Merger Talk-Hubs? Computer Systems? Outstations? Managers? Fleet and Customer Service? Mainline Expr

[BonTemps]

Starting Now...


What might happen to the stations that US has our own employees but AA has outsourced or has American Eagle running the stations, such as BUF, JAX, PBI, PNS...to name a few..

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Mainline Express: it still exists now, but the horrible pay difference is gone --- other than the $0.25/hr "customer contact" pay. There some other, small differences. Furlough/severance pay is one. It would be nice to have MLE folded back into mainline. There is actually an advantage; in case of a furlough oin a mainline station, those affected cannot displace into an MLE station.

I am not really sure which station are MLE. BHM, PWM, BTV and maybe LGB. There are few others. (Not that CWA can be bothered to list them on its cwa.net website.)

Computer system: I cannot possibly see the combined carrier going QIK/SHARES. IMHO it is simply completely inadequate for the needs of a mega carrier. True, UAL went with SHARES but its version is, shall we say, more advanced? Moreover it does not hobble SHARES with the horrid QIK GUI overlay. The reason stated when Tempe got rid Sabre was they could dump the contract with EDS during the US bankruptcy, unlike West's SHARES. That, and that it was cheaper. (Of course, you also get what you pay for.)

Express carriers: Anyone's guess. Other than my take is that the flying side of PDT will get shafted and the company will mostly be a ground handling operation.

How many stations PDT will staff will depend on how much spine CWA has with scope. Sure, and extra buck an hour or another week's vacation are all well and good. Unless all the jobs handling Express flight are outsourced. And agents in hubs are not immune. Imagine if all those EMB-10/175s in PHL were not worked by mainline and instead worked by PDT like the CRJ-700/900s are. CWA must hold the line in the sand that 50+ seat aircraft be worked by mainline. Regardless of type.

For the ramp folks: Given the rancid job IAM has done for you, good luck. Is the ramp at AA union?

Managers: At least in customer service, I think they will not fare well. My guess is the cheapest will get to keep their jobs.

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And pilots: Please no discussion of your issues in this thread!

 

[BoeingBoy]

For the ramp folks: Given the rancid job IAM has done for you, good luck. Is the ramp at AA union?

TWU I think, but they're so unhappy with the TWU that they may look forward to the IAM (based on nothing other than posts in the AA forum and trying to decipher who's ramp vs mechanics). Same for the mechanics - they see the IAM as having done a better job representing US mechanics than TWU has AA mechanics.

Jim

 

[BonTemps]

Mainline Express: it still exists now, but the horrible pay difference is gone --- other than the $0.25/hr "customer contact" pay. There some other, small differences. Furlough/severance pay is one. It would be nice to have MLE folded back into mainline. There is actually an advantage; in case of a furlough oin a mainline station, those affected cannot displace into an MLE station.

I am not really sure which station are MLE. BHM, PWM, BTV and maybe LGB. There are few others. (Not that CWA can be bothered to list them on its cwa.net website.)

Computer system: I cannot possibly see the combined carrier going QIK/SHARES. IMHO it is simply completely inadequate for the needs of a mega carrier. True, UAL went with SHARES but its version is, shall we say, more advanced? Moreover it does not hobble SHARES with the horrid QIK GUI overlay. The reason stated when Tempe got rid Sabre was they could dump the contract with EDS during the US bankruptcy, unlike West's SHARES. That, and that it was cheaper. (Of course, you also get what you pay for.)

Express carriers: Anyone's guess. Other than my take is that the flying side of PDT will get shafted and the company will mostly be a ground handling operation.

How many stations PDT will staff will depend on how much spine CWA has with scope. Sure, and extra buck an hour or another week's vacation are all well and good. Unless all the jobs handling Express flight are outsourced. And agents in hubs are not immune. Imagine if all those EMB-10/175s in PHL were not worked by mainline and instead worked by PDT like the CRJ-700/900s are. CWA must hold the line in the sand that 50+ seat aircraft be worked by mainline. Regardless of type.

For the ramp folks: Given the rancid job IAM has done for you, good luck. Is the ramp at AA union?

