American Eagle
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To receive updates for our
union drive click on the Union
Interest Card link to the left and
fill out the information.
union drive click on the Union
Interest Card link to the left and
fill out the information.
Recent Off Schedule Operations coupled with CS worked hours
caused agents to have short turnarounds between the time the left the
airport after working mandatory overtime. In one case, and we're sure
there are more, one agent worked their shift, picked up another agent's
hours, and were then extended involuntarily. The OT caused the
agents to only have 2.5 hours off between their mandatory overtime
and their regularly scheduled shift the following day.
At one time the company required you to have 8 hours between shifts
and they would adjust your schedule. Now they don't care. The good
thing is that this is a situation which is negotiable in a call for a certain
amount of rest time, like in the cases of Pilots and Flight Attendants,
there is a minimal amount of legal time between shifts, and extended
times can be negotiated in a labor contract. The minimum times
however must be met and currently there are no Federal guidelines
except for overtime pay.
For agents at American Airlines and American Eagle, the company's
policy is to "limit the work day so that it does not exceed 16 hours in a
24-hour period when it involves a CSW." Local policies can limit the
work time to less than 16 hours in a 24 hour period, however the local
policy cannot override the 16 and allow for more hours worked.
Although the minimum turn time has changed there is still a limit to the
hours worked in a 24 hour period.
This is just one more reason why we need a union. These types of
policies become contractual with union representation. Anything
pertaining to the wages, working conditions, and benefits, are
negotiable items. The CWA has and does negotiate these items at
other airlines for workers.
caused agents to have short turnarounds between the time the left the
airport after working mandatory overtime. In one case, and we're sure
there are more, one agent worked their shift, picked up another agent's
hours, and were then extended involuntarily. The OT caused the
agents to only have 2.5 hours off between their mandatory overtime
and their regularly scheduled shift the following day.
At one time the company required you to have 8 hours between shifts
and they would adjust your schedule. Now they don't care. The good
thing is that this is a situation which is negotiable in a call for a certain
amount of rest time, like in the cases of Pilots and Flight Attendants,
there is a minimal amount of legal time between shifts, and extended
times can be negotiated in a labor contract. The minimum times
however must be met and currently there are no Federal guidelines
except for overtime pay.
For agents at American Airlines and American Eagle, the company's
policy is to "limit the work day so that it does not exceed 16 hours in a
24-hour period when it involves a CSW." Local policies can limit the
work time to less than 16 hours in a 24 hour period, however the local
policy cannot override the 16 and allow for more hours worked.
Although the minimum turn time has changed there is still a limit to the
hours worked in a 24 hour period.
This is just one more reason why we need a union. These types of
policies become contractual with union representation. Anything
pertaining to the wages, working conditions, and benefits, are
negotiable items. The CWA has and does negotiate these items at
other airlines for workers.
| Mandatory Overtime and Short Turn |
| Do you have a story you'd like to see on the website? Have questions or rumors you'd like addressed here? Click on Contact Us and send us an email or call us and we will include it here. |
I like working outdoors. My shift allows me to
work the ramp and I don't work the ticket counter.
Will I still be able to do this?
A. Contracts can be negotiated to allow things
like this on a station by station basis with approval
from the majority of the agents. We have
negotiated contracts that allow stations to have
certain working conditions based on a majority
rules vote at each station.
Q. My supervisor said that if we vote for a union
that we will start from scratch and lose what we
have. Is this true?
A. Although anything pertaining to working
conditions, wages, and benefits, are negotiable in
a union contract, we start with what we have.
Once a tentative agreement is reached, all agents
will vote on the contract. The only way you would
lose what you have is if you vote for a contract that
gives you less than you have now. If a contract
doesn't pass with a majority vote of the agents
then we go back to negotiations with the company
until we reach a contract that the majority of
agents vote to accept. You also won't pay union
dues until we have a contract.
Q. What will happen to "Local Procedures"
once we have a contract?
A. Local procedures go away. A union contract
is a legally binding contract that must be adhered
to. That's the reason you don't see pilots, flight
attendants, and ramp workers at the hub, having
"local procedures".
Q. Will mandatory overtime go away with a
union contract?
A. Let's face it, we're in a business that is not
9-5 and it is affected by weather, and other things
out of our control. Although it will never go away a
union contract will spell out the procedures for
assigning "mandatory overtime". Most union
contracts in an operational business like airlines,
include procedures for a set advanced notice, a
voluntary procedure to be put in place before
mandatory procedures, and most include paying a
work free penalty hour when not handled properly.
In addition if an employee is given disciplinary
action for not working overtime, you have access
to a legally binding grievance procedure.
work the ramp and I don't work the ticket counter.
Will I still be able to do this?
A. Contracts can be negotiated to allow things
like this on a station by station basis with approval
from the majority of the agents. We have
negotiated contracts that allow stations to have
certain working conditions based on a majority
rules vote at each station.
Q. My supervisor said that if we vote for a union
that we will start from scratch and lose what we
have. Is this true?
A. Although anything pertaining to working
conditions, wages, and benefits, are negotiable in
a union contract, we start with what we have.
Once a tentative agreement is reached, all agents
will vote on the contract. The only way you would
lose what you have is if you vote for a contract that
gives you less than you have now. If a contract
doesn't pass with a majority vote of the agents
then we go back to negotiations with the company
until we reach a contract that the majority of
agents vote to accept. You also won't pay union
dues until we have a contract.
Q. What will happen to "Local Procedures"
once we have a contract?
