2000 Flight Attendants Call In Sick

[goingboeing]

If this were the first year that this happened I might say that you have a valid point, but it is not the first year.

The sick list has gone through the roof for the last 6 winters I have been with Crew Skd. It was high when profits were being made, high when raises were being given out. This has little if anything to do with moral or any other such “loftâ€￾ idea. It has to do with an entitlement mentality and a way to get a day off. No one cares about the long term effect. No one cares about the burden they are placing on their fellow employees who do show up for work. No one has come up with a way to solve the problems of the industry. Nah, they would just rather b!tch and moan. A lot of good that does. If you don’t like the job, or the conditions then fine a new vocation. If you are going to collect a pay check (regardless of size) then shut up and do the job you are being paid to do. No one has a gun to your head.

What the he!! does wall streets work schedule have to do with what we do? They are a 9-5 weekends and holidays off. We are in a service industry, we fly every day of the year (or did you miss that part of your training class?). If you want holidays and weekends off, get a desk job. I’m sure they were not too happy when they lost their shirt several years back. As I recall a few even committed suicide.

[post="232300"][/post]​

You do not appear to be as well informed as you should be.I'm an AA mechanic with 19 years and the first 2 consecutive days we call in sick we are penalized 1/2 pay[16 hours sick time = 8 hours pay]

The management and the TWU thought they were fixing the perceived abuse of sick time by the mechanics and instead the opposite results have happened.
People who use to call in sick for 1 day now call in sick for at least 5 days because of the penalty.You can take off 5 consecutive sick days and get payed for 4 of them.

If AA does not want their employees to use sick time they should not provide it as a benefit.
I had [2] 5-year runs of perfect attendance and until a recent illness and had only missed 5 sick days in my tenure at AA.

My previous employer would give an incentive not to use sick time as they would pay you full pay for the number of days not used.This was the last pay period in December so it was also a nice Christmas bonus or you could bank the money.

 

[mjk]

And the average bonus on Wall Street was $100,000.
You get what you pay for, the airlines have been getting a bargain for years.

Then go get you a finance degree and start applying.
Jealousy is an unproductive emotion, you'll end up getting an ulcer.

Even the slaves had off on Christmas.

When you applied, did AA have scheduled flights on Christmas day?
Yep......sure did. Find something else to complain about.

They should be glad that anyone showed up at all. Why should they sacrifice special times in their lives to an entity that for all intensive purposes is telling all their workers that there is no future in this industry if they want to be well paid? An entity that expects them to work more and more, give up all, while they pay less and less?

[post="232401"][/post]​

Answer: Because that's what AA pays you to do.

You'd fit right in at USAir. You'd have all sorts of friends that are just as grumpy as you are. This industry has/is going thru some major changes. The companies that adjust the best will survive, the ones that don't will have the same fate as EAL, Pan Am and US Air.

If you feel your getting shafted, find someone else that will appreciate your skills and pay you what you feel you're worth. Being a mechanic is a skill that can get you a very decent living outside the airline industry.

If you choose to stay with AA, at least quit whining and crying like a little girl.

 

[Wretched Wrench]

My previous employer would give an incentive not to use sick time as they would pay you full pay for the number of days not used.This was the last pay period in December so it was also a nice Christmas bonus or you could bank the money.

[post="232419"][/post]​

AA used to do that, but it was not full pay for the days not used. It was about 3 hours pay for each day not used. It went away in the seventies, I believe.

AA also used to pay full pay at retirement for unused sick days.

 

[Garfield1966]

operative words being "used too".

 

[Bob Owens]

Then go get you a finance degree and start applying.

Finance degree? Not required.

Jealousy is an unproductive emotion, you'll end up getting an ulcer.

Its not jealousy, its just a fact. Someone brought up how these guys worked long hours and were committed to their jobs, well if AA offered their employees the opportunity to make money like that then they would not have the problem where workers are not as reliable. You get what you pay for, you pay less , you get less.


When you applied, did AA have scheduled flights on Christmas day?
Yep......sure did.

Yep they sure did, and they paid us Holiday pay if we worked it. Now they want everyone to show up with the same attitude, work 8 hours, for only 4 hours pay.


Find something else to complain about.

Why, because you say so? Should we just sit back and listen to your complaints?

Answer: Because that's what AA pays you to do.

So? If a company is going to attempt to rip off their employees then why would the employees be wrong to try and do the same to the company? You get what you pay for, you pay less, you get less.

You'd fit right in at USAir. You'd have all sorts of friends that are just as grumpy as you are. This industry has/is going thru some major changes. The companies that adjust the best will survive, the ones that don't will have the same fate as EAL, Pan Am and US Air.


