HP FAs walking?

[hula-flyguy]

Beautiful post Barbell. Could not have said it any better if I had tried.

...a toast to the new year!

 

[Barbell]

The HP FA's as a whole appear to be very much into their own world and don't pay a lot of attention to the "grumblers" ie, those that say things in the boarding area while trying to launch OGG and HNL. You will find that most are happy, but you can't always say that while you're around a grumbler.

I couldn't agree with you more, UWCactus, and it's those grumblers, who appear to be very active on this board, at whom my particular post was directed.

To those of you doing your job and feeling the pinch from their unprofessional and immature actions: please redirect your ire at them and away from scheduling. Scheduling is just as stressed as you are over their behavior. IMO HP has some of the best FAs in the sky, and now that I've had a chance to fly US I know we're going to succeed based on the service these professionals provide everyday.

...a toast to the new year!

Back at ya!

 

[nycbusdriver]

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.

It always intrigues me that USAirways has the same perennial problems with a "spike in sick calls" at this time of year. And I guess the US/West has the same problem.

If the company would just use positive incentives, the problem would vanish. Pay time and a half for holiday trips and the senior crew members (pilots included) will be trampling each other to get those holiday trips. The only sick calls would come on behalf of the crew emember from the hospital rooms by the priest administering Last Rites.

 

[EricLv2Fish]

If the company would just use positive incentives, the problem would vanish. Pay time and a half for holiday trips and the senior crew members (pilots included) will be trampling each other to get those holiday trips. The only sick calls would come on behalf of the crew emember from the hospital rooms by the priest administering Last Rites.

Seems like a simple solution to a problematic issue. I have a feeling the company will make some additional changes for next year.

 

[Snafu]

Seems like a simple solution to a problematic issue. I have a feeling the company will make some additional changes for next year.

Are you kidding?? Why would the company pay additional or offer incentives to people to come to work and do their jobs??? There's a MX Tech that did not call in sick for 15 years. He got a $50 gift certificate to the company store.

You really need to get out into the "real" world more often.

 

[nycbusdriver]

Are you kidding?? Why would the company pay additional or offer incentives to people to come to work and do their jobs??? There's a MX Tech that did not call in sick for 15 years. He got a $50 gift certificate to the company store.

You really need to get out into the "real" world more often.

Pretty much all the ground personnel get time and a half for holidays, don't they? Why should they have that incentive to just do their job?

How about every other industry in the country where employees get incentives to work on holidays? SHould we just do away with that, too?

 

[flygirl74]

If the company offered real holiday pay the holidays would go so senior that even God couldn't hold it. I would add a stipulation that if you had a holiday trip then sick'ed it out, then you would only get regular pay. Naysayers will say the company can't afford it/shouldn't have to do it....which is cheaper - holiday pay or meltdown payouts??

 

[HPGUY]

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

No one has to beg and plead to get release by scheduling. They may beg and plead after they hear what they don't want to hear. I'm sure scheduling prefers that they don't.

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!

Every airline with an efficient scheduling system tags.. The ones that don't you'll find them overstaffed and the flip side to that is not enough flying to go around.

Think about it...

 

[HPGUY]

I just flew a 4 day trip over Christmas with a reserve Flight Attendant who had Mononucleosis (VERY contagious). The reason she flew sick was because of fear of repercussions from Inflight Svcs Management and Schedulers. Sad, but many, many people (customers, fellow employees) have probably been exposed to her virus (including myself). All because of the intimidation and threat of disciplinary action up to and including suspension and termination for staying at home and taking care of themselves.

If any of our passengers got exposed to mono they can thank the schedulers and inflight for the ruthless pressure to make employees fly sick.

If the FA was truely sick why was she worried? Unless she had a abundance of sick calls I don't think she should have been. I know the Inflight sups are requiring doctor notes for absences over the holidays (part of the contract) but if she is sick, then she's sick. The airline is running under the impression it's employing professional adults... If you're sick stay home... if not and you just want the holiday off.. put your big girl panties on and get on the airplane. I'll save you a seat

 

[UPNAWAY]

If the company would just use positive incentives, the problem would vanish.


I always thought the CAL model of a free car lotto each quarter was a great idea. Cut a marketing deal, get the cars free or cheap and put everyone with perfect attendnce in the hopper each qtr and then in JAN have a drawing for only people with perfect att. for the whole year that gets the winner a car and a 2 week exotic trip (No vac charge)paid for and see how that improves attendance!
I know at AWA I used to think twice about calling in just because of the flexi pass impact could you imagine if it was a car.

 

[HPGUY]

When trying to combine contracts, AFA 66 needs to look at the Ueast contract on this issue. When a reserve completes a trip you are "free from duty for 10+15, 9+15 at your option," and you cannot be contacted from crew sched for 8+30. If you are contacted prior to the 8+30 rest, your rest starts again. There are no jetway tags going on over here.

Once again the flip side of these issues is overstaffing of reserves and shortage of available flying. You can't have your cake and eat it too. If crew scheduling has the ability to tag flying reserves they then there is less need of reserves sitting at home.

Less reserves needed also equals shorter sit time on reserve. IE if natural attrition of the FA group is 100 FAs a year.. and we keep 100 FAs on reserve then your average reserve time would be one year. If there are 200 resevers you just doubled you're sentence.

Be very cafeful what you wish for in the next contract.. you just might get it.

 

[autofixer]

I just pulled up the reserve pilot list for F/Os in DC over the weekend. There are 6 short reserves and one poor guy was transitioned to short. Normally DC requires 3 short reserves. This is why people are SICK and tired after 19 years!

 

[HPGUY]

It always intrigues me that USAirways has the same perennial problems with a "spike in sick calls" at this time of year. And I guess the US/West has the same problem.

If the company would just use positive incentives, the problem would vanish. Pay time and a half for holiday trips and the senior crew members (pilots included) will be trampling each other to get those holiday trips. The only sick calls would come on behalf of the crew emember from the hospital rooms by the priest administering Last Rites.

I believe they have that... it's called having a job and getting paid. You can't blame the company for expecting the Proffessional Adults they hired to come into work when they're not sick.

 

[Dog Wonder]

As long as the company sees employees as disposable commodities instead of assets, incentives will be limited to rewards for performance that save the company more than they cost.

 

[AstroLounge]

If the company would just use positive incentives, the problem would vanish.
I always thought the CAL model of a free car lotto each quarter was a great idea. Cut a marketing deal, get the cars free or cheap and put everyone with perfect attendnce in the hopper each qtr and then in JAN have a drawing for only people with perfect att. for the whole year that gets the winner a car and a 2 week exotic trip (No vac charge)paid for and see how that improves attendance!
I know at AWA I used to think twice about calling in just because of the flexi pass impact could you imagine if it was a car.

I agree and like the saying goes........Money TALKS and Bullsh*T walks....premium pay on the Holidays (all of a sudden everyone is Single w/out children and hates to be home) throw in an INCENTIVE (Blockheads WORK and Reserves know what it is like to enjoy a holiday). The last part of the equation is questionable......with Time Balancing Reserves STILL get screwed