Mechanic and Related Transition Update

[700UW]

IAM / U S AIRWAYS TRANSITION NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

Transition talks resumed in Phoenix, Arizona January 29, through January 31, 2008. The company
presented your committee with their proposal, which was prefaced with an explanation on the change of control decision, the declining economy, the rising cost of oil and the impact these have on US Airways. Your committee emphatically stated to the company that these same issues impact our members and their families as well. This does not change our position that wages and benefits must be improved and the company should treat their employees as the valuable assets they are and not as a liability.

We presented a proposal to the company which adequately addresses the membership’s concerns. Our proposal addresses job security, increases in wages, a defined benefit pension plan, hours of service, improvements in holidays, overtime provisions and vacation. We also discussed a modified sick plan, increases in license pay, shift differential and swaps.

Upon presentation to the company of our proposal, the company informed your committee that they
would need time to cost out and review our proposal. Accordingly, the parties have agreed to continue these talks in Charlotte, North Carolina the week of March 3, 2008.

Although your committee shares your frustration with the process, we ask for your continued support
and solidarity. We are determined to bring the next session of negotiations to a successful conclusion.

 

[Planemx]

IAM / U S AIRWAYS TRANSITION NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

Transition talks resumed in Phoenix, Arizona January 29, through January 31, 2008. The company
presented your committee with their proposal, which was prefaced with an explanation on the change of control decision, the declining economy, the rising cost of oil and the impact these have on US Airways. Your committee emphatically stated to the company that these same issues impact our members and their families as well. This does not change our position that wages and benefits must be improved and the company should treat their employees as the valuable assets they are and not as a liability.

We presented a proposal to the company which adequately addresses the membership’s concerns. Our proposal addresses job security, increases in wages, a defined benefit pension plan, hours of service, improvements in holidays, overtime provisions and vacation. We also discussed a modified sick plan, increases in license pay, shift differential and swaps.

Upon presentation to the company of our proposal, the company informed your committee that they
would need time to cost out and review our proposal. Accordingly, the parties have agreed to continue these talks in Charlotte, North Carolina the week of March 3, 2008.

Although your committee shares your frustration with the process, we ask for your continued support
and solidarity. We are determined to bring the next session of negotiations to a successful conclusion.

no doubt the same speech given to Fleet Service - who rightfully told the company to pound sand.
Not too many times in your posts do you say you share our frustration.....I truely hope you do. Allen Hemenway can STILL pound sand as far as I am concerned.....and anybody else who stands with him.

 

[necigrad]

At least M&R left with more meetings scheduled.

 

[Planemx]

At least M&R left with more meetings scheduled.

Send them packing until Fleet (141) gets a T/A....

 

[orioleman]

700uw,
hope you don't mind me quoting you on another thread but it needs to be brought to f/s attention . the difference between

the neg committees we have.. might I say well done to your boys or gals to stand up to them

 

[brokenwrench]

Regarding the companies' woes including "the declining economy, the rising cost of oil and the impact these have on US Airways."

Can they explain why other airlines are not so gloomy with thier guidance going forward?

I.E.

At United: EVP John Tague came on the call and immediately discussed the airline's revenue performance. According to Tague, "For the full year, mainline PRASM was up 7.1%, and for the fourth quarter mainline PRASM increased 13.1% year over year. Total revenues in the fourth quarter were up 9.7%, while passenger revenues were up 11.6%. "According to John, "As we close the book on the year, I'm pleased to report that our revenue performance is strong across the board with every region having improved significantly. In the first quarter, our domestic results were disappointing. Coming off of that performance, we took definitive action to realign our capacity with current market demand, setting the stage for a substantial turnaround in our domestic performance." Looking forward, John said, "Moving to our revenue outlook, we continue to expect strong unit revenue improvements in the first quarter."

