If You Were Ceo Of Airways

[PITbull]

Another aspect at U is since there are so many employees it seems the thought is: Im not hurting anyone if I call in sick-meaning not hurting my fellow employees,but they of course are. And they think they will not be missed, or do not care because they have a negative attitude toward the company and think it is their due to call in and get payed. The entire culture of U is incredible sick, and filled with employees who feel "Entitled" because they have been there a long time etc etc, and feel abused by the company. Small companies don't even have FMLA and if anyone called in sick in a small company they would be gone pretty quick. As far as the CEO calling in sick, what does what he makes dollar wise matter? Most employees at U are very well compensated but that doesn't stop them from abusing the system. It is a viscious cycle-the employee feels the company takes advantage of them so they take advantage of the company-where will it stop-when we end up in bankruptcy again? Maybe never to reemerge-then it is too late and people will see what a "cush" job U was!!

FMLA is a federal law.

Second, in our f/a work group, reserves cover sick calls. THAT IS HOW THEY GET TO FLY... and that is why they are needed in every single airline since the beginning of commercial aviation.

And where did you get your idea to equate sick time with BK??????

 

[4merresrat]

the idea of sick leave and bankruptcy..... well it definately can't be helping the companies bottom line. Obviously it is not the main reason but it certainly could be looked at as a contributing factor. And as far as the flight attendant situation, it has been abused for an extreeeemly long period of time before the company started cracking down. The employees with legitimate illnesses have there fellow employees to thank for that. In res. there were TONS of employees who had FMLA for headaches, and another big one was allergies. FMLA was instituted for serious medical problems, but has been abused for many minor problems. So the lady with cancer and all the other employees with legitimate serious conditions have their fellow employees to thank for the company cracking down on them. On girl at the Orlando ATO finally got fired because she said she couldn't even hold a clip board because her wrist were injured but the fired here when they had a PI tape here while she was weed-wacking her yard! That is a fact-the last I heard she was fighting the dismissal!!!!!

 

[PITbull]

There is some abuse in every single aspect of business in every corporation in existance.

My main concern with what is happening at U, is management going after mostly legitimate folks that are truly have bonified illnesses that have have substantial sick banks. That is why the sick pay penalty came into being . Those who have no sick bank and call in sick, have no pay penalites because they have no sick time. If you work behind a desk, you can come to work with a broken leg. If you fly, you can not.

 

[cavalier]

Small companies don't even have FMLA and if anyone called in sick in a small company they would be gone pretty quick.

You're hitting home for me personally on this one and you're DEAD wrong! FMLA is NOT just for larger companies. That doesn't even makes sense. So if you work for a small outfit then getting sick is illegal! LOL I have worked at many very small outfits before U and have a family member who is anything but healthy. I know all about how one is treated, and I have never been fired or even threatened. In today’s world I love to have them fire me because I would be able to sit home the rest of my life from the law suite I won. People are human, they get sick and REALY sick under duress like this management dispenses. It's like an inquisition if you become sick which is simply pathetic and unreasonable policy!

 

[4merresrat]

Unless something has recently changed, companies with less than 50 employees are exempt from FMLA. If this has changed then I am sorry for the small business owners!

 

[700UW]

Bob, Dave has a CONTRACT, he can be fired as can anyone unionized employee, I bet Dave gets millions when he gets let go, a regular employee gets nothing!

 

[4merresrat]

Cavalier,
YOu say you have worked for many small companies and if I am understanding you correctly, you have taken advantage of the FMLA programs at all of them. Have they all gone out of business? Hmmmmm... just wondering..

 

[BoeingBoy]

Seems several are missing a point...

FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) was passed to allow employees to take time off WITHOUT PAY to attend to family members who are sick, needing medical treatment, etc. It is not to be confused with sick time for the employee's own illness. Having watched many of the debates on Capital Hill as the legislation was winding its way thru the process, I don't remember anyone saying that FMLA was needed because employees weren't getting time off when they were sick themselves.

Jim

 

[tug_slug]

And as far as the flight attendant situation, it has been abused for an extreeeemly long period of time before the company started cracking down. The employees with legitimate illnesses have there fellow employees to thank for that. In res. there were TONS of employees who had FMLA for headaches, and another big one was allergies

4merresrat what makes you an authority on F/A's and their sick leave?

As far as the allergies remark that's an insult! I suffer from urticaria which is considered an allergy with no known cure and Ive yet to call in sick because of it but yet I suffer from it almost on a daily basis. There's days I should have called in sick but beings it only affects me and poses no threat to anyone else I still came in but not everyone is the same.

Ive worked with individuals who looked like they were about to die because they had the flu so bad but instead of calling in sick they STILL came to work regardless of the fact that they were infecting everyone around them.

Beings you worked in reservations your contact with the public and the germs that are spread is limited, not all of us are that lucky. Please do us all a favor and stop ASSuming things about people and or work groups you know nothing about.

 

[PITbull]

Bob,

The only thing I can suggest is that you unionize.

As far as the rate of absentism, I don't know. For our particular group it remains insignificant to me because our reserves obviously are not getting any flying time. That is an indication to me that we don't have an abscentisim for f/as. YOu would have many more reserves flying "out of time". Not happening. Soryy, your informant is wrong.

Point is, abuse and coruption is in every business in every profession labor AND mangement. Corporations who exaggerated their company's earnings as in Citigroup, Enron You do not coner the market as a salesman on "integrity".

