Looks like « USAirways’ CWA unit is the latest union to cave to bankruptcy/liquidation threats »

‘Reservations and gate agents at US Airways approved a new contract Thursday that cuts pay by 13 percent and provides the airline some of the relief it says it needs to avoid imminent liquidation. The Communications Workers of America, which represents nearly 6,000 passenger service employees at the bankrupt airline, said that 60 percent of members who cast ballots voted to approve the deal, which runs though 2011. The deal is expected to save the airline $137 million a year. “This ratification is very important to our future success as it shows our ability to work collaboratively with our employees toward common goals and solutions. Today, we have drawn much closer to becoming a stronger, more competitive airline,” said Jerrold Glass, the airline’s senior vice president of employee relations. Thursday’s vote gives the airline ratified deals with two of its four major unions: the CWA and the pilots’ union. It still needs ratified deals from its flight attendants and its machinists’ union. CWA leaders had urged approval of the deal. They said the pay cuts, while steep, are much less than the 34 percent cuts initially sought by the airline. The contract cuts pay for most CWA employees by 13 percent, with top scale now at $18 an hour. Employees would not receive pay raises until at least 2008.’

I love that quote from the Sr. VP of ‘Employee Relations’: ’… our ability to work collaboratively with our employees toward common goals and solutions.’

Whatta loada horse hockey.

What actually happened, ‘Jerrold’, was that your airline threatened its employees with the complete loss of their jobs via liquidation; instead of standing firm and unemployed, the workers voted to take a big ol’ pay cut and keep a paycheck that will be marginally better than unemployment compensation and might last marginally longer. And they’ll do it again and again every time you ask them to or you’ll have the judge ram it down their throats.

And if USAirways does liquidate, as an ‘executive’ Jerrold will land pretty soft pretty much anywhere; the workers will land … in not so good circumstances.

I’ll add USAirways to my list of sucky airlines that need to join Eastern in the great airline graveyard in the sky. Sorry, USAirways employees, but your executives (and hence your airline) are irredeemably amoral.