HP FAs walking?

[crazy4newus]

I have been off for a few days and won't be back til Wed. Can someone (ONLY THOSE IN THE KNOW PLEASE) explain what's going on with the HP FAs? I just received a note from a coworker who IS working today in PHX. She said that FAs are walking (not officially striking) and that when we pull the flight crews up in the computer (preflight), if there are only 2 FAs listed, call immediately to get the third. Please, I beg, do not use this as a vent section or a woe is me section...just help those of us that work the front lines know what's coming so we can be prepared. Thanks!

 

[mdarules]

I wonder why? Or is there a "reason" for the walk - or no show? not quite sure what is going on... I guess we will find out..

 

[PQAKnow-It-All]

While I am not 'in the know' I have looked up several flight numbers today, and they all list 3 FAs.

Hope that helps.

 

[UWCactus]

HP F/A'are not walking. There is a spike in sick calls as there is every year at this time and it puts Crew Scheduling in a pinch to cover trips. If short staffing is a problem and there are also operational problems, scheduling will find itself starting to lose some track of undercovered flights out of Phx only. That is probably why they want you to call if you don't have a full crew listed in the DRS.

There was a rumor that junior FA's who are tired of being on reserve and believe that Crew Scheduling mistreats them, would quit at once. But that has not materialized as some would like.

 

[Harry Callahan]

Me feels a melt down comming!

 

[IpourNotCan]

It's false. They are not walking, but the ones that are leaving are junior reserves. The reserve system at HP really is awfull and definetely needs improvement.

 

[Whatnow?]

OMG, wait till they experience the reserve system US East is currently under....up to 23 years on reserve! The West F/A's don't know how good they currently have it! B)

 

[IpourNotCan]

OMG, wait till they experience the reserve system US East is currently under....up to 23 years on reserve! The West F/A's don't know how good they currently have it! B)

I don't think you know what it's like to be on reserve at US West. Scheduling tags reserves after working a flight and they take away their day off. They have to call scheduling afer their trip to get released (most of the time, they don't get released. Scheduling adds another trip to their pairing. This is called tagging) They have to beg and plead to get released, they are imprisoned by this awfull system. They become scheduling's bitches! If US East adopts the US West system, believe me...you won't see 23 year reserves.

Here is the reserve system at US West:

http://www.afa66.org/afaagreement/9reserve.htm

 

[crazy4newus]

HP F/A'are not walking. There is a spike in sick calls as there is every year at this time and it puts Crew Scheduling in a pinch to cover trips. If short staffing is a problem and there are also operational problems, scheduling will find itself starting to lose some track of undercovered flights out of Phx only. That is probably why they want you to call if you don't have a full crew listed in the DRS.

THANK YOU! I have seen that happen through the years but rumors fly quickly and I was hoping that someone here would know what's up. We've seen the bumperstickers and heard things and didn't know what was going on...then with low crews...well, the rumor mill began.

THANKS for the info and have a great week!

 

[UWCactus]

The bumper stickers you were referring to, were the bumper stickers that the union had passed out to picketing (not striking) FA's a few weeks ago. This picket was in response to management and the union at odds with the continuation of talks for a renewed HP FA Agreement. Those talks are now off and the company and US East AFA and US West AFA are now going to begin talks for a single, merged contract. Until things heat up with those talks, things should be pretty quiet. Of course it always seems that there is that group of eternally unhappy folks, that make things bigger than what they are.

 

[Dea Certe]

I've long thought the whole reserve system needs to be overhauled. It was bad enough to be subjected to it for 3-5 years.

Let this be a lesson to us all. An injury to one is an injury to all. That goes for both ends of the spectrum. Reserves or soon to be pensioners.

If the older members of our workforce can look forward to a decent pension, more would retire sooner. Now that so many senior flight attendants are facing reserve, a situation they thought they'd never have to face again, perhaps we can find a better system.

And just why shouldn't flight attendants expect to make a career of the job? As long as I am able to do the work, why should I be forced to retire or quit at some arbitrary age?

I am very grateful to the seniors who came before me for teaching me better ways to do my job. For standing up to get better wages and working conditions. Why shouldn't I stand up for my juniors? I hope I've learned things I can pass on to those who came after me.

I believe I'm a much better flight attendant now, with the maturity that allows me to better understand our customers. And how to best serve them.

Dea

 

[rjh]

I don't think you know what it's like to be on reserve at US West. Scheduling tags reserves after working a flight and they take away their day off. They have to call scheduling afer their trip to get released (most of the time, they don't get released. Scheduling adds another trip to their pairing. This is called tagging) They have to beg and plead to get released, they are imprisoned by this awfull system. They become scheduling's bitches! If US East adopts the US West system, believe me...you won't see 23 year reserves.

http://www.afa66.org/afaagreement/9reserve.htm[/url]

Scheduling tags crew members when they are short staffed. They don't do it for no reason, nor to make crew members "their bitches".

Scheduling will only take away a "DO", which again PER THE CONTRACT is a movable day off. If a DO is taken (again, only when staffing requires it to be taken away), the crew member gets another GD (which is NOT movable).

Don't complain about what schedulers do--they simply try to cover open trips to mininmize invconvenience to PASSENGERS--or put another way: their job.

Complain to your union to get tagging taken out of the next contract. Complain to the union to demand more flight attendants.

 

[IpourNotCan]

Scheduling tags crew members when they are short staffed. They don't do it for no reason, nor to make crew members "their bitches".

Scheduling will only take away a "DO", which again PER THE CONTRACT is a movable day off. If a DO is taken (again, only when staffing requires it to be taken away), the crew member gets another GD (which is NOT movable).

Don't complain about what schedulers do--they simply try to cover open trips to mininmize invconvenience to PASSENGERS--or put another way: their job.

Complain to your union to get tagging taken out of the next contract. Complain to the union to demand more flight attendants.

Scheduling has a "Black list" and they tag the ones that they do not like. Believe me, everyone has complained to the Union about this. I can't believe the Union negotiated this awful system. I just hope that when they integrate the contract, the tagging be removed. It's inhumane!

 

[rjh]

Scheduling has a "Black list" and they tag the ones that they do not like. Believe me, everyone has complained to the Union about this. I can't believe the Union negotiated this awful system. I just hope that when they integrate the contract, the tagging be removed. It's inhumane!

Do you have proof of this? I can tell you from experience this is not true. Schedulers don't have time to look at the schedule and say "Hmm .I see so-and-so is ending a trip today. I dont' like this person, so I'll tag him/her, even though I'm fully staffed."

 

[SilentWarrior]

I agree that the 'Black List' rumor deserves a spot on Snopes. It seems every airline has it's version.

I use to work next to the schedulers, and they do keep a few lists. One being a sick call list, and another a list of reserves. On occasion they might have a list of crew members that have called in willing to work on their days off.

You must remember that they are held accountable under the very same contract that you operate under. Their sole job is make certain that every flight is properly manned, and yes that does lead to a certain friction with some crew members. You don't like working on your time off, and schedulers, regardless of what you've heard; hate to extend a crew member to work when their trip ends, call you out early from an overnight, or the cursed JRM. It's the nature of the beast, and is done within the bounds of the contract.

I always thought it would be a good idea for more contractual training for the schedulers. Ideally a union rep from pilot and flight attendant group sit with a company rep and go over with the schedulers the agreed interpretation of the contract. That's just me however.