Sick Out - Sunday, January 2, 2005

[4merresrat]

Everyone is blaming management. What ever happened to personal responsibility, integrity. and a semblance of work ethic.
I certainly can't blame management for expecting the employees to do their jobs. How can any management cover every possible contingency that could potentially disrupt the operation. They can't. I only hope we can recover from this terrible act of irresponsibility.

[post="232652"][/post]​

Most are blaming management yes, but not everyone if you will read the posts. The great majority of the posters who utilize this board feel the same way, I guess that is why they congregate here, to feel like they are with the majority. I wonder if they will still come here to lament their fate should Usaiirways fail to make it.

 

[us0004us]

Everyone is blaming management. What ever happened to personal responsibility, integrity. and a semblance of work ethic.
I certainly can't blame management for expecting the employees to do their jobs. How can any management cover every possible contingency that could potentially disrupt the operation. They can't. I only hope we can recover from this terrible act of irresponsibility.

[post="232652"][/post]​

usairways is responsible.
its that simple.
usairways must accept responsibility for what happened.

finger pointing now is ...pointless...

this is a crisis that needs to be managed successfully.

management on the property this weekend..feet on the ground phl,dca,lga,etc etc etc

no excuses

when there is a crisis this serious...its just part of the management job

usairways must take care of their psgrs now

 

[tadjr]

Why is it that the employees at US Airways love to blame everyone but themselfs? The facts are very clear. IF THE EMPLOYEES AT US AIRWAYS DID (DO) THERE JOB'S NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. Plane and simple facts. You guys love to bash Mgmt for incompetience, maybe you need to first look in the mirror. -Cape

[post="232677"][/post]​

Not going to fly with me Cape. I was scheduled off on Christmas and the day after. I VOLUNTEERED to work for 4 people so they could be off. Put in 13 hours on Christmas and 11 on Sun. I'm currently in the middle of 16 days in a row and just went to the DR today to get medicine so I can continue to work instead of calling off. Once again, its just a few people who might deserve scrutiny, dont lump us all in together, ok?
I also stand by my "bashing" of management for incompetence in scheduling.
In station we have 1 guy out shoulder surgery, 1 out bladder surgery, 1 out hernia, 1 out slipped discs, 1 out undisclosed, 1 part timer quit, 1 supervisor quit and 2 retired in Sept. and ALL of their lines have not been covered in advance. This is before anyone ELSE called out sick. We also have 4 UNCOVERED lines since they wouldnt authorize staffing. We've been working these 4 lines uncovered since Nov in ADDITION to everyone now out on injury. They've been able to piecemeal coverage up until now. Why havent they upgraded some of us to temp full time to cover those out on injuries? They've known since they went out last month that they wouldnt be here this month yet they continue to piecemeal a schedule together. Well I guess some people thought that they'd rather be with their families this holiday instead of coming in to work overtime so we worked short.
I've posted the staffing info on another thread about how adequate we were staffed over the weeked. Again tonight, NO SUPERVISOR at the counter scheduled afternoon and *2* agents scheduled after 5pm at the counter. Does this sound like adequate staffing to you? If this isnt incompetence on managements part I dont know what is. How hard would it be to ASK one of the 10 of us who have been downgraded to part time to work a full time shift to cover one of the 8 lines uncovered? We did have a couple people call out ( 3 or 4 each day) but that shouldnt really affect the operation on a normal day IF THERE HAD BEEN ADEQUATE STAFFING TO BEGIN WITH! :down:
Now I can only imagine what its like in other cities if they are doing things the way they continue to do things here.
Coverage - TBA

 

[Trin03]

. IF THE EMPLOYEES AT US AIRWAYS DID (DO) THERE JOB'S NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

[post="232677"][/post]​

The employees at US Airways have always worked their jobs correctely - PLAIN AND SIMPLE!

In doing our jobs and doin them well, we still have gotten screwed by management, dumped on by many passengers and kicked when we are down by people like you. Of all the years I have worked for US Airways, I always led with a smile and my graciousness. However, your post really has pissed me off!

First off, the people, who called off sick, did it and there is not a damm thing anyone can do about it - it is over and done with. Whatever happens will happen on this weekend too. Only thing ANY employee can do is handle their own business and take comfort in the fact that if they showed up for work, then they did their part.

 

[Mtnman928]

Being that PHL is a major hub for US, I would think there would be about 1500 to 2000 rampers there. If only 80 called in sick, their operation should not have been affected at all. Perhaps they were extremely short staffed to begin with.

[post="232682"][/post]​

It's my understanding they were suppose to recall 40 at the begining of Dec. and didn't plus Dec. is a big month for vacations. They were hurting from the get go.

 

[Kev3188]

and ALL of their lines have not been covered in advance. This is before anyone ELSE called out sick. We also have 4 UNCOVERED lines since they wouldnt authorize staffing. We've been working these 4 lines uncovered since Nov in ADDITION to everyone now out on injury. They've been able to piecemeal coverage up until now. Why havent they upgraded some of us to temp full time to cover those out on injuries? They've known since they went out last month that they wouldnt be here this month yet they continue to piecemeal a schedule together.

[post="232718"][/post]​

The fact that they can "piecemeal" a schedule together is the exact reason why they have not recalled anyone or upgraded PT'ers. We're in the same boat over at my carrier. On the ramp we have 200+ man hours open every week. As long as the planes are going out on time,everything else-including customer service-is secondary. Why go through the hassle of paying benefits, etc., when someone is willing to work a little bit here or there? It's *much* cheaper to pay out overtime than to hire someone back. Everytime someone agrees to hold over or come in early, all they are doing is subsidizing the company's staffing plan (I'm not talking about irregular ops., or WX events here; I mean on a daily basis).The real problem for mgmt. will (and it sounds like it's already started down there?) be when everyone says "forget it," and either refuses temp upgrades, or any O.T. That is the *only* way to effect change.

