Flight Attendants Union Wants Strike Vote

[rsmith6621]

4 More years of Bush and Unions will be dead and buried and back to the Sweat Shops we'll go........Bye Bye sick leave...

<snip>
PITTSBURGH - The president of the United States' largest flight attendants union urged authorization of a nationwide strike and criticized the airline industry for using the bankruptcy process to obliterate collective bargaining rights.

<snip>

"Our entire industry is in turmoil and the careers of our flight attendants all hang in the balance," Friend said at the opening of a union board of directors conference in Pittsburgh. "Almost everywhere we look, flight attendants are being forced to work longer hours with reduced rest time, and all for ever-decreasing wages. This must stop."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=&e=6&u=/ap/20041116/ap_on_bi_ge/flight_attendants_strike

[MyUncle]

1. The old line airlines are in terminal condition.

I can't blame Bush for this as their troubles really came to a head during the Clinton administration. I don't think this is a Union issue, it is a market issue.

All the biggies are in major trouble Delta, United, US Air, American.

I don't know what the answer is but I know it is not higher wages for mechanics, pilots and attendants.

[saigon68]

2. Hate to disagree

This is a regulated utility. Lets hire Muhammed Atta. He has the skills to fly-- oops HAD.

[makhno]

3. They seemed to be doing alright prior to deregulation [nt]

[rsmith6621]

4. I Work At a major Airline

in customer service. Do you know how many people I talk to each night that are perplexed when I tell them their JFK/LAX trip is going to cost them $225.00RT with a 14 day AP?......the first think out of their mouths is....ISNT THAT HIGH.....DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING CHEAPER......

So the qoute in the first reply maybe true

"I don't know what the answer is but I know it is not higher wages for mechanics, pilots and attendants."

I say if the employee is providing welfare via paycuts to keep the airline running then the passenger should expect higher prices and lesser service(bye bye cola and pretzels). I also believe the bankrupcy courts shoud stop all bonus programs company wide until tthe airline is out of bankrupcy....execs should not be aloud to collect millions in bonuses if their employees are having to give back and the company they are running is struggling.

[MyUncle]

5. I agree about the bonuses. You are all in the same boat.

[makhno]

9. Yes

I say if the employee is providing welfare via paycuts to keep the airline running then the passenger should expect higher prices and lesser service(bye bye cola and pretzels).

If that's what it takes to guarantee a decent living standard for pilots, FAs and engineers, so be it. We're all in this together, and if the low-cost model isn't sustainable on an industry-wide scale, perhaps the customer should show a bit of solidarity.

I don't quite have the time right now, but it'd be interesting to see the total employment figures for the airlines circa 1978 and now, along perhaps with some figures as to the salaries and benefits packages. My socialist gut and experience with deregulation tells me the people - both employees and consumers - have taken, or will take, it up the rear in the long run, but I'd love to have some figures that show just how small the crumbs are.

$225 JFK/LAX is a pretty good price, though. Unless it's one of those 6am flights. ;)

[OldLeftieLawyer]

8. I worked on the Deregulation Act

It seemed too good to be true at the time, but it was my job, and my airline was all hot for it. Plus, our carrier got a rider written into the bill that gave us 14 million dollars. Just for being us.

The airlines took it in the teeth when Reagan busted the Air Traffic Controllers' Union in August of 1981, when they went out on an illegal strike. Enter Frank Lorenzo, who was another union-busting bastard, and that's when the business really hit the skids.

All in all, a very sad situation. They never should have been deregulated.

[MercutioATC]

6. This is primarily a pension issue...it's not rocket science...

...nor is it politics (as some would like to make it).

The majors are all supporting HUGE pension liabilities. The new upstarts aren't. That's the single biggest reason why the older, established airlines are all falling into bankruptcy when the newer airlines seem to be making a mint.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

7. My lifelong dream was/is to become a flight attendant...

But I don't know how a FA can make a living, since most make about $20K a year.... How much more of a pay cut can these people take? Why don't we start by cutting the high salaries of upper management and the perks they receive?

[mulethree]

10. kick