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American workers protest, say company is blaming labor AgAAin
Just a couple weeks ago, American Airlines revealed its restructuring plan, proposing to lay off 13,000 employees, terminating pensions and shutting down its Alliance base in Dallas-Fort Worth. Worried about losing their jobs, American employees are protesting."I understand it somewhat," 24-year mechanic Greg Cooke, one of 300 American workers protesting at DFW this week told Star-Telegram. "But I don't want to have to move again just to put another four years in before I retire. I'm tired of them taking and asking off of the backs of the employees."
Protesters including pilots and members of other unions, showing their support, marched in front the DFW terminal holding signs saying "Blaming Labor AgAAin."
Workers believe the airline needs to pay its pensions and called for an end to the "corporate greed" of executive bonuses in previous years.
American, meeting now with union leaders, said that the restructuring process is difficult but necessary and will affect all employee groups, union and nonunion alike.
"We are meeting with representatives from each union to negotiate the changes needed to make us successful, and are focused on reaching consensual agreements in the next few weeks," spokesman Bruce Hicks said. "Our goal is to exit as a growing, profitable company that preserves tens of thousands of jobs."
Flickr photo by wbaiv
Filed under: North America, United States, Airlines, Airports
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Robert Feb 20th 2012 10:46PM
Just cut pensions?????? Put them out of business where they belong. This is what the repukican icon ronee reegen started. Just another good reason to NEVER vote repukican again.
Ron Feb 20th 2012 10:57PM
I personally beleive they should go out of business or live up to there contracts, tired of the same oh excuses , all the other airlines are doing ok, what is AA lines doing wrong.
Sternberg Feb 20th 2012 11:54PM
There are no airlines doing ok these days. If they go out of business, a hundred thousand will lose pensions and livelyhoods. Is that better for everyone?
Cathy Feb 21st 2012 5:03AM
No the airlines are struggling to get by with high fuel costs and low airline fares. But yes they do need to keep their PENSION PLANS! They used the money when they needed it but now are giving it to the federal government to pay. It is always the UNION and Employees in general that get hit hard. NEVER the Executives or their Board of Directors.
At Least AA tried to not throw their debts on to debtors when other airlines had no problem doing that. Employees @ AA have been paid decent wages longer ... way longer than the airlines that immediately went belly up. I work for one that did and the aftermath has not been pretty for many.
Good Luck American Employees. I feel sorry that you hae to go through this too.
mike Feb 20th 2012 11:09PM
I feel sorry for the people involved here. I realize there are unions involved, etc., but most of people have been dedicated to being professional individuals and providing a safe product to their customers. Many have spent their career at this company and are facing the prospect of their planned retirement being severely damaged.
It is easy to point fingers in these situations and blame the company for being greedy or the union for being inflexible but there are no easy answers. I just hope for the best for those involved. I flew for a legacy carrier that is now in the dust bin of aviation. It wasn't a pretty picture but there is life after the dust settles. Good luck.
Henry Feb 20th 2012 11:17PM
The 1st thing that always happens is that the workers are the Ones who end up making the supreme sacrifice. If AA wanted to survive, they should lead by example. But from what I can tell, that isn't the case. The cost cutting should start @ the top with Management taking cuts from their own pay. That way they can say we gave for the good of the Company. I don't mean just a small cut, but get rid of the "GREED CUT". The bonuses & everything else that is paid to the top management is out of control & has been for years.You don't need a salary of 250,000 dollars or more to live. Your don't need all of the additional amenities to live either. Living like that you are never in touch with reality. You don't have a clue on how the real people live from pay check to pay check. The retirement packages & severance packages are out of line too. The workers don't get a package like that. What ever happened to the idea of all men are created equally & that includes everyone. My wish for AA is to go under or be bought by some other airline & that the top management be axed & the real workforce be kept in place.AA needs to pull their head out of the sand & wake up. Put your big boy panties on.
Sternberg Feb 20th 2012 11:57PM
Lots of the wheels are getting the axe too. The "big guys" pay is substantially "at risk" from stock options that they are allowed to buy. They are not going to make any money off of that these days, are they?
LRH Feb 20th 2012 11:34PM
Don't like flying the friendly skies? At least you have a job. Be thankful.
JO CALABRETTA Feb 20th 2012 11:52PM
That's the attitude of the Greedy bunch. Tell us, why is it when the company does well, the exec's give themselves bonus's yet, when the company doesn't do well, the exec's blame the employees
Gus Feb 21st 2012 5:30AM
I went through this same situation with Ual Corp. , Hope Amr. is not as cut-throat .
Ual Corp. violated the w.a.r.n. act. , dumped the pension plan , outsourcing ect...
This is my 9th year lay-off status... " I'm done with aviation ".
paul Feb 21st 2012 6:08AM
This is what happens when a holding company takes over. A non- aviation company trying to run an airline. It's too bad that this kind of thing has to happen. We know two people, both pilots, who are no doubt cought up in this whole mess. The whole infrastructure is falling apart. It seems the only airline that is viable these days is Southwest.