Flight Attendants sue Northwest: "Don't ask us to train our replacements"

[Bluebear]

The union representing Northwest Airlines' flight attendants is suing the airline for what it calls the improper training of replacement workers.

The Professional Flight Attendants Association has filed suit in U.S. District Court against Northwest, the fourth-busiest carrier at Buffalo Niagara International Airport. It is seeking to block the airline from training replacement workers on board existing flights.

Guy Meek, the union's president, says in a statement that the union's contract prohibits anyone but existing flight attendants from performing cabin service operations.

"The company is effectively asking our members to violate their own agreement by allowing non-employee trainees to engage in our work," he says. "To place these replacement workers on board our planes and expect us to train them is unconscionable." ....

http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2005/07/25/daily4.html

[Bluzmann57]

1. It amounts to HUGE corporate arrogance

Wanting Union Flight attendents to cut their own throats, so to speak. Train scabs? Never. We need to support the PFAA in this suit. Nobody out there is going to willinhly train their scab replacement so they will be out of work possibly forever. That's just stupid and I hope this suit doesn't end up in front of a judge like Roberts.

[wishlist]

2. Before I knew about their labor problems, I booked a flight for next month

Had I heard about all of this airline's problems, I never would have booked a flight with them. The mechanics could strike around August 20th (right before my flight) if they cannot reach an agreement over management's request for pay concessions. I hate to fly during a strike, but have spent a lot of time planning a very important trip. I guess all I can do is hope for the best and that somehow a strike is averted.

This Bloomberg article today talks about executives showing lack of faith by selling their stock. Sounds like bankruptcy may be inevitable:

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000039&refer=columnist_levin&sid=aMO9eCJR4THc

[peacebuzzard]

3. Here is another case of outsourcing, besides going against the existing

contract. These trainees are a huge cost to NWA and has come at a sensitive time when the contracts with all the labor groups are in negotiations. Another case of the rush to the bottom for the airlines.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

4. Full disclosure time...

I applied for one of these scab flight attendant positions, but I didn't go through with it for many reasons, chiefly because there is no employment after the training except in cases of a strike.

I told myself that I should wait until a real flight attendant opportunity came up. I don't want to be a scab. Flight attendants make very little as it is.