If You Were Ceo Of Airways

[cavalier]

If the flu is the issue today what was it in July when tha Sick call rate was THE SAME?

When you try to defend the indefensable you exemplify the sterotype that alot of people have of union workers. That of lazy malingers. Back in the 80's when Big Steel hit the skids in Bethlehem alot of the Steel Workers had trouble finding new jobs as they were percieved as lazy overpaid whinners by the business community.

Why continue to perpetrate that mythical stereotype? It's unbecoming and frankly insulting to all who do show up on time ready and willing to bust their asses for guys like me.

Bob, I believe your posts such as these are being dismissed because people know you are speaking out of your element not really understanding the psyche of the U employee and especially the F/A. I personally would go on welfare before I took on the life that a F/A is expected to live working for U. It's way beyond reasonable and therefore sick calls in my opinion should be even higher which shows just how much integrity these F/A do have unlike our leaders who make their employees lives miserable. It’s really easy to sit on the sidelines and call everyone a bum, but this is not a football game.

 

[pitguy]

Bob,
While I may not be the strongest union member by any means I do understand that this place needs to be unionized for safety if no other reason. Let us say that management wants the airplane out no matter what. As a union member you can stand back and hold your ground to insist that safety issues are resolved. If you worked in this field you would know first hand that unionized mechanics are basically a must have for safety reasons. This example happens on a daily basis.


Also please not a union only protects you so that one is treated fairly. The union does not run the company. Hence the tail wagging the dog type theory. A union does insist the management do their job correctly and fairly when dealing with you. If they intend to fire and / or discipline the worker they need to do it right and in a fair and equitable manner. So I can assure you that unions protect all workers they represent, but they cannot protect you if you as an employee are in the wrong and management has fairly and equitably disciplined you up to and including termination. So when a union slug is not doing his/her job and getting away with it, one must then look at the non-union slug boss of theirs letting them do it.

In life you have slugs in unions and not in unions. Fact of life some workers are better than others and some are lazier than others too. People are not machines please remember. Call it “Nature of the Beastâ€￾.

 

[PITbull]

You will not help prove there is a sick call issue by posting the numbers......and I know you are well aware of how many F/A's call off sick each day.

Let me just say that I have heard some numbers tossed around from my contacts. And let's say (strictly hypothetical - for example purposes only) that on an average there are 100 sick calls a day. As we get closer to the holidays we find that numbers are increasing to 140 last week. Now up to 160 this week. Perhaps 200 next week. Historically, these numbers are trending upwards from previous years and could set a percentage record for your group this year.

Congratulations! How would YOU handle this issue?

You said that in Nov only 20 out of 1800 reserves made their time. We are at Dec 20th - 11 days left in the month - and I would wager that the number of reserves making their time will greatly increase by months end. I will also wager that come Jan, you will see the numbers back down to near the same levels as Nov. Please don't try to pass this off as a Flu problem.

So. How much higher are sick calls this month versus an average month? I am sure a quick call to your buddy in scheduling will give you the answer. Should we continue to turn a blind eye to sick abuses?

And as a tid bit of information - I was married to a F/A for 12 years.....I could give you a million examples of the abuses I witnessed first hand. I just loved hearing people talking about "Dialing for Dollars" and waiting for that 5th sick call to come off so they can pre-plan their next one.

Mark,

And I see your not married to the f/a anymore. I can see how the meeting of minds would be very difficult.

With that said, you are all talking about these % that no one has but upper managment.

Since you cite the sick calls around the holidays...let me give you my explanation for this year as you have mentioned.

So your just talking hypotheticals. However, we have a 300 furlough looming the first of the year. Reserves can't get their time, and you have senior reserves who always use to get their time in and now have to work holidays. DO YOU MANAGERS WORK HOLIDAYS? We are a 365 day operation. Managers get to be home 24 25 26. Also get to go home EARLY New Years Eve and New Years day be OFF not matter what, from the senior on down.

My ex is in mangement and I know what they get to do and be off. Leave early come in late etc..... F/as have NO flexibility but we still HAVE FAMILIES just like all of you who get to enjoy them when they are all together on the hoLiday.

NO ONE LIVES FOREVER, OUR PARENTS ARE GROWING OLD NOW AND ITS NICE FOR EVERYONE TO BE TOGERHER AND MAKE THAT EFFORT TO DO SO. My parents are dead now, but I can undertand how folks want to be with those they love instead of being in a work environment that is set up to have you fail every witch way you turn.

How can I sit here and explain to you on a level you can comprehend. If I tell you we have f/as that are truly sick AND ITS NOT ABUSE, and you look at the statistics and assume IT MUST BE ABUSE, just because folks in those numbers just cfan't be sick. I am in that arena, and you must be infering that I am a liar.

