Ok folks...the update A320 gave about being close is a little innaccurate....remember the clauses in the latest update about allowing "unlimited mainline jets" to fly in an express city is still in there. Last week I wrote a letter to Rick Braswell and the president's of the locals....I understand there was some talk around the table regarding this letter but in my opinion not enough if any action was taken in regards to it.....Here is a copy of the letter that was read to everyone at negotiations last week....my understanding is a few of the pres's agreed with me but the larger hub ones didnt.......so read on and base your own opinion....If you agree then I suggest you get on the phone and let your Locals know...before its too late.....cuz once this passes....the changes are going to be fast and furious......
Hello Rick....Bob C. here.....just wanted to share a few thoughts with you....being in an express station for the last year and 3/4, I've been able to watch the current demise of the company with less anxiety than most agents currently working in the mainline cities. The CWA nor any other union for that matter has been able to compete with the harsh changes this company is seeking.
There intent on creating a low cost carrier is either going to happen or the company will cease to exist.
The problem I see growing at an alarming rate is the company's attempt to convert 3/4 of this airline into an "express" ..or "MDA"(should it ever come
about to its full potential) situation. The paycuts they wish to achieve along with the benefit cuts will be felt by all. My observation though is if the company succeeds in obtaining these cuts, and the "expressed" CWA agents get hit
particularly harder than they already have been, you will have created through negotiations a sorry scenario in which realistically 75pct of this company after being converted to mainline/express cities, will now have to endure the harshest cuts in the contract. Something that the CWA has no control over unless you refocus your thoughts on improving express.
The 8 or 9 cities that the company has expressed in the last 2 years has been forgotten by this union and the rest of the membership. I believe we were the scapegoats for the mainline group to maintain a 20 dollar/hr paycheck. I live approx 2hrs north of PHL and the homes in the developements in my area go
for 300-400,000 just like everywhere else. We took the 43pct cut without no one even batting an eye at the National Hdgtrs.
Now that the judge hit the mainline group with the 21pct ,everyone is up in arms and the CWA now wants to threaten with a strike. Where was the CWA when the company took my salary and the few hundred others down 43pct??.....I agree this mgmt group is way out of control and something needs to be done, but I feel
that you and the Locals from around the country need to rethink your position on trying to salvage mainline wages so high, when the pending majority of agents in this union will be "expressed" out in the next year or so (should Usair survive). Let's face it ..you know as well as I do this whole facade called Mainline is coming to an abrupt end.
These have been not only my thoughts as a Board member of 13301 for the last 6yrs..but the thoughts of everyone who I work with and the existing express cities. The company will get what they want and your only hope I believe in looking like your worth the dues we pay is getting everyone back together as one group(call it whatever u want) making similiar money and having the ability to
go back to their cities they came from.
You know its funny when I hear that just because an agent works in a hub that they deserve so much more. Well tell me who in a hub walks in to work at 5am...spends an hour in operations(which we had to learn here because ramp was farmed out) ...then goes to the gate for another 1 1/2 hr...then proceeds up to
the office to conduct administrative work for another 2 hrs then gets called back down to the tkt ctr to help assist when busy..then proceeds to the gate to help dispatch another flight etc etc.....along with worrying about doing sked
bids and covering overtime and handling day to day agent newhire problms and paxs problems because our manager only comes to AVP twice a week.......tell me
how you can sit there and say that I am worth 13.01hr plus 56 cents as a supvr....and mainline deserves 7.00 hr more............i think you can see my point.....bottom line is the CWA I believe is losing this battle and many many agents are going to suffer because the express group hasnt been given the proper consideration in these contracts....Mainline is going to shrink away and all
that will be left is a pathetic contract noone had the foresight to see what was coming..
This letter may seem self serving on my part since Im in this enviornment and chose to be.. but I have a wife who is a RN in a hospital and my yearly potential here is 35,000 yr...im not starving nor in financial trouble....but not everyone is in my situation, and as a original Bargaining council member and Eboard member since day one, I feel there is a grave mistake being made here by
not trying to incorporate everyone back together and eliminate the various classifications to allow everyone an equal shot at getting out of a hub if they want..............I know there is a lot of pressure right now and I wouldnt want your job for double my salary.........but I felt you needed to hear this and I
speak not just for myself but for many more who unknowingly will feel the sameway as I do when this is all over.........Bob C
again this letter was made known and discussed amongst the presidents in DCA...I believe this scenario will happen and its only a matter of time...the 18.60 hr rate will be enjoyed by maybe 20pct of the membership when it's all said and done.....everyone else welcome to 13.01hr......if you agree then speak up.....otherwise be prepared.........cuz it sucks...........
