Philadelphia, PA; and Charlotte, NC. IAM members are asking US Airways customers to contact the airline’s CEO, David Siegel, and urge him to focus on building the airline rather than forcing employees and loyal customers to pay for his mismanagement.

“The IAM has identified ways US Airways could save $80-100 million
annually within the framework of our current collective bargaining agreements,†said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “There is no logical reason why the airline would rather pick our members’ pockets instead of their brains.â€

US Airways has violated its contract with the IAM by subcontracting
maintenance of aircraft, blamed employee unions for management’s failure to produce an effective business plan and threatened to sell off some of the carrier’s most profitable assets, including its east coast shuttle operation, if employees don’t agree to amend their labor contracts.

“US Airways’ passengers, employees and shareholders deserve true
leadership,†said IAM District 141 President Randy Canale.

“Management has failed miserably in generating a successful business plan that would unify employees and provide the superior product US Airways’ customers expect and deserve.â€

“The airline is in crisis, and management is attacking employees to divert attention from their inability to run the airline,†said IAM District 141-M President Scotty Ford. “A company that doesn’t recognize that employees are their most important asset is headed for disaster.â€










From the Charlotte observer:
03/07/04
TED REED
Staff Writer
Fleet service workers, mechanics to pitch their cost-savings ideas

Leaders of US Airways and the International Association of Machinists agreed late Friday to meet next week to discuss union cost-savings ideas. Talks with the airline's pilots are also scheduled to continue next week.

Wednesday's planned meeting between the airline and the IAM, which represents about 9,500 mechanics and fleet service workers, was arranged after union members at four airports handed out leaflets saying that US Airways unfairly blames workers for its financial problems.

While Wednesday's agenda is limited to the union's cost-savings plan, the meeting signals a thaw in relations between the airline and the IAM, which declined to meet with airline Chief Executive Officer David Siegel last month.

Handing out leaflets at Charlotte/Douglas International Airport on Friday, Gerald Moore said the airline isn't doing anything with the wage concessions it has already secured. "Employee concessions have never saved a company," said Moore, a Greensboro fleet service worker.

Moore said concessions have cut his salary from $22 an hour to $19.64 and his vacation time from five weeks to four annually, with no apparent improvement in airline operations.

The nation's seventh-largest airline, which has its biggest hub in Charlotte, is seeking cost reductions of 25 percent after securing $1 billion worth of wage, benefit and work rule concessions from workers in 2002 and 2003. Pilots have said they will consider cost reductions, but other workers must share the burden.

Randy Canale, president of an IAM district that represents US Airways' 4,500 fleet service workers, said his union's cost-saving ideas can save $80 million to $100 million annually. The ideas include halting the outsourcing of parts maintenance, implementing a joint safety program to reduce injuries and having union workers assume certain management functions.

The union canceled the meeting with Siegel because the two sides could not agree on an agenda. Canale said Wednesday's agenda is focused solely on the cost-savings ideas, which could be implemented in a test program in Philadelphia.

"We want to assist the company, but their answer to saving funds has been to reach into our pockets," he told the Observer. "We're aware that the company is having financial problems, so we're going to have a two-way communication."

US Airways spokesman David Castelveter said the airline is "ready to listen to anything the IAM has to offer on efforts to reduce costs." He said the airline hopes to eventually discuss its full business plan with the IAM.

Meanwhile, pilot negotiators talked during the week about contract changes regarding compensation for regional jets. The airline wants to fly as many as 400 regional jets, up from 100 today. Pilot spokesman Jack Stephan said the talks will continue. "They're progressing, and we're not disappointed," he said.

Pilots have agreed to talk later about details of the new business plan that would allow for cost cuts as US Airways battles low-fare competitors. Low fare king Southwest Airlines will begin flying in US Airways' Philadelphia hub May 9, and investors are trying to raise capital to start low-fare competitors in both the Charlotte and Pittsburgh hubs.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IAM Members Protest US Airways' Management Tactics
03/05/04
Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) today are conducting informational picketing at four US Airways airport terminals to protest the airline's treatment of its employees and passengers. Informational picketing is occurring in Boston, MA; Pittsburgh, PA; Philadelphia, PA; and Charlotte, NC. IAM members are asking US Airways customers to contact the airline's CEO, David Siegel, and urge him to focus on building the airline rather than forcing employees and loyal customers to pay for his mismanagement.

"The IAM has identified ways US Airways could save $80-100 million annually within the framework of our current collective bargaining agreements," said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. "There is no logical reason why the airline would rather pick our members' pockets instead of their brains."

