Making Less now in 2010 than I did after 9-11

[FLYUSAIRWAYS]

Just want to say Thank you to all the people at the Top, that make it possible for me to still hold a part time job, that allows me to work 3 1/2 hours a day, and make my $70 gross pay per day. I know that I only have 32 years seniority, and I don't deserve Full Time, with that many years. That equals 18K gross pay before taxes per year for driving to work 235 times per year. While on UI after 9-11, I brought home $80 a day for staying home and not working. Just wondered if I qualify for Food Stamps, any Public assistance, Help paying my winter heat bills, ETC. ???? Never went that route before. If I retire, and start collecting that Government pension I get a whole $550 a month. Thanks again for that. A good friend of mine just retired with the Sheriffs Dept. after only 20 years, and he is getting a 42,000 per year pension, thanks to the generous tax payers. Should of been a COP. LOL

 

[Travelpro72]

If the above post doesn't scare the hell out of many of you something is wrong. If your able to go back to school DO IT! ! ! ! If you have the ability to get a job by chance somewhere else TAKE IT! ! ! ! Many people out there look no further than their next check. YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO RETIRE HERE! ! ! ! The very people junior people talk about will be in the EXACT same boat. Save up on that 401K folks...LOL Your gonna need it.

 

[jimntx]

The main lesson--particularly for the young people--is that no pension plan (if your company still has one) and no Social Security was ever intended to be your sole source of financial support in retirement. Start now, pay yourself first. Put aside at least one hour's pay per week. You know you spend more than that at Starbucks.

I saw a financial guru on tv recently telling a young woman in her 20's to work the first hour each day for herself. In other words put aside 1 hour's pay per day. As she was a salaried employee, he estimated her hourly pay at something like $20 or $25. He pointed out that if she saved that money at a standard rate of return, at 65, she would have a quarter of a million dollars put aside for her retirement!

P.S. The OP's story scared me and I have an income not dependent upon the airline for which I work.

 

[CSA007]

I saw a financial guru on tv recently telling a young woman in her 20's to work the first hour each day for herself. In other words put aside 1 hour's pay per day. As she was a salaried employee, he estimated her hourly pay at something like $20 or $25. He pointed out that if she saved that money at a standard rate of return, at 65, she would have a quarter of a million dollars put aside for her retirement!

(Deleted by Moderator: Off Topic)

Wolf and Gangwal stole our defined pension money ..... the PBGC is NOT funded ..... Congress has squander all of the Social Security money you paid in over the last 30 years, they are now broke.

US Airways is not setting aside anything for you, in fact IM not sure US Airways will even be around to give you a pay check much longer.

I wish I was exaggerating!

 

[SS255]

My company laid off its longest-serving employee last week, as part of a mass layoff. She had been with the company for 54 years, and was the only remaining employee who had worked here when the founder was still the CEO. I'm in complete and utter disbelief. Nobody is safe. Not at my company. Not at US Airways.

It's a brave new world out there, and we must be prepared for anything. The best advice that I can offer is to pay down as much debt as you can, as quickly as you can, so you can survive longer in the event of a layoff or pay cut.

 

[PHL]

My company laid off its longest-serving employee last week, as part of a mass layoff. She had been with the company for 54 years, and was the only remaining employee who had worked here when the founder was still the CEO.

That begs the question, however, why was she still working into her 70's?!? I hope it's not because she HAD to.

 

[CLTUSCaptive]

I work in the US Textile industry, which has been almost completely wiped out by imports. All the factories in the southeast US that I used to call on have been shut down and the companies either went out of business or moved production to China or Pakistan. I now make less money than I did in the mid-1990's, after more than 20 years with my company. If I hadn't found new industries to sell to, I would be out of a job, like the 10% of my company that was laid off last year. The moral of this story is: Don't rely on your company to take care of you, there is no loyalty anymore. And don't expect the your elected officials to make any effort to protect or save your job, because unless you are a major campaign contributor they could not care less about you.

 

[SS255]

That begs the question, however, why was she still working into her 70's?!? I hope it's not because she HAD to.

I don't know. I hope not. She actually had a very interesting job, the details of which I cannot post on this board. I just know from someone who worked closely with her that it was not her choice to leave.

With what I have seen happen at my company the past few weeks, I can only imagine what US Airways employees have been going through since 2001!

 

[Tally yo]

Interesting topic, however the reason is because airline managements arent willing to work together and raise prices, ticket prices today are the same and cheaper today than they were 10 years ago and fuel has more than doubled. Go figure keep workers depressed on wages, we suffer while OPEC and management keep receiving their bonuses and golden parachutes.

 

[Kev3188]

Interesting topic, however the reason is because airline managements arent willing to work together and raise prices, ticket prices today are the same and cheaper today than they were 10 years ago and fuel has more than doubled. Go figure keep workers depressed on wages, we suffer while OPEC and management keep receiving their bonuses and golden parachutes.

No, the reason is because we all collectively continue to accept these wages. By doing so, we have given (not so) tacit approval to management. I realize many of us are hamstrung with CBA's negotiated in BK, but the point remains; someone out there deems a 3 hr. shift a XXX/hr. acceptable. Why would they give more? BTW, I'm not trying to point a finger solely at the OP-we're all guilty.

 

[BajaBabe]

QUIT moaning and crying like babies. Rakish and Wolf still gave you a decent contract. AFA negotiators changed sharply after Bankruptcy Number 2. I still believe that you can not represent flight attendants if you do not fly. Most MEC reps have flown for 5-6 years .As flight Attendants there are things you can do attend a meeting ,reform committees ,call your Locals get involved Why do you all complain without the Motivation to Change what you can.............

 

[CSA007]

"Rakish and Wolf still gave you a decent contract."

Sure did! .... So we wouldn't notice them shoveling our defined pension $$$ out the back door into someone else personal bank accounts. They were magicians, with any good magician you have to watch what the other hand doing. h34r:

 

[700UW]

The pensions were terminated under Siegel and Lakefield, not Wolf and Gangwal.

 

[SS255]

Interesting topic, however the reason is because airline managements arent willing to work together and raise prices, ticket prices today are the same and cheaper today than they were 10 years ago and fuel has more than doubled. Go figure keep workers depressed on wages, we suffer while OPEC and management keep receiving their bonuses and golden parachutes.

Wouldn't that be considered collusion, and therefore illegal? On the other hand, if one airline stepped up to the plate and rationalized fares to make them fare and reasonable, perhaps the other airlines would follow suit. I wish US would make a bold move here and overhaul the ridiculous, onerous fare structure which hold the legacies hostage.

Although I am a customer (who usually pays out of my own pocket instead of mooching off my employer's travel budget), I am adamantly against dirt cheap airfares and slave wages for airline employees. I am also against nickel-and-dime fees. I want a fare price for a plane ticket, which enables the airline to make a profit off of me, and includes the ability to check one bag for free. Unfortunately, I think I am in the minority.

 

[CSA007]

The pensions were terminated under Siegel and Lakefield, not Wolf and Gangwal.

The money was gone by then .....