Pit Closing- IT Effects Everyone-- Voice your opinion

[iwantout]

While my heart does go out to my coworkers who are getting displaced, just like I did, does anyone realize how this will effect everyone in other bases. How do all these people expect to get work? What about the people in PHL who will get displaced. How about RSV going back to 1987 or later? We need to email and let them know how we feel:

1. Management continues to disrupt the lives of the employees. Why send all the flying time to DCA and CLT when they know everyone will transfer to PHL.

2. Do they realize what the financial and quality of life implications will be with all those people going back on reserve. I am a single mom with two kids and I know how I will make any time in never mind that fact I will probably never get on a/c with all those people non reving

3. What will happen if Southwest cut back their flights? I take them at least once a week between PIT and PHL and the plane is full of non-rev US pax. What happens when they realize these flights dont carry any paying pax and they cut them back.

4. What happens if all 300 people come to PHL? Guess what, they will probably then want to displace 300 people, I being int that group. Let these people know they made an exceptions for the people in CLT when they were going to get displaced. Let's demand the same. Some of us have been furlouged more than once and displaced more thane once.

This management continues to disregard the face that we are human beings with lives. Each one of you needs to email the following management and demand fair treatment. From the 20 year f/a in PHL who will be going back on reserve and getting a pay check of minimum guarentee to bottom 300 people who will get dispalced. Email them and post their replies back to you. If they don't reply, keep emailing them.

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

We need to be treated better

 

[UWCactus]

What are your expectations? This management didn't cause all of the downsizing that affected PIT, it was a differenttime and different leadership. All of the PIT pullback in the previous years, left US in a position to end up leaving while others were able to take advantage of PIT's pullback BEFORE THE MERGER.

Why shift the flying to DCA or CLT? You don't run the business based on more convenience, it has to be a solid business decision. With all due respect and the with understanding that PIT has real people, with real families and real bills, PIT is simply a casualty of the history of US.

 

[JAMAKE1]

Dear Iwantout:


You work for a company. That company is restructuring its operations in order to optimize its limited resources so that net income can be maximized. This is the goal of any corporation. Furthermore, it is the primary responsibility of the senior leadership of a company to allocate its limited resources so that these resources will yield the greatest return to the corporation's stakeholders. As someone who has made a choice to work for this company and who is currently at the affect of your management's decision to re-allocate its resources, you have options: You can either choose to re-locate to where your company seniority can allow you to hold the best work schedule and/or quality of life, you can choose to commute to the new location that your seniority will take you, being mindful of course, that it is your choice to assume all of the risks inherent in traveling as a non-revenue, space available passenger in order to get to work, OR you can decide that there is no value in relocating and/or commuting, and seek alternative work. It is not management's intention to disrupt the lives of its employees, as you have inferred, but merely to optimally allocate the corporation's assets so that they yield the maximum financial returns. YOU on the other hand, are in the driver's seat of YOUR LIFE. You get to evaluate the pending changes that will impact your work life as you know it, and DECIDE if there is still value in working for a company that is about to move your work location. My point here, and don't get me wrong...crew base closures, furloughs, and displacements are unfortunate to those who are impacted by these management decisions...but my point is, is that you are not a victim. And just so you know: when you go to work for any airline company, or any company for that matter, you always run the risk that things can and do change, at which point YOU then get to analyze these changes, evaluate the alternatives, and ultimately decide if you are willing to adapt your life to the changes being made in your working life, just like any manager must do within the corporate world. Most likely, I would venture to guess, the flying is being sent to DCA and CLT, because that is where those resources will yield the greatest return to the company's bottom line. In a nutshell, when we choose to work for a company, we aren't entitled to anything. We will always be subject to market conditions that can and will likely change over the course of our careers. It has been said on these threads all week long: The demise of PIT has been a work in progress since the Stephen Wolf tent meetings of the 1990's. Just try to keep this in mind: When you try to BLAME others (in this case, current USAirways management), you give your own power away. Business decisions will always impact people. But the good news is: We then get to re-choose whether or not we want to participate in the changes being made by our company's management or move on to other career choices. I don't mean to be rude, cold, or callous, it's just that the tone of your post reeks of blame, entitlement, and victimization. Don't give your power away. Give yourself a great weekend. Peace...

 

[bigbusboy]

Dear Iwantout:
You work for a company. That company is restructuring its operations in order to optimize its limited resources so that net income can be maximized. This is the goal of any corporation......... I don't mean to be rude, cold, or callous, it's just that the tone of your post reeks of blame, entitlement, and victimization. Don't give your power away. Give yourself a great weekend. Peace...

No truer words ever written on this message board. Thank you for being so eloquent. I mean no disrespect either to any PIT person, but please people this is a base closure only, a business decision only....plain and simple. The only issue I have sympathy for is the commute from PIT to anywhere will be horrific. No amount of US/SW flights to anywhere will handle the volume of commuters. I said it before on a previous post on a different thread: If you decide to come to PHL, WELCOME, irregardless of your seniority and what you will do to mine.