At Delta: Much like we have seen in the past on Northwest Airlines calls and the Continental Airlines calls, there were a whole lot of folks on the Delta Air Lines call. Richard Anderson, CEO, and Ed Bastian, President and CFO, were joined by Glen Houenstein, EVP of Network and Revenue Management; Mike Campbell, EVP of Human Resources and Labor Relations; Steve Gorman, EVP of Operations, and Hank Halter, SVP and Controller. Ed also echoed what we have heard from most this quarter -- demand remains good. Ed said, "Looking at advanced bookings at a system level, January advance bookings are ahead of last year and we're seeing no softening of close end demand. For February and March due to the shift of the Easter holiday we have purposely kept advanced bookings slightly behind last year as we switch to more of a yield bias. The domestic capacity reductions we announced last year are having the anticipated effect of firming up our advance yield."

At Southwest: As always, the earnings call was a packed house, as CEO Gary Kelly and CFO Laura Wright talked about results in front of eight industry analysts. Looking forward, Laura said, "So far our January 2008 passenger unit revenue is steady, running up in the 4% range year over year. Although the trends are encouraging and we should benefit from an early Easter in March this year our outlook remains somewhat cautious as a result of the weak economy and credit crisis."

No doubt our union negotiators were already armed with this information and relayed it accordingly to the company. I am sure that if the "updates" were more than one page there would be room to include such details.

In Solidarity,
XXXXXXXXX

 

[Docker]

The minimum I would like to see in the Transition agreement would be some holidays back, 1 week of vacation back, and bring our wages up with each other with a small additional kick. Being able to bid through out the system would be great, that and putting everyone on a even playing field would be the best benefit of getting this transition completed. We've been waiting way too long. Now if the company wants to extend this until 2011 or 2012, that is a different story, we might as well do full negotiations.

 

[brokenwrench]

% USAirways Line AMT is behind other airlines, assuming all in one rate.

WN 36% behind
JB 22% behind
AA 22% behind
CO 22% behind
AT 20% behind
UA 18% behind
DL 14% behind
NW 06% behind (SCAB Contract)

Do not forget the longest top out time in the industry!

 

[Mr. Quade]

I am extremely frusrated about these talks. Both sides agreed post-merger to brings all M&R under a better agreement thus all these T/A talks.

Over 2 years and still waiting

They have been saving and making money for years by not putting these goups together.

They are still trying to dig into a bankrupt contract and expecting the membership to show them the money instead of them first.

The last time we met was Sept of 07 in D.C.

Almost five months in waiting for a grievance to be heard and was denied. That also stalled these talks.

So for the company to sit back and have all these excuses as to why they are scared to make a deal without I feel 'more concessions' from their employees; is unreal. What luck....

 

[Hey.. Chill Out]

Anything we can vote on is a step in the right direction. Keep it up guys.

 

[700UW]

Have fun dealing with Hemenway and Harbison, watch out for a back dooring by a certain two.

 

[Planemx]

Have fun dealing with Hemenway and Harbison, watch out for a back dooring by a certain two.

In addition to what these clowns are trying to do? Bad cop- worse cop?

 

[700UW]

Just telling you like it was and still is, remember I was on the last NC during chapter 11 and witnessed some strange happenings.

 

[Hadenough]

Send them packing until Fleet (141) gets a T/A....

Just one question. Why? Why does fleet have to have a T/A first? Is it written in stone somewhere that fleet has to reach a deal before anyone else?
Its not that I don't want a fair deal I just don't understand why we have to be first. Can someone please explain this to me. Looking for a honest facts and an answer. 700 do you know?

 

[Mr. Quade]

Well Ron does'nt seem so bad, it's AL H. that really seems to be stalling this. He has the thought that if 'they' don't get what they want; all else it a huge problem. Billions of dollars in give backs over 2 bankrupt contracts still does'nt seem enough; in AL's mind....

Company has over 3 billion in the bank and they are still worried about money...!!

They can invest in this or that and the other thing but not it's most important asset; THE MEMBERSHIP..

Oh let's make our planes real nice and lets amke sure the food tastes a little better plus...let's take care of our customers; is the words that come out of DOUG's mouth. Never I think my employees deserve to paid industry standard or even close. But thank you all so very much; the 36,000 hardworking employees that make up this great US Airways team....