US Airways Asks Workers to Work for Free 12-29-2004

[dmcowen674]

12-29-2004 US Airways Asks Workers to Work for Free

Bankrupt US Airways on Wednesday said it is asking nonunion employees who are not scheduled to work over the New Year's weekend to volunteer to work for free at its Philadelphia operations.

The No. 7 U.S. airline, which filed for bankruptcy protection in September after emerging from a previous bankruptcy process in March 2003, canceled almost 400 flights over the Christmas weekend after an unusually high number of baggage handlers called in sick.

US Airways is trying to dump contracts of unions that have not reached concession packages. Flight attendants, who last week reached a tentative deal for $94 million in annual concessions, have threatened to strike at the carrier if their contracts are voided.

The airline is still seeking additional savings of almost $60 million from flight attendant pensions and medical benefits for retirees.

Pilots and customer service agents have also negotiated giveback agreements.

 

[CaptnKirk]

I cannot imagine that ANYONE would want to fly on U.S. Air - or even trust them with their wellbeing again.
The thoughtless employees have pretty much killed this airline by their own design.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: CaptnKirk
I cannot imagine that ANYONE would want to fly on U.S. Air - or even trust them with their wellbeing again. The thoughtless employees have pretty much killed this airline by their own design.

Guess you didn't read the part that less employees called in sick this year at this time than last year???

 

[Engineer]

Fvck em. If the US goverment bails these fvckers out again, the I'm going to bitch my Rep. and Senator for a freaking month. If company can't run well enough to stay open, it's their own fault. Fvck the Unions if they don't want to help keep it open. Let the damn place company crash and burn. If they want to raise prices, the the public will have to suck it up if they want to fly.

:|

Oh, and if this is one those "Cut employees while the CEO (and crew) takes no cuts or even gets a bouns", then fvck the CEO and other execs. too. I've seen too much of this cut the employees so the CEO's can get their executive bonus bullshit (happened at my company - cut 401k match completely out so that executive bonuses could continue)! :|

 

[Riprorin]

I'd work for free for a weekend if it meant keeping my company afloat.

What's the big deal?

 

[HalosPuma]

Originally posted by: Engineer
Fvck the Unions if they don't want to help keep it open. Let the damn place company crash and burn. If they want to raise prices, the the public will have to suck it up if they want to fly.

Exactly, that's the free-market economy at work. US Air will have to learn how to run their company better and the unions will hopefully be broken up. I sure as hell would not work for free.

If there is something worth doing, it's worth doing for money.
- Gordon Gekko, Wall Street

 

[Genx87]

Guess you didn't read the part that less employees called in sick this year at this time than last year???

lol

Why are they suddenly calling in sick again? Why not save your vacation days like the rest of America?

Airlines are a great example of socialism with all the entitlements that come with it.

 

[Riprorin]

I spoke with someone who works for USAir she said that she, and a lot of other employees, hope that those who called in sick get canned.

 

[BarneyFife]

For some reason I doubt that working for free for one weekend is really going to keep the company afloat. Might as well just can the whole airline.

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
For some reason I doubt that working for free for one weekend is really going to keep the company afloat. Might as well just can the whole airline.

We'll see how badly the employees want to keep their jobs. Clearly, the business can't support their current salaries.

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
For some reason I doubt that working for free for one weekend is really going to keep the company afloat. Might as well just can the whole airline.

We'll see how badly the employees want to keep their jobs. Clearly, the business can't support their current salaries.

if they're salaried, what difference would working for free do? now maybe if a CEO gave up their 1 million + a year salary, that might help some

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: HalosPuma

Originally posted by: Engineer
Fvck the Unions if they don't want to help keep it open. Let the damn place company crash and burn. If they want to raise prices, the the public will have to suck it up if they want to fly.

Exactly, that's the free-market economy at work. US Air will have to learn how to run their company better and the unions will hopefully be broken up. I sure as hell would not work for free.