Hello Rick....Bob C. here.....just wanted to share a few thoughts with you....being in an express station for the last year and 3/4, I've been able to watch the current demise of the company with less anxiety than most agents currently working in the mainline cities. The CWA nor any other union for that matter has been able to compete with the harsh changes this company is seeking.
There intent on creating a low cost carrier is either going to happen or the company will cease to exist.
The problem I see growing at an alarming rate is the company's attempt to convert 3/4 of this airline into an "express" ..or "MDA"(should it ever come
about to its full potential) situation. The paycuts they wish to achieve along with the benefit cuts will be felt by all. My observation though is if the company succeeds in obtaining these cuts, and the "expressed" CWA agents get hit
particularly harder than they already have been, you will have created through negotiations a sorry scenario in which realistically 75pct of this company after being converted to mainline/express cities, will now have to endure the harshest cuts in the contract. Something that the CWA has no control over unless you refocus your thoughts on improving express.
The 8 or 9 cities that the company has expressed in the last 2 years has been forgotten by this union and the rest of the membership. I believe we were the scapegoats for the mainline group to maintain a 20 dollar/hr paycheck. I live approx 2hrs north of PHL and the homes in the developements in my area go
for 300-400,000 just like everywhere else. We took the 43pct cut without no one even batting an eye at the National Hdgtrs.
Now that the judge hit the mainline group with the 21pct ,everyone is up in arms and the CWA now wants to threaten with a strike. Where was the CWA when the company took my salary and the few hundred others down 43pct??.....I agree this mgmt group is way out of control and something needs to be done, but I feel
that you and the Locals from around the country need to rethink your position on trying to salvage mainline wages so high, when the pending majority of agents in this union will be "expressed" out in the next year or so (should Usair survive). Let's face it ..you know as well as I do this whole facade called Mainline is coming to an abrupt end.
These have been not only my thoughts as a Board member of 13301 for the last 6yrs..but the thoughts of everyone who I work with and the existing express cities. The company will get what they want and your only hope I believe in looking like your worth the dues we pay is getting everyone back together as one group(call it whatever u want) making similiar money and having the ability to
go back to their cities they came from.
You know its funny when I hear that just because an agent works in a hub that they deserve so much more. Well tell me who in a hub walks in to work at 5am...spends an hour in operations(which we had to learn here because ramp was farmed out) ...then goes to the gate for another 1 1/2 hr...then proceeds up to
the office to conduct administrative work for another 2 hrs then gets called back down to the tkt ctr to help assist when busy..then proceeds to the gate to help dispatch another flight etc etc.....along with worrying about doing sked
bids and covering overtime and handling day to day agent newhire problms and paxs problems because our manager only comes to AVP twice a week.......tell me
how you can sit there and say that I am worth 13.01hr plus 56 cents as a supvr....and mainline deserves 7.00 hr more............i think you can see my point.....bottom line is the CWA I believe is losing this battle and many many agents are going to suffer because the express group hasnt been given the proper consideration in these contracts....Mainline is going to shrink away and all
that will be left is a pathetic contract noone had the foresight to see what was coming..
This letter may seem self serving on my part since Im in this enviornment and chose to be.. but I have a wife who is a RN in a hospital and my yearly potential here is 35,000 yr...im not starving nor in financial trouble....but not everyone is in my situation, and as a original Bargaining council member and Eboard member since day one, I feel there is a grave mistake being made here by
not trying to incorporate everyone back together and eliminate the various classifications to allow everyone an equal shot at getting out of a hub if they want..............I know there is a lot of pressure right now and I wouldnt want your job for double my salary.........but I felt you needed to hear this and I
speak not just for myself but for many more who unknowingly will feel the sameway as I do when this is all over.........Bob C
again this letter was made known and discussed amongst the presidents in DCA...I believe this scenario will happen and its only a matter of time...the 18.60 hr rate will be enjoyed by maybe 20pct of the membership when it's all said and done.....everyone else welcome to 13.01hr......if you agree then speak up.....otherwise be prepared.........cuz it sucks...........
