An arbitrator has dismissed union complaints, giving United Airlines the green light to proceed with its planned closure of three international flight attendant bases.
Union Had Battled United Airlines Plan To Close Three Foreign Bases
In June, United announced it would close its flight attendant bases in Frankfurt, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, news that was broken by Live and Let’s Fly. These workers were not offered a transfer to United’s last remaining foreign base in London. Instead, they were invited to transfer to a U.S. domicile. The problem for most of the flight attendants, however, was that they lacked legal authorization to work or live in the Untied States and United made clear it would not assist in that regard (beyond limited moving expenses if permitted to move to the USA).
Exercising its contractual grievance clause, the Association of Flight Attendants engaged the arbitration process to argue:
- Not opening vacancies in the London Heathrow base violated the contract
- United’s refusal to permit voluntary furloughs for flight attendants not eligible to work in the USA violated the contract
An arbitrator has been mediating between United and the AFA since July on this issue.
> Read More: Flight Attendant Union Battles United Airlines’ Base Closure Plan
Arbitrator Rules Against United Flight Attendants
On Friday, an arbitrator ruled against the flight attendants, stating that United did not have to off transfers to the USA for workers who did not have the requisite legal documents to work there.
A note to Hong Kong flight attendants from Kimberly Johnson, President of the Hong Kong AFA Council, sums up the sentiment:
By now we all have heard the devastating news that the Union did not prevail in our arbitration. We feel anger, disappointment, frustration and sorrow. All of these emotions, under these circumstances are normal and expected…
While we continue to work in your best interest, we ask that you consider focusing your anger where it belongs; not at each other but at the company. Ultimately, all of these decisions have been made by management and none of them have been made by your flying partners who have agreed to come forward in the service of the many…
I am heartbroken by this callous decision by the arbitrator. I am disappointed. And like you, I am mad. No one deserves to be treated this way, after giving over 20 years of service. Know that your Union continues to stand behind you, and will not abandon you. We will continue to fight this injustice. In the meantime, take care of one another.
A flight attendant tells me that foreign flight attendants are livid at the AFA for utterly failing to protect their jobs.
The issue is not just the ability to transfer to the London base. Many of the flights attendants at these foreign bases have more than 20 years of seniority. That means they cannot even be furloughed: they are instead “separated” from the company. These flight attendants would be more senior than many flight attendants currently in London, creating a situation in which more junior London-based flight attendants will keep their jobs over far more senior FRA/NRT/HKG FAs. Yet with the arbitrator siding with United, the only grievance a flight attendant now has with a personal lawsuit. So much for a true seniority system…
CONCLUSION
If the CARES Act is extended, these 874 flights attendants will receive up to a six month reprieve. They are banking on that right now while exploring other options. But options are limited at this point. The sad reality is that many of these flight attendants are approaching retirement age and many will be left without options. In that sense, we cannot help but to look at this issue with great sadness and empathy for the men and women who will likely soon be without a job.
image: AFA
I’m sorry for those losing their jobs, for both United employees and those in other industries. It is horrible. But I am not angry at either United or the AFA (well, a little bit with AFA since I think most of what they do hurts workers rather than protecting them). I think the arbitrator made the right decision. There is no flying in those bases. The entire London base has not flown in months so what would be the purpose of transferring more employees there? It makes no financial sense to pay thousands of employees every month when you have no work for them to do and may not have any work for them for years. And sadly, if you work for a U.S. based corporation and can’t work in the U.S., you’re in a risky position. In order to survive, United needs to become a smaller airline. I don’t like it. It’s been heartbreaking to work with people all month who are being laid off in a few days, even those who have been at the airline for almost two decades (and most of them seem angry with AFA for the lack of communication and support even while they understand the need for layoffs). It doesn’t seem fair. But neither United nor AFA caused this. The world’s response to covid caused this.
As for the CARES Act, I’m sure every business owner would like the government to help pay their workers. But that doesn’t seem feasible and I think the airlines need to learn to operate in the current conditions. Covid has hurt the industry since February and things don’t look to be improving much for the foreseeable future. We need to adapt to reality.
It’s very true that the AFA definitely hurts it’s members more than helping them. They are only out for themselves and their $50 monthly dues that are required to be paid every month. In their greedy minds all they really care about is the bottom line figure of monthly income from dues. They consistently violate contractual rules for their own good. President Sara Nelson is more concerned about recruiting Delta Airlines (whom doesn’t want anything to do with the AFA) than taking care of the dues paying company she supposedly represents. She’s dismissive and condescending to the United flight attendants and seems to be only in it for herself and the multi- million dollars the AFA brings in monthly. Unfortunately we are stuck with her and this Union until we’re able to vote them gone.