If there is something worth doing, it's worth doing for money.
- Gordon Gekko, Wall Street

In all fairness, they are asking them to work for free for about 4 days. But, I would be pissed off if I were asked to work for free while the others that were "scheduled" to work got full pay. The fair thing would be to ask them all to work at a reduced rate for a few days. As for the employees, I would rather work at a decent job with a little lower pay then to be looking for a new job.

My plant workers (union at the time) went on strike in 1996. They were offered a contract with very little raise. Of course, they rejected it. The company, which was losing money at the plant for the last 10 years but kept it around as a necessary center because they needed the experience and quality of the tools developed there, offered even less than pervious. The union reject it. After 6.5 months, the company came back and said...

We've been losing money here since this place has been opened. Here's your offer...we pick and choose who comes back (less than 50% were to be chosen). Doesn't matter about seniority. Gave them a list of who they were calling back and told them that they could keep their jobs, with 3 years frozen wages, if they would like. If not, the plant was closing.

The union voted to accept it, even though it took people who were not called back to help it pass. Since then, the employees decided to drop the union - which in turn, dropped the employees first since it would look bad to be kick out by the employees vs pulling out on their own. They have worked smarter and better since then. Their wages have went up very well as well as the first ever plant profit (last year). They are now subject to a review and wages are based on performance, not just a one for all scheme. While unions may have their place, I, for one, have not saw anything in the last 20 years that have benefited anyone, other than the union chiefs who get paid to run the show.

/rant off.

 

[racebannon]

The link says that flight attendants have negotiated 94 million dollars in concesssions, but the airline is still going to void the contract. Strike 1 against the employer.

Additionally the airline is going to drain the pension, and use it as an operating slushfund. Doesn't sound like the workers have a viable option here.

The OP should include information on the wage and benefit package for the CEO and top management. Can't have those fvckers taking home millions, while shills like Tom Delay (R) arrange tax-payer bailouts for their corporate sponsors.

Its a bloated industry. Delay should have let the free market sort this out 3 years ago.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Guess you didn't read the part that less employees called in sick this year at this time than last year???

lol

Why are they suddenly calling in sick again? Why not save your vacation days like the rest of America?

Airlines are a great example of socialism with all the entitlements that come with it.

Airlines are a great example of corporatism if they're an example of anything.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: Riprorin
I spoke with someone who works for USAir she said that she, and a lot of other employees, hope that those who called in sick get canned.

And what if they were sick? Should the sick who called in sick be fired to? Ass.

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: Riprorin
I spoke with someone who works for USAir she said that she, and a lot of other employees, hope that those who called in sick get canned.

Ass.

Thanks for sharing!

All the best!

-Charlie

 

[miketheidiot]

Right now I think the best thing to do would be to for the government to buy out one or to of these airlines and just shut them down instead of holding them on lifesupport indefinately.

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: Riprorin
I spoke with someone who works for USAir she said that she, and a lot of other employees, hope that those who called in sick get canned.

Ass.

Thanks for sharing!

All the best!

-Charlie

You're welcome. 😉

 

[alent1234]

Originally posted by: racebannon
The link says that flight attendants have negotiated 94 million dollars in concesssions, but the airline is still going to void the contract. Strike 1 against the employer.

Additionally the airline is going to drain the pension, and use it as an operating slushfund. Doesn't sound like the workers have a viable option here.

The OP should include information on the wage and benefit package for the CEO and top management. Can't have those fvckers taking home millions, while shills like Tom Delay (R) arrange tax-payer bailouts for their corporate sponsors.

Its a bloated industry. Delay should have let the free market sort this out 3 years ago.

Tom Daschle's wife is an airline lobbyist. No way the bailout was going to not pass.

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: Riprorin
I spoke with someone who works for USAir she said that she, and a lot of other employees, hope that those who called in sick get canned.

And what if they were sick? Should the sick who called in sick be fired to? Ass.

First off, I'm just reporting what a USAir employee told me. She was really upset about the effect this episode had on USAir customers.

Secondly, if I ran the company, I would look at the employment records of the employees who called in sick on Christmas day.

If they had poor performance appraisals and/or a history of poor attendance, I'd fire them. I'd keep a close eye on the rest too.

