Reserve

[beachboy]

$1,300 a month? Where are you looking in the Philly, DE NJ area? I know of several places for much less in NICE areas! Kids I can understand. I would shoot for DE or NJ. Where were you based to begin with if I might ask? I am not trying to cause a dispute just wondering where you were displaced from that forced you to commute?

 

[FlightChic]

$1,300 a month? Where are you looking I the Philly, DE NJ area? I know of several places for much less in NICE areas! Kids I can understand. I would shoot for DE or NJ. Where were you based to begin with if I might ask? I am not trying to cause a dispute just wondering where you were displaced from that forced you to commute?

I make $1300 a month. In May I broke guarantee and I made $1500! Woo hoo! Anyway, I heard Reading, PA was pretty nice and cheap. I did look around NJ at one time but only in South Jersey and not by the coast. I think I would rather live in DE than NJ, but I haven't done extensive research. I'm just going by what I drove around and saw and heard from others who live there. I used to be based in CLT. I was hired in CLT, based in CLT, furloughed and now I'm in PHL. I knew it would be hard coming back with the commute but I didn't realize I would be making less now than as a new hire. I made waaayyyyy more in 2000! If I made what I made in 2001 I would most definitely be living in base. No lie! My big check for 2001 was more than both checks combined for 2007. I'm not trying to complain but that is how it is. I know I have a choice to quit and not do this or I could move now and not commute but I am trying make things work according to my plan and my financial situation so I won't be so broke in the future and so I can have a better life down the road. Does that make sense?

 

[beachboy]

I feel bad and I understand. We took a huge hit and yes housing is a lot more expensive than CLT. If I could be based in CLT I would as I could afford a lot more housing. But all I am saying is lets understand that people choose to live in the PHL base. We knew it was $$$ and we made the best of it. I am sorry you can't commute from wherever but I don't know what else to say? Dont' quit. try to make it work but understand a lot of people live here when we would rather be in SEA, ORD or SFO. We choose to not bring that in on our life and deal with the expense and crap that comes with PHL. I wish you the best in your commute.

 

[Twicebaked]

I'm not sure whether you commute but this summer my commute has been horrendous. There are times when I get up at 7-8am, get ready, drive an hour to the airport, try to get on 11am flight, but I don't because I am so junior and there are 20 other non revs ahead of me so I wait for the next flight and have same problem and wait for a later flight. I finally get on after 2-3 tries because I agree to work for someone. We sit on the runway for a long time and finally get to PHL around 8pm, get to my crashpad around 9pm, eat and get ready for bed. When I commute it can be a little chaotic and I really don't have time to be rested. It is so stressful but I have no choice but to commute.

Beachboy is correct, I do commute and it is HORRIBLE.

Again though, I didn't have a choice about being displaced but I have a choice to commute or quit my job.

I am not sure why (if) my point is getting lost somewhere......

Again, all I am saying is that when you have an operation that is basically a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week, 365 days a year operation SOMEONE has to work the "graveyard" shift.

If we HAD shifts, you have to sleep the hours that you are off NO MATTER when those hours are.

If I am off from 4:00pm until midnight....I can't complain that I am fatigued when I knew I HAD to sleep during that time. No matter what job you have that has that shift, you have to be rested for it and if you are not....that is your fault.

If you have to commute during your "rest" time, that is not ANYBODY's fault but your own.

 

[PITbull]

if we came together east/west and united showing the company we won't except anything but the BEST in our new contract and really stuck TOGETHER, but we have no unity because the company feeds us all the crap to keep us seperate to prevent us from being UNIFIED for a new contract that benefits all, trust me im RSV out in phx and it's waaaaaay worse than anything out east... it's pathetic mixed w/ terrible wages, it's really bad... SICK days are for a rest and break! lol, it gets tiring. I WISH people would stop feeding into all the companies propaganda and self started rumors to keep us seperate, that way we can get a good contract not only for us but the FUTURE F/A's that will come into US Air down the road.

PHL IS THE LARGEST BASE!

What the hell is your LECP doing??? Anyone know? Or is he just regurgitating what is in the contract in his e-lines???

Why is he not putting major pressure on the MECP???? Or are they rubbing each other to stay in office?

The smaller bases have little power,even if they united. Its PHL and CLT, and they choose to sit on their hands.

