PHL: City of no 'brotherly' bag love

[zone2]

Home Depot and Lowes pay more to start... $12.You get what you pay for. As for Usair PHL airport, I've seen workers ride over luggage full speed on purpose. Morale is very very low. I've heard conversations. "I'll ride over bags all day long and toss luggage on the cold belt with 5 minute departures so it will miss ,until Parker treats us like people not wilder beasts." The contract that was offered, especially NO profit sharing!!That sent anger throughout the system. It made PHL workers run over bags more than once ,until they were MULCH or shredded wheat. It looked like a crime scene. The bag was destroyed beyond recognition. The manager came out and was asking workers what that tattered object was. People laughed and told him it was luggage. He thought they were lying. Until he walked over and saw the underwear.

 

[crushed]

I suppose I don't understand. Why does the pay determine the quality or quantity of work performed.

It's about the quality and work ethic of people that a industry low entry level job attracks. When you don't pay well you get the people who cannot get hired at the better paying jobs.
It's only going to get worse now that PHL has decided to hire "recruiters" off the street who have NEVER worked for an airline much less fleet service to do the ramp hiring. They'll hire anyone who can fog a mirror.

 

[Kev3188]

It's only going to get worse now that PHL has decided to hire "recruiters" off the street who have NEVER worked for an airline much less fleet service to do the ramp hiring. They'll hire anyone who can fog a mirror.

NW has been doing this for sometime...Ours are from a 3rd party company, and will literally tell the applicants whatever they want to hear ("you'll be on day shift," "you can have weekends off," "we'll work around your schedule," etc.). Then if (yes, if) they pass training they report and see what they're schedule will actually be, and quit almost immediately.

An applicant that can fog a mirror? We should be so lucky!

 

[orioleman]

CAPTBUD

Your 2 generations removed from whats going on today in the world of aviation.. with the pay and benefits offered to new hires. your getting

the bottom of the barrel.. There for a while in my station the joke was "the judge ordered either you go to usair for 90 days or go to jail"


your choice. Todays generation of kids .. JUST DON'T CARE about OLD SCHOOL. and what USAIR is offering isn't enough to warrant going out

and doing a good job , for fear of losing this great job to support your family like it used to be..


side note. glad to see there are still some old HAWKERS around

 

[WCT]

Home Depot and Lowes pay more to start... $12.You get what you pay for. As for Usair PHL airport, I've seen workers ride over luggage full speed on purpose. Morale is very very low. I've heard conversations. "I'll ride over bags all day long and toss luggage on the cold belt with 5 minute departures so it will miss ,until Parker treats us like people not wilder beasts." The contract that was offered, especially NO profit sharing!!That sent anger throughout the system. It made PHL workers run over bags more than once ,until they were MULCH or shredded wheat. It looked like a crime scene. The bag was destroyed beyond recognition. The manager came out and was asking workers what that tattered object was. People laughed and told him it was luggage. He thought they were lying. Until he walked over and saw the underwear.

That is pathetic!! You should never blame the pax's for a mismanged airline. They pay your wages. You would never see me rip thru a pax'x bag in the overhead, or purposely pour coffee or juice on them. That would be dumbfounded, and I would be in HUGE trouble. Please don't take your discust out on a innocent pax. You should be arrested and charged with this type of criminal behaviour. I can't believe there aren't police on the tarmac, or FAA to investigate, or take these rampers away!!!! How in the heck do they even clear the backround cks in the first place????!! :down:

 

[HPearlyretiree]

Not like you could fire him anyway, the union goons won't allow it.

He is a dues paying member, who cares if he is terrible.

Stick together.

 

[WCT]

Not like you could fire him anyway, the union goons won't allow it.

He is a dues paying member, who cares if he is terrible.

Stick together.

If a union rep saw this with there own eyes, I don't think they would tolerate this behavior. We are talking about peoples personal property. That is pure neglet and criminal activity. The PHL police should get involved, undercover cops. Something has to be done. Bags are also missing, being stolen. Uncalled for..

 

[EyeInTheSky]

Hola!

My bag made it - looked quite qood. I think it helps to have the Star Alliance Priority Tag on.

Anyway, someone in one of the above aforementioned post asks why go through PHL; why not someone else? I am working on that. Would love to stick with US, but after enduring the horrible coach seat on the 767 and utterly crappy 'cuisine' -- have you ever tried to eat pasta with a plastic spork? And, what the hell is with that diabetic-coma of a breakfast donut, trying to kill off the customers??. Sadly, it looks like I'll be taking the biz elsewhere. I will say the flight crew was superb. Was very impressed the Captain did the announcements in both English and Espanol --- Spaniards ate that up.

If somebody from the company wants to contact me about what I saw on the ramp-- PM me. I am sure they [company] can figure out who the hell I am from a flight search. Would love to see their faces when they do...LOL

Later,
Eye

 

[PA18]

CAPTBUD

Todays generation of kids .. JUST DON'T CARE about OLD SCHOOL. and what USAIR is offering isn't enough to warrant going out

and doing a good job , for fear of losing this great job to support your family like it used to be..
side note. glad to see there are still some old HAWKERS around

You couldn't be more right.