Managers: At least in customer service, I think they will not fare well. My guess is the cheapest will get to keep their jobs.

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And pilots: Please no discussion of your issues in this thread!

Ah OK that's making sense. If 50+ seat aircraft are worked by mainline employees, that will open up more jobs for AA and possibly US in some stations where AA may have mainline or large express a/c but the station is worked by Eagle, and US ops are worked by Piedmont. Well AA managers in customer services, analysts, station management, etc are paid 25-35% more than US so..guess we can see who's keeping those jobs...

 

[SparrowHawk]

This whole thing will be hammered out when it comes time to integrate the union contracts. Given the history of US & AA when it comes to Labor Relations I think it safe to say that you might want to familiarize yourself with the acronym, BOHICA.

 

[Move2CLT]

This whole thing will be hammered out when it comes time to integrate the union contracts. Given the history of US & AA when it comes to Labor Relations I think it safe to say that you might want to familiarize yourself with the acronym, BOHICA.

Please define "integrate the union contracts."

What is it you think you mean by that?

 

[SparrowHawk]

Please define "integrate the union contracts."

What is it you think you mean by that?

A combined workforce will result in a combined contract. Think of the F/A contract at US Airways. They are negotiating as a single bargaining unit. Meaning the workforce is "integrated". I suspect there might be some representation elections along the way and some stuff like what has been announced done in advance of a deal closing.

Unless we're talking about almighty pilots who apparently can't agree on where to have lunch or have the civility to not interject their petty issues into every thread.

I'd like to think that Doug learned some things in dealing with Moe, Larry & Curly from USAPA, but I'm doubtful.

 

[Non Rev]

Computer system: I cannot possibly see the combined carrier going QIK/SHARES. IMHO it is simply completely inadequate for the needs of a mega carrier. True, UAL went with SHARES but its version is, shall we say, more advanced? Moreover it does not hobble SHARES with the horrid QIK GUI overlay. The reason stated when Tempe got rid Sabre was they could dump the contract with EDS during the US bankruptcy, unlike West's SHARES. That, and that it was cheaper. (Of course, you also get what you pay for.)


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And pilots: Please no discussion of your issues in this thread!

I was thinking the same thing, however look at this quote I saw in an article about the likelihood of a merger.

American has been working with HP on a new reservations system but nothing has come of it yet. US Airways, however, uses SHARES, a system that HP owns. You think HP will be onboard? Oh yeah.

 

[FWAAA]

No real news about whether the new HP system being designed for AA will ever happen, but here is one article discussing it:

http://www.tnooz.com/2012/02/22/news/will-the-american-airlines-jetstream-reservations-system-ever-fly/

 

[usfliboi]

The answer is...... No one knows! Period!

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

It will interesting to see what becomes of the express carriers.

AA, like everyone except for WN. relies on regional partners (and their low paid employees) for a great deal of its lift. I don't think it outsources as much of its flying as US does. Unlike US, with its armada of contract carriers (and two wholly owned) AA gets nearly all its regional lift from its Eagle subsidiary (yes, they have trying to spin it off). IMHO if an airline is going to have express/regional/connection carriers, the fewer, the better and wholly owned is better than contract carriers. Sometimes, a contract carrier has different priorities than its mainline partner.

If AA's thinking prevails, I can see the contracts with the Air Wisconsins and Mesas not being renewed and more flying being shifted to Eagle, whether spun off or not. Also some flying going to PSA, possibly. With Piedmont, who knows?

The AA pilot scope limiting outsourced flying to 50 seats is likely to be gone.

What will happen to flying in the 70-80 category? Republic? Or going to Eagle or PSA?
My preferred --- but unlikely --- answer would be to have be in house, with reduced crew costs more in line with an Express carrier. Sucky? Yes, but at least in house.

In a couple of years, it will fun to go back and look to see how wild our guesses/speculation was!

 

[ograc]

Can anyone from the AA Fleet Service side tell me how many current stations there are where Fleet Service work and agents are represented by the TWU?
Additionally, what stations they are?
This info would be greatly appreciated.
ograc