jetstewus said:So what the HP MEC wants is for the two companies to merge...except for the flight attendant group. Let's lock everybody out of Phoenix. Well then you have to lock everybody IN to Phoenix as well. And why is the LAS base even in the discussion. Don't you have something like 30 flight attendants based there?
At what point do you think it will be okay to let someone who works for the same company as you bid into your base? At what point do you think it will be okay for the former HP flight attendants who WANT to relocate to an east coast domicile to be able to do so? If someone with say, 15 years at HP decides they want to be based in Philly, are we going to insist they go to the bottom of the list in that base? No, because we believe in seniority and we have lived by it through several mergers and the world kept turning. I mean, all this talk about everyone wanting to come to PHX...why? We have some people who live on the west coast who would probably love to come there...and why wouldn't you want them? They'd be happier and more productive. But the vast majority of US employees have built their lives around the east coast bases. We like out TransAtlantic. We like our Caribbean. We like our Siberacuse...okay, that's a lie. I think this idea of a flood of US people into PHX is kinda crazy.
I understand that you have to try to protect as much as you can. However, the move to ammend the AFA constitution is a step in the wrong direction as far as bringing the two work groups together. And by the way, YOUR membership is OUR membership. We are in the same union, remember. We are supposed to be in this together.
This ongoing posturing is getting old quick and will do nothing but foster bad feelings on both sides. Remembering the AA/TWA fiasco, AA folks kept saying, "they got their vacation, they got pay for longevity...the only thing they are not getting is their seniority." Now, since the AA's policy is to release furloughees after 5 years, it looks like the one thing they didn't get (because they were stapled and are all now out on furlough) is going to negate all the stuff they did get. And I don't give a crap if you call it a merger or aquisition, it shouldn't make a difference. If US were in a position to buy HP outright, we would not staple you. It would be DOH. Even if you perceive HP to be the "dominant" carrier, why wouldn't you treat US as you would like to be treated if they were perceived as such? .
Seniority is all we have in this industry. You guys know that or you wouldn't be fighting so hard to protect your own. But don't expect the US folks to give up theirs because the higher ups decided to partner with a younger company.
I am on furlough now for going on three years. Prior to that I had 2.5 years with US. Me and the thousands hired around the same time are not in a position to have any impact on your ability to bid. And with the fences, be they 5 years, 20 years, 1000 years, I will not be able to come back and bump someone out of PHX. Nor would I want to. I have no desire to come to PHX.
This deal is out of our hands. We are unionized so that everything that goes along with it is NOT out of our hands. It's going to be date of hire. Your fences will protect your beloved PHX for several years at least. Even then, you won't be able to be bumped out. God forbid, if there is a future involuntary furlough, you will probably do what we've been doing for the last five years...go from base to base to keep working. You guys are getting all fired up over things that are not likely to happen...and eventually we will still all have to work together. Let's step back and think about that before we go trying to change constitutions, spouting off insults and trying to make one company look like the savior of the other.
In the unlikely event I am ever called back, I want it to be to a somewhat harmonious environment...not one where people are constantly asking...are you HP or US? I mean...**ck that, right? That's kids stuff and none of us need that.
I am curious, though. What type of seniority integration does the HP MEC think would be fair, or do they want to keep it seperate forever? That would be a shame because US is bringing some really nice flying to the table.
I'd be interested to hear from any HP people who think DOH is fair.
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I've asked this before... If they didn't intergrate using DOH, how else would it be done??
