CMV

From Dow Jones: A United Airlines (UAUA) flight attendants union in Paris unanimously adopted a resolution Tuesday to direct their leaders to prepare for a strike in reaction to the company's recently announced changes to its Paris operations.

This is all the info reported. Anyone know more?

TonySCV

Considering it'd impact all of 2 flights that could easily be staffed by US-based FA's - this will have all the impact of a pin drop.

- T

ClipperClub

I don't think you will find too many willing participants in crossing....... those are our fellow employees on our system seniority, quite a few Americans too.

TonySCV

A valid point - however it'll probably not take much for UA to pull out of CDG entirely. Preventing service altogether would go a long way to sealing that fate.

osxanalyst

Given the size, UA will probably just fire the strikers.

LAX

Can UA, or any employer, easily fire unionized employees without serious consequences?

LAX

NickB

Not under French law.

SEA_Tigger

Well if they're AFA, it's just a bluff.

For just two flights, the FA Supervisors could handle the work.

It would give them something to do other then take attendance. ^

tom911

Press release from the AFA:

Paris Flight Attendants at United Direct Leadership to Prepare for a Strike

Flight Attendants are Furious Over Company Closing Paris Domicile While Denying Access to French Social Benefits

PARIS, Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the Paris Local Council for the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO unanimously adopted a resolution today during a local meeting to direct their leaders to prepare for a strike. Under French law workers have a constitutional right to strike. United Airlines recently announced closure of the Paris domicile effective May 1, 2006. They are attempting to close the domicile in a way that purposely denies workers access to French social benefits such as unemployment, which is provided by the government.

"Since the closure announcement, United Airlines has failed to not only provide access to French benefits afforded other workers, this management has not even responded to our basic questions about the closure and forced transfer to work in other countries," said AFA Local President Sharon Benjamin-Caldwell. "Flight Attendants are expected to make life-changing decisions in a vacuum. United Airlines has not even given us the most basic information about employment and transfer terms. Paris Flight Attendants are furious about this treatment from the company to which they have offered dedicated service for well over a decade."

"Our Paris based Members have every right to expect immediate action to address their concerns as a result of management's decision to close the Paris domicile," stated Greg Davidowitch, president of AFA at United Airlines. "While management drags its heels, Flight Attendants must make decisions that include uprooting children from their schools and moving families to another country. Making prudent business decisions must include consideration of the effect on employees."

More than 46,000 Flight Attendants, including the 258 Flight Attendants based in Paris for United Airlines, join together to form AFA, the world's largest Flight Attendant union. AFA is part of the 700,000 member strong Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO. Visit us at http://www.unitedafa.org.

couscous

[QUOTE=SEA_Tigger]Well if they're AFA, it's just a bluff.QUOTE]

Stricking is a national sport in France. Any opportunity to do so will be taken with open arms..

roadkit

Since I'm on UA 914 from IAD to CDG this weekend (returning the 23rd) I hope there isn't any impact!

osxanalyst

Actually this situation may be more complicated than that. It really depends on which "base" they are employed-by. If they are technically employees of United (Germany), but live in France, then French labor laws may or may not apply. I don't know how French law treats employees that commute from France to "work" in another country.

Either way - they can be easily replaced (per earlier post) by supervisors.

ClipperClub

Not really.

United will always say things are fine, and they can do what they want.....but
having been based in Europe myself, United has to respect the wishes of the local government, as these bases were opened with agreements on taxes, work rights, etc.

United has a history of denying benefits to overseas employees, only to later be sued and fined by local governments. This happened in the case of maternity rights in UK. Also some tax issues arose in the Frankfurt domicile.

The terror striking UA management is the fact that under French law, United must (as any other company in France) pay these employees about 6 months pay in severance. Australia, many European countries, etc. have similar codes for those past tenure. And since this base was opened in 1992-1993, most of those employees are entitled to the benefit.

Since the French crews do not have Green cards/US work rights (except US citizens who transferred to CDG), they are only allowed to transfer into non-US domiciles: LHR, FRA, HKG, NRT. HKG is not allowing further visas, so that is unlikely.

It is as if United wants to invalidate a set code that it had agreed upon over 10 years ago.....and this is what angers the crews. Im wondering at what point the French government will force a resolution.....

At this point, what do most of the CDG's crews have to lose. Many do not want to leave, and have families. I know and understand the situation, I have many friends in that boat....

Mike Jacoubowsky

There are 258 FAs based in Paris? For why? Short flights to Germany, Italy, England etc? I thought most of those were passed on to LH and others. With only two remaining flights to the US mainland (ORD & IAD), whatever it means to be closing a "domicile", it probably makes sense.

osxanalyst

Are you sure this is true? Isn't that only applicable if they are terminated? Since all are being offered jobs at a different base, United does not seem to plan to fire anyone (at least right now). How does French Labor law treat employees of multinational corporations that are transferred from France to another country?