Well if thats the case then the sooner we end up like SWA the better, right? I'll take that deal. Companies that pay well and take care of their employees should survive, those that prey on their employees should fail.Besides, we have heard this BS line about "changes" before, in the early 80s and again in the early 90s. In both instances they claimed that the LCCs were taking over and the old line carriers were all history. On both occasions all the LCCs dissapeared and the industry continued to consolidate as far as the number of airlines while expanding as far as routes and ASMs.

If you feel your getting shafted, find someone else that will appreciate your skills and pay you what you feel you're worth. Being a mechanic is a skill that can get you a very decent living outside the airline industry.

That may happen, but not until I've made every effort to correct what has been done here. I've invested 25 years into this, a lot of Christmass', weekends and other Holidays along the way.

If you choose to stay with AA, at least quit whining and crying like a little girl.

Seems that you are the one whining about employees that have been ripped off not showing up for work on Holidays like they used to. Employees that would drag themselves into work when a little ill may no longer be so inclined, some may just say the heck with it, why miss out on things for a job that has no future?

I'll say it again, "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR, YOU PAY LESS YOU GET LESS!

Why do employers have such a hard time dealing with that fact? They feel that they are entitled to lower pay and benifits yet still get the same committment from their employees!

Prior to 2003 we had very few sick calls on most Holidays in Maintenance. Down in SJU they hardly ever have sick calls year round, at the end of the year they are paid for their sick time. Now that they took away holiday pay the calls are massive. Complaining and threatening aint going to fix this. Threats only work when people feel they have a future.

The F/As never got Holiday pay, so they always had a high sick call rate on Holidays. Does it take a rocket scientist to figure out why? The airlines enjoy increased revenue during the holidays, why not pay those who work it more money? As we have seen when they lose money they are not shy about taking money away.

Labor is just like everything else in the real world, you cant expect the performance of a Porshe for the price of a Yugo. The executives of these same companies justify their lack of concessions for the same reason but they apply a whole different set of rules to every one else.

You point out USAIR, show me an airline that has slashed their employees wages where their workers are content. Other than a minority of morons that would work for nothing because they "love" an artificial person (a corporation) morale throughout the industry is sinking fast. Those airlines that have not raped their employees will be the most effecient effective competitors. Those that followed the policy of bleeding their employees like Pan Am and EAL will suffer the same fate. Show me an airline that screwed over and slashed their employees wages that over the long haul did not end up in Bankruptcy. J

[post="232507"][/post]​

 

[Garfield1966]

Some has yet to provide me with a rational explanation why a company should have to bribe someone to come and do their job. Overtime for staying longer than required, sure, that makes sense. Paid extra to come to work on a day when you are supposed to be there in the first place? Nah, that’s just plain stupid.

 

[SSConcorde35]

What kind of respect do you want? Sick lists have been through the roof for as long as I’ve been in Crew Skd. Hell, AA was handing out profit sharing and the sick list was through the roof.

People want to be off for the holidays so they call in sick. It’s selfish. Plain and simple. This has nothing to do with respect. This has everything to do with lack of respect for the folks who do show up and pick up the slack for the selfish, self centered idiot who think their life is more important than someone else’s. When people got hired to AA they asked if you were willing to work holidays, weekends and overtime. That did not just apply during probation. By the way, when AA said we were open 365 days, they did mean “in a rowâ€￾. That includes, X-mass, New years, your birthday, your kids birthday, graduation, briss, baptism, confirmation and every day that ends in the letter “Yâ€￾.

If you are fortunate to hold what ever day you need off, good for you and go enjoy your self. If not, hey, guess what? Get your ass to work.

[post="231944"][/post]​

 

[SSConcorde35]

What kind of respect do you want? Sick lists have been through the roof for as long as I’ve been in Crew Skd. Hell, AA was handing out profit sharing and the sick list was through the roof.

People want to be off for the holidays so they call in sick. It’s selfish. Plain and simple. This has nothing to do with respect. This has everything to do with lack of respect for the folks who do show up and pick up the slack for the selfish, self centered idiot who think their life is more important than someone else’s. When people got hired to AA they asked if you were willing to work holidays, weekends and overtime. That did not just apply during probation. By the way, when AA said we were open 365 days, they did mean “in a rowâ€￾. That includes, X-mass, New years, your birthday, your kids birthday, graduation, briss, baptism, confirmation and every day that ends in the letter “Yâ€￾.

If you are fortunate to hold what ever day you need off, good for you and go enjoy your self. If not, hey, guess what? Get your ass to work.

