American Airlines is asking workers to take unpaid leave and early retirement

[TexasTowelie]

American Airlines is offering most of its union workers unpaid, voluntary leave for up to a year as well as early retirements as it pushes to reduce payroll costs while COVID-19 saps travel.

American’s pilots already came to a deal Sunday night that would offer them voluntary leave with partial pay. The Fort Worth-based airline is now extending an unpaid option to flight attendants, mechanics and other groups.

It’s not offering unpaid leave to management or support staff. Reservations agents are also not being offered unpaid leave “because their workload is already so high,” the company said.

“American has been acting quickly to adjust to lower demand as a result of coronavirus, or COVID-19,” the company said in a letter to employees. “These changes have included significantly reducing American’s schedule beginning in March and continuing into the summer.”

Read more: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2020/03/17/american-airlines-is-asking-workers-to-take-unpaid-leave-and-early-retirement/

[lapfog_1]

1. unpaid leave aka layoff?

[TexasTowelie]

2. Don't know.

Perhaps it is a way to keep health insurance?

[ProfessorGAC]

3. I Hope So

Because nobody is going to volunteer to make no money for a year.
Doubt that many can afford anything close to a year.

[Luz]

4. Or avoid paying unemployment?

[Alliepoo]

5. When I worked at Ma Bell

They called it furlough time. You didn’t get paid but retained your benefits. Wonder if this is the same?

[Bengus81]

6. Thought Trump was handing the airlines a zillion $$$ ???

What are they going to use it for,big raise for the poooorrrr CEO? Would they ask the CEO and upper management to take unpaid leave?