AMR--An American Company...

[AA717driver]

Hosing our troops...

-----------------------

AP
Gov't Files Suit Vs. American Airlines
Friday January 13, 11:45 am ET
Government Files Suit Against American Airlines, Says Co. Cut Benefits of Military Pilots

DALLAS (AP) -- The Department of Justice has filed a class-action lawsuit against American Airlines, claiming the carrier illegally denied benefits to pilots while they were serving in National Guard and reserve units.


The Department of Justice said Thursday night that it filed the lawsuit in U.S. district court in Dallas on behalf of three Naval Reserve and Air National Guard pilots.

Officials said it was the first time they had filed a class-action case charging an employer with violating a 1994 law designed to protect employees who leave their jobs temporarily to serve in military units.

The government charged that American conducted an audit in 2001 and cut benefits of pilots who took leave for military service but didn't reduce benefits of pilots who took other types of leave.

"No reservists -- indeed, no members of our armed forces -- should ever be punished or discriminated against for answering the call of duty," said Wan J. Kim, assistant Attorney General for civil rights.

Tim Wagner, a spokesman for American Airlines, declined to comment on specifics of the lawsuit.

Wagner said many pilots come out of the military and have obligations for further service. "We are committed to doing our best to help them do their duty to their country," he said.

Wagner declined to say whether employees who take leave for military service or any other reason lose their benefits while they are gone.

The Department of Justice identified the pilots as Naval Reserve Capt. Mark Woodall, Naval Reserve Commander Michael McMahon, and Paul Madson, a lieutenant colonel in the South Dakota Air National Guard.

The government said efforts to settle the cases had failed.

American, a unit of Fort Worth-based AMR Corp., was accused of violating the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act

 

[RVSM]

Disgraceful behavior.
Makes my blood boil.
Too agitated to be more coherent than that.

 

[VVJM265]

Real nice! Can't belive they would try to pull something like that!

 

[pkober]

When we were deployed for six months for OIF American never once showed any support for it's deployed pilots. SWA was doing everything they could to keep moral up for it's pilot's. Even sending inflatable airplanes.

When I emailed the company and asked why they didn't show any support for us, they responded with "American Airlines has an award winning Military support program."

You would think that after two of their aircraft and more importantly, many of it's employees were lost on 9-11 that they would be bending over backwards.

It sounds like the only one's who are being bent over is the military members.

CLAMBAKE

P.S. I was activated one day before my furlough. When I called AA to let them know that under the law they could not furlough me, I was told "too bad!".

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

"American Airlines has an award winning Military support program."

Who wins the award? Upper management?

Don't worry AMR isn't the only one. It seems to be trendy to cut military benefits at many airlines.....

Who do you trust....?

 

[Andy]

That's OK. I applied for a job as an investment advisor. During the interview, I was told to not expect time off so that I could drill with my reserve unit. I had several other companies who seemed very disinterested after they found out that I was an active reservist.
There are a lot of employers who wave the flag, but many don't deliver when the rubber meets the road.

 

[T-prop]

P.S. I was activated one day before my furlough. When I called AA to let them know that under the law they could not furlough me, I was told "too bad!".

If you are a reservist on active duty when your company furloughs and your seniority number is in that group of furloughs you have no job and are not immune.

Didn't your unit ever have a veteran's affairs rep from the government brief you before you got activated??