Plans For Protest Picketing Pondered
We deserve more, so
says US Airways Flight Attendants. A year after the merger between
America West Airlines and US Airways, flight attendants from both
companies are likely to join the growing ranks of picketing airline
workers.
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) leaders say the
merger between the airlines hasn't panned out for them, citing
sluggish negotiations, low wages, and broken promises.
Gary Richardson and Mike Flores, union presidents for flight
attendants at America West and US Airways respectively, released a
joint statement on Thursday outlining their grievances with the
management team overseeing the merger.
They say the airline is making a profit and paying management
lucrative bonuses and leaving flight attendants out in the
cold.
"Last year, management said that this merger would make sense
for America West flight attendants," said Richardson. "Instead,
this merger has meant broken promises, stagnant wages,
and salaries among the lowest in the industry for America West
flight attendants."
Flores said US Airways flight attendants gave what he called
"staggering concessions" to save the airline, and management hasn't
recognized that contribution. "Instead of a positive relationship
and starting fresh, this management team threatens long-standing
contract language and practices. They are paving the way for a very
unhappy marriage."
"Eight months into negotiations for a merged contract, and the
company cannot make the hard decisions in the non-economic contract
sections," added Flores. "This portends a very difficult struggle
in the future over contract provisions that mean the most to our
members, including compensation and scheduling."
As a result, AFA plans
to picket in protest at US Airways' seven bases in Boston,
Charlotte, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York and
Washington, DC.
You may remember last week we reported
American Airlines' pilot union reps making eerily similar
statements. They said pilots had made large concessions to keep
America's largest airline out of bankruptcy, concessions they saw
as an investment in the company for which they now want a
return.
You can be sure we'll see more labor relations difficulties
while America's resurgent airline industry continues its recovery
-- and workers who feel they gave to keep an industry flying will
now look to get some back.