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These Crew News Sessions simply baffle me.
In the latest PHX session, flight attendants asked when we will replace the AWA bulkheads ( ), and when we are going cashless, instead of asking some of the questions that really matter:
*When will we have a joint contract? It's been five years. Please give exact details of where the negotiations stand, and offer us a negotiations schedule for the next 6 months. Are you sitting in on the negotiations, Hector? If not, who is, and please provide a bit of a background for us with regards to who is negotiating for the Company.
*Why, Hector, are you implementing a "Quality Assurance" program for Inflight Services, onboard the aircraft, before addressing the serious morale issues, namely due to working under Bankruptcy Era contracts? How about offering us a fair, livable contract, then implementing a Uniform/ Onboard Quality Control Program? Would not it make sense to make your internal customers feel appreciated first, so they can then feel better about taking care of our external customers? Thoughts, Hector?
*Why, after five years, are America West flight attendants still paid less than their East counterparts? Is it amusing to you that while you are saving substantially on labor costs, flight attendants continue to lose their homes, and struggle to put food on the table? You may not hear about it, Hector, but it is happening in increasing numbers, everyday.
* Because East and West are paid differently, does the Company somehow benefit from the infighting and general disdain this disparity creates between the two work groups?
*Do you see a morale issue, and can you attribute it to the fact that flight attendants area the last group (aside from the pilots) to receive their contract, pay raises, and work rule improvements?
*Are you aware that the reserve systems on the East and the West are severely flawed, and why is it that you don't feel the need to expedite a joint contract and do anything about it? Please don't say that something IS being done about it; I again remind you we "merged" five years ago.
*Why are reserves on the East being deducted 3+30 from their guarantee when they can't make it through 40 inches of snow to get to work, and yet the line holders simply have to make up the time? How do I make up my 3+30? Now, my guarantee has been reduced to 69+30? Have you ever tried to drive through 40 inches of snow in the pitch dark at 445am? Where is the general common sense here?
*Why do 85% of the East reserves have vacation in January and February, causing a complete meltdown of the East system during the past three snowstorms? Who designed these vacation matrices, and what type of discipline is he/ she receiving? Will he/ she also be responsible for personally giving me my 3+30 back that was taken from my already paltry guarantee because we were under a State of Emergency in Philadelphia?
*Why is the Company calling me on my vacation to work trips, when they assigned this vacation to me in the first place? I didn't choose it, I received what was left. It was your choice to award me 15 days of vacation in Jan and Feb, not mine. And now, you instruct a sweet voiced crew scheduler to call me to help, and shower me with kindness and gifts, when only two weeks ago I was assigned another trip at the gate after arriving home from a 5 day trip, and this same sweet voiced scheduler was screaming at me to "go to the gate, or else..!"? My, how her attitude changed!
We're humans, not robots. Fix the system. It's been five years.
*I can only speak for the East here, but why is the Company so comfortable with the LTO reserve system? If we had a reserve system where we could actually possibly break guarantee, flight attendants would've been coming out of the woodwork to work trips during the last three storms. Under the LTO system, there is no incentive to work, only to receive guarantee. Hector, are you familiar with the LTO system, and the limits it sets not only on the flight attendants, but Crew Scheduling, when they need us the most? And you still are in no rush to offer us a joint contract with a fair, workable reserve system?
*Why are Inflight Supervisors meeting flights in PHL and assigning the deadheading flight attendants onboard to head out on another turn, or another two day, after they've been away from home for five days already? Why isn't that Inflight Supervisor stepping into a "Stan Herman" tracksuit and heading out on the two day themselves? Heck, the past three times I've been in the Crew Room during the past three snow emergencies, the Inflight doors were locked and closed-- presumably, the Supervisors couldn't make it to work? Granted, it was 6:30am, and the roads were indeed treacherous.....
Make no mistake, I believe that every single employee realizes the financial situation the airline find itself in, and do not expect everything and more. What we do expect is a fair contract, with improvements, after five years, that addresses the severe scheduling, benefit, pay disparity and work rule issues we are enduring. While the bulkheads, trash bags, and cashless cabin delays are issues that need to be dealt with, it would seem that taking care of your employees first would pay dividends to both the Company and our customers, more so than new carpeting on the walls.
And LTO? Those reserves that have no incentive to work and collect guarantee are the loudest voices complaining about living in poverty. Everything this company does to us is because of the little book called the contract, which supposedly no one voted for. AFA was also at that negotiating table. Let's just hope they step up this time and get us a decent contract.
Many of us RSVs were off property during this BK contract ratification and didn't have a job, much less a voice with what we now have. Quite a few of us are still B-scale and with our guarantee and no big fat per diem check (because we don't fly much), some of us bring home 1200-1300 a month. A MONTH. Flying an extra 2.3 hours for a 2-day split trip in a blizzard is not going to pay for the gas and food required for the pathetic split pairing, yet people like Mr. Back-to-back TLV 200 hours a month flyer man are allowed to continue to fly.
With all due respect to anyone who reads this, unless you have been on THIS reserve systen with LTO for more than 2 or 3 months, really, you have NO IDEA what it's like for us. I MUST work on days off and I have a 2nd job just to make my bills, and I'm still in debt and behind.
Something's gotta give.
Can i copy and paste these questions and send them to Hector ?? great questions!! I am sure I can get you an answer .These Crew News Sessions simply baffle me.
In the latest PHX session, flight attendants asked when we will replace the AWA bulkheads ( ), and when we are going cashless, instead of asking some of the questions that really matter:
*When will we have a joint contract? It's been five years. Please give exact details of where the negotiations stand, and offer us a negotiations schedule for the next 6 months. Are you sitting in on the negotiations, Hector? If not, who is, and please provide a bit of a background for us with regards to who is negotiating for the Company.
