No More Future Staples

[galleyguy4u2]

This law does not help the TWA f/a's. This law will protect others in the future. We are just the poster children.

For Immediate Release: December 19, 2007

Contact: Corey Caldwell

Washington, DC – U.S. flight attendants benefited greatly from the omnibus bill passed by Congress this week due to two important provisions that were included. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) worked closely with several key Congressional leaders to ensure that seniority protections for aviation employees and funding for a follow-up fatigue study were included in the comprehensive bill.

“Today is a victory not only for the 55,000 AFA-CWA flight attendants, but for flight attendants across the country,†said Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President. “Thanks to our friends on the Hill, we now can prevent any flight attendant group from being forced to the bottom of a combined seniority list in the event their airline merges with another. We are also excited about the passage of funding for a comprehensive fatigue study. Flight attendant fatigue is a chronic problem in the aviation industry and it continues to jeopardize our ability to fulfill important safety and security roles.â€

Last year, the Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee authorized funding to research the effects of flight attendant fatigue, per the recommendation of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report. The results of the report confirmed that flight attendants are frequently “experiencing issues consistent with fatigue and tiredness†and that “fatigue appears to be a salient issue warranting further evaluation.†The follow-up, two-year study will be conducted by the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI).

Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Kit Bond (R-MO), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representative Russ Carnahan (D-MO) were the driving forces behind the inclusion of the seniority protection language. AFA-CWA has been at the forefront of seniority protection since federal regulators stopped requiring such safeguards, part of the Allegheny-Mohawk Labor Protective Provisions, in the 1980s. It especially became apparent how vital these protections were when approximately 3,000 TWA flight attendants were placed at the bottom of the seniority list after American Airlines bought the airline. After the September 11 attacks, ultimately every single TWA flight attendant lost their job as they were the first to be furloughed, many with over 25 years of seniority. TWA and American Airlines flight attendants were represented by two different unions. AFA-CWA did not represent either flight attendant group.

“For years, AFA-CWA members have been urging their Congressional leaders to take action on these very important issues. Those leaders listened and because of their determination, flight attendants across the country are better off. Today we made a giant stride in protecting our futures and came one step closer to ending the dangerous effects of fatigue,†said Friend.

For over 60 years, the Association of Flight Attendants has been serving as the voice for flight attendants in the workplace, in the aviation industry, in the media and on Capitol Hill. More than 55,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines come together to form AFA-CWA, the world’s largest flight attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000-member strong Communications Workers of America (CWA), AFL-CIO. Visit us at www.afanet.org.

_______________________________

Corey Caldwell
AFA-CWA Communications

 

[L1011Ret]

The Anti APFA Bill shows APFA to not be a union at all.

 

[MiAAmi]

The Anti APFA Bill shows APFA to not be a union at all.

Thankfully alot of people do not share your opinion. We eagerly welcome back over 900 former TWA flight attendants that are already reaping the benefits of a APFA negotiated pay scale and benefits. TWer's will be recieving their senority for pay at $45.32 per flight hour up to 70 hours and $52.12 an hour for anything over 70 hours. In May they will go to $46.00 and $52.90 respectively.

 

[TWskyliner]

The Anti APFA Bill shows APFA to not be a union at all.

That comment served no real or constructive purpose other than to bait.

Hopefully the passage of this law will benefit ALL union members regarding merger/acquisitons in the future...not just some.

 

[galleyguy4u2]

Thankfully alot of people do not share your opinion. We eagerly welcome back over 900 former TWA flight attendants that are already reaping the benefits of a APFA negotiated pay scale and benefits. TWer's will be recieving their senority for pay at $45.32 per flight hour up to 70 hours and $52.12 an hour for anything over 70 hours. In May they will go to $46.00 and $52.90 respectively.

Well your dollars per hour are nothing compared to our work rules at TW. First of all we did not have to pre-fund our retirement. Our medical insurance was free. Our pass charges were much less. Our trip trading was simple, no need for a trip trader. We had high time and low time lines and could fly has much as we wanted to. We could OE a trip <ETO> much easier. J/S was available whether the flight was full or not. All of these items add up in $$$$. Subtract all those saving to your per hour rate.

No more STAPLE for anyone in the industry.

