Fleet service agent interview question

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Happy Silver Anniversary Kev.!!!
Good example. Everyone gets used to everything once you get a routine worked out. LuLu's explanation is more like someone who couldn't handle the hard work at a fast pace in rough weather. Some folks are not strong enough for the airline workloads we face day/night in and day/night out. Just like not taking a break until a job is done and aircraft back in revenue service. You do what ya gotta do to get the job done, simple as that.

I think you misunderstood my point.

I am not talking about new hires getting their ass kicked on the ramp.

I am talking about career Fleet Service Clerks suffering health issues due to wear and tear over decades of service.

 

[eolesen]

I did have a bad experience, I call it my whole career at American Airlines.

You are right of course but, just because I had a bad experience does not invalidate what I said. I did spend over a decade in Fleet Service you know. By the way as far as I know you were never in Fleet so what the hell would you know about it anyway? You work in the offices don' you?

Back in the 90's, I did policy/procedures for ramp and cabin, and spent more than enough time crawling in bellies and dumping lavs to appreciate what the job entails, and also spent a number of years working on baggage handling systems, so bagrooms and transfer points are hardly a mystery. I also worked at Home Depot loading bags of mulch and rock for 8 hours at a time, so I'm no stranger to having my back and extremities abused for a paycheck.

I don't get why anyone stays in that type of a job for more than 5 years before moving on. It's certainly not for lack of opportunity to go do other things.

Also, there is no "working" your way up in a UNION job eolsen. You know that. Merit does not matter, only your occupational seniority date. You can be 10 times more qualfied to be a crew cheif than the guy above you but if he has one more day of seniorty he will get the position. You want to climb the ladder you have to step out of the UNION.

Show me where I ever said to stay in that entry level union job?... No risk, no reward.

Stepping away from an entry level job hasn't ever hurt anyone I know personally. It's usually to their benefit because merit and individual capabilities do matter, and there's a potential to earn far more than what you'd top out as in the union.

If union seniority & pay/benefits is the only thing that matters to you, great. That's a personal choice. Just don't complain because you chose to limit yourself and your options.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

I don't get why anyone stays in that type of a job for more than 5 years before moving on. It's certainly not for lack of opportunity to go do other things.

We are in agreement.

Show me where I ever said to stay in that entry level union job?... No risk, no reward.

Oh I did not see you say that specifically but most people looking for a "job" hire into Fleet and spend their career there.

Stepping away from an entry level job hasn't ever hurt anyone I know personally. It's usually to their benefit because merit and individual capabilities do matter, and there's a potential to earn far more than what you'd top out as in the union.

Again MOST people are conditioned through fear to protect their occupational seniority at any cost.

I know you know that.

If union seniority & pay/benefits is the only thing that matters to you, great. That's a personal choice. Just don't complain because you chose to limit yourself and your options.

Again we are in total agreement.

Also again, you know as well as I do most people looking for a "job" stay in Fleet and the UNION will do their best to stomp out any ambition with non stop propaganda and fear campaigns. The last thing the UNION wants is for peers to see a coworker leave the tender embraces of the UNION and succeed.

 

[robbedagain]

Tell me robbed have you had to have surgery yet on your shoulder, back, hip, or knee?

Tail bone. Have had number of pulled muscles stretching my entire back

 

[robbedagain]

1 more thing. During my 24 years (and counting) Ive done catering. Deicing. Bag reroutes. Crew chief. Ops/clp depending on how you interpet putting final nbrs in. Cleaning. I tried customer service but failed to get past 88% out of the required 90% ive done towing utility.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

1 more thing. During my 24 years (and counting) Ive done catering. Deicing. Bag reroutes. Crew chief. Ops/clp depending on how you interpet putting final nbrs in. Cleaning. I tried customer service but failed to get past 88% out of the required 90% ive done towing utility.

Sounds like you have done a few jobs in your career.

I was in a shop of over 100 and I would say 98 percent of them were Fleet Service lifers.

The TWA people were all Fleet Service lifers as well. I am sure they had the same restrictive system found at American Airlines.

Eolesen can talk about opportunities all he wants but for the most part that is just not the reality of the situation.

 

[eolesen]

Say what you want, but putting myself in front of opportunity has been my reality for 35 years. Frankly, it's worked out pretty damn well financially.