*Why, Hector, are you implementing a "Quality Assurance" program for Inflight Services, onboard the aircraft, before addressing the serious morale issues, namely due to working under Bankruptcy Era contracts? How about offering us a fair, livable contract, then implementing a Uniform/ Onboard Quality Control Program? Would not it make sense to make your internal customers feel appreciated first, so they can then feel better about taking care of our external customers? Thoughts, Hector?
*Why, after five years, are America West flight attendants still paid less than their East counterparts? Is it amusing to you that while you are saving substantially on labor costs, flight attendants continue to lose their homes, and struggle to put food on the table? You may not hear about it, Hector, but it is happening in increasing numbers, everyday.
* Because East and West are paid differently, does the Company somehow benefit from the infighting and general disdain this disparity creates between the two work groups?
*Do you see a morale issue, and can you attribute it to the fact that flight attendants area the last group (aside from the pilots) to receive their contract, pay raises, and work rule improvements?
*Are you aware that the reserve systems on the East and the West are severely flawed, and why is it that you don't feel the need to expedite a joint contract and do anything about it? Please don't say that something IS being done about it; I again remind you we "merged" five years ago.
*Why are reserves on the East being deducted 3+30 from their guarantee when they can't make it through 40 inches of snow to get to work, and yet the line holders simply have to make up the time? How do I make up my 3+30? Now, my guarantee has been reduced to 69+30? Have you ever tried to drive through 40 inches of snow in the pitch dark at 445am? Where is the general common sense here?
*Why do 85% of the East reserves have vacation in January and February, causing a complete meltdown of the East system during the past three snowstorms? Who designed these vacation matrices, and what type of discipline is he/ she receiving? Will he/ she also be responsible for personally giving me my 3+30 back that was taken from my already paltry guarantee because we were under a State of Emergency in Philadelphia?
*Why is the Company calling me on my vacation to work trips, when they assigned this vacation to me in the first place? I didn't choose it, I received what was left. It was your choice to award me 15 days of vacation in Jan and Feb, not mine. And now, you instruct a sweet voiced crew scheduler to call me to help, and shower me with kindness and gifts, when only two weeks ago I was assigned another trip at the gate after arriving home from a 5 day trip, and this same sweet voiced scheduler was screaming at me to "go to the gate, or else..!"? My, how her attitude changed!
We're humans, not robots. Fix the system. It's been five years.
*I can only speak for the East here, but why is the Company so comfortable with the LTO reserve system? If we had a reserve system where we could actually possibly break guarantee, flight attendants would've been coming out of the woodwork to work trips during the last three storms. Under the LTO system, there is no incentive to work, only to receive guarantee. Hector, are you familiar with the LTO system, and the limits it sets not only on the flight attendants, but Crew Scheduling, when they need us the most? And you still are in no rush to offer us a joint contract with a fair, workable reserve system?
*Why are Inflight Supervisors meeting flights in PHL and assigning the deadheading flight attendants onboard to head out on another turn, or another two day, after they've been away from home for five days already? Why isn't that Inflight Supervisor stepping into a "Stan Herman" tracksuit and heading out on the two day themselves? Heck, the past three times I've been in the Crew Room during the past three snow emergencies, the Inflight doors were locked and closed-- presumably, the Supervisors couldn't make it to work? Granted, it was 6:30am, and the roads were indeed treacherous.....
Make no mistake, I believe that every single employee realizes the financial situation the airline find itself in, and do not expect everything and more. What we do expect is a fair contract, with improvements, after five years, that addresses the severe scheduling, benefit, pay disparity and work rule issues we are enduring. While the bulkheads, trash bags, and cashless cabin delays are issues that need to be dealt with, it would seem that taking care of your employees first would pay dividends to both the Company and our customers, more so than new carpeting on the walls.
I've gotta say that I've experienced the "new reserve" system more times than I care to admit, so I do understand the issues reserves currently have. That said....most of the year I hold a Secondary line and am awarded blocks that are worth anywhere from 73-78 hours....which is not enough for me to live on in my 21st year of flying. I have always had to work on my days off to pick up additional time.....it's just the way it has to be to make a living here! In fact, most all f/a's blockholders and reserves are working on their days off to make extra money....I'm grateful that there is an option for us to make extra money by using the ETB....granted it's on our days off....but again it's an option if you need it.....and it's not seniority driven so everybody has an equal chance to pick up trips. Again, I'm not condoning the fact that the reserve contracts bites....because it does! I'm just saying that there are options out there if you want them....I know a lot of reserves who fly on their days off....to supplement their pay because they would rather do that than have to find a second job. Now, I know a lot of reserves commute and cannot easily fly on days off....but right now with this terrible contract you gotta do what you gotta do!
You know years ago, when I spent my life on reserve.....there was no ETB and if we did not break guarantee (65 hours) that was all there was!
And not to defend Mr TLV....but shame on those senior women for giving him all those trips rather than posting them on the ETB....he's found a loop hole and he's working the system! And from what I hear the FAA will soon impose more crew rest restrictions on crewmembers that will stop flying like this dead in their tracks!
JMO....not meant to make it B/H versus Reserve because quite frankly we are all in the same boat when it comes to having to work on our days off to make a living under these substandard wages and rules!
How sad your attitude is. Work on your off time, that's appropriate. My time sucked and so should yours. We have always sucked and always will and should wear it as a badge of honor. That's just the way it is. You're not good enough and I'm only slightly better. You gotta do what you gotta do. That's pretty pathetic.
Do us all a favor and keep your low self-worth out of our contract negotiations.