WARN letter finally arrives...

[TWAnr]

Any flight attendant who is subject to a furlough (receives a WARN letter) is not eligible for the following:

1. VBR

2. OVL

3. Partnership Flying

That is incorrect.

The eligibility criteria for VBR are:

Eligibility: A Flight Attendant, not currently on furlough, who is at least 50 years of age, with at least 15 years of Company Seniority as of August 31, 2008

On the other hand, Lauri Curtis' message specifically states that those subject to furlough are not eligible to take OVL or participate in Partnership Flying:

Overage Leaves- (Flight attendants who receive a Subject to Furlough letter are not eligible to proffer for an Overage Leave).

Partnership Flying- (Flight attendants who receive a Subject to Furlough letter are not eligible to proffer for Partnership Flying.)

There is a major difference between "not currently on furlough" and "Subject to Furlough."

 

[Hopeful]

There will be no 5 and 5, 3 and 3, 1 and 1....
The TWU offer is the standard SIS (stand instead) and the VBR.....

They are offering the max of 13 weeks severance pay and $12,500....
The $12,500 is the payout if a "protected" employee is laid off.

 

[kirkpatrick]

AA also left themselves an out by stating that "they reserve the right to limit the number of flight attendants who may be offered the program and to discontinue the program at any time."

Yes. Recently Delta offered an early out and got more takers than needed. The company has to cover that possibility.

MK

 

[The Goose]

There will be no 5 and 5, 3 and 3, 1 and 1....
The TWU offer is the standard SIS (stand instead) and the VBR.....

They are offering the max of 13 weeks severance pay and $12,500....
The $12,500 is the payout if a "protected" employee is laid off.

I'm sure some will take this because it fits their plans to retire anyway, but it's not designed to give any incentive to leave, pretty much what I'd expect from AA and its company "union".

Giving the elder group some real incentive to go and keep the younger bunch would be a sensible thing to do; that's evidently why it's not going to happen.

 

[Hopeful]

I'm sure some will take this because it fits their plans to retire anyway, but it's not designed to give any incentive to leave, pretty much what I'd expect from AA and its company "union".

Giving the elder group some real incentive to go and keep the younger bunch would be a sensible thing to do; that's evidently why it's not going to happen.

True,,,,this may look appealing to some,,but don't forget about medical beneifts,... COBRA is costly...

 

[bradwalk]

Just curious and I am sure L1011 is going to have issue just because I asked, but are the active TWA F/A's eligible for the VBR? I know that you need 15 years company seniority, but are they counting AA/AMR company seniority only? If allowed, I bet 900 wouldn't be a problem at that point.

I'm sure they are eligible because some of them took the 50-55 bridge to retirement the day after they graduated from training. Befoe anybody gets their panties in a wad, it wasn't the current bridge with benefits being offered, just the bridge in the CBA. I'm sure if they had known there would be benefits a few months later that they would have waited.

 

[jimntx]

Yes. Recently Delta offered an early out and got more takers than needed. The company has to cover that possibility.

MK

Aside from the fact that real cash money is involved, I think the company is afraid there would be a stampede for the doors if unlimited and the age restriction had not been added. I've talked with numerous f/as in the past 24 hours who have the years of service, but not the age. To a person, they've all said something like "I would be gone in a flash if I were old enough."

I went back and re-read Lauri's letter on the FS website. I think TWAnr is correct. The overage leave and the partnership flying specifically state that "flight attendants subject to furlough are not eligible to proffer for this option." That restriction was not placed on the VBR.

If I were eligible I think I would take the VBR. I don't think there are going to be any recalls any time soon this time around. I hope a number of people who are eligible for retirement and can afford it will consider that option. I'm not sure any of us are going to be enjoying the next few years, but I hate see to furloughs occur. Been there, done that.

 

[sprflyr123]

If I were eligible I think I would take the VBR. I don't think there are going to be any recalls any time soon this time around. I hope a number of people who are eligible for retirement and can afford it will consider that option. I'm not sure any of us are going to be enjoying the next few years, but I hate see to furloughs occur. Been there, done that.

I hope this happens as I am afraid I am going to be on the chopping block.

 

[TWU informer]

All this will do is get those that were going to leave in the next 6 months anyway to leave now.

Stupid is as Stupid does

 

[jimntx]

Not really. If a f/a is already eligible for retirement, early (age 55) or regular (age 60), they would not be awarded a VBR. The reason it is called a voluntary bridge to retirement is that the person taking it has the years, but is not quite old enough.

 

[Harry Callahan]

First off best wishes to everyone. Maybe I missed this & please forgive if that's the case. But are they offering buyouts ?

 

[eolesen]

I don't see this getting anyone within six months of retirement to jump. The people most likely to take VBR's in the past were the ones hanging for the travel. Paying for benefits at Cobra rates looks worse than what you're paying today, but for many people it's a better option than trying to get an individual policy, especially if you're using a home based business as your Plan B.

 

[MCI transplant]

There will be no 5 and 5, 3 and 3, 1 and 1....
The TWU offer is the standard SIS (stand instead) and the VBR.....

They are offering the max of 13 weeks severance pay and $12,500....
The $12,500 is the payout if a "protected" employee is laid off.

<_< ------- Which translated means no exTWAers!!!! This is a joke!!! :down:

 

[TWU informer]

<_< ------- Which translated means no exTWAers!!!! This is a joke!!! :down:

Good point ! It does indeed discriminate

 

[FrequentFlierCA]

I saw this today in Tulsa World:

"American informed management and support employees last week in a similar WARN letter that it will need to reduce their ranks by about 8 percent. The 900 flight attendants who could be laid off are 4.7 percent of the union's membership."

http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article...E1_hLABOR860902

Puts to rest the assertions that middle management and support won't be taking this right on the chin along with the line employees.