US Airways has violated its contract with the IAM by subcontracting maintenance of aircraft, blamed employee unions for management's failure to produce an effective business plan and threatened to sell off some of the
carrier's most profitable assets, including its east coast shuttle operation, if employees don't agree to amend their labor contracts.

"US Airways' passengers, employees and shareholders deserve true leadership," said IAM District 141 President Randy Canale. "Management has failed miserably in generating a successful business plan that would unify
employees and provide the superior product US Airways' customers expect and deserve."

"The airline is in crisis, and management is attacking employees to divert attention from their inability to run the airline," said IAM District 141-M President Scotty Ford. "A company that doesn't recognize that employees are their most important asset is headed for disaster."
 
It seems to me that this post was made for mainly a certain Captains benefit whom constantly claims that the IAM has made ZERO , None , NADA attempts to help right this floundering airline.

The truth being....the IAM has outlined numerous areas that could benefit this organization to the tune of at least 100 million without impacting anyone negatively....the issue is , not impacting anyone is not what the company wants , due to it not fitting into their so-called master plan , thus forcing them to think as opposed to mearly and routinely reacting in hap-hazard , lateral or even backwards ways.

The unions , especially the IAM is being made to look the part of the bad guy...but in truth the IAM is making a stand that will force more equitable treatment and a fresh way of approaching the probelms we face , without further damage to those whom make up this carrier.

The unionized employees are USAirways....not the fly by nights whom come to pileage , profit and flee as history proves with great and negative frequency.
 
March 30, 2004

US Airways Update

To All IAM Members Employed by US Airways:

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

On March 24, 2004 US Airways CEO David Siegel addressed his employees, shareholders and passengers through an Internet video web cast. Siegel tried using fear, rewriting history and criticizing your union’s leadership to gain employee support for additional pay, benefit, and work rule concessions. He failed miserably, and looked like a CEO making a very public plea to save his job in the face of his own miserable failure.

Siegel claimed that the airline has been avoiding the issue of high employee costs. He apparently has forgotten that District 141 and 141-M members are already providing the carrier with $278 million in annual cost reductions as a result of the company’s bankruptcy.

Thousands of employees have been furloughed, and active employees are working harder, earning less and paying more for healthcare to ensure the future of US Airways.

Further demonstrating the IAM’s commitment to US Airways, District 141 and 141-M Representatives have been meeting separately with members of Siegel’s management team to ensure the airline operates in the most efficient manner possible. The $80-100 million the company could save by enacting the IAM’s recommendations would be achieved without necessitating changes to collective bargaining agreements.

Similarly, IAM officials have held constructive meetings with US Airways Chairman Dr. Bronner to develop a positive working relationship. The IAM’s commitment to a viable and competitive US Airways is without question.

Siegel’s tunnel vision, however, prevents him from acknowledging the substantial participation of IAM members in the airline’s recovery. He clearly appears to be out of touch with what is occurring within his own company.

Incredibly, Siegel also used the web cast as a platform to renegotiate his employment contract, offering to reduce his compensation to a level comparable to the CEO’s of low cost carriers. But those CEO’s and their company’s are successful, and similar compensation for David Siegel would still be too much and cannot be justified.

As graphs appearing in the March 1, 2004 issue of Aviation Week & Space Technology demonstrate, US Airways has lowered personnel costs by 12 percent since 2002. However, the company’s non-personnel costs actually increased by more than 4 percent. By comparison, all of US Airways' competitors were successful in reducing non-personnel costs during that same period.

It is painfully evident that David Siegel’s bankruptcy restructuring did nothing but reduce labor costs while failing to similarly reduce non-labor costs.

Siegel’s business plan seems to be centered on scaring employees. Unfortunately, he is 20 years too late to scare airline employees into believing that repeated concessions could save an airline. Airline after airline has demonstrated that no amount of employee concessions could save a company from its own incompetent management.

Siegel likes to blame the unions for US Airways’ problems, but it was he who a year ago claimed to the business community, the Air Transportation Stabilization Board, and his employees that he a had a business plan to make US Airways successful.

It was the employees that gave David Siegel the tools he said he needed to make the plan work. However, he has failed us all and it is now time for him to do the right thing. David Siegel must begin working with, not against, his most important asset, his employees. Otherwise, he should step aside and give the job to someone capable of handling

Sincerely and fraternally,

Randy Canale
President
IAM District 141

Scotty Ford
President
IAM District 141-M
 
Phantom Fixer said:
It seems to me that this post was made for mainly a certain Captains benefit whom constantly claims that the IAM has made ZERO , None , NADA attempts to help right this floundering airline.

