US Airways passengers and baggage stranded

[Cappy]

lowcur,


From the latest USAir management statement:

"U.S. Airways did not think the high volume of sick calls at Christmas was organized, Kudwa said."

Nuff said.

Mike

 

[lowecur]

lowcur,


From the latest USAir management statement:

"U.S. Airways did not think the high volume of sick calls at Christmas was organized, Kudwa said."

Nuff said.

Mike

Nice spin, but the NTA will determine otherwise. You will see "report to work" orders issued by the judge in the next day or so. 29 flts cancelled today with consolidation of pax on other flts. IAM and FA heads will role.

 

[Falconjet]

Lower: Perhaps you should READ the post before you quote it. The point that Cappy was trying to make was that if management doesn't think the action was planned then they really are too stupid to be "running" an airline.

Cappy: Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

FJ

 

[KeroseneSnorter]

Lowcur,

what you do not see is what is actually going on inside U. Talk to some of the pilots still there. From what they saw, When Philly was desintegrating on friday, no one could find a single managment type on the property. The base manager was AWOL. As one Captain put it "there were only foot soldiers present, no officers to be seen anywhere"

Another Captain has been buying ice and cokes out of his own pocket to have the aircraft stocked, Apparantly catering has been AWOL in PHL for about 2 weeks.

Management has pulled the staffing so far down in all departments that when things started going south there was no stopping it.

Don't know about the F/A situation, but the number I heard was 180 or so called in sick........which is normal for the F/a's at christmas from what I remember. I do not think I ever flew a Christmas trip with the scheduled F/A's. Always had a couple of reserves called out to fill in for sick calls. Normally the Captain and myself were the only originally scheduled crew on Christmas eve. Maybe it was just the trips I was on.

As for the sick outs being fired? I do not think they really care anymore.

At one time that was a great airline. The trip down the toilet started in the late 80's and a constant flow of sorry a$$ managment since then has only speeded it on its way to the big flush.

 

[enigma]

This is absolutely outrageous! I have e-mailed Storm'n Norman Mineta, and demanded the BK judge give UAIR the right to fire these employees. The airline should be allowed by the BK judge to demand employees report to work for an examination by an RN. Those employees too sick to report would have to report that to their supervisor, who then would have RN's sent to their house for examination. Those too sick to work would be sent home, and those who are examined at home and no illness sick enough to keep them from driving should receive a letter of termination. Most of the employees calling in sick are probably at the hubs. This would not be a hard task to complete. Since the Unions have not acknowledged this as a job action, these employees would have a difficult time getting their jobs back.

lowecur, You enjoy yanking the chain, don't ya?

The airline already has the right to fire these people. The union might fight to get the job back, but they can't stop the firing.

enigma

 

[lowecur]

Lower: Perhaps you should READ the post before you quote it. The point that Cappy was trying to make was that if management doesn't think the action was planned then they really are too stupid to be "running" an airline.

Cappy: Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

FJ

He may have been trying to say that, but I believe they are trying to appear non-confrontational to the NTA and judge. I think they will let them make the call. It's smart PR.

 

[lowecur]

lowecur, You enjoy yanking the chain, don't ya?

The airline already has the right to fire these people. The union might fight to get the job back, but they can't stop the firing.

enigma

Yeah, but if they want to have any chance of keeping them off the property permanantly, they better have medical backup.

 

[Ty Webb]

Sorry Ty, but unless you are just short of dying, you will be told to report to work.

You're still missing the point. No one can force anyone to work, you can only offer to pay them a fair wage for working . . . and these employees are basically saying, "It isn't worth it". If a judge "orders" them back to work, it only applies if they want to continue working there.

Ty, I'm sorry you lost out at MDW. Now don't be getting your hopes up too high that a liquidation of UAIR in the near future will help AAI out.

My own situation would have become worse, not better, had the MDW deal went through. Since you're not in the industry, I won't bother to explain the effect of a junior base openign up for those of us who commute from small-market cities.

As for USAir, what happens will happen, but we at AAI are focused on making money in the here and now, not hanging it out in hopes of someone going away.

 

[lowecur]

You're still missing the point. No one can force anyone to work, you can only offer to pay them a fair wage for working . . . and these employees are basically saying, "It isn't worth it". If a judge "orders" them back to work, it only applies if they want to continue working there. Very true, but that would then make both sides happy. This is not something these "hardliners" want.