But, aside from my GPA in college, I never really have been satisfied with doing enough just not to get fired.

 

[robbedagain]

Sounds like you have done a few jobs in your career.

I was in a shop of over 100 and I would say 98 percent of them were Fleet Service lifers.

The TWA people were all Fleet Service lifers as well. I am sure they had the same restrictive system found at American Airlines.

Eolesen can talk about opportunities all he wants but for the most part that is just not the reality of the situation.

Youve done quite a bit yourself my friend. I was younger. I dont regret it.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Say what you want, but putting myself in front of opportunity has been my reality for 35 years. Frankly, it's worked out pretty damn well financially.

But, aside from my GPA in college, I never really have been satisfied with doing enough just not to get fired.

Great. Glad to hear it. Unfortunately that is not most people eolesen.

Going off averages you are the exception not the rule. You are hardly representative of the majority of workers.

That is my opinion.

I think most people are fine to take an entry level job and work it until the day they retire if it pays the bills and frankly there is nothing wrong with that if that is what they choose to do. My harsh opinion of lifers at American Airlines has nothing to do with the choice to stay in a job itself but rather a system that discourages choice. Basically if you change jobs you are punished by way of reduced ability to bid jobs, shifts, days off, vacation.

So to clarify my criticism is not directed at the person making the choice to stay in one job his entire career but rather the system that dissuades choice and denies opportunity by way of punitive restrictions that ignore the many years of service said employee has already provided.

Nobody wants to be a 25 year employee bidding after someone hired a week ago because their occupational seniority was started completely over. That is a hell of a price to pay just to try something new or more lucrative.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

Youve done quite a bit yourself my friend. I was younger. I dont regret it.

Well I have had many jobs but I only worked 2 positions at American Airlines.

Revenue accounting auditing tickets at Triad and Fleet service at TULE (and TUL part time for a short period of time).

I have been a grocery sacker, fast food worker, dish washer and a cook for a pizza place, warehouse worker for a candy and tobacco distributer and a pharmaceutical company, an apprentice electrician/HVAC, a factory worker at a glass plant and a bakery, helpdesk for HP, and a computer network specialist.

I started working when I was 16 and have had a job ever since. Most of those were before I was 23.

Three I took while laid off from American Airlines (pharmaceutical warehouse, HVAC apprentice, bakery).

 

[eolesen]

When you elect to live like the 99% who don't aspire to do anything more than entry level work, you shouldn't expect the 1%'s money...

So to clarify my criticism is not directed at the person making the choice to stay in one job his entire career but rather the system that dissuades choice and denies opportunity by way of punitive restrictions that ignore the many years of service said employee has already provided.

Nobody wants to be a 25 year employee bidding after someone hired a week ago because their occupational seniority was started completely over. That is a hell of a price to pay just to try something new or more lucrative.

Then put the blame where it belongs -- the unions you and other chose to represent you.

Not all unions follow occupational or class seniority vs company. Some recognize company seniority first, and others will even recognize trade seniority i.e. how long you've been at your trade, not just how long you've been on payroll at that particular company.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

When you elect to live like the 99% who don't aspire to do anything more than entry level work, you shouldn't expect the 1%'s money...

Don't tell me. Tell the fight for 15 crowd. I agree with you.

Then put the blame where it belongs -- the unions you and other chose to represent you.

Chose? I never chose anything. Membership was a condition of employment. A packaged deal. It was not a deciding factor when I took the job. I was more concerned with pay and benefits. I really only worked the UNION side because Air Canada bought Canadian Airlines and decided the services American Airlines accounting provided were too expensive. After that job went away many coworkers encouraged me to apply at the base.

I actually FAR preferred to work at Triad.

 

[eolesen]

You were lucky to get out of Triad when you did. All the clerk functions were either already outsourced or well on the way to heading out before I left, and that's been 15 years now.... I forget where the work ultimately went before the merger. Post-merger it wound up out in PHX.

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

You were lucky to get out of Triad when you did. All the clerk functions were either already outsourced or well on the way to heading out before I left, and that's been 15 years now.... I forget where the work ultimately went before the merger. Post-merger it wound up out in PHX.

Well in that case I am glad I had the opportunity to explore other options before I was too vested.