On the US Airways MEC website is a comparison chart, touting their contract as the better one using OUR UA tentative and various other airline contracts, including CAL IAM's, as examples.
Following a couple of threads in chat rooms on the US Airways side, it's stunning that, after nearly seven years there are people out there arguing for a NO vote, because you "never accept the first offer." After six and a half years, how long do you think it would take to get a second offer?
The absolute idiocy that characterizes the CWA/afa flight attendant "leadership" is on full display here, since now US Airways is trying to sell their membership on their tentative because it is "better" than United's (but STILL not as good as Continental's!). As a "union" representing a particular craft or class at various airlines, shouldn't it have been a priority to negotiate similar contracts for similarly sized carriers, much as the United Auto Workers have done at the Big Three Automakers? Then each successive contract becomes a template to improve upon for the next amendable contract (i.e. a newly ratified Ford contract would be the starting point for a new contract at GM).
Instead, the CWA/afa flight attendants pit airline against airline, even within the context of a merger. Given the events at this week's Board of Directors meeting, what we are in for is going to make America West/US Airways look like a picnic.
Fly Safe!
