Maintenance Cuts

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On 2/27/2003 7:20:37 PM LavMan wrote:

Alan, they are going to retire the first 14 airbus narrow body, because they are due for their "S" check, return them to leaseholders and what we hear is they are going to try and circumvent our contract and have the checks done while they are returned to the leaseholder then release the airplanes.


If they do this they are asking for trouble.
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I agree! That is asking for trouble....and would be yet another incurssion into contract breaking. Frank Schifano of the PIT/Potomac Air Lodge spoke on just this subject prior to the last contract concession vote. Thier sole purpose in life is to keep U/Maint work....exactly that!! This is an act of war of sorts , should they push it?

I fully realize that GE wants us flying the renegotiated B-737-300/400's we are seeing returned. I'm glad for the work....but the Airbuses are every bit as much ours as the next fleet type. This is yet another areas where the IAM needs to stand it's ground for a change.
 
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On 2/27/2003 5:58:30 PM LavMan wrote:

M & E informed the IAM that the maintenance job cuts will be sent out Monday.
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I'm hoping that some of these "Cuts" will lead to an actual infussion of bodies in both CLT and PIT Heavy Maintenance. A lateral transfer if you will?

Rumor has it...that Hangar 1&2 in PIT will be gaining 38 people with the influx of B737-300/400 Q-Checks coming in. We have also been seeing a fairly steady stream of Baby-Boeings returning from storage in MHV. We are actually getting in another one around 2020 tonight. That will be Acft 355. This will also intail a Cockpit Door Mod....and ACARS MU up-grade.

I truly hope that jobs lost on the line....will equate to Jobs in Base Maint. Maybe they will see the light before we get too far behind? We shall see .
 
I'm aware of it....I get the weekly maintenance status reports Rich. Like I said the subject of lease returns coming back with a clean slate has been discussed here....No ones happy about the prospects....but then again nobody is openly combating it either. Another fine case of our "Union Dues" in action.
 
Alan, check the latest maintenance update and you will see they have 7 of the airbii slated for retirement all ready.
 
Alan, they are going to retire the first 14 airbus narrow body, because they are due for their "S" check, return them to leaseholders and what we hear is they are going to try and circumvent our contract and have the checks done while they are returned to the leaseholder then release the airplanes.

If they do this they are asking for trouble.
 
The union is aware of it, I personally informed Tom and Tony, who told Bill, so we are keeping our eyes and ears open and I was ensured the IAM will take appropiate action when needed.
 
Below I am posting some information that has been previously posted by the company on this very site:

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pitguy asks:::::::::
The rumor in PIT is that heavy maintenance is gone and to be outsourced and that is why the voluntary furlough excludes about 1000 mechanics. It appears they are going to be hitting the streets soon. So chipmunn hold onto your hat and we will see if the employees questions are answered or avoided (again).

Maybe this can be cleared up by Chris Chiames (a.k.a. US Airways, Inc)

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Chris Chiames (a.k.a. US Airways, Inc),
Please answer the follow questions.

-Will the company try to get out of any severance pay plans?

-When reading the latest voluntary furlough for the mechanics it says you needed to have seniority in your basic position before 1-1-89. Is the company going to lay off more mechanics than what has been announced?

-Is the company going to attempt to vender heavy maintenance on the Boeing or Airbus equipment?


Please respond Chris Chiames (a.k.a. US Airways, Inc).




Here we go again.
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Chris Chiames replied::::::::

PITguy, I apologize for the delay. I haven't been online and just saw your note.

We are not going to outsource heavy maintenance in PIT or elsewhere. We never even proposed it. (Unlike UA which has proposed the outsourcing of heavy maintenance.)

We will pay all furlough pay as provided for in the contract.

We have no further plans to lay off more mechanics beyond what is published. With the new commitment to operate 279 a/c, we will need just about all the mechanics on the property to perform the maintenance we have scheduled, since our fleet plan anticipated retiring some planes that we will now be flying.

Finally, we are not trying to vendor maintenance with either Boeing or Airbus.

