Sun, Feb 13, 2011
Union Says Members Are "Fed Up" After Five Years With No
Contract
The AFA Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) broke off talks with
US Airways management Thursday after five years of contract
negotiations, which have been underway since Tempe-based America
West Airlines merged with US Airways in September 2005 and the
Flight Attendants merged contract negotiations in January 2006. The
AFA committee said US Airways management's latest proposals
contained no meaningful wage increases, concessions in healthcare
and sick benefits and gutted scope and merger protections for
Flight Attendants.
AFA MEC Presidents Mike Flores (East) and Lisa LeCarre (West)
said US Airways CEO Doug Parker has "no interest" in completing the
merger and resolving labor unrest. The two groups of Flight
Attendants say they are unified in frustration and anger at the
airline's management. AFA says it wants to reach a merged
agreement, but management has failed to put into a contract the
financial resources necessary to do so.
"For five years, US Airways CEO Doug Parker has financed his
merged airline off the backs of the Flight Attendants, saving
millions by paying Flight Attendant salaries that differ by up to
45 percent," said AFA US Airways-West President, Lisa LeCarre.
"When you merge two companies, the goal is to combine all employee
groups and pay them the same wage for the same work. That has not
happened. US Airways recently announced historic profits, yet
management refuses to negotiate contract improvements and wage
increases after years of promised benefits from this merger."
AFA US Airways-East President Mike Flores said, "US Airways East
Flight Attendants have been working under concessionary wages and
benefits since 2005 and have provided the means for this airline to
not only survive, but prosper. It is high time for all Flight
Attendants to share in the company's success through meaningful
wage and benefit improvements."
In the first of a series of events, AFA is holding a system-wide
Day of Action on February 17, in all Flight Attendant bases, to
show management and the public that Flight Attendants are united in
their effort to reach a contract.
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