We intend to do the same work with less [people], company spokeswoman said.

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Sep 3, 2002
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Wednesday, December 04, 2002
By Frank Reeves,Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Staff Writer
The Pittsburgh region could lose as many as 176 jobs, including 109 aircraft mechanics positions, as part of the system wide cuts of 2,500 unveiled last week by US Airways.
It had been hoped that the region would be spared or actually might gain a few jobs under the latest round of cuts as mechanical work was shifted here from Tampa, Fla., where a maintenance facility was closed Thanksgiving eve. That center serviced narrow-body Airbus 319, 320 and 321 jets as well as Boeing 737-300 and 737-400 jets.
But even though that work will be split now between Pittsburgh and US Airways'' other main maintenance center in Charlotte, N.C., the company doesn''t intend to increase the number of mechanics at either surviving facility.
We intend to do the same work with less [people], company spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said.
In addition to the 109 mechanics, 67 full-time and part-time representatives, gate agents and baggage handlers at Pittsburgh International Airport also will lose their jobs under the latest round of layoffs.
It''s still possible, however, that the region could add some reservation agent jobs as a result of the closing of a reservations center in Orlando, Fla., that employed 331.
The airline said work at the reservation center, which will close Jan. 10, would be transferred to offices in Green Tree and Winston-Salem, N.C. Kudwa said the airline would need about 130 additional positions in Green Tree and Winston-Salem to handle the work now done in Orlando.
She said the vacancies might be filled by senior workers in Florida who choose to transfer to Green Tree or Winston-Salem, or by recalling currently furloughed employees from the local area.
The layoffs came as the airline is looking for ways to cut costs as it struggles to emerge from bankruptcy protection. Like other major carriers, US Airways has been hit by a slump in air travel and mounting inroads from low-cost competitors such as Southwest and JetBlue.
The airline already has pared some 2,700 jobs from the Pittsburgh payroll since last year, dropping its employment to about 9,000 from 11,700 before the Sept. 11 attacks.
US Airways has told its unions it needed $200 million more in annual concessions, on top of nearly $900 in annual wage-and-benefit givebacks labor has already approved. Without the additional concessions, the airline said it won''t be able to obtain interim financing or the federal loan guarantees it needs to emerge out of bankruptcy protection early next year.
Following a meeting this week with US Airways Chief Executive Officer David Siegel, leaders of the pilots union agreed to begin negotiations with the airline over its request for wage-and-benefit cuts as well changes in work rules. We are willing again to help do our part to save this airline, said Roy Freundlich, spokesman of the Air Line Pilots Association.
In August, the pilots approved $465 million in annual concessions. Now the airline is asking the pilots to pony up another $101 million in concessions.
The pilots said they would not agree to any further concessions unless the airline''s other unions and management agree to similar cost-saving measures.
The Association of Flight Attendants also agreed to begin negotiations over the request for additional concessions. However, its leadership said it wouldn''t start talks until US Airways'' management agrees to salary-and-benefit reductions over the entire 6 1/2 years that other unions have already accepted. AFA approved $75 million in annual concessions for 6 1/2 years.
Frank Reeves can be reached at [email protected] or 412-263-1565.
 
It will be like the summer and fall of 99 with airplanes parked waiting for heavy maintenance and Dave will ask for more concessions since the planes are not flying and not earning revenue
 
It will be like the summer and fall of 99 with airplanes parked waiting for heavy maintenance and Dave will ask for more concessions since the planes are not flying and not earning revenue
 
i don't know if anyone remembers,but this "more with less" is a direct stevie wolfe quote from a few years back.tell me DAVE isn't like a marionette?