 

[Itestwell]

While my heart does go out to my coworkers who are getting displaced, just like I did, does anyone realize how this will effect everyone in other bases. How do all these people expect to get work? What about the people in PHL who will get displaced. How about RSV going back to 1987 or later? We need to email and let them know how we feel:

1. Management continues to disrupt the lives of the employees. Why send all the flying time to DCA and CLT when they know everyone will transfer to PHL.

Wait... isn't everyone on here complaining how much of a mess PHL is? And you are mad at Tempe for sending the time to DCA and CLT?? Umm, ok....

2. Do they realize what the financial and quality of life implications will be with all those people going back on reserve. I am a single mom with two kids and I know how I will make any time in never mind that fact I will probably never get on a/c with all those people non reving

I held a block for about 4 months in my 10 years here. We all have kids/bills/elderly parents/ etc...... I feel for you, but ....

3. What will happen if Southwest cut back their flights? I take them at least once a week between PIT and PHL and the plane is full of non-rev US pax. What happens when they realize these flights dont carry any paying pax and they cut them back.

USAir is not responsible for getting you to work. You are. PIT is not the first base to close. Ask around.

4. What happens if all 300 people come to PHL? Guess what, they will probably then want to displace 300 people, I being int that group. Let these people know they made an exceptions for the people in CLT when they were going to get displaced. Let's demand the same. Some of us have been furlouged more than once and displaced more thane once.

Yes. We have. And it sucks. Let's focus on changing this in the new contract. Too bad only a handful of RSV's showed at the Union meetings. People must not be that concerned......

This management continues to disregard the face that we are human beings with lives. Each one of you needs to email the following management and demand fair treatment. From the 20 year f/a in PHL who will be going back on reserve and getting a pay check of minimum guarentee to bottom 300 people who will get dispalced. Email them and post their replies back to you. If they don't reply, keep emailing them.

PIT is closing. We all knew that was going to happen. Nothing to do with being a human being or not. In fact, PIT people should thank Tempe for being so "wishy washy" and keeping the base open/ rescinding displacements as much as they did. Right??? Get real.

The bumping that could take place is contractual, so get involved and make sure you tell your Union leaders what you want changed in the new contract, and what you want to keep.

[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

We need to be treated better

 

[beachboy]

Itestwell- Just curious. I am pretty sure you have 318 JR to you in PHL. OUR union should be doing something to squel this mess for the JR people instead of sitting back going well "bumping is contractual". They seem to get inovative over other things they find important. Time to think outside the box and hammer it home to managment. It's not going to be a pretty sight once the displacment letters go out. Wonder if they will be wrapped for Christmas? With a red bow?

 

[iwantout]

Boy how do I love all these kool-aid drinking america' worst people on here saying how much they support management's good decision. Please this management could not make a good decision if they had a guy pointed to their head. You all sit nice in PHX where you can have a block after 3 years. Trying being on reserve for as long as all of us have been. Soon, PHL will have a 20 year reserves. That is not fair.

Also I know that I am not the only single mother out here with kids, I was just pointing out that there is a fae to the stupid decisions these people make.

 

[etops1]

this is gonna be a mess. but i kinda agree with itestwell. infact i agree with him/her totally.

 

[700UW]

I don't want this to seem cold or callous, but no one is gauranted a job in the city they work.

Since the merger probably about 20 maintenance stations have been closed and people in order to keep their jobs had to move all over the country.

There are numerous mechanic and related that had to uproot or commute from the west coast to CLT, PIT and PHL to keep their jobs.

I have never seen anyone except mtc people care about it, you are not the first airline employees to be effected by a city/base closing and you won't be the last.

You have three choices, commute, move or quit.

I dont want to seem unsympathetic but working in the airline industry is just like riding a roller coaster.

You wont get any pity from me, it sucks, but it is life and you will have to deal with it, complaining about does not solve it.

 

[UWCactus]

Boy how do I love all these kool-aid drinking america' worst people on here saying how much they support management's good decision. Please this management could not make a good decision if they had a guy pointed to their head. You all sit nice in PHX where you can have a block after 3 years. Trying being on reserve for as long as all of us have been. Soon, PHL will have a 20 year reserves. That is not fair.

Also I know that I am not the only single mother out here with kids, I was just pointing out that there is a fae to the stupid decisions these people make.

This is not about "kool aid", it's a post from people that seem to have a level head about some of this stuff. You clearly 'WANT OUT" but aren't willing to take control of your life. Why do you have the name "iwant out"? It is clear you want out, but don't bash people for trying to provide you with some reason.

 

[Itestwell]

Itestwell- Just curious. I am pretty sure you have 318 JR to you in PHL. OUR union should be doing something to squel this mess for the JR people instead of sitting back going well "bumping is contractual". They seem to get inovative over other things they find important. Time to think outside the box and hammer it home to managment. It's not going to be a pretty sight once the displacment letters go out. Wonder if they will be wrapped for Christmas? With a red bow?

