Many Question Value of Concessions : Eastern Employees Shocked, Hurt

Eastern Airline employees on Monday reacted with shock and confusion at learning that the troubled airline’s management had agreed to sell it to Texas Air. Many Eastern workers said they felt betrayed and blamed the company’s chairman, Frank Borman, for flying them into the arms of union-buster Frank Lorenzo. The employees had accepted reduced wages and benefits over the last several years in an effort to save their jobs and revive the troubled airline. Now Eastern was gone. Would their jobs be far behind?

“I’m bummed,” said one flight attendant as her eyes brimmed with tears. She has worked for Eastern for 14 years. “They sold us out,” she continued. “We gave up so much--for what?”

A moment later, her anger gave way to the confusion and worry felt by many Eastern Airline employees on Monday. “Will I still have a job? Will we still have a contract? I just don’t know what the future will be,” she said.

Employee Give-Backs

In the most recent round of employee give-backs, non-union ticket agents gave up 20% of their wages and accepted less vacation time and reduced overtime pay. One ticket agent on Monday estimated that he now earns exactly what he earned in 1980.

“We didn’t like it, but we were willing to do it,” said another ticket agent, an Eastern employee for eight years. She stayed with Eastern because she enjoyed it and thought it unlikely that she would find another job that paid her $25,000 a year. Now, she’s not sure she made the right decision. “Had I left (Eastern), I would now have seniority somewhere else,” she said.

Other Eastern employees asked themselves similar questions: Should they have sacrificed their wages? Should they have quit long ago? “I’ll tell you this much,” said one mechanic. “No one here today would have gotten into the business if they knew this was going to happen.”

Employees said they felt worn and frazzled. One flight attendant said that, as a result of new cost-saving work rules imposed by Eastern last month, she had flown from New York to Los Angeles five times in eight days.

“I’m so tired,” she said. “I don’t want to take it out on the passengers, but . . . you start pouring drinks and missing the glass.”

“It got to the point where we all said, ‘Oh, look, it’s winter. Time to give Eastern concessions again,’ ” one mechanic said.

‘Hope for the Best’

Most employees said they expected some layoffs. But some said they were pleased about the sale. “It could get better--who knows?” one ticket agent said. “At least, the airline might become profitable.”

“Texas Air is a company that’s making money,” said Greg Amodei, chief steward of Local 1932 of the International Assn. of Machinists in Los Angeles. “Let’s hope for the best.”

“I feel much better today than I did yesterday,” said one pilot, who said that, at the very least, it appeared that there would be no strike. The Air Line Pilots Assn., the union that represents the pilots, has set a strike deadline for 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

Other pilots expressed concern that the character of Eastern, founded by a pilot, World War I ace Eddie Rickenbacker, would change under Lorenzo. Some sported buttons on their lapels inscribed with the slogan of Rickenbacker’s squadron, “We’ve thrown our hat in the ring.”

The buttons had symbolized the pilots’ solidarity against Eastern management in the contract talks. They now also symbolized a culture that might be passing away.

“This airline sets a very high standard for pilots, and it gives them the authority they need to make decisions and do their jobs,” said one pilot.

When asked about the merger with Texas Air, he hesitated.

“I’m not sure it would be the same working for someone else,” he said.

Others were unfazed. Ticket agent Raul Acevedo said he had been through numerous crises during his 20 years with Eastern.

“I’ve learned not to worry too much about it,” he said.