Midatlantic F/a Questions

[DCAflyer]

This from a posting on the ALPA website. It is a comparison of "benefit" costs at MDA vs mainline per month for this one pilot. Don't know if the other employee groups will be similiar or not.

Benefit Mainline MDA
Medical + family $ 131 $ 267
Dental $ 13.70 $ 22.80
AD&D family 300K $ 11.40 $ 135
Additional life ins
130,000 $ 40.95 $ 47.06

Total $ 197.05 $ 471.86

There is only one option for the medical 80/20. The doctor visits are based on 20% of the cost - not a set copay. No 100% coverage for dental - it's 50% copay!!!


Jim

Yikes!

If this formula carries over to flight attendants, even assuming a starting rate of just shy of $18.00 per flight hour (which we still seem to be getting conflicting information), the effective monthly income of a flight attendant logging 71 hours and having to pay only the family medical and dental is:

$71@ 18.00 = $1,278.00
Less medical $267.00
Less dental $28.20
Less AFA dues $39.00
Less Uniforms $20.00

Effective pay = $923.80

Even more sobering is that if the starting rate is only $12.00 per flight hour (an issue which seems very unclear at this point), starting pay is $852 for 71 hours, less medical, dental, dues, and uniforms, it brings the pay down to an unimaginable $497.80.

I guess a MAA flight attendant can always decline dental coverage since we wouldn't be able to afford food we won't need teeth.

Go get 'em, Pitbull! I'm with you on this one.

 

[Colby]

LOOK AT THE WINTER RESTRUCTURING AGREEMENT UNDER MAA.

It states mainline can bid for it.

You guys kill me. You expect AFA to bust their own agreement. You guys know what contract language means?????

Now that I've had a "Cooling off period".... I don't have a copy of this Agreement so I have One Question.....

Does it hold true that they have to go through ALL Furlouged Flight Attendants FIRST before MainLine Flight Attendants have a Chance to Bid MAA ???

If all Furlouged F/As have a Chance ..Then, I will Calm Down... You say that no MAA F/A can be thrown out on the street...Well, I just hope everyone(Furlouged) has a Chance to get on with MAA that want it first.....

 

[xoxo]

If active mainline fa/s want to go to Mda then the furloughs need to go back to ML. If some crazt fa wants to be at Mda, if they want to be in PIT and take that pay cut thats fine but it has to be one for one. One Fa goes to Mda then the most senior mda/furlough f/a goes back to mainline. We are the same seniority list so let people go where they want if the jobs are there, most if not all furloughs would rather be at ML than MDA even if its not as good as it was. We're talking about alot of $$ here. Most people do want to go back to US Airways becauise they live in USAirland and dont want to move/commute for another airline, or work for an Express or lcc.

DCAflyer, does that include per diem?

 

[DCAflyer]

If active mainline fa/s want to go to Mda then the furloughs need to go back to ML. If some crazt fa wants to be at Mda, if they want to be in PIT and take that pay cut thats fine but it has to be one for one. One Fa goes to Mda then the most senior mda/furlough f/a goes back to mainline. We are the same seniority list so let people go where they want if the jobs are there, most if not all furloughs would rather be at ML than MDA even if its not as good as it was. We're talking about alot of $$ here. Most people do want to go back to US Airways becauise they live in USAirland and dont want to move/commute for another airline, or work for an Express or lcc.

DCAflyer, does that include per diem?

Nope, doesn't include per diem. But I believe the MAA per diem rate is a paultry $1.10, so if you compare that with an averave $600 at mainline before the mainline reduction, you could expect a per diem check at MAA to be about $350.

 

[xoxo]

I'm furloughed and waiting tables right now anything is better than this. Ill start at Mda close to what I made starting at ML, its not the best but it'll do. I would go back to mainline at my starting rate in a heartbeat if that was offered and so would most everyone whos furloughed. If those senior people wont take a paycut/work rules adjustment at mainline I dont see why they'd want MDA, but if they do we'll all be happy to go back for the job we APPLIED for- US AIRWAYS!!!! Plus it would be better for the company because junior=lower cost and more productive.

I worked for Allegheny before I worked for USAir and my per diem was more than that. How do American eagle f/as survive?

 

[Kev3188]

"Pension Considerations for example. A 5 year F/A would be far better served in financial terms with a 401k type retirement with traditional stock market returns going forward. Where as a senior F/A with 28 or 29 years in would be far better off with the current pension scheme."

This is probably a topic deserving it's own thread, but Piney does have a great point here. As a 7 yr. employee, I would much rather have a 401k match by my airline (maybe even 7% like WN?), than wonder if a defined pension benefit will be there when I'm eligible. I also realize that this would not be an equitable option for the more "seasoned" employees among us who didn't have the option of a 401k when they were in my spot.....The tough question would be what to do with the "tweeners"-those with ,say, 10-25 years of seniority.

 

[Colby]

If active mainline fa/s want to go to Mda then the furloughs need to go back to ML. If some crazt fa wants to be at Mda, if they want to be in PIT and take that pay cut thats fine but it has to be one for one. One Fa goes to Mda then the most senior mda/furlough f/a goes back to mainline. We are the same seniority list so let people go where they want if the jobs are there, most if not all furloughs would rather be at ML than MDA even if its not as good as it was. We're talking about alot of $$ here. Most people do want to go back to US Airways becauise they live in USAirland and dont want to move/commute for another airline, or work for an Express or lcc.