Maybe I’m just uneducated but I don’t understand what modern day unions provide. We owe a lot of work place safety measures to them but it seems they have become bloated bureaucracies. However, maybe there is more than meets the eye.
I think the AFA would say in preserving pay. Delta has no job cuts, but they’ve cut salaries. That won’t happen at union shops. Instead, the senior members are protected and the junior members, if necessary, are sacrificed.
I agree with the second part of your assessment. However, I need to clarify your first part. When you say that Delta cut salaries one can easily interpret that Delta cut the pay rate. In reality, Delta only cut the working hours.
Well, in this case, senior members are sacrificed… Not junior…
In the Nurse world, unions help keep nurses patients safe. By numbering how many patients/nurse ratio. By keeping the hospital from dicriminating shifts. By tier system pay schedule. By keeping supervisor from playing favorites. In my experience, union’s are still relevent.
And airlines got bail outs. To expect a worker to tranfer internationally, to an environment that is on fire with
COVID, doesn’t seem fair.
Why should they be given automatic transfer to LHR ?…… you’re going to expect United, flying so many fewer flights to/from London to just pick up the slack of jobs lost at NRT, HKG and FRA to absorb hundreds of flight attendants to jobs they don’t have to/from London??? People need to be realistic in this current COVID-19 environment – accept reality – you’re losing your job like millions of other people worldwide. Awful and shocking as it is, deal with it. People aren’t flying anywhere near the pre-Covid levels, why should United move you to another domicile – to do what? – look at the British scenery????. I’m sure they at least have recall rights in their original bases. What is with this thinking that once they are employed by an airline they are to be kept on the payroll regardless of work available or not ???? What companies are doing that ??…. right, none.
Hi! I am one of those flight attendants. We were singled out, not offered furloughs like others were and no recall rights whatsoever. And will be fired regardless of seniority. End of story!
Please allow me to disagree…
Your quote :
“What is with this thinking that once they are employed by an airline they are to be kept on the payroll regardless of work available or not ???? ”
We just want to stay connected with our job until business picks up, we are not asking for free wages!
And work is available… Flights are operating from LHR and from FRA…
I worked for them for almost 20 yrs as a car and trainer. They are an absolute atrocious, uncaring, vile, devious, abhorrent and mendacious corporation who make up their own rules as they go along and get away with it because of their crooked and powerful team of legal mucky mucks who can make Mother Theresa look like the whore of Babylon. I know what it is like to give your all to your company, promoted it constantly, proud to be a part of it and then find out you out are just a number in a major corporation like they always said but you always thought that UA was different. But, guess what ? That saying proves to be true. What a shame for all these flight attendants I truly am sorry for you and hope you find work very soon. Stay strong and remember, the universe takes care of those who wrong others and this is beyond wrong, this is pure evil. I wonder how much it cost them to pay that judge that ruled against a LABOR UNION. Don’t think about the horrible injustice that you just suffered, it will eat you alive. Think positive, move on and God bless. I wish you all the best of luck to all of you.
Why did you stay for two decades with a company that you a despised? I worked at UA for 38 years. While no employer is perfect, I enjoyed my career immensely and have many good memories. Like thousands of other businesses today, COVID-19 has put United in a survival mode. Some potentially unpopular decisions must be made in order to offer any future at all to employees, customers and shareholders. Retaining employees who are not legally qualified to work at other available locations makes no sense, unfortunately. That is part of the risk in accepting employment with a foreign company.
@JoeN….
Why are you blaming United, they had/have no control how bad Covid-19 is or would affect worldwide jobs and economies. It’s totally unfortunate that MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN MANY OTHER JOBS AND CAREERS AS WELL have lost their employment and income but what is everyone asking for – a complete free ride for years before things get better….. pay me just because I work for you…. pay me even though you only need 20% of your staff – I’ll just stand around and do nothing ?…. pay me, give me all the benefits, move me across the world? People are so unreasonable and demand entitlement even through huge failures and disappointment. Deal with it like millions of other people have to do.
We don’t demand entitlement! We demand to be treated like any other employee at United. We demand not to be discriminated against. We demand to have been able to ask for voluntary furlough with no pay and recall rights, like our junior peers have been offered in the USA. That’s indeed very very simple…
If you’re not working and living in the United States why would those company by-laws apply to you? Pretty sure you would have been aware of the pros and cons when you signed up – what contractual benefits were going to apply or not. U.S. laws and U.S. company laws don’t usually apply to foreigners working clear across the world. Simple.
Same contract, same company, same uniform, same rules. Simple.
They pay your social security and fed tax for 20+ years . Does it help a little ??
