SEARCH
Airline Employees Fight for Fairness |
|
 |
|
Across the country, members of the Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) and the Air Line Pilots (ALPA) are joining together to deliver a message to the flying public: Airline companies are cutting costs on the backs of the employees who keep the planes flying safely and on time.
At Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport yesterday, airline employees conducted an informational picket to demonstrate their anger over Northwest Airlines‘ manipulation of the bankruptcy laws to allow $1 million bonuses for Northwest executives, while employees are being forced to take a 40 percent pay cut. Says Capt. Dave Stevens, chairman of ALPA’s Northwest Airlines unit:
Northwest Airlines will not have a successful future if its employees are angry and demoralized. It is unconscionable to use employees’ pay cuts to provide huge bonuses to the same executive team that led our company into bankruptcy.
Northwest Airlines declared bankruptcy Sept. 15, 2005, just days before new laws passed by Congress limiting executive compensation and bonuses in corporate bankruptcies took effect. The airline’s reorganization proposal includes an executive stock plan that would award the top 400 executives as much as $995,000 each—a total of about $382 million.
Last year, Northwest pilots agreed to give up $358 million annually (including a 23.9 percent pay cut) during the next five years to help the company avoid liquidation. This sacrifice was in addition to the $265 million (including a 15 percent pay cut) annual wage concession Northwest pilots gave in December 2004. Altogether, Northwest pilots gave up a whopping $4 billion through 2011.
“Northwest is well ahead of their business plan, but they refuse to offer their own employees, families and communities relief,” says Northwest AFA-CWA President Jay Hong.
Instead they want our pain to be the executives’ gain. Enough is enough. Rather than worrying about retaining executives who have driven this company into bankruptcy, they need to worry about their employees who have built this company and continue to do it.
Meanwhile, flight attendants and pilots at US Airways and America West Airlines rallied in Phoenix last week to protest the continued failure of US Airways’ management to deliver on promises made to employees, passengers and investors.
The workers were demonstrating their frustration over deteriorating operations at US Airways and the lack of progress in 14 months of contract negotiations. They picketed the 16th Annual International Aviation Symposium in Phoenix, where top executives from US Airways joined their counterparts from other airlines and government officials to discuss “New Strategies for Success.” Gary Richardson, president of the America West Master Executive Council, says:
The failure by US Airways management to recognize the value and worth of flight attendants on the job and at the bargaining table is an age old strategy for disaster.
Further, says Mike Flores, president of the US Airways Master Executive Council, “There is no such thing as a full service-low cost airline.” That model, sold to Wall Street, only works if you find employees willing to work for nothing and customers willing to pay for nothing. Neither will continue to happen.
AFA-CWA members also handed out leaflets at Detroit’s airport last week to let passengers know that executives at Spirit Airlines are putting unreasonable demands on flight attendants by insisting that planes be ready for departure 30 minutes after previous passengers leave the plane. AFA-CWA’s Spirit Master Executive Council President Deb Crowley says:
Management views our aircraft as giant dollar signs, but as first responders in the cabin, we will not jeopardize necessary functions for the bottom dollar. Flight attendants are constantly being pushed by management to adhere to unrealistic expectations. Management is so focused on reducing fairs, they are neglecting serious aspects that directly affect passengers and crew.
3 Comments
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Recently NWA management revealed that Northwest CEO Doug Steenland will receive $26.6 million of that equity. In addition the company’s four executive vice presidents will receive between $10 million and $13.5 million each.
The executive stock plan will award the top 400 executives 4.9 percent equity in the reorganized carrier.
Meanwhile, Northwest flight attendants struggle to make ends meet and suffer increasing fatigue under the Terms and Conditions of Employment, which were imposed by — you guessed it — those same Rich Executives.
The Terms and Conditions of Employment that NWA management was allowed to impose through the bankruptcy process represent a 40% reduction in pay and benefits.
The airlines appealed to the emplyees, flight attendents, pilots, mechanics, to take a temporary cut in pay to save the company from going bankrupt and their jobs. Now they are as busy as ever, the CEOs making millions but the employees are still sacrificing. Sounds like the government’s temporary taxes that are still in effect
Northwest parody song
To the Neal Sedaka song and a Zipper song by Ann Feeney
Down dooby do down down, we can shut ya down dooby do down down
We can shut ya down dooby do down down
Shut ya down is what we’ll do……
Not long ago we flew those northwest skies
Morale was high - Our stock was on the rise
Now you’re giving us the royal screw
And shut ya down is what we’ll do
You say our wages are to blame
Steenland should hang his head in shame
Martha Stewart did nothing compared to you
And shut ya down is what we’ll do
Our future is in chaos - We’ve given so much
Those guys on top are way out of touch
Insider trading! What gives you the right????
Douglas Steenland how do you sleep at night!
The AFA and Alpa are gonna have their say
The CHAOS game is one that two can play
Northwest workers deserve more from you
And shut ya down is what we’ll do
Well first we tried your ESOP - We gave back our pay
Now you take our pensions away!
Your plans are destined to fail
Northwest workers need a raise, and, Steenland you belong in jail!
The day will come, just wait and see
What we can do in solidarity
Northwest workers deserve more from you
And shut you down is what we’ll do
Dooby do down down; we can shut ya down dooby do down down
We can shut ya down dooby do down down, and shut ya down is
what we’ll do!
New words by Dave Hurlburt CWA Local 9410