Question Re: Mainline F/a Furloughes....

[330JETSTEW]

I'm sure that this issue has been addressed directly or indirectly over these boards in the past several months, but I thought I would start a mutually exclusive thread on it....

Does anyone know if USAIRWAYS has started factoring in natural attrition, retirements and terminations to the mainline flight attendant headcount and current staffing requirements, even after the new reserve system and crew compliment reduction? I would think that eventually senior flight attendants retiring and finding themselves unemploymed for whatever reason would need to be replaced, just like in the pre-9/11 headcount environment. Has AFA considered suggesting the practice of recalling flight attendants on a bi-yearly basis to offset retirements, terminations, etc?? It seems to me that the more A scale flight attendants that are replaced by recalled B scale flight attendants would make sense economically in the long run, if in fact the A scale flight attendant is no longer employed regardless. Several airlines are starting to recall their mainline staff, and it seems to me that USAIRWAYS in no where near that point. It would be nice to have SOMETHING said on the issue from the top. Is this an issue that furloughed flight attendants can address to the union or USAIRWAYS directly? I'm starting to get anxious as my 2 year furlough anniversary was November 1st, along with 1000+ others and we're seeing no light to the end of the tunnel.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[PITbull]

Just to give my 2Cents. They say they have been factoring the attrition rate, that is why the furlough numbers are where they are. There is still the matter of a potential of 368 Invol. furloughees because of the returnees that has not been addressed yet. It may not be addressed until AFTER all the holidays.

AFA is keeping an eye on the attrition, but keep in mind we still have approx 2300 f/as still on VOLUNTARY furlough.

 

[Light Years]

330JETSTEW-
First let me say I sympathise, I am also a furloughed mainline F/A...

I've had the same questions about senior FAs leaving and recalls. As I understand it, there is no rule in the contract for how many flight attendants will be active, only aircraft count (see other threads for the current status on that).

So lets say next month Bertha is back on reserve in PHW and horrified by the prospect- she's put in a few decades, had a great time, but its time for that final landing and she retires. Betty Sue out of CLT is caught out of base and terminated. Don is tired of commuting from SAN, the job is no fun anymore, and he's going to focus on his real estate career. Pam from Pittsburgh has four years and is stressed out from wondering when the furlough notice will come, and being displaced from PIT to PHL and now DCA has taken it's toll- she wants her life back and resigns. So... will Adam, Cindy, Mike and Patsy get a recall notice next month? No... because the company still feels it's overstaffed. With the new reserve system, minimum staffing, and longer stage lengths but less flights the company can get rid of alot more "heads". So Rome is delayed by six hours? Doesnt matter to this cost cutting management.

We all know that labor cost-wise, the junior employees make more sense to keep around than the higher paid senior ones. But seniority rightly dictates last in first out- this is fair. At US there are much more senior people than junior- nearly all of the B-scale FAs (under 5 years) are already furloughed. I believe U is noticing this (two years later). Offering voluntary furloughs costs money and is only temporary. Involuntary furloughs would only make the average employee cost higher. Offering early-out incentive packages to employees who do want to leave, and recalling willing lower paid employees would be a solution beneficial to all. However, that also costs money... management knows that the cheapest way to get rid of people is the way Bertha, Betty Sue, Don and Pam leave... by termination or by choice due to inability to financially continue, stress, fear, or simply despair.

I do not think the possibility of a mainline recall has even been discussed at CCY, nor will it. US Airways is the thorn in US Airways Groups side- they dont particularly WANT a mainline. The future is poverty wage MidAtlantic and contracted regional airlines unless we can somehow stop the freight train.

 

[Light Years]

PITbull (or anyone)

Do you have the numbers of how many F/As are active, furloughed, and voluntarily furloughed?

With no voluntaries, what would the most junior F/As senoirity date be?

 

[Twicebaked]

I can tell you this Light Years, the company is presently looking at the "grid" to see how many flight attendants need to go. Will there be a furlough? You betcha. The company is afraid to say anything for fear of what will happen over the holidays. Don't be suprised if nothing is said until Jan 2nd. This is my opinion though.
I believe there is somewhere around 5,200 active f/a's with just shy of 10,000 on the system list. This is a rough number that I am trying to think back to.
So, about half of our force is either vol/invol furloughed.
I do agree with you that there will be NO recall to mainline for quite some time.

 

[PITbull]

Light Years,

I think you are the closest to the real reality of what the business plan is all about.


With regard to your question. These are approximations:

Active : 5,200
Vol F: 2,200
INVOL F: 1.900

Through Terminations, resignations, separations, and retirees, deaths in past year: 900.

I might be off by 100-200

These are gross estimates according to the roster. I don't know what the seniority number that you seek above. That you can get from the Council 70 president at [email protected]. She keeps track of all that.

 

[prettylit101]

: ( Well that news isn't too encouraging. I am coming back in December from Voluntary 1 and now it looks like I will be only back for a month until I get involuntarly furloughed. Along with everyone else, I am also stressed about not knowing if I will have a job or not. Back in June of this year I was sent a letter stating that I will be getting layed off. Then about a 3 weeks later, I get a letter stating that due to the voluntary furloughs I won't be getting layed off. The exact same thing happened once again in September to me. But, the next furlough that happens, I know I will be gone because I figured out by that there is only 35 people underneath me. The last person to get furloughed was from the class of 9/99 and I am at the bottom of 8/99. Hey, I guess there's always Mid-Atlantic (at least I'm TRYING to think positive!) It's hard these days, you know!

 

[330JETSTEW]

Join the club regarding your furlough I'm sorry you're having to be faced with such an unstable future back and forth...God what a nightmare...I'm almost glad I was cut when I was, just so that I could face it three folds and not in bits and peices.... Thankfully there are a few airlines out there still hiring cabin crew (ATA, JB, AT, ETC)....In the interim, we must all keep our chins up and hope for the best.

 

[Twicebaked]

Join the club regarding your furlough I'm sorry you're having to be faced with such an unstable future back and forth...God what a nightmare...I'm almost glad I was cut when I was, just so that I could face it three folds and not in bits and peices

That is the God's honest truth. It HAS been a nightmare. Nothing but stress not knowing. The company should keep us informed at all times. Even if they don't know...say SOMETHING. It would help keep down the rumors.

 

[usacrew3]

I recently wrote to our director of inflight to ask about something. In the reply I was told that I should continue to do the good job that Im doing as it will ultimately make our passengers return to our airline. I had to write back and in my letter I asked if I could be assured that I would have a job in 2004, I have less than ten years seniority------------ I have heard nothing!!!
I am on reserve on international and have not flown this month, I probably won't fly in December and will probably get the ax in January. On the bright side I do start my real estate classes in the new year.
My friends like to laugh and say that when I put on my uniform I think I am Mr. US Airways but I think Ive lost that luvin' feeling.