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August 25th STRIKE

AFT_LOVER

By AFT_LOVER,
in Royal Caribbean International

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birdie16

birdie16

Posted
Posted

CHAOS="Creating Havoc Around Our System", just in case you were wondering what it means.

 

I am an AFA Flight Attendant, not with NWA but another. I strongly support the FA's at NWA, for too long these big airlines have been raking in the money and crying "poor" when it comes to paying the hard working people on the front line. Airline workers have been taking many pay cuts, increasing our hours for less pay, horrible work rules, taking away Pension plans and bonuses while the high up management teams take HUGE MULTI MILLION DOLLAR bonuses! If you knew what it is really like to work as a Flight Attendant these days, under the constant threat of terror and a traveling public that has forgotten how to behave you would also support the efforts of these Flight Attendants.

 

Sorry, I just had to add my 2 cents because it is not always about vacation.

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rsinj

rsinj

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Unfortunately, there are consequences - major consequences. The economies of Detroit and Minneapolis are heavily dependent upon Northwest and a liquidation would be distrous to the local economies.

 

And so everyone else in the country should subsidize the economies of Detroit and Minneapolis by not letting NWA go under? If Detroit and Minneapolis are so dependent on the airline, maybe those cities should step up and provide the $195 million a year to cover the concessions the airline wants from the flight attendants? Your implication of being "disastrous", would surely amount to $195 million annually to the local economies - no? And, it is not only limited to the flight attendants. This is an entire airline/management that has proven it cannot be run profitably and are asking many parties to give them another chance to make money. The mechanics, ramp workers, flight attendants, and the American people. Just who do you think is going to cover all the pensions that the airline is wiping from their liabilities? The American people.

 

As far as the flight attendants conducting an all out strike... Simply, that would mean the end of the airline, the FA's jobs and the jobs of every other employee.

 

So? At some point you say "is my time worth what they are offering"? And the current offer is the contract that was already voted down by the majority of flight attendants. Should the flight attendants really be concerned with the jobs of others at the airline? If it were me, and the reasoning you were giving me to accept a xx% pay cut, lower benefits, and more hours was because "well, everyone else has agreed to cuts too" I'd tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine! They've gotten massive cuts already, now they want more?

 

In addition, it would LESSEN competition among the airlines. I know you are advocating a free market economy, but a free market economy thrives on competition.

 

Yes, and in a free market economy, where competition goes down, or the moment prices go up, another enterprising set of people will step in, and start a new low-cost carrier to fill the void - or those remaining will expand. Look at JetBlue. I seriously doubt there will be a problem here if NWA were to disappear. And guess what - the mechanics, flight attendants and everyone else will find other jobs. We've seen it happen countless times in the past - Pan Am, Eastern, Kiwi, Peoples Express, TWA, etc., etc. In looking back, the many cities that were hubs for all the airlines that have gone under in the past have survived - all which could have replaced NWA and the cities you mention in your post.

 

Just my thoughts...

 

Same here.

 

 

Howard

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JAMESCC

JAMESCC

Posted
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Look at JetBlue. I seriously doubt there will be a problem here Jet just had its worst year ever and said they would NOT be profitable for the whole next year as well but SHOULD expect to be back to profitability the year after. Now here is an airline that touts that they do not have unions yet they are having financial problems as well. My point is do not blame all the airline problems on labor issues.

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seamama1

seamama1

Posted
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I am torn. I go back and forth on this issue. I do agree with you but then again sometimes I just feel that if the employees don't like it then they should go somewhere else. Other people will be happy to take their place. I think either they take the pay cut or they will put the airline out of business. Which is better a pay cut or no job at all?

 

Maybe I'm just jealous because I don't have a union and my company already did away with raises and retirement.:( Oh well if I don't like it I can go somewhere else.:o

 

Airline employees have suffered through pay cuts, layoffs, benefits reductions, loss of retirement and other indignities for years. Many of these employees have 15-20-25 years in and feel they are not valued by the company they work for. Could they leave? Sure and many do....

 

I spent 32 years in a unionless industry myself. The last 4-5 years were awful due to downsizing and, more especially outsourcing. It was outsourcing that finally put 248 people out on the street - in one day!!! Without notice. They outsourced to India, Manila, Mexico City, Eastern Europe. So, I feel your pain.

 

However, employees should have some rights. Those with unions do have rights..... Thanks to a former president (who will remain nameless) union busting was de rigeur for him. He busted the air traffic controllers and it all went downhill from there. That is exactly what the airlines want to do, bust the unions.

 

I have a friend who spent 35 years with a major airline (not a flight attendant)... 6 years after she retired, their stock went in the toilet, they discontinued the retirement and health benefit program (took a tough court fight - but the airline won). So, she is now 68 years old with stock that is worthless, no retirement pay and no health benefits. The airlines deserve whatever they get. They have slashed and burned everyone; the employees and we, the traveling public.

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AFT_LOVER

AFT_LOVER

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This new union for FA's has plenty on the back burner if a judge should stop the walkout. A MASSIVE NIROVIRUS! What I call BLUE FLU for police. All the call offs due to illness in one day could shut down a very ungrateful company who deserves to liquidate. Delta right with them.

For what they have done to pilots, FA's & mechanics who keep them in the air, to get minimum wage after 30 years, yet the head honchos get multi million dollar bonus for great work keeping them flying. The people paying thru the nose in miles as well as dollars to fly them should go elsewhere. CO is a partner who fies to the same areas from CLE, Newark & Houston.

 

How come Jet Blue, SWA, Air Tran and a few others that are not abusing their employees still flying & eating losses due to high fuel prices without raising rates outlandishly. Time to learn from them DL & NWA!

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JAMESCC

JAMESCC

Posted
Posted
Just in, according to CNN, a judge has blocked the Northwest strike. Details to follow. This is good news for those of us booked on Northwest.
So much for a free market huh and labor unions. It is unions right to go out on strike to bargan for a better deal yet judge after just breaks this right and the union member is stuck taking whatever the employer gives them. Untill labor unions are allowed to be labor unions again nothing will change and the middle class will continue to shrink and right will be violated. Its a disgrace what this country is doing to labor unions and the government is an accomplice to it all. Do find it odd that in cuminist China workers formed a labor union in WAL-MART OF ALL PLACES yet in this country nearly impossible to form a union in Wal-Mart. Hmmm I wonder how bad the laws are stacked against labor unions here thats its actually harder to form a union here than comunist China? By the way I am not an Employee of NWA nor a member of that union.
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