A. Local procedures go away. A union contract
is a legally binding contract that must be adhered
to. That's the reason you don't see pilots, flight
attendants, and ramp workers at the hub, having
"local procedures".
Q. Will mandatory overtime go away with a
union contract?
A. Let's face it, we're in a business that is not
9-5 and it is affected by weather, and other things
out of our control. Although it will never go away a
union contract will spell out the procedures for
assigning "mandatory overtime". Most union
contracts in an operational business like airlines,
include procedures for a set advanced notice, a
voluntary procedure to be put in place before
mandatory procedures, and most include paying a
work free penalty hour when not handled properly.
In addition if an employee is given disciplinary
action for not working overtime, you have access
to a legally binding grievance procedure.
| AMERICAN EAGLE NEWS |
| CRJ-700s By Mark Friedman Minneapolis Airport Examiner March 4, 2010 |
| American to reevaluate future of American Eagle subsidiary By Ben Mutzabaugh / USA Today June 11, 2010 |
| The Eagle is landing By Tim Rausch / The Augusta Chronicle June 5, 2010 |
American Eagle management at DFW decided the day before Father's
Day to automatically extend part-timers to full-time for Father's Day
Sunday. When agents asked why they were being extended they
were told it was in anticipation of lots of sick calls so agents could be
home for Father's Day.
Management just assumed that agents would be calling in sick. Will
they do this for July 4th, Mother's Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving
too?
Union contracts have protections and rules that apply to calling
part-time extensions and overtime. In most contracts overtime must
be offered on a volunteer basis first and if not covered, then assigned
by seniority starting at the bottom of the list and moving up. The list is
then rotated so it's not always the same agents being "forced" to
work overtime or PTE. Are you ready for a change?
Day to automatically extend part-timers to full-time for Father's Day
Sunday. When agents asked why they were being extended they
were told it was in anticipation of lots of sick calls so agents could be
home for Father's Day.
Management just assumed that agents would be calling in sick. Will
they do this for July 4th, Mother's Day, Halloween, and Thanksgiving
too?
Union contracts have protections and rules that apply to calling
part-time extensions and overtime. In most contracts overtime must
be offered on a volunteer basis first and if not covered, then assigned
by seniority starting at the bottom of the list and moving up. The list is
then rotated so it's not always the same agents being "forced" to
work overtime or PTE. Are you ready for a change?
Talk about selling American Eagle is in the works
again. Stay tuned and we will post information as
it becomes available.
Many Eagle agents have asked what a union can
do in the event of being sold.
If a union election is held and we win, then all
benefits, working conditions, and wages, become
negotiable items. This includes seniority
protections in the event of a sale or merger.
Without a legally binding union contract the
company can do what it wants to our seniority,
pay, and benefits.
again. Stay tuned and we will post information as
it becomes available.
Many Eagle agents have asked what a union can
do in the event of being sold.
If a union election is held and we win, then all
benefits, working conditions, and wages, become
negotiable items. This includes seniority
protections in the event of a sale or merger.
Without a legally binding union contract the
company can do what it wants to our seniority,
pay, and benefits.
| American Eagle, union reach tentative deal for fleet service clerks by Terry Maxon / Dallas Morning News Aug 4, 2010 |
"All, I first would like to say thank you for the service you each provide here at American Eagle DFW "the best HUB" in the system! I am
very honored to be working with such a talented group of people that I believe together we can strengthen our dependability, serve our
Passengers and take care of our Agents."
"After several conversations and a review of our staff plan I have decided to remove the "Reserve shifts" from the upcoming bid. I have
been given the authorization to increase head count and post sufficient OT to maintain the need coverage. It is my goal that by doing this
we will be able to provide the needed coverage, improve our dependability and provide the exceptional customer service our
passengers deserve."
Please communicate this to all Agents.
Thanks
Jim
The following letter was received by the lead agents at American Eagle DFW on Tuesday August 17th. If you haven't seen the
"Reserve Policy" (new form of mandatory overtime) that Jim Ware, American Eagle Passenger Service Manager, made
official last week, go to our home page. After the policy was posted agents asked what could be done. We posted the policy
on your union website and as expected the policy was cancelled within a few days.
If this is what we could accomplish by uniting during our union drive, just imagine what we could accomplish when
management is legally bound to include us in decisions that affect our working conditions, wages, and benefits. With a union
the company would be forced to negotiate changes with our input before implementing them. If this had been done to start
with, we probably never would have seen this policy put into affect. They are not the only ones with solutions. Once
management saw it posted here and heard complaints from agents it was changed. Management comes and goes and a
union contract would be the only thing that would guarantee our input and give us policies that don't change every time the
management team changes. Just remember without a voice they can and will do whatever they want without our input.
"Reserve Policy" (new form of mandatory overtime) that Jim Ware, American Eagle Passenger Service Manager, made
official last week, go to our home page. After the policy was posted agents asked what could be done. We posted the policy
on your union website and as expected the policy was cancelled within a few days.
If this is what we could accomplish by uniting during our union drive, just imagine what we could accomplish when
management is legally bound to include us in decisions that affect our working conditions, wages, and benefits. With a union
the company would be forced to negotiate changes with our input before implementing them. If this had been done to start
with, we probably never would have seen this policy put into affect. They are not the only ones with solutions. Once
management saw it posted here and heard complaints from agents it was changed. Management comes and goes and a
union contract would be the only thing that would guarantee our input and give us policies that don't change every time the
management team changes. Just remember without a voice they can and will do whatever they want without our input.