This entire union leadership has turned into a circus of figure heads who do NOTHING BUT SPUE HOT AIR!!!! I know the smaller base LECPs want change but they are powerless while McCorkey takes up space in PHL.

GET HIM OUT NEXT ELECTION; WHICH COMES AROUND AGAIN IN MARCH 2008.

 

[delldude]

Give it a break...you, like I have gone down the road.

 

[jbragg476]

Here's another issue while we are on the subject of Union officials... more specifically local leaders. Amazing how they get good pay at international rates I believe... and I maybe wrong.... but they also have no limit to the ETB's they can pick up and make more $$$. oh and btw... they don't have to worry about a 24/7 rule or how many day restrictions they have to get trips.. they could get a 4 day tomorrow if they want too.... or as many as they want too... since they don't have to fly a regular block. Personally if you are an elected union leader who gets paid... then you should do the union job and not take advantage of the system for more money... Half the time they can't even answer a question when they call.
Any thoughts?

 

[diamondcutter]

I know someone commented on this on another thread and I have to comment on it here too. What did everyone think of MF last e-line about RSVs ???

Every time a Reserve calls one of us we are directly affected.
Every time a Reserve sends one of us an email we are directly affected.
Every time a Reserve talks to one of us on a flight we are directly
affected.

I thought it was a bunch of BS ! Shame on him to act like being on reserve affects him. He is not the one getting called in the middle of the night. I want to know HOW he is directly affected ? Because he has to answer the phone and listen to us and do his JOB????

Here's the bottom line w/ me and this RSV system. This system is not what was voted on...period. I did NOT vote yes for this or any contract over the last 21 years however the majority did so out of fear (just my opinion).

However, we were told that with this new system the options would be replaced by the ETB for the B/H and the RSVs would be able to supplement their income via ETB....both of which are no longer happening. The union went to the company and asked for them to lower the B/H floor to 40 hours so there would be more trips on the ETB board...but we can't pick them up.

This is NOT what the F/A group voted for and our union should not be bending over for the company "until we have a joint contract" as MF has told me.

You do realise folks that we might never have a joint contract and ours is signed through 2011. I personally don't think we should have to live through 4 more years of this crap.

If MF and his band of MECPs don't want to do anything about this system then perhaps we should vote them out and vote in people who WILL try to do something.

I am so TIRED of MF MEC E-lines with his "we are outraged" & "we are appalled"---well then Mike, DO something. His last e-line that included the RSVs portion about how terrible the RSV system is made me want to vomit. The MEC concentrates on stupid stuff like making sure that those in the training dept get their seniority. They were able to change THAT in the contract. Why not this ???

He said that pref bidding would not be good for the F/A group. Well, let me just say, anything would be better than this !

I think everyone on this board should e-mail MF and ask about his recent statements about how the MEC is directly affected when none of them are on RSV...then post his responses here. I bet we'd get a yard of blarney w/ a different response of donkey dung to rival the sand out in Tempe.

songbird....What do you want the MEC to do...they will not open the contract period!!! Its not what you voted in and until the company comes up with a progam for pref bidding that union and the company can agee on it wont happen again period!! Pref bidding will only let the top 20 to 30 % of the block holders cherry pick all the good trips..all the rest will have to fill in with the dog trips. Do you understand the union cannot tell the company we want this and do it now!! You know it does not work that way. This rsv system sucks!! although some like it most dont. The company is playing hardball!!! Just dont always place the blame on the Union as you know its hard to deal with this company.

 

[N109UW]

Here's another issue while we are on the subject of Union officials... more specifically local leaders. Amazing how they get good pay at international rates I believe... and I maybe wrong.... but they also have no limit to the ETB's they can pick up and make more $$$. oh and btw... they don't have to worry about a 24/7 rule or how many day restrictions they have to get trips.. they could get a 4 day tomorrow if they want too.... or as many as they want too... since they don't have to fly a regular block. Personally if you are an elected union leader who gets paid... then you should do the union job and not take advantage of the system for more money... Half the time they can't even answer a question when they call.
Any thoughts?

I know the CLT LECP does at least one International ETB a month, thats on top of their pay. Pretty good deal. I hope she isn't double dipping and claiming union work also. Isn't that what everyone was upset about with the rsv rep up in Phlliy awhile back?