In Capt. Bud's day, a person could, and indeed wanted to, make a career out of the airline (and not just in the "glamour" jobs of pilot and "stewardess"). And it was a career one took pride in, and that pride showed in one's work habits, and in the airline product itself.

When US Air(ways) still used to fly mainline jets (or, as the delightful Southwest TV ad says, "Big plane!") into the old Mohawk and Allegheny stations, you would always encounter an older and much more professional cadre of employees.

Even today, one of the last of the traditional old-time mainline stations is PIT. Compare the demographics of the ramp workers in PIT with those of PHL and DCA.

Indeed, you get what you pay for.

 

[rjh]

I suppose I don't understand. Why does the pay determine the quality or quantity of work performed. If you accept the job with the salary known up front, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the employee to give 100%.
Let's assume at $8.00 an hour, he/she worked at 50%. Would raising the salary to $16.00 be enough incentive to get 100% out of them? I would bet my next SS check it wouldn't. I was always led to believe an honest days work for an honest days pay.
Perhaps Philly needs a dose of work ethic and accountability for personal performance.
These are just the mindless ramblings of an old fart though.

I agree. Working on the ramp, in reservations, and at the gate is technically considered an "entry level" job. Most people don't want to do that type of work the rest of their lives. If someone does want to do that--more power to them! But like all entry level jobs (retail, fast food, etc), the pay has to be low because of expected high turnover. Yes, a lot of people do wnat to make a career out of the airline indsutry, but most don't plan to stay in entry level jobs: they want to "move up". So, lower pay is expected while doing entry level jobs. Once again--just like in ALL industries.

I doubt that even $20/hour would be an incentive for most people that keep doing these jobs for a long period of time. You see a lot of poor work ethics in most entry level jobs--it's just the way it is.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

(This is NOT a defense of Idiotic behavior), ...but,...a quick glance at US cities/history.

"First" 3 Biggest US cities...NYC/PHL/BOS.
Since the very beginning, it has ALWAYS been Class warfare...An US..vs..THEM.
No such thing as a middle class back in the 1600/1700,s
So I would venture a guess that this is a continuation of learned behavior(a "get even"...if you will.)
Unfortunately, these IDIOTS equate the passenger as being connected to management.

Though I can't offer proof, I'll go "out on a limb" and say that this type of behaviour would be the exception, rather than the rule(PHL) in a country (say) like Sweden/Iceland/Norway ?

Any sociologists on these boards, that could explain (in further detail) to what I've already surmised ?

 

[zone2]

They just added security to the ramp in PHL cas the theft rate was so high. These guys must get paid dirt!!!!! They stroll around an look in the plane as you load aircraft. So you think thats going to solve the problem PARKER?? Well guess what the ramp workers took pictures of theses so called "SECURITY PEOPLE" sleeping and playing videos games like PlayStation 3" WHAT A JOKE!!! AND A WASTE OF MONEY THE CO. SPENDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!PARKER will spend money on $6 an hour security but wont give the workers crap. Here is the funny part. If you want to catch people stealing why make your presence known. You put up small cameras or go undercover. All these security people at PHL airport are to deter. You dont solve the problem or catch the people stealing. Its pathetic !!!!!!!!!

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> My idea is to have the backs of the uniforms of all the rampers/"below the wing folks" to have their last names on them...

<SNIP> Would love to stick with US, but after enduring the horrible coach seat on the 767 and utterly crappy 'cuisine' -- have you ever tried to eat pasta with a plastic spork?

I used to all the time, in the grade school cafeteria.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

Its really simple(though SAD).

The PHL situation is EXACTLY the same as the Illegal Immigrants>

The PHONEY republican politicians, and their Republican $$$ contributors(Think, the owners of the GIANT Agra-business's), do NOT want a wall built across the border)(at least the Democrats are "up front" about wanting to register the Illegals as voters),
AND,
The situation is the same MENTALITY at US (Tempe),....because.....Parker knows that he can't get quality help by paying "CHICKEN SHET" wages,.........BUT........PHL still makes a TON of $$$$ in spite of Itself,.......So therefore........DON'T change anything !!

I REALLY hope the good folks(US passengers) understand what I just wrote, because THAT is EXACTLY whats happening.
I DO NOT condone the actions of those IDIOTS on the PHL ramp, but it is the ULTIMATE responsibility of management..."TO MANAGE" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Hey PINEY ,..."can I get an AMEN") ??

 

[EyeInTheSky]

I guarantee you this stuff would never happen in PIT. Why? People in western PA know something about a thing called "work ethic." US Airways deserves everthing its getting for hiring on the cheap and cheapening the passenger experience. The people that work and fly this airline have watched the entire operation go to hell. Memo to Parker and Kirby: There really isn't much lower to go. Hell is a hot place and eventually you'll get burned in the a$$.

Later,
Eye