Agree 100%, beachboy. The mess that this could cause, especially during the holidays, is monumental. Let's see what they come up with. What would you suggest? Changing the contract and making the PIT people follow the time to DCA/CLT? Being realistic, if the company would not implement any of the AFA's Reserve Enhancement ideas, they are not gonna jump to help us here. The Company is solely focused on hammering out a new joint contract, and they are not interested in making changes to exisiting separate contracts.

 

[Itestwell]

Boy how do I love all these kool-aid drinking america' worst people on here saying how much they support management's good decision. Please this management could not make a good decision if they had a guy pointed to their head. You all sit nice in PHX where you can have a block after 3 years. Trying being on reserve for as long as all of us have been. Soon, PHL will have a 20 year reserves. That is not fair.

Also I know that I am not the only single mother out here with kids, I was just pointing out that there is a fae to the stupid decisions these people make.

With all due respect, the reason we have 20+ year RSV's at this company is our contract, which, obviously, favors the senior members of our group. The West contract is inherently different, thus allowing for 3 year lineholders. No need to go into the details about why this is, but we know it is....

Now, do these things need to be changed? Yes. Will it require people getting involved and voicing their opinions? Yes. Will that happen? I am not so sure.

Are you referring to closing PIT as a stupid decision? Come on, the writing has been on the wall, and you cannot support a base with ~20 flights per day. One could say that the stupid decision was keeping PIT open for so long, stringing those people along with glimmers of hope.

It's a difficult time now. Good luck to all of us. It's going to be one he!! of a holiday season, I'm afraid.

 

[JAMAKE1]

Boy how do I love all these kool-aid drinking america' worst people on here saying how much they support management's good decision. Please this management could not make a good decision if they had a gun pointed to their head.

Nobody is drinking any Kool Aid (hint, I don't even work for US). But, if your company is losing $40 million per year due to its operations in PIT, then, it IS probably a wise decision to close down those operations (remember the goal: Optimize resources in order to yield the maximum financial returns).

You all sit nice in PHX where you can have a block after 3 years. Trying being on reserve for as long as all of us have been. Soon, PHL will have a 20 year reserves. That is not fair.

It's not about being FAIR. It is about your choices to continue working in a location/for an airline that has seen a continued decline in flying over the past several years. Remember, you have OPTIONS (Hint: If you don't want to be on reserve, then CHOOSE a domicile where your seniority will allow you to hold a block. BOS, LGA, maybe even DCA (See: there are THREE possible choices right there...).

Also I know that I am not the only single mother out here with kids, I was just pointing out that there is a fae to the stupid decisions these people make.

Sounds to me like the "stupid" decisions being made are by YOU. From your postings, it has become clear to me that you have not wanted to acknowledge the writing that has been on the wall regarding PIT's fate, for quite some time now. Additionally, you have chosen to remain in a domicile with declining levels of flying, combined with a senior work force relative to your seniority (Hint: That equates to reserve flying being highly likely).

Let's go back to square one: You are not entitled to anything. Two: You have made decisions that haven't yielded the outcome you desire (holding a block), and then complain and whine about it (BLAME others for your decisions). And three: Fail to acknowledge your responsibilitiy in the choices that you have made, and then act like a victim.

Blame, entitlement, and victimization aren't going to get you anywhere in life. In fact, they will leave you feeling angry, bitter, and powerless. (Remember: You're in the driver's seat of YOUR LIFE, not USAirways).

With a user name like, IWANTOUT, you may want to give your career choices very serious consideration.

Have a great weekend.

Peace,

JAMAKE1

 

[USCREW]

Note to self:

1. I will never italicize again.

2. I will burn all my Management 101 textbooks--they'll make me sound amateurish.

 

[safety stud]

Union contractual agreements have and always been structured around seniority. From pay to vacation to positions on the a/c to almost everything within the realm of flight attendant duties. To say that you want to change the feel of the contract and place protections that erode the seniority system is ludicris. Without seniority and the ablility to protect it the company would have no encentive to negotiate a contract that would add any value to your wellbeing. If as you say the junior flight attenant is on the same playing field as a senior flight attendant then what is the incentive to provide anything to those that have served there time at this airline. I am not saying that the junior flight attendants that have been placed in unhearalded positions over the last 10 years isn't horrific. But face it people, seniority is all we realy have. It's the basic rule of all CBA's at all unionized labor organizations.

Protections for the junior flight attendants can come through enhanced contractual language that is already in place. If you "Weed" out the garbage that clutters the contract against the junior F/A's then you will find better protection. Let's face it, closing PIT affects everyone, however those same protections that kept the airline operational during 9/11 and BK's also helped the junior and senior F/A's also. We can't for get the many VPLOA's that took place because of the contractual language already in the contract. Had it not been there the company could and would have just given pink slip and said adios.

I am one of the employees who will probably bump some junior flight attendant out of a position that they hold dear. For this I am sorry, however, it isn't my doing that caused this. It lands soley on the company and it's inablility to properly manage it. It is ironic that the day after the company states they will close PIT, SW says they will triple the amount of flights out of here. If the company states they loose 40 million a year on PIT, they why are they in a position to do the same unless there is inherant value in this city.

Just my opinion...