Chris Chiames
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If you do not know who Mr. Chiames is then read this from Usairways corporate web site:

Christopher L. Chiames joined US Airways as senior vice president of corporate affairs in May 2002. He is responsible for the company’s government relations and corporate communications functions, including media and employee communications.

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I saved this information just for a day like this. What will they do? Who knows. Our union scares me too. Some say they are in bed with the company.

pitguy
 
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Chris Chiames replied::::::::

PITguy, I apologize for the delay. I haven't been online and just saw your note.

We are not going to outsource heavy maintenance in PIT or elsewhere. We never even proposed it. (Unlike UA which has proposed the outsourcing of heavy maintenance.)

We will pay all furlough pay as provided for in the contract.

We have no further plans to lay off more mechanics beyond what is published. With the new commitment to operate 279 a/c, we will need just about all the mechanics on the property to perform the maintenance we have scheduled, since our fleet plan anticipated retiring some planes that we will now be flying.

Finally, we are not trying to vendor maintenance with either Boeing or Airbus.

Chris Chiames
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If you do not know who Mr. Chiames is then read this from Usairways corporate web site:

Christopher L. Chiames joined US Airways as senior vice president of corporate affairs in May 2002. He is responsible for the company’s government relations and corporate communications functions, including media and employee communications.

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All I can say in my opinion is if his mouth is moving he is lying. Once they retire the Airbus which are due the heavy checks the lessor will vendor them out to third part mtc and when they are finished they will renegotiate the leases with U, return the A/C and "poof", the checks are done.
As for the Union, they will roll over and play dead!!!!!
 
am hearing here in pit rampsters are to be drug tested.however,if ramp is doing walkarounds,some how this would seem to me like a noncertificated mechanic working on an aircraft and would he not be directly responsible to a licensed mechanic?also a duty mgr isn't necessarily certificated either.post flight walk around sure as hell sounds like mechanic work.is a pilot going to trust the eyes of a bagman or a trained certificated mechanic?no disrespect here to ramp service but a matter of 21 months of knowledge and training and flight safety.maybe we need drop a dime to the news media that ramp service is doing walkarounds ??eh??
NEWS FLASH-IN A COST CUTTING MOVE US AIRWAYS USES BAGGAGE PEOPLE TO DO FLIGHT
SAFETY CHECKS ON THEIR AIRCRAFT.DETAILS AT 11.
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I also have been hearing that the estimated cuts the company provided the Union with the loss of R&D will be much higher. Ramp is being trained on R & D along with a postflight walk around inspection. If they find something they are being told to contact the duty manager and not a lead or mechanic. Company does not want a conflict? Now that the ramp is directly involved with saftey will they be subject to random testing?
 
On the ramp R & D training checklist dated 2/03 it is specified as "Post Flight Damage Inspection" if my memory serves me correctly. It is specific where it says "if damage is found contact the duty manager at 747...."
 
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On 2/27/2003 11:32:58 PM A&P Tech wrote:

On the ramp R & D training checklist dated 2/03 it is specified as "Post Flight Damage Inspection" if my memory serves me correctly. It is specific where it says "if damage is found contact the duty manager at 747...."
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This is nothing new as far as non-mtc stations anyway. We have been doing this for years already and have had no safety issues at all. I am not saying that any rampers are mechanics, but damage or any major type of leak can be spotted by anyone that has been around an a/c for a while. There have been countless times that we have seen a hyd. leak and reported it to the crew for further evaluation and they call mtc control if need be.
 
Rampers do not get drug tested because they will be doing R&D, they do the R&D at 67 stations where there is no maintenance currently, Utility does not get drug tested because of R&D, the FAA set up the guidelines of who gets tested for what classification they are in, not the company.

In fact the companies have fought to reduce the current rate of drug testing for pilots, F/As and mechanics due to the very low rate of positive drug tests.

And in the new agreements, you get one get out of jail free card.
 
It doesn't matter who walks around the aircraft to perform a post flight damage inspection. The pilot will still be walking around it prior to flight. The mechanic, 'bagman' or my grandma inspecting it is just a second set of eyes............