United Airlines - Flight Attendants Strike

[rockgarden]

Anyone know anything more than me. Sporadic strikes by flight attendants, either/or - specific flights or an all-day strike - Sounds ominous!!

[LoneStarJeffe]

http://www.indiadaily.com/breaking_news/19022.asp

 

Key quote:

 

"The union has vowed to implement its strike plans if the flight attendants'' contract is rejected, and has called on the company to reach a negotiated settlement instead. The plans known as Create Havoc Around Our System (CHAOS) call for surprise intermittent strikes. The time and place of such strikes would be determined by the union and targeted for maximum impact. Action could take the form of a system-wide one-day strike, a strike targeted for one specific city or an individual flight at a remote location, the AFA said."

[Globaliser]

It makes me glad of rules that require unions to give at least x days' notice of any strike action.

 

I have to say that although US is more likely to go under, it would please me more to see UA do so.

[bUU]

How many days notice are required?

[Globaliser]

I think it's 7 days here. It'll be different from place to place - but it stops this sort of unannounced wildcat action.

[bUU]

By "here", do you mean in the UK? Gosh, I don't know how that would translate to the USA. Does anyone know if there are any such laws in Florida, Texas or Puerto Rico?

[Globaliser]

By "here", do you mean in the UK?

Yes - it's been this way since (I think) the early 1990's. One of the trade union reforms made by the blessed St Margaret.

[bUU]

I just did a search and I found that the Railway Labor Act "is the federal law that governs labor relations in the airline industry" in the United States. It imposes a 30-day cooling-off period, but that's only as long as the workers are under contract. Once the contract is voided (which the airline is currently trying to do), apparently, there is no 30-day cooling-off period applicable. There is no other notice provision for striking. As far as I can tell, the whole purpose unions came up with CHAOS was so that the company couldn't prepare for the strike, and therefore eliminate the union's ability to use it as leverage in labor negotiations. It basically works because once the 30-day cooling-off period (if applicable) is over, the union can initiate a job action with no notice.

 

Interesting reading, especially in light of how things appear to be going.

[rockgarden]

Interesting reading. Thanks for the information. Now, I guess, we are on hold until we see what happens to the contract. In other words, we are in limbo and my imagination can go to town with scenes of CHAOS - even more so than usual.

[galelynn]

Rockgarden,

 

Just wanted to say hi, as we are also from Brentwood, CA. We are on the Feb. 11 sailing of the Sapphire Princess from Sydney to Auckland. We are going in and taking a 6 day outback tour before the cruise. Our flight is on Qantas out of LAX, first we fly from SFO to LAX, coming back we are Auckland to SFO on Air NewZealand. Hope you have a wonderful cruise, we have been on the Sapphire already and she is a beautiful ship.

[rockgarden]

Hi, Galelynn

We are Brentwood, Northern Calif., not the O.J. Brentwood - do we have the right one? If so, we live in Summerset.

We will be sailing Jan.18 from Sydney. Am getting anxious now!!! But - I am not going to start packing just yet.

LIttle things like strikes start me off on a worry path.

In the meantime, have a great cruise. Pleased the Sapphire is living up to expectations. Have a wonderful 2005

[galelynn]

Yes, it is the right Brentwood, we are in Apple Hill, across from Summerset #1. The Sapphire is a beautiful ship, we were on her in Oct. from SF to Mexico.

[rockgarden]

Hi, Galelynn

We are in Summerset III. Do you play golf? Everyone around here seems to be getting "into" it - even me.

We are liking Brentwood more now - when we moved in there were absolutely no shops and very few restaurants, not that we eat out that much but it is nice to have a little more choice other than Jack-in-the-Box or KFC!!

Was Alistair Greener the Activities Director (or whatever they are called)?

Was he good? If so, I hope he is still on the ship. I did read that maybe he is going on leave soon.

Rosemary

[galelynn]

Rosemary, yes Alistair was the CD on our cruise, I believe that he will be leaving on the 30th of Jan, so we won't have him again (Boo Hoo). He was great.

 

Lynn