ATTENTION RESERVE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS (and BH's too...)

[Itestwell]

The only thing that holds the company's feet to the fire is the pilot's FAR's.

It's my belief that if we separate, we will be in a constant battle with scheduling over rest requirements. And we have enough of that as it is. They are pushing our crews now to the limit and doing their best to hoo-doo them into going over duty day requirements.

The company has been violating our contract from day one and they have no intention of stopping.

The FAR's are the only thing that keep them in check.

How do the pilot FAR's keep scheduling in check for the flight attendants? I've been contacted on the jetway in the past, and forced, after the end of a 3 day, to do a PHL-BOS-PHL turn, with different pilots. Now, knowing they can't make me work over my negotiated duty day, what's to stop them from making me work more than 8 hours of flying in 1 day? I now have fresh pilots!

If you have a limit on flying time, much like the pilots do, you simply don't agree to go over that, ever. How will that be abused? Simply say no. We've all done it before.

As for rest, the rest will be negotiated, and from what I am hearing might be better than what we have now. If you are reaching your duty time limits, refuse the trip, just as we do today. I have done this only a few times in my career, but they can't make you go over! What's the battle here?

Incidentally, the last time this happened to me, the pilots tried to side with scheduling to make us go to 16 hours. Amid threats, i said no, and walked off. The other two flight attendants had no idea what our contractual limit was, and sat there shaking while I dealt with it. That's some protection I received from the pilots, ha?

You people are making this sound like it will be some "free for all", and that just ain't the case! Are other airlines constantly cheated, abused and lied to? I'm sure it happens, but it happens here today, and I can't remember the last time a pilot stepped in to save me.

 

[hp_fa]

It's my belief that if we separate, we will be in a constant battle with scheduling over rest requirements. And we have enough of that as it is. They are pushing our crews now to the limit and doing their best to hoo-doo them into going over duty day requirements.

Constant? Probably an exaggeration. It would happen at HP, but not constantly. If you are a reserve know your contract and don't let them pull one on you. Simple.

 

[beachboy]

An exaggeration? Your delusional. It's daily here trust me. If it's not one thing it's another. Now lets take away the valet key to your life and hand them the master. Lets trust they will abide by the contract. OPPS they messed up file a claim!

 

[galley princess]

I think it's interesting that we are all talking about abiding by a contract while AWA F/As are in Section 6 hell, and have been since the merger. It's not their fault there was a merger, but they've had their rights taken away for the last three years.

It may be a waste of time for them to separately negotiate, but it's their right. Not to mention, they have the ability to progress to CHAOS and we don't. THAT may be the only thing that encourages the company to negotiate, if only to avoid yet another SNAFU public situation at US.

Christmas meltdown.

Shares meltdown.

Ducktaped airplanes.

Charging for a soda.

US F/As on targeted strikes! You miiiiiight get to your destination, or mayyyyyybe not.

US had the only successful water landing in the Hudson and we still have a crummy repuatation.

Do they really need another scandal?

 

[hp_fa]

OK, let's phrase it this way...

In my experience I found that as long as you knew your contract and didn't let them push you into hurrying so much that you didn't think, consider projected duty day and rest restrictions then there were few problems as long as you brought the problem to the attention of scheduling. Yes, there was a time that I refused a trip out of the hot reserve room and I refused to discuss it any further with the scheduler. I beat her to the supervisor, explained the entire issue, and the supervisor supported what I did and why I did it. But that was the exception, not the rule.

Oh, in my experience.

 

[beachboy]

I predict we will separate as PHX and CLT will sell us right down the river. The PHX f/a's are living on Vienna Sausage in a can and the CLT gals live in Glenda the Good Witches' Bubble. They will sell themselves down to the last dollar or crew crash. Whichever is first. So the numbers are stacked against us.
Fire up the System Board of Adjustment and the Grievance Committees....and all Arbitrators on deck. What fun this will be.
View attachment 8540

 

[Itestwell]

I predict we will separate as PHX and CLT will sell us right down the river. The PHX f/a's are living on Vienna Sausage in a can and the CLT gals live in Glenda the Good Witches' Bubble. They will sell themselves down to the last dollar or crew crash. Whichever is first. So the numbers are stacked against us.
Fire up the System Board of Adjustment and the Grievance Committees....and all Arbitrators on deck. What fun this will be.
View attachment 8540

If you're referring to past voting practices at US East, I believe that the concessionary contracts passed in every base, with the exception of PIT. This actually makes me laugh, because I have yet to find one flight attendant that voted 'Yes' on any of the concessionary contracts in PHL. Very bizarre, don't you think?

Before you go trashing CLT and PHX for selling you "down the river" in the future, look to your own backyard.

