Mon, Jan 27, 2003
700+ Could Get Walking Papers
United is looking for seven hundred or so flight attendants who
want to retire. If they don't step up voluntarily, they'll be
drafted.
The AFA says
that, "Additional flight reductions and service changes have
resulted in a surplus of Flight Attendants and the Company is
facing a potential involuntary furlough situation. Beginning
February 22, 2003, the Company needs to reduce its Flight Attendant
population by an additional 704 (active and inactive) Flight
Attendants. This will bring the total furlough number to
approximately 4210 Flight Attendants. The company has agreed with
us upon a number of options to help offset involuntary furloughs
through voluntary furloughs and partnership flying. If there are no
volunteers for furlough, Flight Attendants junior to system
seniority... could be involuntarily furloughed."
United is looking for ways to convince the bankruptcy judge that
its operating plan will clearly show an operating profit. Having
reduntant headcount still on the payroll, without customers who
need them, would not look good; and United's reduced schedule has
made its workforce disproportionately large.
Who's next?
Future cuts could be expected in maintenance and
inspection personnel, for the above reason, and for one other:
as United pares its fleet, the oldest, most-labor-intensive
airplanes are the first to go. Since newer aircraft, in general,
require less repair work, fewer mechanics in general,
and those mechanics who specialize on the older machinery
particularly, could soon expect similar treatment. Since so much of
the procedure is based on seniority, though, it's likelier
that the longer-tenured mechanics will stay, regardless what type
of aircraft is their specialty. However, the short-time, 727 or
DC-10 guys [are there any?] should be working on their
training and resumes -- at least until United gets approval on its
Plan.
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