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.

FMI: www.afanet.org