 

[EMBFA]

Maybe when this happens to us we could all call MF and CA in the middle of the night (anybody have their cell phone numbers?) to let them know what is going on! They'll never get any sleep because this happens all the freakin time! Imagine 9 people calling them every single night (or almost every night) and complaining about being quickcalled for transatlantic at 12 or 1 in the morning and wanting to know what they are going to do about it! We could spread out the call times too so just when they fall asleep again their phone rings again, and again, and again night after night. They might get the message then! Or maybe they'll just turn off their phones and ignore us. Well, it was a nice thought for the moment.

We pay that damm union to represent us and they don't... MAA, the reserve system- I have spent my career feeling as much if not more abused by the union as the company, than supported by it. We are obviously tired of it... us "one-decade-juniors" are the most abused, most pissed, and becoming the most vocal. WE will be here longer than the seniors, so really we have the biggest stake here. It is time to reclaim.

I think this idea is fabulous. Maybe this stuff is for the Reserve Blog, but we should come up with procedures for crap like this for all reserves to follow as a part of our mutiny.

Every time any one of you reserves get called in the middle of the night for a transatlantic, call either Mike or Carol and inquire as to whether you are legal, when you were supposed to sleep, etc- whatever- wake thier asses up and let's let them have a small taste of 24 hour reserve. Be sure to have your friend call them again at 5am with a detailed problem, and fill thier mailbox until they call back. We could start a chain and take turns- call them every hour on the hour 24 hours a day until they do something about it.

I love it! Operation: MEC ON Reserve.

 

[2clippedwings]

We should not be on duty for 24 hours/6 days per week.
We should be on 12 hour shifts.
The FAA should be on this just like the 24 hours off in 7 days ruling.
Of course, I would hope that our flight attendants would have the maturity and good judgement to get adequate rest during their "off" time.
ETB is a nice option however it is ridiculous to HAVE to work on days off in order to make a living wage while reserve flight attendants must live in expensive cities.
We should have 5 hour minimum days for reserves, deadhead full pay and credit, cancellation pay, 2 hour call out, flight pay for boarding, no cleaning the cabins, no pulling tickets, no getting off to push wheelchairs, proper sick pay from sick bank. More than minimum staffing, crew meals, an hourly wage higher than what I made as a flight attendant 30 years ago! And this is just off of the top of my head.
Union leadership is accountable to its members. There should be no "double dipping". MF's eline regarding how he is directly affected by our reserve system frankly offended me. Our reserve's concerns are how horribly affected the reserves are by our work rules, NOT how he has to field phone calls from frustrated, exhausted and bullied reserves. Fix the damn system and you won't have to field those phone calls.

Rant off.

 

[Career Reserve]

I know the CLT LECP does at least one International ETB a month, thats on top of their pay. Pretty good deal. I hope she isn't double dipping and claiming union work also. Isn't that what everyone was upset about with the rsv rep up in Phlliy awhile back?

the rsv rep may have had his off days moved but the previous PHL President averaged up to 170 hour pay per month. Office time plus ETB time. She would drop her Rome trips to her friends who in turn gave them back to her via the ETB. Correct me if I am wrong Baja or Beachboy. Yes, some of our presidents were/are greedy.
Just remember pigs go to slaughter!

 

[USstew23]

Beachboy is correct, I do commute and it is HORRIBLE.

Again though, I didn't have a choice about being displaced but I have a choice to commute or quit my job.

I am not sure why (if) my point is getting lost somewhere......

Again, all I am saying is that when you have an operation that is basically a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week, 365 days a year operation SOMEONE has to work the "graveyard" shift.

If we HAD shifts, you have to sleep the hours that you are off NO MATTER when those hours are.

If I am off from 4:00pm until midnight....I can't complain that I am fatigued when I knew I HAD to sleep during that time. No matter what job you have that has that shift, you have to be rested for it and if you are not....that is your fault.

If you have to commute during your "rest" time, that is not ANYBODY's fault but your own.

Well if they had shifts like say Morning (5a-5p) and Graveyard (5p-5a) I'd be willing to bet that people would be alot happier, at least they'd know when they had to sleep or be in place for duty or whatever. Of course there would be the people that could only hold 5a-5p and be upset (I'd actually prefer graveyard as I'm a night person I love red-eyes etc.) about that but at least there would be some idea of what was going on.