 

[BDawg]

I would volunteer to work without pay for those days if I saw the CEO and other high level execs down in the trenches handling bags and stewarding planes for free those days too.

The last company I worked for was losing money, so they cut pay by 10%. For hourly employees, it meant they worked 4 hours less a week. For salaried, it mean we worked the same hours, but got paid 10% less. We protested loud enough and they finally let us take a 1/2 day off a week.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: Riprorin
I spoke with someone who works for USAir she said that she, and a lot of other employees, hope that those who called in sick get canned.

And what if they were sick? Should the sick who called in sick be fired to? Ass.

First off, I'm just reporting what a USAir employee told me. She was really upset about the effect this episode had on USAir customers.

Secondly, if I ran the company, I would look at the employment records of the employees who called in sick on Christmas day.

If they had poor performance appraisals and/or a history of poor attendance, I'd fire them. I'd keep a close eye on the rest too.

And if they were actually sick? Would you still fire them?

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: Riprorin
I spoke with someone who works for USAir she said that she, and a lot of other employees, hope that those who called in sick get canned.

And what if they were sick? Should the sick who called in sick be fired to? Ass.

First off, I'm just reporting what a USAir employee told me. She was really upset about the effect this episode had on USAir customers.

Secondly, if I ran the company, I would look at the employment records of the employees who called in sick on Christmas day.

If they had poor performance appraisals and/or a history of poor attendance, I'd fire them. I'd keep a close eye on the rest too.

And if they were actually sick? Would you still fire them?

If they could show proof that they were sick, such as a letter from their doctor, I'd take that into consideration.

In 20 years, I've missed about 6 days of work. Obviously, I wasn't always perfectly healthy the rest of the days. Sometimes you just need to suck it up when your company needs you.

 

[halik]

Originally posted by: Engineer
Fvck em. If the US goverment bails these fvckers out again, the I'm going to bitch my Rep. and Senator for a freaking month. If company can't run well enough to stay open, it's their own fault. Fvck the Unions if they don't want to help keep it open. Let the damn place company crash and burn. If they want to raise prices, the the public will have to suck it up if they want to fly.

:|

Oh, and if this is one those "Cut employees while the CEO (and crew) takes no cuts or even gets a bouns", then fvck the CEO and other execs. too. I've seen too much of this cut the employees so the CEO's can get their executive bonus bullshit (happened at my company - cut 401k match completely out so that executive bonuses could continue)! :|

my sentiment exactly... goverment shouldn't give 'em a dime. If the union leaders are dumb enough to ignore the bankrupcy risk spawning from their actions, they oughta go down with the company

 

[BarneyFife]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: Riprorin
I spoke with someone who works for USAir she said that she, and a lot of other employees, hope that those who called in sick get canned.

And what if they were sick? Should the sick who called in sick be fired to? Ass.

First off, I'm just reporting what a USAir employee told me. She was really upset about the effect this episode had on USAir customers.

Secondly, if I ran the company, I would look at the employment records of the employees who called in sick on Christmas day.

If they had poor performance appraisals and/or a history of poor attendance, I'd fire them. I'd keep a close eye on the rest too.

And if they were actually sick? Would you still fire them?

If they could show proof that they were sick, such as a letter from their doctor, I'd take that into consideration.

In 20 years, I've missed about 6 days of work. Obviously, I wasn't always perfectly healthy the rest of the days. Sometimes you just need to suck it up when your company needs you.

What good does it do to go into work sick, be unproductive, and infect others with your germs??

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: racebannon
The link says that flight attendants have negotiated 94 million dollars in concesssions, but the airline is still going to void the contract. Strike 1 against the employer.

Additionally the airline is going to drain the pension, and use it as an operating slushfund. Doesn't sound like the workers have a viable option here.

The OP should include information on the wage and benefit package for the CEO and top management. Can't have those fvckers taking home millions, while shills like Tom Delay (R) arrange tax-payer bailouts for their corporate sponsors.

Its a bloated industry. Delay should have let the free market sort this out 3 years ago.

Exactly, I'd like to see a list of the concessions made by both sides.