Bottom line is that this CEO is not effective with the labor groups. Doesn't matter what business plan they come up with, we don't trust them enough to buy into it. No one ver heard of a company coming after their employees 3 times in less than 18 months for more and more and more. There is no confidence, and management takes to responsibility or accountability for showing no profit, when other airlines have experienced the same environment and have higher labor costs than U.

No justification. You can pick on f/as, pilots, mechanics, agents, ramp etc, doesn't matter, we can't follow this mangement, and Bronner better realize that he won't get his investment returned unless he changes managments.

When the largest unionized labor group loses faith in mangement such as ALPA, they're in trouble.

 

[4merresrat]

Tug Slug,
As I said before there are many hard working employees but I stand by what I wrote, there are just as many people that abuse the system to the max and we have THOSE people to thank for the situation we find ourselves in now, as far as the crackdown. And I did not mean to insult you or any specific person and there is always the exception but my POINT is the allergy excuse was rampant in res-that is a FACT, and again the people with the fake allergies make it hard on the ones with the legitimate illness. Again we have ourselves to blaME

 

[PITbull]

Seems several are missing a point...

FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) was passed to allow employees to take time off WITHOUT PAY to attend to family members who are sick, needing medical treatment, etc. It is not to be confused with sick time for the employee's own illness. Having watched many of the debates on Capital Hill as the legislation was winding its way thru the process, I don't remember anyone saying that FMLA was needed because employees weren't getting time off when they were sick themselves.

Jim

Jim,

Corporations have the legal right to apply the FMLA benefit to every leave an employee takes, whether they applied for FLMA or not and whether it is for some else to care for OR to take care of or their own illness.

I tell the f/as, however, do not apply for FMLA if you are seeking medical treatement for yourself or request a "medical leave" which is completely different language in our contract. However, managment has the right to apply your FMLA benefit WITHOUT you requesting it. That is why the numbers looks so high and the % look high, because this management applies the FMLA benefit to EVERY single leave

 

[AOG-N-IT]

In my little corner of U...I have noted a common theme when it involves the use of sick time....and again I'm speaking of a very tiny department that has to function 24 and 7 , 365 days a year.

The common theme is ailments developing before or after scheduled days off. I know a policy to monitor such pattern is in place...yet it obviously lacks some real teeth.

I have also noted over a long period of time , that it's always the same individuals in question too. I'm not speaking of those in their advanced years , or those with diagnosed illnesses that would lead one to seek FMLA relief either.

My observations always point at those whom already have schedules that fall on the side of having what amounts to a normal life...as opposed to those of us whom work all night , every weekend , and damn near every holiday imagineable. They are also the very ones whom have 3 or 4 weeks of vacation per year too....again and use your finger to follow along , I speak of my corner of the world...and nowhere else.

During my tenure in PIT Heavy maintenance , I was shocked out of my shoes at the rate of absenteeism....and FMLA was often just a trump card to throw when the desire was simply not to show up for work....The system also promotes an individual to call out for more than one day..even if a person is better after one day of absence.

Since my return to CLT...I have been equally shocked at what's taking place. I have a number of co-workers that have in fact lost their ablity to "Shift-Swap" for the next six months , due to calling off sick when it was their time to work a double shift because of a swap agreement.

The swap loss ordeal can prevented with a bonified Doctors excuse....but the lack their of puts you on a slippery slope

I for one am not a person to call out sick...and I have recieved a number of up-grades and letters thanking me for my perfect attendance....and lets not even delve into the amount of overtime I've pulled by covering the un-scheduled absences of others. Frankly I'm growing tired of it.

This past year in PIT I snapped what was to be another perfect attendence year...but an emergency operation in PIT forced me out for two days in conjunction with my scheduled weekend off...Oh well the streak ends. ...but I did not abuse the system for one moment. I save my sick-leave for the possibilities that face us all....it's not to augment or surplant lost vacation time.

What I'm saying is...we have people that have legitimate issues , FMLA issues and the Awe-Shucks" things that life presents us....but anyone who says that we don't have an equal amount of people whom use their sick-time for other than its intended purpose is dreaming or far from honest.

In the post concession phase of life , I have heard hundreds state , "That's OK , take a week of my vacation"...I'll make up for it with sick-leave. Well people , that mentality has defeated the very reason that we gave up vacation time...and has had an impact to a degree , that is leading up to even more being asked to come.

Before you cry babies start jumping in my case...take a hard look around , I say a gut check is in order for a number of us....and a re-affirmation of the individuals constitution needs to take place. Don't abuse the system...it does indeed have a fall-out that effects others , and the company as a whole.

 

[Whatnow?]

As far as the rate of absentism, I don't know. For our particular group it remains insignificant to me because our reserves obviously are not getting any flying time. That is an indication to me that we don't have an abscentisim for f/as. YOu would have many more reserves flying "out of time". Not happening. Soryy, your informant is wrong.

Pitbull,

Thank you for that.....I've been sitting here all day WAITING for a sick call to come in! They just aren't there! I'm also sitting here going through my partial unemployment packet, which I have to file tomorrow......to pay my mortgage at the end of the month, wondering where these people are getting "their" information from about F/A sick calls! I have not been able to fly my time on reserve, since the last week ofOctober.....I hate to say it but, right now I'd welcome 10% of the F/A's to call in sick so MANY of us CAN GO TO WORK!

 

[PITbull]

Bob,

Your incredible. Did you happen to read about the epidemic with the flu this season? Or did that just pass you by.

Hey, I' m not debating anything...nor do I have to prove anything on these boards. You choose to debate me because you enjoy getting my goat. I don't think you believe half the things you say. No need for me to debate, and at this point, I can't change your mind. Never could, don't want to. I get to prove it out in the "real world" where it counts.