My own situation would have become worse, not better, had the MDW deal went through. Since you're not in the industry, but I'm an analcyst I won't bother to explain the effect of a junior base openign up for those of us who commute from small-market cities.

As for USAir, what happens will happen, but we at AAI are focused on making money in the here and now, not hanging it out in hopes of someone going away.

Why did you cancel the n/s from FLL to ROC? I was just planning to book a Feb flight. I see they only operated for a short time. Maybe Delta will open it up with 170's.

 

[flint4xx]

Lowecur,

I enjoy reading your rants as much as the next guy, but this time you know not of what you speak.

1. In the airline business, seniority is everything. Therefore, more senior employees most likely have Xmas off, and the newer employees scheduled to work Xmas called in sick. One again, if you actually new anything about the airlines...

2. There is no way in hell ANY employer is going to demand verification of an illness by anything other than a doctors note affirming the paitent was ill/injured, and how hard would that be to get? Doctor/client priviledge is not optional for failing airline management, and no judge would step on his crank trying to say otherwise. If someone calls in sick, the reason is none of the employers' business.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

This is absolutely outrageous! I have e-mailed Storm'n Norman Mineta, and demanded the BK judge give UAIR the right to fire these employees. The airline should be allowed by the BK judge to demand employees report to work for an examination by an RN. Those employees too sick to report would have to report that to their supervisor, who then would have RN's sent to their house for examination. Those too sick to work would be sent home, and those who are examined at home and no illness sick enough to keep them from driving should receive a letter of termination. Most of the employees calling in sick are probably at the hubs. This would not be a hard task to complete. Since the Unions have not acknowledged this as a job action, these employees would have a difficult time getting their jobs back.

But what if the nurses call in sick?

GP

 

[stillflyn]

Lowecur,

Your lack of "airline knowledge" is really showing. It might be a good idea if you gave up your dreams of becoming part of the Boyd team. I don't know if Mike thinks you have the "stuff". You wouldn't fit in out in Colorado anyway.

so long...

 

[lowecur]

Lowecur,

I enjoy reading your rants as much as the next guy, but this time you know not of what you speak. Okay.

1. In the airline business, seniority is everything. Therefore, more senior employees most likely have Xmas off What about Thurs & Fri? It's my understanding Mgt and senior employees were called back to work on X-mas, and the newer employees scheduled to work Xmas called in sick. One again, if you actually new anything about the airlines...I'm trying

2. There is no way in hell ANY employer is going to demand verification of an illness by anything other than a doctors note affirming the paitent was ill/injured, Ever heard of the Railway Labor Act? If the judge feels that this was in all probability a job action, he can make any adjustment to the contract to protect the public. That could include ordering employees to report to work as scheduled, and require those that want to go home sick to submit to a medical examination. how hard would that be to get? Doctor/client priviledge is not optional for failing airline management, and no judge would step on his crank trying to say otherwise. If someone calls in sick, the reason is none of the employers' business. Wrong!! The Federal Rules of Evidence do not contain a physician-patient privilege, and although federal courts may recognize such a privilege under federal law, most are reluctant to do so. It is important to remember though that this privilege can be easily waived. If in court proceedings, either civil or criminal, the patient puts her medical condition in issue, then this privilege is automatically waived. For example, an insanity defense in a criminal case would remove, from coverage under the privilege, a patient's medical records relating to mental condition, both before and after the incident. In a civil action, for personal injury sustained in an accident, or as the result of someone's negligence, medical records both before the incident and after would also be removed from the protection of the privilege.

If all that doesn't work, then GWB could send it to Congress to quickly order the last contract submitted by UAIR to go into effect......

 

[lowecur]

Lowecur,

Your lack of "airline knowledge" is really showing. It might be a good idea if you gave up your dreams of becoming part of the Boyd team. Never. Mike needs an analcyst like me. I don't know if Mike thinks you have the "stuff". You wouldn't fit in out in Colorado anyway.

so long...

Didn't you just have a thread cancelled?

 

[stillflyn]

Yep,

One of my F/As told me that there was a large sickout taking place. I was just asking "if anyone had heard anything about it". There was no news reports on it at that point. I'm not sure why the thread was cancelled. Maybe someone crossed the lines on a post.