channa

Not really.

A lot of the moves are offset by FAs from the other side moving in.

Someone posted the moves a while back. And while there are some reductions and expansions, in general, the moves are to move UA FAs out of the PMUA hubs, and to move CO FAs out of the PMCO hubs.

ORD for example needs UA FAs to move out and CO FAs to move in, while I think IAH needs CO FAs to move out and UA FAs to move in.

sincx

I hope United is at least paying for part of the relocation costs?

DENviaLAX

It's unfortunate for the employees affected, but I actually do understand it. For as long as the FAs are operating separately, it causes frequent problems in regards to crew shortages at the different hubs. But at the same time I highly doubt it was enough of a problem that UA management truly needed to do all this shuffling, especially while footing the bill for all these employees to relocate. Which is why when it was first announced I figured it was mainly a negotiating tactic, and a smart one at that, to try to force a joint contract down the FAs throats. With how talks had stalled between the two sides, it seems like management is trying to find ways to motivate them to give in. Furlough hundreds of sUA employees, force hundreds more to uproot their entire lives and families. None of that would really seem necessary if a joint contract were in place. Definitely fantastic for morale and customer service quality, though.

trekwars2000

It may be something to do with the fact that CO FAs frequently are working a 12+ hour day. I have seen crews doing EWR-LAX/SFO turns all in one day. That is a long long day.

CO FF

Many of us have flown LAX-NYC-LAX, with the same flight crew on both segments...but WE had to do our jobs while in NYC.

Personally, if I were flying Base-Transcon-Base, I'd prefer it as a direct turn (rather than with a layover); if it were Remote-Base-Remote, I'd prefer the layover.

Bowgie

I'll give you the benefit of assuming this is true. I think we are focusing too much on the FA union as the bad actor in the United mess. I remember this quote: "Companies get the union they deserve." I wish I remember who said it. It was the punch line to this story:

Small mgf business had a ping-pong table out back where employees would play and watch matches during lunch. One day an employee had a minor injury resulting in a workman's comp claim. Next day management removed the ping-pong table. Within a year, the whole shop was unionized.

I can think of two big non-unionized airlines: Southwest and Delta. I've flown enough WN to know that I like the Delta front-line people better. Can't be true that all "union FA's" automatically equals less-than-the best FA's.

If United FA's are unhappy; and it's only human to show it, it is probably United management's fault.

Always Flyin

I have some reservations concerning the legitimacy of the original story.

Amongst flight attendants and pilots, commuting is widespread. I know a number of crew members based on the East Coast who commute from So. California.

Ber2dca

Bad labour relations have always negatively affected work output in unionized industries. Whether it's a union tactic or employees simply being p-ed off, doesn't matter at the end of the day.

As an employer in a heavily service-driven industry it's a bad sign and it's up to you to fix it one way or the other.

iluv2fly

My FA friend who does mostly international (FRA) is ORD-based and commutes from Hawaii.

zebranz

Not taking sides on this.

Just want to remind UA management and employees they need passengers and the negative attitude of both resonates.

Hope the UA Insider is reading these.

SunLover

Agreed; but then they get more days off which some employees actually prefer. Continental had that as their work rules and it became their normal. It is not inherently evil thinking, but neither is the sUA FA's wanting to hang on to their normal. Problem is that the avation business is changing and those who are not cost competitive while remaining flexible end up screwing themselves.

A while back UA moved a bunch of the Airbus metal from DEN to IAH, and back filled DEN with Boeing 737's. Operating efficiencies of the aircraft from those cities was cited as the reason for the change. Well it makes sense that if IAH becomes an AB base the more junior FA's will ultimately have to move if they want to keep their current work rules and only fly on specific aircraft.


SunLover

tom911

Why is that? I can't imagine they have anything to do with labor relations.

HMPS

+1
I,used to work at a Fortune Five co. Got a call from the boss on a Friday afternoon ( Az and LAS Vegas were my territory. Call was to congratulate me on being transferred due to a promotion to Milwaukee. Wfen I asked IF I MUST move, I was told, " Well you don't have to move but your paycheck will be in Milwaukee "! I moved six times after that .
So yes I did not have to move if I didn't want to.....

bcharn

[QUOTE=NJFlyer42;23302594]

(Every time a company loses customers employees face turmoil (typically layoffs-transfers if they are really lucky). If more Denver customers chose UA, the crew would not be moved.)


This is not correct.

The FA issue in Denver is not loss of customers, but the mix of PMUA and PMCO aircraft. Denver was a primary Airbus hub (when they were great pre-Recaro aircraft!), but United's mix of 320, 319, 777, 767, 757 flights has been very significantly replaced with PMCO 737s.

That the joint contract has not been negotiated is very much to the detriment of the (largely fantastic) Denver-based FAs.

The spillover effect to ground crews, GAs and TAs, is also palpable. As another example, have heard from many employees a widely discussed fact/assertion that the current DEN station manager - comes from PMCO - is regularly seen at social events hosted by PMCO colleagues, but is dismissive of invitations by PMUA folks. As one 320 captain told me "it's pretty sad that we now refer to the Tilton era as the 'good ole days."

TravellingMan

IMO there is nothing much left in DEN. Rows and rows of RJs. What other reduction can they factor in? Make it full time RJs to other hubs?