[post="231944"][/post]​

not putting flight crews above all other work groups..but...flight 120+hours a month and no days off because of all the cuts and work rule changes, u gonna get sick calls...of course there are some who dont want to work holidays,,i think we're actually sick..look at all these OLD f/as..we have..and of course those of you who dont fly can sit back and judge..work in our shoes.. we might be a bunch of cry babies some time but its part of the work environment of crews..its much better than going postal on everybody.hehehe have a good one

 

[wwtraveler99]

not putting flight crews above all other work groups..but...flight 120+hours a month and no days off because of all the cuts and work rule changes, u gonna get sick calls...of course there are some who dont want to work holidays,,i think we're actually sick..look at all these OLD f/as..we have..and of course those of you who dont fly can sit back and judge..work in our shoes.. we might be a bunch of cry babies some time but its part of the work environment of crews..its much better than going postal on everybody.hehehe have a good one

[post="232642"][/post]​

120 in a month and no days off? Last time i check a month had 720 - 744 hours.

So it would appear to the outsiders you had about 600 hours off a month.

 

[wwtraveler99]

not putting flight crews above all other work groups..but...flight 120+hours a month and no days off because of all the cuts and work rule changes, u gonna get sick calls...of course there are some who dont want to work holidays,,i think we're actually sick..look at all these OLD f/as..we have..and of course those of you who dont fly can sit back and judge..work in our shoes.. we might be a bunch of cry babies some time but its part of the work environment of crews..its much better than going postal on everybody.hehehe have a good one

[post="232642"][/post]​

120 in a month and no days off? Last time i check a month had 720 - 744 hours.

So it would appear to the outsiders you had about 600 hours off a month.

 

[MiAAmi]

120 in a month and no days off? Last time i check a month had 720 - 744 hours.

So it would appear to the outsiders you had about 600 hours off a month.

[post="232659"][/post]​

I don't think you realize that 120 hours are hours in flight only...that does not include that hours spent at the airport or sitting on an airplane stuck at the gate with maintence problems etc etc. Problem is that I can't afford to call in sick. If I call in sick the company will only pay me for 85 hours even though I have plenty of sick time.

 

[FA Mikey]

I don't think you realize that 120 hours are hours in flight only...that does not include that hours spent at the airport or sitting on an airplane stuck at the gate with maintence problems etc etc. Problem is that I can't afford to call in sick. If I call in sick the company will only pay me for 85 hours even though I have plenty of sick time.

[post="232669"][/post]​

You forgot layovers as well. But to some who make such a ridiculous statement as though the other 700 plus hours a month are just time off lounging, hardly deserves respect or explanation.

 

[JS]

You point out USAIR, show me an airline that has slashed their employees wages where their workers are content. Other than a minority of morons that would work for nothing because they "love" an artificial person (a corporation) morale throughout the industry is sinking fast. Those airlines that have not raped their employees will be the most effecient effective competitors. Those that followed the policy of bleeding their employees like Pan Am and EAL will suffer the same fate. Show me an airline that screwed over and slashed their employees wages that over the long haul did not end up in Bankruptcy

[post="232601"][/post]​

Continental?

 

[Bob Owens]

Some has yet to provide me with a rational explanation why a company should have to bribe someone to come and do their job.

Bribe people to come to work? In others pay them to come to work? What nerve, everyone should be willing to work for nothing but the priviledge of working like you do right? You dont understand why a company should pay someone to come to work?

The company and their pet unions rammed these contracts down the workers throats, it was not a fair deal, the company got what they wanted, now they have to live with it.

Overtime for staying longer than required, sure, that makes sense.

Paid extra to come to work on a day when you are supposed to be there in the first place? Nah, that’s just plain stupid.

Ever hear of the term "Holiday"? Its been around a long time. In fact even when Slavery was legal in this country it was customary to not have them work on Christmas.

I suppose that its stupid to charge different fares based upon when the flight is also? I mean what is the difference between flying in the middle of the night as opposed to normal hours? Why should someone have to pay more around the Holidays as opposed to in the middle of February?

You say its stupid to pay people extra to show up to work on a premium day, fine, think that way, but dont complain when they decide that there are other places they would rather be. Get used to it, its only going to get worse.

If you feel that's enough to fire them over, then go ahead and try. You dont like the fact that you cant fire them, they dont like the fact that they are assigned to work on a day when most of the people in the country dont have to work. When they were well paid they figured it was part of a balanced package, well thats no longer the case. You get what you pay for.

[post="232605"][/post]​

JS;
Continental went Bankrupt TWICE.
It was headed towards a third and final BK when Gordon Bethune realized that an obsession with cost cutting, at the expense of the employees, was not the recipie for success for a service company.

 

[goingboeing]

I don't think you realize that 120 hours are hours in flight only...that does not include that hours spent at the airport or sitting on an airplane stuck at the gate with maintence problems etc etc. Problem is that I can't afford to call in sick. If I call in sick the company will only pay me for 85 hours even though I have plenty of sick time.

[post="232669"][/post]​

Yeah,exactly what AA management desires is for people to show up for work and share the sickness with fellow employees.