 

[Itestwell]

An exaggeration? Your delusional. It's daily here trust me. If it's not one thing it's another. Now lets take away the valet key to your life and hand them the master. Lets trust they will abide by the contract. OPPS they messed up file a claim!

You're making my case for me. If we are all being contractually abused daily, how is being paired with the pilots benefitting us??? Please explain.


The only contractual provisions that I could possibly see the pilots shielding us from are duty time limitations, and flight hour limitations, and even that's not entirely true. If the JNC negotiates hard numbers in these contractual categories, hours that we cannot fly over/ be on duty more than..., it is pretty much cut and dry, whether we are with the pilots or not. You can't be on duty more than 15 hours during irrops. PERIOD. You can't fly more than say 10 flight hours in one day without this rest. PERIOD. Then, it will be the FA's responsibility to learn and adhere to the contract.

When scheduling calls you and starts trying to take you for a ride, politely say, "One moment please while I calculate my duty time", if you haven't done so already. We've all done this for years, and as I said previously, the pilots have done nothing to protect me in these situations, since they have longer contractual duty days. Normally, it's me on the phone making the call: take me off, we're going to be illegal for our BOS turn when we land in PHL. Done.

 

[ExPit]

If you're referring to past voting practices at US East, I believe that the concessionary contracts passed in every base, with the exception of PIT. This actually makes me laugh, because I have yet to find one flight attendant that voted 'Yes' on any of the concessionary contracts in PHL. Very bizarre, don't you think?

Before you go trashing CLT and PHX for selling you "down the river" in the future, look to your own backyard.

Take a picture of your electronic ballot next time and carry it with you to work. Just don't keep it in your emergency manual.

 

[BajaBabe]

Well certainly time will tell and at the defining moment you and only you with all the information will make up your mind what you want a yeah or nay. Now in the mean time if you look on the board it will show flight attendants who are ill. What about we get start a grass roots movement to help those who are dealing with serious illness send a card.If there are 10 of you contribute $10.00 a piece it truly does help or make a contribution to a charity. It is just a thought for Monday we must do good to send the Demons away.

 

[Itestwell]

Well certainly time will tell and at the defining moment you and only you with all the information will make up your mind what you want a yeah or nay.

Exactly! Instead of shooting it down before we know what it's all about, as many of you have already done. (Goes back to the "FA afraid of any change" theory...)

Now in the mean time if you look on the board it will show flight attendants who are ill. What about we get start a grass roots movement to help those who are dealing with serious illness send a card.If there are 10 of you contribute $10.00 a piece it truly does help or make a contribution to a charity. It is just a thought for Monday we must do good to send the Demons away.

Sounds nice!

 

[safety stud]

Hopfully, they will start a new thread.

I was just wondering how everyone felt about what local AFA Officers and REP's get paid and how or what you feel they should be? Do you think the officers should be paid nothing? Do you feel they should be paid flight pay loss for trips within their sked? Do you think any of the local reps should be paid anything? Do you think the present local share is being used at its optimum level?

Doing union work is strictly volunteer... Except for the officers we elect... Should the membership have a say in how the union dues are distributed at the local level?

Just some thoughts for you to ponder...

 

[theFLYonthewall]

Hopfully, they will start a new thread.

I was just wondering how everyone felt about what local AFA Officers and REP's get paid and how or what you feel they should be? Do you think the officers should be paid nothing? Do you feel they should be paid flight pay loss for trips within their sked? Do you think any of the local reps should be paid anything? Do you think the present local share is being used at its optimum level?

Doing union work is strictly volunteer... Except for the officers we elect... Should the membership have a say in how the union dues are distributed at the local level?

Just some thoughts for you to ponder...

Boy you are opening up one big can of worms!

Personally, I think they should have to fly at least 1 trip from their line each month or trip improve from the AIL at their seniority if they don't like that trip. They should bid what they can hold, none of this PPO line or drop everything AFA and augment for those that hold only secondary lines.

Do I think the CLT officers are worth what they are paid-HELL NO. On any given day you can call and no one is there and you get a call back a week later, if you are lucky. I am not one that believes union work is just staffing an office and answering the phones. Union officers should be visible and available, especially for what our officers are paid. By visible I mean they should fly, be in the crew rooms, communicate vital information to the members. This shows the membership that you are actually working for us. In my opinion we do not have one single LECP that isn't self serving, and that is one scarey thought.

 

[beachboy]

Then vote people in who are more than big talkers. You all were duped. Lesson learned? I doubt it.

 

[Travelpro72]

Ya get what ya vote for. The whole ability of what local officers can do needs to be changed. Come to think of it most of the local officers need to be wiped out. Think before you vote next time.