Their Contract is covered under US law no matter where these crew are based. Therefore, they have each paid US taxes for over 20years despite being based overseas FOR the Company. Why would they not have the same rights?
I worked for 15 years as a FA based in London and we did not and currently do not pay US taxes whilst working in a foreign base.
You pay the taxes in the country you reside in.
I supported a union called strike in 1989 which ultimately cost me my travel privileges when I was forced into early retirement after 20 years service Continental/United detected months from my seniority even though they locked us out No wonder no one retires as the retirement is awful Union is awful and company is awful. Basically you have to look out for yourself. The only thing the union will miss from the foreign based is the union dues
COVID isn’t going to last forever. I am sure these FAs would gladly negotiate a recall for when business picks up again without pay. Many were currently in the process of obtaining green cards, but at present, government processing is slowed down due to COVID. UA ignores this and only talks of separation October 1, 2020. Less than a 4 months notice UA inflicts upon their loyal employees. Can’t help thinking UA is rubbing their hands together at eliminating top pay scale FAs with the COVID excuse. Just as 9/11 provided them an amazing salary cut they never could have obtained through a contract negotiation. UA is working it as usual.
Hi! I am one of those flight attendants. Just for the record, we will be fired regardless of seniority. With no recall rights. We were singled out … The junior flight attendants were offered voluntary furloughs with no pay up to 13 months ( we weren’t). And some will be involuntarily furloughed with recall rights on 1st October, unless Cares Act 2 passes. They have recall rights up to 6 years. This is good for them, don’t get me wrong. But United discriminated against us, the non american flights attendants. We work under the same contract, same uniform, same union, same everything.
The letter encourages union members to “focus [their] anger where it belongs; not at each other but at the company.”
If I were an independent thinking member, I would pick Option 3: the union itself. After all, I’d have been paying for years into a (mandatory) service which failed to protect me in my hour of need. Of course, no refunds are offered.
But then again, if I were a flight attendant I’d try working for Delta, because they don’t have union garbage in the first place.
It’s been unfortunate to have lay people off. United doesn’t like it, neither does AFA. At least the company and AFA have come up with some great ways to save jobs via job share, COLA, voluntary furlough. etc. Please be mindful of the fact United has furloughed flight attendants before. I was furloughed in November 1981 due to PATCO STRIKE. (thank you Ronald Reagan) There were NOT any of these job saving programs. Those of us didnt whine about it. Didn’t blame United or AFA. You know what we did? We collected unemployment until it ran out. Then guess what else we did? WE WENT OUT AND GOT ANOTHER JOB! Eventually United called me back after 8 months. I was lucky because other F/A’s were furloughed for 3 years. Imagine putting your life on hold for 3 years. Many F/A’s did just that. So, while I’m sorry there’s bases being closed and involuntary furloughs are happening. It’s the nature of the beast, COVID19. Stop blaming United and AFA. Collect unemployment until it runs out, then find a job until this pandemic subsides!
What makes you think we won’t be looking for a job?
Wow sounds like union bashing to me .Not the state of things going on.
In response to some of the comments regarding AFA and UAL bashing:
UA offered two different early-out programs for FAs. I don’t know how many FAs, especially those with senior status but within the potential furlough pool, accepted the deals. The offers were reasonable considering the current travel-industry environment. There’s not enough money to operate a really big airline right now, and I suspect Delta must be cutting hours significantly to avoid furloughs.
I spoke with a small group of FAs working for Spirit recently. They do not have union representation, and will not suffer furloughs, but Spirit FAs starting pay is one-half of a UAL FA hourly rate (about $15 per hour for Spirit). It appears working in a union shop provides twice the benefits of a non-union shop.
There’s a lot of justifiable animosity among senior FAs from the pre-merger United side, but the AFA would never suggest a pay cut of one-half to keep more folks flying…that would be a poor negotiating position once flying picks up again. Just my thoughts. BTW, I really enjoyed working for UAL. It’s a great airline that will return as things get better. Let’s take care of each other now…
UAL starting hourly rate is $28.88/hour with a guarantee of 78 hours per month (about $2250 per month right now considering almost no ability to reach guarantee and no or almost no per diem). With the layoffs on Oct. 1, all remaining flight attendants will be topped out in pay at $67.11 per hour. I’m sure from a financial standpoint, UAL would rather lay off the senior folks and keep the junior ones.
It looks like Spirit’s hourly wage (assuming similar guarantee) puts their employees below the poverty level so they should be eligible for quite a bit of government assistance. I’d probably work to negotiate better pay rather than want to be on the dole.
