>>American has 101,000 employees. If the headline read, "American retains 94,000 employees", and then the article mentioned that of the other 7,000, 2,000 were gonna retire anyways, another 3,000 will have jobs within four to six months (before their generous severance expires), it wouldn't seem so bad.<<
"another 3,000 will have jobs within four to six months (before their generous severance expires")
they cannot say that because there is no way to predict with a certainty that outcome.
additionally, there is no way to predict that those employees will have jobs at or above the same pay scale.
and let's not forget the other "stealthy" ways they are trimming employment....
apfa.org
FORT WORTH - Despite assurances from executives, many American Airlines employees are bracing for layoffs that some union leaders say could happen as early as next month.
Rumors have been swirling all summer among pilots, flight attendants and ground workers that American, the world's largest airline, will be cutting more employees before the year is out.
Officials with the Allied Pilots Association said Tuesday that some pilots might be furloughed in September as the summer travel season ends. The airline typically retools its schedules and capacity after summer, said Todd Wissing, an American pilot and union spokesman. The extent to which the changes will require layoffs depends on how many people will be flying the airline during the fall and winter, he said.
"Everything is going to depend on the bookings and travel forecast," Wissing said.
George Price of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants agreed that September is a likely time for American to cut back its capacity. He hopes that the airline will avoid laying off flight attendants by offering vacations and short-term leave until travel bounces back.
Although the airline furloughed thousands of employees soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, it called many back this year. Chief Executive Don Carty told employees last month that although future job cuts were inevitable, the airline would focus on reductions through attrition rather than mass layoffs.
American spokesman Todd Burke confirmed Tuesday that the airline still views attrition as the best way to reduce the work force. For example, management recently reduced the retirement age for nonunion workers to 60 in order to spur more early retirements.
But the airline hasn't promised to take layoffs off the table.
Absent specific details, some employees fear that the new plan could include significant job reductions. "There is definitely a lot of chatter about big layoffs," Price said. "But we don't have any concrete information."
Wissing pointed out that other airlines have cut more employees than American in the past year. He said union officials hope to meet soon with managers to discuss the concerns, but nothing has been scheduled.
Trebor Banstetter, (817) 390-7064
tbanstetter@star-telegram.com
ONLINE:
American Airlines, www.aa.com
Allied Pilots Association, www.alliedpilots.org |