DCAflyer, does that include per diem?

XOXO,

What I've been hearing is the PIT Flight Attendants(Main Line) would love to pick up MDA since they would be able to Stay at Home and Actually FLY !!!!

I guess we once again get to wait and see just what this Company and our AFA Union comes up with for OUR FUTURE !!!!!!!!

 

[Twicebaked]

I guess we once again get to wait and see just what this Company and our AFA Union comes up with for OUR FUTURE !!!!!!!!

The union is NOT going to get this one!!

Mainline F/As will NOT be able to bid for MAA positions.

 

[pitguy]

Colby: my heart goes out to you and Light Years. I can only hope that I may have had the opportunity to have really flown with you guys. Things really suck right now. I have spent most alll of my time with US on reserve (save 1 year). But I am back at the bottome of the barrel. I am ready to quit. Seriously,It is no fun and all of my fellow co-workers in my(our) shoes feel the same. I have no desire to go to work... and the company is making me feel like I need to go to a doctor for serious help.Oh the stories...I could tell you of what we are going through. It isn't any fun at all.

<_<

I can assure you that you are not alone. This feeling is rampant here. Be well.

 

[Light Years]

No one has any new info? Like when the next batch of letters go out?

 

[PITbull]

This from a posting on the ALPA website. It is a comparison of "benefit" costs at MDA vs mainline per month for this one pilot. Don't know if the other employee groups will be similiar or not.

Benefit Mainline MDA
Medical + family $ 131 $ 267
Dental $ 13.70 $ 22.80
AD&D family 300K $ 11.40 $ 135
Additional life ins
130,000 $ 40.95 $ 47.06

Total $ 197.05 $ 471.86

There is only one option for the medical 80/20. The doctor visits are based on 20% of the cost - not a set copay. No 100% coverage for dental - it's 50% copay!!!


Jim

Yikes!

If this formula carries over to flight attendants, even assuming a starting rate of just shy of $18.00 per flight hour (which we still seem to be getting conflicting information), the effective monthly income of a flight attendant logging 71 hours and having to pay only the family medical and dental is:

$71@ 18.00 = $1,278.00
Less medical $267.00
Less dental $28.20
Less AFA dues $39.00
Less Uniforms $20.00

Effective pay = $923.80

Even more sobering is that if the starting rate is only $12.00 per flight hour (an issue which seems very unclear at this point), starting pay is $852 for 71 hours, less medical, dental, dues, and uniforms, it brings the pay down to an unimaginable $497.80.

I guess a MAA flight attendant can always decline dental coverage since we wouldn't be able to afford food we won't need teeth.

Go get 'em, Pitbull! I'm with you on this one.

Bingo DCflyer,

You saw the point and made the connection. And your bottom quote is "gross pay" after medical. There are deductions. Folks won't make it on that. Forget family, but even the individual will need to room with 5 people in an apartment.

Not doable. Management is holding out on the MAA negotiating committee, knowing how important that issue is to our folks. They will dangle this in front of the entire negotiations and wait to the end to give it to the committee if they behave.

I know their MO. And this will be taken to the media if they pull that crap.

 

[PITbull]

"Pension Considerations for example. A 5 year F/A would be far better served in financial terms with a 401k type retirement with traditional stock market returns going forward. Where as a senior F/A with 28 or 29 years in would be far better off with the current pension scheme."

This is probably a topic deserving it's own thread, but Piney does have a great point here. As a 7 yr. employee, I would much rather have a 401k match by my airline (maybe even 7% like WN?), than wonder if a defined pension benefit will be there when I'm eligible. I also realize that this would not be an equitable option for the more "seasoned" employees among us who didn't have the option of a 401k when they were in my spot.....The tough question would be what to do with the "tweeners"-those with ,say, 10-25 years of seniority.

Your idea only works if the wage is decent enough to put away in a 401K. Don't forget folks have to live on a wage. On MAA, there is only enough for bare survival. A 401K would be a luxury expenditure for an MAA f/a.

 

[PITbull]

I'm furloughed and waiting tables right now anything is better than this. Ill start at Mda close to what I made starting at ML, its not the best but it'll do. I would go back to mainline at my starting rate in a heartbeat if that was offered and so would most everyone whos furloughed. If those senior people wont take a paycut/work rules adjustment at mainline I dont see why they'd want MDA, but if they do we'll all be happy to go back for the job we APPLIED for- US AIRWAYS!!!! Plus it would be better for the company because junior=lower cost and more productive.

I worked for Allegheny before I worked for USAir and my per diem was more than that. How do American eagle f/as survive?

xoxo,

You're argument is the MAA committee's argument. When a person slots out of Mainline, 1 slots in. Thus far, the company is not budging on either concept.

 

[Kev3188]

Your idea only works if the wage is decent enough to put away in a 401K. Don't forget folks have to live on a wage. On MAA, there is only enough for bare survival. A 401K would be a luxury expenditure for an MAA f/a.
/////////////////////////////////////////////

Pit--

Fair enough. The point I want to make is that I'd rather have control over "my" money than NW, and I think most in my boat (seniority wise) would agree. Not for nothing, maybe I was the exception to the rule, but I was saving for retirement even when working for everyone's favorite contract carrier, YV.

 

[DCAflyer]

Pitbull, can you clarify what the starting pay is for a mainline furloughed flight attendant would be at MAA? I recall you saying at some point in the past that it has been raised to close to $18/flight hour, rather than the $12 in the AE contract.

Thanks.