Union representatives meet with US Airways executives and management...
Pam Terry, President, CWA Local 2000
The Labor Advisory Committee met with US Airways Corporate Officers and Management on Wednesday, February 2, 2004 at Corporate Headquarters. US Airways was represented by CEO Bruce Lakefield, CFO Ron Stanley, EVP and General Counsel Liz Lanier, EVP of Marketing and Planning Bruce Ashby, Senior VP Employee Relations Jerry Glass, VP Human Resources John Hedblom, VP Labor Relations Al Hemenway, as well as departmental managers. All labor groups attended the meeting. CWA was represented by CWA Local 2000 President Pam Terry, and Rick Braswell, CWA Staff.
The meeting’s purpose was to update the employee groups on the Company’s current financial condition and advise them of the Company’s future plans and prospects. Bruce Lakefield thanked employees for their difficult sacrifices and said all employees must continue working to keep US Airways flying, regardless of previous mistakes. Now that our labor costs are competitive with LCC’s, Management must continue to find operational and managerial cost-savings to align with those carriers as well. His biggest task in the next few months is finding an investor to contribute equity so that the carrier will emerge from bankruptcy.
Bruce Ashby and Ron Stanley presented a slide show of the Company’s position in an industry plagued by high fuel prices and below-cost ticket prices due to overcapacity. They presented various strategies to deal with changing markets. They anticipated that US Airways will continue to lose money the first quarter but should see a modest profit by end of 2005.
Jerry Glass outlined the options that the Company is exploring to minimize the termination of retiree health care. Union and retiree creditor representatives have seen group health insurance proposals for post-65 retirees to be available in the near future. He said additional group health insurance proposals for pre-65 retirees will be presented soon to employee representatives. Also concerning retirement, PBGC now controls all pensions. The Company will be sending information about retirement procedures to all eligible employees.
Jerry Glass then presented the outline proposal of a new joint initiative between management and labor to change our adversarial relationship. The lack of trust among employees, customers, and management has impacted the customer experience and will ultimately determine whether we will be successful. Bruce Lakefield agreed that, “We must put trust back in the airline.â€
By agreement of all parties present, the next Labor Advisory Committee meeting agenda will be determined and driven by the employee groups. That meeting should be next month.
Pam Terry, President, CWA Local 2000
The Labor Advisory Committee met with US Airways Corporate Officers and Management on Wednesday, February 2, 2004 at Corporate Headquarters. US Airways was represented by CEO Bruce Lakefield, CFO Ron Stanley, EVP and General Counsel Liz Lanier, EVP of Marketing and Planning Bruce Ashby, Senior VP Employee Relations Jerry Glass, VP Human Resources John Hedblom, VP Labor Relations Al Hemenway, as well as departmental managers. All labor groups attended the meeting. CWA was represented by CWA Local 2000 President Pam Terry, and Rick Braswell, CWA Staff.
The meeting’s purpose was to update the employee groups on the Company’s current financial condition and advise them of the Company’s future plans and prospects. Bruce Lakefield thanked employees for their difficult sacrifices and said all employees must continue working to keep US Airways flying, regardless of previous mistakes. Now that our labor costs are competitive with LCC’s, Management must continue to find operational and managerial cost-savings to align with those carriers as well. His biggest task in the next few months is finding an investor to contribute equity so that the carrier will emerge from bankruptcy.
Bruce Ashby and Ron Stanley presented a slide show of the Company’s position in an industry plagued by high fuel prices and below-cost ticket prices due to overcapacity. They presented various strategies to deal with changing markets. They anticipated that US Airways will continue to lose money the first quarter but should see a modest profit by end of 2005.
Jerry Glass outlined the options that the Company is exploring to minimize the termination of retiree health care. Union and retiree creditor representatives have seen group health insurance proposals for post-65 retirees to be available in the near future. He said additional group health insurance proposals for pre-65 retirees will be presented soon to employee representatives. Also concerning retirement, PBGC now controls all pensions. The Company will be sending information about retirement procedures to all eligible employees.
Jerry Glass then presented the outline proposal of a new joint initiative between management and labor to change our adversarial relationship. The lack of trust among employees, customers, and management has impacted the customer experience and will ultimately determine whether we will be successful. Bruce Lakefield agreed that, “We must put trust back in the airline.â€
By agreement of all parties present, the next Labor Advisory Committee meeting agenda will be determined and driven by the employee groups. That meeting should be next month.
