Letter To Dave Siegel From Afa

[cavalier]

Bob may be a paying customer but reading his posts he is also bi-polar, one day labor friendly next management depending on the moon phase and if the fish are biting. Don't let this guy get under your skin, he thrives on this stuff, it's his existence when not flying from copier to copier or eating fast food with his g/f.


HEY BOB....give me a hug. lol

 

[Lucifer]

Twice Baked,

Tell me......how many F/A's are still gonna " LOVE" the new reserve system after January. Unfortunetly you are missing the point. This new reserve system that you "LOVE" and management "LOVES" is going to put you, I and alot of others out on the street without a job. Trust me it benefits no one, but management. I am not saying that the previous reserve system was not abused, it was but only by a small number of F/A's and now everyone has to pay the price? If it were soooo abused as you stated, and everyone was passing all the time, you wouldn't be complaining about being junior because the trips would have been trickiling down to you....wouldn't they? You don't feel that this system is a violation of seniority? Take a step back and think about this for a little while. Do you really want to live on a 71 hour paycheck for the next 15 years while on reserve if we are even still employed by then?

 

[usfliboi]

i dont think they are too scared of pit since pit is already on the chopping block lol I think this thread has gotton soooo silly its sad

 

[Twicebaked]

Lucifer,
I don't know what the right answer is. Do I want to live on 71 hour guarantee for the next 15 years? Of course not. Do I want to sit in Philly while living elsewhere and not EVER working on the old reserve system? Definately not!
I don't want to see any more f/a's lose there jobs, but for some this IS beneficial.
Probably not for the majority, but....
So, I don't know what the right answer is.
Were we spoiled? YES

All other airlines NEVER had it as good as we did. So, it is culture shock to us.
Do you have a system that is fair for everyone? If you do I (we) would like to here it.

This is honestly a topic that we don't have answers for and probably never will.

I am just trying to make the best of an awful situation to some.

 

[cavalier]

i dont think they are too scared of pit since pit is already on the chopping block lol I think this thread has gotton soooo silly its sad

Gee, maybe you too could use a nice hug.

OK MOD...I quit----lol

 

[UsPerfEngr]

The exception to this is a firefighter, whose primary purpose is to be there "just in case".

PineyBob,

I am amazed that no flight attendant has pointed out the biggest flaw I see in your initial post....

The number 1 reason we have flight attendants on aircraft is passenger safety, not passenger comfort.

Like the very Fire Fighters in your post they are primarily there "just in case" and undergo a lot of training that they hopefully will never have to use.....

On a side note, kudos to Perry for the letter.... Unfortunately I believe that the straw man (Dave S.) is just reacting to the string pulls of the puppeteer (Dave B.)

And to think that all that love in Alabama is coming from a guy representing a Union's interests.... Ahh the irony :down:

 

[Light Years]

As much as I'd hate to see further reduction because of the reserve system, people really need to realize how spoiled we were. Doesnt anyone have any friends that work for American, Northwest, Delta, United...? This is an actual reserve system which is what every other airline has always had. If youre a reserve, your a reserve. It was nice for our "OverSenior" group that they went by seniority before, but this system is certainly not a violation of seniority.

Next time your on Express (any carrier) ask that FA how thier reserve system works and what thier pay and guarantee is and you'll feel alot better, believe me.

 

[PITbull]

Comparing other reserve systems to U, doesn't make one feel that this is just life and accept it and move on. WE WERE NEVER SPOILED. iT IS CERTAINLY A VIOLATION OF SENIORITY, impossible to time out, or even exceed guarantee.

We will always look to change, maintain, and elevate the integrity of this fine profession. We must endeavor to change the standards, certify the profession as safety professionals and continue with this challenge for many years to come. The f/a job is not an easy, cake walk profession. Anyone who states that it is, either does not do their job, or/and does not do it well. It is physically strenuous and fatiguing, emotionally and mentally draining and challenging. To live out of a suit case day after day, leave those you love, and the comfort of your surroundings and go onto an aircraft with strangers every day, and take the risks, You have to have the character of being flexible, stable, nurturing, caring, and conscious of the other person's needs. Have to be quick on your feet, make good decisions and act in the best interest of the other person, crew, company. This is not an innate quality, or a gifted individual. But rather, it is by learned experience, and skill that turns into talent. To handle the public day in and day out, is an art, and takes many years to cultivate and master. Having the ability to create harmony In-flight with customers, crews takes practice and much experience to develop proficiency.

We in this will always endeavor to improve our working conditions, increase our wages, and strive to be respected in the field of safety. Rest assured, it will continue.

 

[usacrew3]

Dont know who you are referring to PITBull, but on international in PHW it is NOT the junior flight attendants who have been overflying. We have been surviving on our minimum guarantee for most of this year and begging Molly and the AFA to stop all the senior mamas from stealing our paychecks. The response was always that the company allows the senior people to overfly and AFA couldnt stop it. So when Ms. Trihey and her Rome group were livng in an apartment by the beach in Italy this year picking up Craf trips and flying their six trips a month out of Philly we were all at the Lagoon, the Ramada and the days Inn wondering how we were going to make ends meet.
Most of us have resigned ourselves to the fact that we will be gone in January. It has been the best roller coaster ride I have ever been on but its time to get off and let someone senior to me feel the pain.