The truth being....the IAM has outlined numerous areas that could benefit this organization to the tune of at least 100 million without impacting anyone negatively....the issue is , not impacting anyone is not what the company wants , due to it not fitting into their so-called master plan , thus forcing them to think as opposed to mearly and routinely reacting in hap-hazard , lateral or even backwards ways.

The unions , especially the IAM is being made to look the part of the bad guy...but in truth the IAM is making a stand that will force more equitable treatment and a fresh way of approaching the probelms we face , without further damage to those whom make up this carrier.

The unionized employees are USAirways....not the fly by nights whom come to pileage , profit and flee as history proves with great and negative frequency.
Click to expand...
Where has the IAM outlined these so called numerous areas that could save at least $100 million? Where is the press release with the breakdown? Is there a memo with the breakdown? Is it in a meetings minutes someplace? If the IAM wants credibility about these figures they keep touting they should make the information public about these so called savings they have. From everything that's been made public so far by IAM members all we have is purchasing some radio equipment, eliminating management positions and letting IAM members do that work as well as installing workout equipment.
 
MrAeroMan said:
Where has the IAM outlined these so called numerous areas that could save at least $100 million? Where is the press release with the breakdown? Is there a memo with the breakdown? Is it in a meetings minutes someplace? If the IAM wants credibility about these figures they keep touting they should make the information public about these so called savings they have. From everything that's been made public so far by IAM members all we have is purchasing some radio equipment, eliminating management positions and letting IAM members do that work as well as installing workout equipment.
Click to expand...
And where is USAirways press or internal release to employees? They want 1.5 billion they say 800 mil of it from Labor. Where is the breakdown and money savings of the management cuts, the leases, the creditors, the plan of reorganization? Is the minutes of meeting somewhere? IF USAirways wants credibility shouldn't they release this information to the employees? From everything that has been released by the company it seems management will be getting bonuses not cuts and the plan of reorganization? Just a few bandaids and no figures.
 
usairways_vote_NO said:
And where is USAirways press or internal release to employees? They want 1.5 billion they say 800 mil of it from Labor. Where is the breakdown and money savings of the management cuts, the leases, the creditors, the plan of reorganization? Is the minutes of meeting somewhere? IF USAirways wants credibility shouldn't they release this information to the employees? From everything that has been released by the company it seems management will be getting bonuses not cuts and the plan of reorganization? Just a few bandaids and no figures.
Click to expand...
I haven't seen that either and I agree it should be made known to the employees and anyone else that has a vested interest providing it's legal to do so. Tipping their strategy to the competition is never a smart move but given past performance I doubt the competition would be listening.
Given the fact that the company hasn't outlined their plan does that make it right that the IAM hasn't outlined theirs? This whole number game they're playing doesn't pass the smell test imo and when it is cost out by an INDEPENDENT entity I would venture to say it would add up to a fraction of what the claim is. It's all posturing and nothing more.
 
ITRADE said:
I haven't seen him post many four month articles here
Click to expand...
Maybe not articles but the same diatribe has been plastered on these boards (and you know it to be true) for more than two years running.

Perhaps the four month old articles serve as a reminder to some, much the way a certain captain would excuse the repetitive vomitus as numerous gestures of goodwill....can you say equal time?
 
ITRADE said:
I haven't seen him post many four month articles here (three in a series nonetheless) - without a comment or word...
Click to expand...
His mantra is older and posted over and over and is just conjecture or outright lies and formed from older articles and the such These are just articles and why are you so worried about it anyway? I mean I can see you complaining on the content of the articles but why the are you harping on the fact they are posted and older? USA320Pilots mantra is older then dirt.
 
MrAeroMan said:
I haven't seen that either and I agree it should be made known to the employees and anyone else that has a vested interest providing it's legal to do so. Tipping their strategy to the competition is never a smart move but given past performance I doubt the competition would be listening.
Given the fact that the company hasn't outlined their plan does that make it right that the IAM hasn't outlined theirs? This whole number game they're playing doesn't pass the smell test imo and when it is cost out by an INDEPENDENT entity I would venture to say it would add up to a fraction of what the claim is. It's all posturing and nothing more.
Click to expand...
I would say yes given the past history of the company, it's repeated failures, it's give give give chant. I would say outline what management is doing to fix the cxompany and outline what cuts non-union employees and CEO's going to take. Step up to the plate give assurance that employees will be rewarded for companies success and bonuses not just thrown away.

How do you know the union hasn't given that information to company anyway and how do you know it would only be a fraction of claim?

And while we are using INDEPENDENT enties lets let the company use them too.
 
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