Bickering over seniority greets US Airways-America West merger
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
By Dan Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Flight attendants at US Airways and America West Airlines are bickering over
how to integrate employees at the two companies -- yet another sign of how
difficult it will be to combine operations of the nation's seventh- and
eighth-largest airlines even as shareholders and the courts have signed off
on their merger.
Day one of the merger is a week away -- Sept. 27. But uniting the two work
forces could take another 18 to 24 months, and executives in charge of the
new airline acknowledge that the integration of work forces and cultures is
the No. 1 challenge before the newly formed US Airways, which now ranks as
the nation's sixth-largest carrier.
Among flight attendants, seniority is already a major sticking point. US
Airways flight attendant union officials, who represent employees with many
more years on the job than most America West attendants, want seniority, or
date of hire, to be a governing policy during the merger.
America West union officials want that policy changed, and they intend to
argue that point at a National Association of Flight Attendants board
meeting in mid-October.
The fight could have a lasting impact on the merger. US Airways flight
attendant president Mike Flores said without the seniority protection, it
may be difficult for his group to approve any collective bargaining
agreement at the new US Airways. "We are not going to give this up," he
said.
Pilots at both airlines may encounter a similar problem -- US Airways has a
much older work force. But Flores also argued that America West jobs will
not be at risk if seniority is used as a guideline when merging work groups.
"A lot of their fear is fear of the unknown," he said.
Only a "cataclysmic" event -- such as thousands of job cuts -- would put
America West workers at a disadvantage and the chances of that are remote,
he added.
America West spokesman Carlo Bertolini said yesterday that winnowing down
the two work groups onto one seniority list is "one of the main challenges"
before both airlines. "We are confident that will be resolved," he said.
Only a "cataclysmic" event -- such as thousands of job cuts -- would put
America West workers at a disadvantage
The quote right here is one of the reasons why the HP Flight Attendants are fighting hard to make sure we get some kind of protection.
It's very strange how America West is the [topic="0"]acquiring Airline[/topic], Yet we are the ones that are worried about our job. DOH is unfair for the HP Flight Attendants and puts us all at a disadvantage. If we have to put a long fence, you bet we're going to fight like hell to get it. If we get some type of relative seniority in PHX, Date of hire everywhere else, we could accept something like this. This way we are protected, they are protected. But straight DOH is totally unfair and puts all the HP Flight Attendants at the disadvantage. The MECs/Union Leaders better resolve this or whoever transfers to phx might have a hard time working with HP flight attendants.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
By Dan Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Flight attendants at US Airways and America West Airlines are bickering over
how to integrate employees at the two companies -- yet another sign of how
difficult it will be to combine operations of the nation's seventh- and
eighth-largest airlines even as shareholders and the courts have signed off
on their merger.
Day one of the merger is a week away -- Sept. 27. But uniting the two work
forces could take another 18 to 24 months, and executives in charge of the
new airline acknowledge that the integration of work forces and cultures is
the No. 1 challenge before the newly formed US Airways, which now ranks as
the nation's sixth-largest carrier.
Among flight attendants, seniority is already a major sticking point. US
Airways flight attendant union officials, who represent employees with many
more years on the job than most America West attendants, want seniority, or
date of hire, to be a governing policy during the merger.
America West union officials want that policy changed, and they intend to
argue that point at a National Association of Flight Attendants board
meeting in mid-October.
The fight could have a lasting impact on the merger. US Airways flight
attendant president Mike Flores said without the seniority protection, it
may be difficult for his group to approve any collective bargaining
agreement at the new US Airways. "We are not going to give this up," he
said.
Pilots at both airlines may encounter a similar problem -- US Airways has a
much older work force. But Flores also argued that America West jobs will
not be at risk if seniority is used as a guideline when merging work groups.
"A lot of their fear is fear of the unknown," he said.
Only a "cataclysmic" event -- such as thousands of job cuts -- would put
America West workers at a disadvantage and the chances of that are remote,
he added.
America West spokesman Carlo Bertolini said yesterday that winnowing down
the two work groups onto one seniority list is "one of the main challenges"
before both airlines. "We are confident that will be resolved," he said.
Only a "cataclysmic" event -- such as thousands of job cuts -- would put
America West workers at a disadvantage
The quote right here is one of the reasons why the HP Flight Attendants are fighting hard to make sure we get some kind of protection.
It's very strange how America West is the [topic="0"]acquiring Airline[/topic], Yet we are the ones that are worried about our job. DOH is unfair for the HP Flight Attendants and puts us all at a disadvantage. If we have to put a long fence, you bet we're going to fight like hell to get it. If we get some type of relative seniority in PHX, Date of hire everywhere else, we could accept something like this. This way we are protected, they are protected. But straight DOH is totally unfair and puts all the HP Flight Attendants at the disadvantage. The MECs/Union Leaders better resolve this or whoever transfers to phx might have a hard time working with HP flight attendants.
The most junior F/A's are flying to Rome, Venice, etc.,. 
