All
← Back to Squawk list
Editorial: Remembering Airline Strikes
Much has changed in air travel over the past few decades, and many bemoan the loss of both civility and amenities aloft, but there is one factor that was far more common in air travel a few decades ago: strikes at major airlines. Indeed, there has not been a major airline strike either by or observed by flight attendants and pilots in the United States in 15 years. (www.frequentbusinesstraveler.com) More...
Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
Of course Spirit went on strike in 2010...not a major but with full support of ALPA, SWAPA, APA and others. And believe me it was noticed by 100% of US airline employees from gate agents to ramp to maintenance to the crews.
Countless airlines are in section 6 negotiations with their management, but the railway labor act is completely useless and the national mediation board and labor relations board are in bed with airline management.
What is your life worth while flying a 600 mph 6 miles above the ground?
Countless airlines are in section 6 negotiations with their management, but the railway labor act is completely useless and the national mediation board and labor relations board are in bed with airline management.
What is your life worth while flying a 600 mph 6 miles above the ground?
That many of the airlines, that went to strike in that earlier period, either went bankrupt and/or disappeared shows how unreasonable some were in the past. The lesson learned was that a good job at an existing company is better than unreasonable pay raises at an airline that falls apart and is no longer in business, taking the jobs away.
Many of those, who remember the earlier strikes and what happened to the companies/ workers, don't want to participate in a strike which later is part of the destruction of the airline that provides that job they love or at least count on for their livelihood.
Plus there have been a series of bankruptcies that have reversed some of that earlier excess. No point in giving up weeks or months of earnings to have the courts take away those gains.
If those who predict that competition will ve greatly reduced by the consolidation of the recent (and upcoming) mergers are right, bankruptcy at majors may be all in the past. That may embolden workers to walk off the job again in the future.
That strikes had stopped for an extended period of time seems so easy to understand in hindsight. We'll have to see if it will last.
Many of those, who remember the earlier strikes and what happened to the companies/ workers, don't want to participate in a strike which later is part of the destruction of the airline that provides that job they love or at least count on for their livelihood.
Plus there have been a series of bankruptcies that have reversed some of that earlier excess. No point in giving up weeks or months of earnings to have the courts take away those gains.
If those who predict that competition will ve greatly reduced by the consolidation of the recent (and upcoming) mergers are right, bankruptcy at majors may be all in the past. That may embolden workers to walk off the job again in the future.
That strikes had stopped for an extended period of time seems so easy to understand in hindsight. We'll have to see if it will last.
With the economy where it is I do think strikes will be few. Those that do take place will not have a good outcome for the strikers. We are now 180 from decades ago. Things change and then change back. Our economy is stressed because our government has made it so. What is good for business is also good for the workforce. Put America first and both will prosper. IMHO
It's 2013, Wallace. What is good for business (executives) is rarely good for the workforce. It's not like it was in the 1950's. Things have changed.
If business is bad they don't need a workforce. That's all I'm saying. On top of that our government seems to value everyone above working Americans. They take your tax money and give it to the pagans in Afghanistan for instance. They think more of an illegals rights than they do yours. Don't expect too much prosperity without a big change in leadership.
Oh? If there are no businesses, there are no jobs.
At the end of the day, what is good for business, IS good for employment.
At the end of the day, what is good for business, IS good for employment.
The word "strike' now brings up visions of greed on the part of the workers.
That's what one gets when they heart workers demanding things like job security and guaranteed pay increases. While in the real world the rest of us struggle to make ends meet and over 90 million adults cannot find a decent job to support themselves.