Piedmont(CWA) –vs- Air Wisconsin(IAM) on ground handing Piedmont Closes Three Stations

[john john]

Piedmont Closes Three Stations
Today we have unfortunately provided station closure notification to three of our Piedmont Stations. As you know, nine Piedmont Stations were included in a US Airways Request For Proposal (RFP) exercise earlier this year and as a result of that evaluation, three have been awarded to another vendor. Members of our Department Leadership Team and HR met with employees in HHH, HTS and IPT today to advise that Piedmont handling will end in November and Air Wisconsin will assume the responsibility for ground handling in each location.
http://piedmontagent.org/index.cfm?action=cat&categoryID=92a118ac-0f70-4b29-a748-999b51107e1c

 

[Kev3188]

ZW just lost a bunch of stations themselves, as will Regional Elite when they wind their operation.

What a dizzying mess...

 

[wings396]

This has really become a crazy back and forth game of who does the ground handling in the outstations. I know of a few that had Piedmont a few years ago, and lost the contract for a while only to get it back again.
When it comes to these contract vendors you would think that their bids would all be close enough to keep some stability in the stations. It just goes to show what extent the company will go to in order to save a minimal amount of money even if the operation suffers due to the changeover.

 

[cynic]

HHH and IPT were both very senior stations. Changing over to new, minimum wage employees is going to be a lot cheaper. Companies are doing this all over the country and wondering why the economy still sucks.

 

[wings396]

I'm sure that factors in as well. Who wants those experienced people working the flights anyway. May as well get some minimum wage newbies just in time for the holidays, and in some cases deicing season.

 

[Hope777]

Great job by the union ???? So EN will continue to fly into HHH, with what 6 or 7 daily flights,but will no longer be handed by EN employees. Nice Scope ......

 

[700UW]

Thats the CWA for you.

 

[wings396]

I'm not sure that they are actually working under the CWA CBA yet. If so, that's a shame unless the Piedmont flying is being replaced by RJ's.

 

[john john]

The CWA Union Contract went into effect at all Piedmont stations on Monday August 6th

 

[wings396]

Ok, Thx wasn't aware of that.

 

[cynic]

I'm sure that factors in as well. Who wants those experienced people working the flights anyway. May as well get some minimum wage newbies just in time for the holidays, and in some cases deicing season.

Cost is the only factor the company cares about.

 

[Kev3188]

Great job by the union ???? So EN will continue to fly into HHH, with what 6 or 7 daily flights,but will no longer be handed by EN employees. Nice Scope ......

Exactly.

Hard to enforce scope laguage that *doesn't exist.* WTH were they thinking when they negotiated that???

 

[john john]

The pay and benefits and scope for both of these company’s is very close and the compay chose to outsource the work.
Agree I looked a contract and scope is non-existing????
An explanation is needed

 

[cltrat]

kind of ironic get your first union dues deduction from your paycheck and your furlough pack within weeks of each other.

 

[Hope777]

Sad, 7X daily HHH-CLT plus weekend service to DCA and isnt handled by your own employees ? Even the Sad excuse of a union on Mainline Ramp did a better job on Scope.