As for a 50% paycut to keep everyone employed, will my landlord take 50% of my rent, the utility company let me pay 50% for my electricity and the grocery store reduce all food by 50%? Probably not. I gave myself a 50% paycut by taking a leave for three of the past six months, and about 1000 senior FAs have helped keep some junior FAs employed by retiring the past several months.
A few years ago the mechanics union came into united, organizers were allowed to talk with us about joining but our manager was not. Not fair, management should be able to discuss pro as well as cons. Union bought votes giving everyone $1,500 so of course they got in. Then they disappeared and taking my dues with them. Many station problems our union rep couldn’t get union to help , never saw those guys again
Union does nothing need pay check protection
It seems to me that Sara Nelson struck a devil’s bargain with UA and the arbitrator to cut off the foreign-based FAs in order to save their US-based FAs. I feel for the FAs from abroad. While I understand that UA needs to cut costs, at the very least the foreign FAs should have been offered a long term furlough option so that when international traffic picks up again they can go back to work. It seems they offered that just to the junior FAs from abroad – that’s where the corporate evil is!
I have a feeling that for a long time Sara Nelson won’t circle anymore around the non-unionized Delta FAs because, after seeing the way how AFA screwed the unionized FAs, Delta FAs won’t want to be represented by them.
Could it be that United is saving tons of (operational) money by closing these foreign bases? … and it’s probably a pretty safe bet to say that they would have no intention of ever opening them up again. Things will just be completely revamped as far as crews just flying international routes and put up in hotels on layover. Period. They didn’t have any bases in S. America (Brazil, Argentina) and they operated just fine so I think those bases in HKG, NRT and FRA are gone for good. Again, United is supposed to do what ?…. carry these employees indefinitely while they live in a foreign domicile? Time to dust off your resume and get a job in the country you are a citizen of and live in.
They had a base in Santiago, Chile. FYI, they will save 25 million dollars a year closing these three bases, while losing around 30 million dollars a day… A drop in the bucket.
They hired us because we were young and cheap and we were multilingual. Time to get rid of some senior people the wrong way.
This article is filled with wring information and therfore misleading! I tried to get the writer to acknowledge and correct but I guess it’s better to have it htis way and create dissent and discontent
What information is incorrect? Of course I want to correct any incorrect information.
“No job” is easy to handle,
” Discrimination ” is NEVER NEVER NEVER acceptable..
Check how many US citizen still based in LHR. .check how many British Passports holders cannot go back to LHR and will be fired 30sep. Then we talk about what is right and wrong.
Emmanuel Colon has summed up the situation correctly.
Just about every aspect of our job as flight attendants is about seniority. Now we get driven out of the company regardless of seniority. Junior FAs get to keep their jobs, simply on the grounds that they own a US passport.
Non-American international FAs are being bluntly discriminated.
I can’t express how upset I am, that these non-US FAs get treated in such a way after 20+ years of loyal service.
United airlines fires (“separates”) their loyal international staff with a simple email.
Here is the letter to one affected staff after 24 years of service (sender and recipient’s names removed for privacy):
++++++++++
Date: September 29, 2020
Subject: Official Notice of Separation
Dear [FA name]:
As you know, United provided official notice on June 5, 2020 of our intent to close the International Inflight Services Bases at Hong Kong (HKG), Tokyo-Narita (NRT), and Frankfurt (FRA) effective October 1, 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on our business, but especially on international travel. Governmental restrictions on travel have caused us to greatly reduce our international flying and, correspondingly, the available block hours for internationally-based flight attendants. In fact, we have not assigned any flying to your base since March, yet we have continued to pay our flight attendants at the International Bases their full minimum guarantee.
Unfortunately, the Company is not in a financial position to continue to support International Bases when there is not enough flying to spread amongst the International Bases in a cost-efficient manner. Our CBA with the AFA also inhibits the viability of our International Bases. The contract requires that we limit flying from our International Bases to no more than 30% of overall international block hours. With this and other contractual restrictions in place we are simply no longer able to support flying from HKG, NRT and FRA. Flight Attendants based at these locations, with the ability to work in the United States, were afforded the option of transferring to Inflight Services Bases in the United States that have available vacancies.
As you were not able to transfer to one of the bases in the United States, regrettably, we are hereby formally notifying you that you will be separated from United effective October 1, 2020.
While you will not have recall rights back to your position at United, you will be eligible for rehire and may apply for future positions that become available.
Regardless of whether you are retiring from United or being administratively separated from the Company, please know that the Company sincerely regrets that we must take this difficult step We appreciate your service to United, and we wish you the very best.
Sincerely,
[manager’s name]
Managing Director – Crew Planning, Scheduling and Administration
++++++++++