 

[IORFA]

Did the president sign it yet? I thought he said he wasn't sure he liked the ominbus bill. Not trying to flame, just asking a question. Shrub really hasn't signed much of anything lately. Well, except the pilot alimony insurance plan that is.

 

[galleyguy4u2]

Bush will sign it because it does not cost billions of $$$$. He has no problem spending money to fight the war on terror. :blink:

 

[IORFA]

Are we talking about the same omnibus bill? The whitehouse and congress have been fighting for a couple weeks over the size of the bill. Shrub said he wouldn't sign it if it was too big. Out of curiosity, where were Sen. McCaskill, Sen. Bond, AFA-CWA and the IAM after the Reno purchase? Weren't they worth the fight as well?

 

[MCI transplant]

Are we talking about the same omnibus bill? The whitehouse and congress have been fighting for a couple weeks over the size of the bill. Shrub said he wouldn't sign it if it was too big. Out of curiosity, where were Sen. McCaskill, Sen. Bond, AFA-CWA and the IAM after the Reno purchase? Weren't they worth the fight as well?

<_< -----What you should be asking is where were he Senators, and Congressmen from the States of Nevada? All of the above have constituents that were exTWA! This legislation is way overdue!---------

 

[TWAnr]

...over 900 former TWA flight attendants that are already reaping the benefits of a APFA negotiated pay scale and benefits. TWer's will be recieving their senority for pay at $45.32 per flight hour up to 70 hours and $52.12 an hour for anything over 70 hours. In May they will go to $46.00 and $52.90 respectively.

Can you tell me how long it is going to take for these pay rates to make up for four years, eight months and three weeks of lost income due to furlough? Ten, fifteen, twenty years? Longer?

Curious minds with vested interest wonder.

 

[L1011Ret]

Thankfully alot of people do not share your opinion. We eagerly welcome back over 900 former TWA flight attendants that are already reaping the benefits of a APFA negotiated pay scale and benefits. TWer's will be recieving their senority for pay at $45.32 per flight hour up to 70 hours and $52.12 an hour for anything over 70 hours. In May they will go to $46.00 and $52.90 respectively.

But thankfully many do... so we'll just leave it at that.

 

[Nor'Easta]

That comment served no real or constructive purpose other than to bait.

Its typical from the old guy. He has nothing better to do except drink beer and post on this bb.

 

[L1011Ret]

[quote name='Nor'Easta' post='554506' date='Dec 20 2007, 11:32 PM']Its typical from the old guy. He has nothing better to do except drink beer and post on this bb.[/quote]


It may be typical, but what is repetitive and typical of you is your spewing hateful comments about people you do not even know. The best you have ever been able to do here is to label others using pejorative insults. That is developmentally equal to 3 to 5 year olds. That is all they are capable of at that age until they advance in development and find more mature ways of responding to others. Your continued use of such childish modes of relating even when called on it, just reveals the fact that you cannot learn and advance yourself up the evolutionary ladder.

 

[eolesen]

Well your dollars per hour are nothing compared to our work rules at TW. First of all we did not have to pre-fund our retirement. Our medical insurance was free. Our pass charges were much less. Our trip trading was simple, no need for a trip trader. We had high time and low time lines and could fly has much as we wanted to. We could OE a trip <ETO> much easier. J/S was available whether the flight was full or not. All of these items add up in $$$$. Subtract all those saving to your per hour rate.

And correct me if I'm mistaken, but didn't TWA go bankrupt three times?...


Legislation like this has the potential to make things worse, not better. If at first you can't negotiate something, get some CongressCritter to write a law for you...

Next time, it could be management lobbying to get something into law that they can't get at the bargaining table, and I'm sure all the same people who are currently singing the praises of this law will be spitting nails...

 

[MiAAmi]

Can you tell me how long it is going to take for these pay rates to make up for four years, eight months and three weeks of lost income due to furlough? Ten, fifteen, twenty years? Longer?

Curious minds with vested interest wonder.

A much shorter time than had TWA gone totally belly up! Had AA not come in with their offer, chances are that all TWA employees would be on the street with no option for recall at all. APFA protected its members as a union should do. TWAers may have got the short end of the stick but thats how things went. If APFA is so bad then why are so many recalled actually coming back?!