 

[ILMgwm]

I was a US F/A from 89 till 96. I held a block at DCA for 6 months. Otherwise, I was on reserve my whole career at US. I was also furloughed for a 9 months starting in 1990. But, what I have noticed from talking with my flight attendant friends is that PASS TRIP has been missing for numerours years.

I have read all the stories on this thread. I remember being called at 2 AM to fly a trip, but we could PASS TRIP, (and, pass for whatever u want, i.e, 2/3/4 day).
Therefore, you could avoid a sick call, no show or refusal.

My suggestion is perhaps you can suggest to your union leaders to go back to a more civilized reserve system.

Many times I have regretted transferring in my position, but I have the highest respect for each and every flight attendant.

 

[FlightChic]

We pay that damm union to represent us and they don't... MAA, the reserve system- I have spent my career feeling as much if not more abused by the union as the company, than supported by it. We are obviously tired of it... us "one-decade-juniors" are the most abused, most pissed, and becoming the most vocal. WE will be here longer than the seniors, so really we have the biggest stake here. It is time to reclaim.

I think this idea is fabulous. Maybe this stuff is for the Reserve Blog, but we should come up with procedures for crap like this for all reserves to follow as a part of our mutiny.

Every time any one of you reserves get called in the middle of the night for a transatlantic, call either Mike or Carol and inquire as to whether you are legal, when you were supposed to sleep, etc- whatever- wake thier asses up and let's let them have a small taste of 24 hour reserve. Be sure to have your friend call them again at 5am with a detailed problem, and fill thier mailbox until they call back. We could start a chain and take turns- call them every hour on the hour 24 hours a day until they do something about it.

I love it! Operation: MEC ON Reserve.

I love it! There's nothing like organized mutiny! Yes, we should come up with procedures for everything they do to piss us off. I love the idea of flooding MF and CA with phone calls, emails and mail at all hours of the day and night! Damn! I should have called and complained this morning when they wouldn't release me at 5:30am. What was I thinking? I will remember that next time! Isn't that part of our contract that they release us?

The next time scheduling quick calls me in the middle of the night for transatlantic after I have been on duty all day, I will call the union after I get off the phone with scheduling and I will call FAA the following day. I will get everyone else to call too. I will also call FAA whenever scheduling calls me at 11pm or midnight for a 5am or 6am check in. How many of you have had this problem? Also, what is up with those all nighter trips? How can that be legal? Not redeyes but those trips where you leave at night, then you have an 8 hour layover or so, then fly back to base or whereever. Pay is only like 5 hours or whatever the flight time is. Even though you are technically gone for two days (or in the company's eyes, all night which is just one) you are only paid for one day.

We need shifts! NOW!

We need to all write the FAA and complain. If they get lots of complaints, then hopefully they will put pressure on the company to change it so we have shifts. That will probably be more effective than the union.

We also need to bombard the union with complaints 24/7. They aren't directly affected by the reserve system! They are just sick and tired of listening to us b!tch and complain b/c the system is so bad and we are being screwed over by the company and by them and they just want us to shut the **** up because they don't care! Well, we will show them that they better care! We need to get the word out to every reserve and make sure they have the numbers and email addresses of people to contact and make sure they understand that they are to call and complain, ESPECIALLY in the middle of the night and early in the morning! I have a photocopier at home so I can make plenty of copies to hand out! We should also come up with a guide with all the lingo to use. I like the chain/phone tree idea where we all take turns calling about different issues. I'm sure we all have tons of things to complain about! Instead of complaining about everything at once, we should stagger it. Call at 5am and complain. Then call back at 8am and complain about something else that happened. Then around noon. Then around 6pm. Then around midnight. Just keep the calls and complaints coming. Be sure and call CA too because she is so rude and she HATES reserves. MF at least responds to me promptly each time I contact him and has never been rude to me to my face. He just doesn't do anything about any of the problems we have. We need to put some pressure on JM as well. What is he up to these days anyway? Who voted him in? It definitely was not me! We need to get rid of all of them! It is obvious they are not going to do anything to help the reserves so we must take matters into our own hands.

Watch for my blog tomorrow. I will post more there later.