I can't believe I am still discussing this with folks THAT AREN'T F/AS!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[700UW]

PitGuy,

Very well said, could not have said it better myself, plain and simple and explains it all. One of the best posts yet!

 

[PITbull]

Well PITbull how do we know the reserves aren't getting the time? Because you say so?

Look at it in round numbers. let's say you have 1000 F/A's active with 250 on reserve and the usual 10% call out leaving 900 to fill the slots for that day. Suppose only 900 are required due to cancellations weather etc, then no gets a call that day.

Or maybe the reason is that they are still overstaffed and don't need as many reserves

Yea Bob, because I know so.

 

[Whatnow?]

Well PITbull how do we know the reserves aren't getting the time? Because you say so?

Look at it in round numbers. let's say you have 1000 F/A's active with 250 on reserve and the usual 10% call out leaving 900 to fill the slots for that day. Suppose only 900 are required due to cancellations weather etc, then no gets a call that day.

Or maybe the reason is that they are still overstaffed and don't need as many reserves

Yea Bob, because I know so.

Pitbull isn't spouting any bull.......THE RESERVES ARE NOIT GETTING THERE TIME IN!!!!! There are still many reserves who have yet the oppurtunity to get 1 trip in yet this month....yeah ZERO hours for the month! I have 30 hours, which I normally fly 95 hours, and will more than likely get 1 more trip in this month taking me to about 45 hours....still about 50 hours away from what I would normally fly. And all that is a wash because of the 71 hour guarantee, that flight time is not paid for unless I were to go over my 71 hour guarantee. Its basically working for nothing except your $1.90 hour meal money.

I really don't think the problem here is the rate of sick calls as opposed to how many F/A's you have on duty on a daily basis. I have been on Duty now for several days and I'm nowhere near being called for a trip, so if there were that many sick calls, why the heck am I not at work! The problem seems more of a scheduling issue than a "sick" issue. And, with fewer and fewer F/A's on the payroll, of course the sick calls are going to be a greater issue. Go ahead, dwindle the head count again in January, you're just creating a BIGGER problem!

 

[diogenes]

IN fleet and c/s, absences results in progressive discipline - theoretically. Four occurrences in a twelve month period, for whatever reason - tardy, sick call, etc. - results in an intial discussion, the next occurrence step I, the next, step II, the next step III, and the next step is termination.

Reasonable enough, and few fall afoul of it.

Here's the theoretical part. The former boss NEVER disciplined his pets. So when he went to ding one of my guys, who also didn't happen to be a pet, I got my guy off the hook. The boss didn't want the perfectly valid charge of favoritism going out of the station.

IF the company goes by the rules, they can terminate your ass for unexcused absences, AND THERE IS NOTHING THE UNION CAN DO ABOUT IT. Seen it too many times. And I've been there, up close and personal.

 

[pitguy]

Cav and 700,

Did anybody read the word STEREOTYPE? OR MYTH? All of you need to face facts! You have a high rate of sick calls due to many reasons, the primary reason being that like EVERY other company in the world you have a percentage of people who need to find other lines of work.

My workgroup consists of 19 people total. We have ONE guy who is probably the nicest person on the staff. He is also one of the laziest, coniving, whinning little turds you'll ever work with. When he visits our office my administrator leaves for a long break. He needs to go, but our company is making money hand over fist and he is able to hide because of it.

Cav, we have had our share of battles and i know that you have a very difficult situation that weighs on you daily and it doesn't stop you from doing a good days work and making time to post and ad to the debate. And frankly IMO people like you pay a high price because of people like my co-worker that exist at Airways. They need to go so that the good ones like you can have LESS stress. Sincerely I hope all is well with you.

Gee Bob...........Is this guy unionized? I thought only union people get away with being lazy. I know when I took my "secret union pledge" I promised I would never break a sweat again. Maybe we can sign him up. We need to up our union numbers.


--Bob, I can assure you and swear on my kids lives that from what I have seen. The union represented workers work harder than the non-union represented ones on average.


--I know this guy who can not even hang a picture on a wall. He has a MBA though. He feels that no one should be able to make much of a living by working with their hands. What a jerk.

 

[Perky Patty]

Mark My Words says...

"And as a tid bit of information - I was married to a F/A for 12 years....."


Then PitBull replies...

"My ex is in mangement and ..."



I was just thinking.. wouldn't it be funny if you two were better acquainted than you realized...

 

[MarkMyWords]

It does seem that we do fight like a divorced couple, doesn't it.

Honey,

Can I have my big screen TV back?

 

[PITbull]

You mean the one I threw out on the driveway while you were burning tire?