Just one more thing, actually two more, yesterday coming in from Europe I worked with one flight attendant who is on her medication and it showed, a lot! I felt sorry for her as she was actually a very good hearted lady. Once we arrived in Philly and everyone but our disabled passenger got off the plane, it took ONE hour to get the passenger off the aircraft. First there was no one to help carry him off, then they couldn't get his wheelchair to the gate, then, then , then. Another example of things we do and dont get paid or credit. Not one of our flight attendants minded staying with the passenger either.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

 

[Colby]

UsPerfEngr,

I am sure any of the F/A's on here read that and don't Bother responding to it.

We are used to being treated like "Glorified Waitresses" by the General Public therefore, we don't bother wasting our time trying to explain all that we are on an Airplane for. When those people get sick, have to use Oxygen, Havea Fire on board the aircraft and of course in an the case of an Emergency Landing/Ditching Situation.... Then, and only then will they realize that we are not making the money we make to Serve them Snacks and Beverages.

 

[Doc]

Hey Bob, Man can you open a can of worms.
F/A'S........ ARE ALSO THERE JUST IN CASE.....

DO YOU THINK THEY ARE THERE FOR JUST YOU ...

YOU HAVE LOST ALL MY RESPECT FOR ANY OF YOUR FUTURE POST


KNUCKLE HEAD

 

[Todd B]

:cop: Please avoid name calling.

 

[Hula Girl]

Comparing other reserve systems to U, doesn't make one feel that this is just life and accept it and move on. WE WERE NEVER SPOILED. iT IS CERTAINLY A VIOLATION OF SENIORITY, impossible to time out, or even exceed guarantee.

Again, I respectfully beg to differ. We were certainly spoiled. How many jobs in the free world pay you to sit on your butt and watch Oprah?! Look at the reserve lists posted that detail time flown before the new reserve system came into effect. Pass, pass, pass. We were our own worst enemy and now we have to work per contract. Well boo hoo. I got my guarantee in when I was not trumped by the overflying senior mamas and was proud to collect the paycheck I EARNED. No offense to those that earned their stripes but I know of too many who were nothing short of proud that they could pass and sick out and time out with sick time for the holidays. It is a disgrace and an embarrassment to the profession. I had Delta and American reserve f/as for roommates and they were assigned trips on a daily basis with no questions asked. Quit defending those who have made it bad for all of us and obviously do not want to work.

 

[PITbull]

Comparing other reserve systems to U, doesn't make one feel that this is just life and accept it and move on. WE WERE NEVER SPOILED. iT IS CERTAINLY A VIOLATION OF SENIORITY, impossible to time out, or even exceed guarantee.

Again, I respectfully beg to differ. We were certainly spoiled. How many jobs in the free world pay you to sit on your butt and watch Oprah?! Look at the reserve lists posted that detail time flown before the new reserve system came into effect. Pass, pass, pass. We were our own worst enemy and now we have to work per contract. Well boo hoo. I got my guarantee in when I was not trumped by the overflying senior mamas and was proud to collect the paycheck I EARNED. No offense to those that earned their stripes but I know of too many who were nothing short of proud that they could pass and sick out and time out with sick time for the holidays. It is a disgrace and an embarrassment to the profession. I had Delta and American reserve f/as for roommates and they were assigned trips on a daily basis with no questions asked. Quit defending those who have made it bad for all of us and obviously do not want to work.

Hula,
What are you respectfully disagreeing with on my post? We legally passed as the contract stated and it allowed for passing, and parameters. If we illegally passed, we were disciplined. No exceptions! Sit ?Who sat on their butts and watched Oprah? YOU WERE ON DUTY! You had to be ready available. That meant not being further than 1 hour away from home, no drinking, on call with beeper. Passing allowed you flexibility, quality of life, cause your fate on reserve was for many years, not just a couple. It also allowed for more jobs. I sense resentment in your tone, for what purpose? Do you believe passing and giving parameters cost you your job? Or some "senior mama" who was on the property for many years? There are over 4,000 folks who took a voluntary furlough. Through that process 4,000 in the lower seniority bracket got to keep their jobs for longer. You got to keep your job for longer. Are you blaming f/as for your predicament or management or union, or everyone in the world? If there was no passing in previous years, they would have no need for your employment. While others passed, trips came down to you to fly. If folks didn't pass, or call in sick...YOU DIDN'T GET A TRIP.

I am not sure you know the implications of what you are saying. Yes you are on furlough now, NOT BECAUSE F/As PASSED. Quite the contrary. If the reserves did not have the abiity to pass, they wouldn't have a need to hire more f/as, which would have been your job. Over fly did not cost you your job, just a poor paycheck on certain months. You don't help your cause any by slamming the entire old reserve system. The overfly situation got worse as they paychecks shrunk. Violations were in all groups! The senior folks who took a voluntary furlough, saved many junior jobs from hitting the streets much earlier. I would have hoped to hear the reserves be grateful for having the flexibility they had through the years, and not look a "gift horse in the mouth". It took much negotiating and sacrifice for reserves to get that flexibility and quality of life to pass trips. Everyone was still responsible to get their time in. If you didn't....it was called "LOW HOURS". And believe me, folks were disciplined for it. Even terminated. So, I see now folks compalining for getting some flexibility???? And its now called disgraceful? Amazing.



MDA will be starting up very soon, you will get what you wish....no pass, assigned trips flying 90 hours a month at a low wage. No more worrying about being "spoiled" and embarrassed.

 

[JetMech]

With regard to the post by WineyBob, oh my opoligies PineyBob. Why does anyone even ackowlege his posts? They are not even worthy of reading. He is obviosly a managent stooge. The one thing I have learned in my 23 years with the airlines is that you should never badmouth another employee group. We are all in this together. Flight attendants do a great job. don't critisice them until you walk in their shoes.