FAmodelGuy
Jul 15, 05, 1:42 pm
300 more airline workers to leave
By Thomas Olson
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, July 15, 2005
About 300 more flight attendants at US Airways will take voluntary leave from the troubled airline by year's end, bringing the total to more than 1,200, their union chief said Thursday.
US Airways is making the voluntary furlough offer -- its second this year -- because it is reducing the size of its fleet. The bankrupt airline plans to return 49 jet planes to leasing companies by spring and to sell another seven jets to a New York firm as part of US Airways' reorganization plan.
Earlier this week, US Airways said it would drop its four daily Pittsburgh to Atlanta flights after Aug. 2, in addition to canceling direct service to Seattle and San Diego next month.
"A significant portion of the flight attendants will probably come from Pittsburgh, I suspect," said Teddy Xidas, president of the US Airways unit of the Association of Flight Attendants.
The airline made a similar offer in April that was accepted by about 500 flight attendants. They will leave US Airways on Dec. 2 along with another 477 flight attendants taking early retirement.
"That's 1,200 or 1,300 that are leaving this year," said Xidas. An additional 48 flight attendants "just up and quit" in May, as did 61 in June and 10 so far in July, she said.
US Airways employs about 850 flight attendants based in Pittsburgh, out of about 4,700 systemwide. That level should fall to about 4,300, including about 700 in Pittsburgh, by September, Xidas said.
The flight attendants union negotiated terms of the most-recent voluntary furlough program on Tuesday. They state that a flight attendant who is on active duty status as of July 7 and continues working through Sept. 1 is eligible to receive a $10,000 cash settlement, travel benefits and the right to be recalled to work.
"We have recall rights when the company starts to recall employees back. We are furloughees," said Xidas, herself a Pittsburgh-based flight attendant who chose to go on furlough Dec. 2.
US Airways spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said the airline made the severance offer "as a result of the previously announced reduction in aircraft and resulting overstaffing." The airline has made no similar offers to other work groups, she said.
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/s_353568.html
By Thomas Olson
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, July 15, 2005
About 300 more flight attendants at US Airways will take voluntary leave from the troubled airline by year's end, bringing the total to more than 1,200, their union chief said Thursday.
US Airways is making the voluntary furlough offer -- its second this year -- because it is reducing the size of its fleet. The bankrupt airline plans to return 49 jet planes to leasing companies by spring and to sell another seven jets to a New York firm as part of US Airways' reorganization plan.
Earlier this week, US Airways said it would drop its four daily Pittsburgh to Atlanta flights after Aug. 2, in addition to canceling direct service to Seattle and San Diego next month.
"A significant portion of the flight attendants will probably come from Pittsburgh, I suspect," said Teddy Xidas, president of the US Airways unit of the Association of Flight Attendants.
The airline made a similar offer in April that was accepted by about 500 flight attendants. They will leave US Airways on Dec. 2 along with another 477 flight attendants taking early retirement.
"That's 1,200 or 1,300 that are leaving this year," said Xidas. An additional 48 flight attendants "just up and quit" in May, as did 61 in June and 10 so far in July, she said.
US Airways employs about 850 flight attendants based in Pittsburgh, out of about 4,700 systemwide. That level should fall to about 4,300, including about 700 in Pittsburgh, by September, Xidas said.
The flight attendants union negotiated terms of the most-recent voluntary furlough program on Tuesday. They state that a flight attendant who is on active duty status as of July 7 and continues working through Sept. 1 is eligible to receive a $10,000 cash settlement, travel benefits and the right to be recalled to work.
"We have recall rights when the company starts to recall employees back. We are furloughees," said Xidas, herself a Pittsburgh-based flight attendant who chose to go on furlough Dec. 2.
US Airways spokeswoman Amy Kudwa said the airline made the severance offer "as a result of the previously announced reduction in aircraft and resulting overstaffing." The airline has made no similar offers to other work groups, she said.
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/s_353568.html