 

[EyeInTheSky]

CapeCod that was a low blow. The airline functions because of the employees, who despite all the crap thrown at them and their pockets picked continue to go to work and do the very best they can for the customers. Now, if people are sick, they're sick. The company got caught with its pants down. IE you can't keep doing things on the cheap it costs so much more in the long run, but management doesn't get that. A few cogs in the big machine got sick and the whole thing melted down.....maybe we need some more damn cogs in the machine. Duh!

 

[Justme]

I also stand by my "bashing" of management for incompetence in scheduling.

[post="232718"][/post]​

Seems you aren't the only one TJ...I haven't wanted to admit it but after this weekend and then reading the following article it's hard to deny that poorly run airlines are rightly attributed directly to poor leadership. I don't agree with everything she says in the article, but Marilyn does hit a couple of triples.

Link to story follows some excerpts...

By Marilyn Barnewall
© 2004 Business Reform

From the comments received, one thing is very clear: The airline industry has a leadership problem.

The pilots all said the same thing: "They hired a bunch of bean counters to run the airline and they haven't got a clue about how things outside of their accounting books work."

It is clear the mentality of airline management and the pilots represents opposing views.............

..........One retired Delta flight attendant wrote about the good old days to say "Delta's corporate offices had metal desks and linoleum floors. All of Delta's officers came up through the ranks. The airline was always in the black. Employees were appreciated and rewarded with raises every year. Officers were not paid millions. Any employee could reach any officer at any time.

"Delta went downhill because they had a complex about being a southern airline... suddenly the corporate offices became mahogany row. Nothing was too good. Yearly meetings changed from Monroe, LA, to the Plaza in New York, and retreats to Pebble Beach. Free car-type perks became the norm. Managers were hired from outside the company. A company with 70,000 employees didn't have anyone qualified? Delta went from five vice presidents to over 60. Of course, these officers did not make any sacrifices to build Delta. They had no allegiance to Delta. They came and they took.

"Yes, in the flight attendant department there is a union drive now. What would you expect? Most Delta flight attendants have at least an undergraduate degree yet they are told they are 'under-worked, over-paid, kitchen help.'

"The reality is, when a company is not listed in the top 100,000 companies to work for, there may be a reason for a union." Or, I would add, bad service.

A union does not solve this problem.

Getting rid of an executive staff with delusions of grandeur and self-importance is the only thing that solves this problem.

Story Here

 

[Winglet]

On the other hand, a thread like this will be used against the employees by the media. Gives management an easy way to say "this appears organized", and go after the union for damages, like AA did to APA. Should be interesting....

[post="232684"][/post]​

The AA case was very different.

 

[bluetoad]

So do you think management will rush to fire everyone before the next holiday or will they tell everyone they are going to fire you after the holiday? If I thought they were going to fire me anyway, I dont think there would be to much motivation to "heal" myself. Unless management is prepared to forgive and "pardon" any suspected abusers, they better get their replacements out there before the New Year. Better yet, fire everyone and cancel all the flights before the New Year. That way costs will be done as low as they can go.

 

[delldude]

wow i feel like i'm comin' down with something again....good thing i got 2 sick days left....don't know if i can make it in this weekend...and i was going to go in for free and help my buddy usfliboi out.....i feel terrible about this...

 

[AA191]

The question is, are you guys going to sick out on Sunday?????

 

[deano]

wow i feel like i'm comin' down with something again....good thing i got 2 sick days left....don't know if i can make it in this weekend...and i was going to go in for free and help my buddy usfliboi out.....i feel terrible about this...

[post="233115"][/post]​

I left that company with exactly one sick day on the books and that was only because I was on leave of absence and accrued one day. These guys who leave with a ton of time the books are "crazy" IMO. In their brainwashed minds they are saving a company and it's employees from extinction one day at a time just by showing up, I love it. One thing I have learned working at U is how Hitler made his climb, it's easy when you have such a herd. That reminds me…where’s the Captain been?

Curt EX cavalier Ex U employee, same mind

 

[Trin03]

The question is, are you guys going to sick out on Sunday?????

[post="233122"][/post]​

Give me a break! If people were going to do that, they are not going to post it here! Anyway, What difference does it make? If one is going to fly to their destination they should just be prepared, just like they should if there were to be a sudden noreastern coming through.

 

[TheLazarusman]

.....First off, the people, who called off sick, did it and there is not a damm thing anyone can do about it - it is over and done with. Whatever happens will happen on this weekend too.....

[post="232728"][/post]​

I'm sure in your heart you really believe that, Trin. The men and women of P.A.T.C.O. believed they were going to keep their jobs, too; but the union couldn't do a dayum thing for them.

wow i feel like i'm comin' down with something again....good thing i got 2 sick days left....don't know if i can make it in this weekend...and i was going to go in for free and help my buddy usfliboi out.....i feel terrible about this...

[post="233115"][/post]​

Yeah, sure you do. If there's some of you stupid fu2kers out there who are really thinking about pulling this #### again on January 2 the erectile disfunction of your brains has surpassed even the point to which I thought it could droop to. Why don't you save us all the headache and go ahead and make your exodus now? I personally no longer have the desire to swap spit and trade warm fuzzies with you.

I left that company with exactly one sick day on the books and that was only because I was on leave of absence and accrued one day. These guys who leave with a ton of time the books are "crazy" IMO. In their brainwashed minds they are saving a company and it's employees from extinction one day at a time just by showing up, I love it. One thing I have learned working at U is how Hitler made his climb, it's easy when you have such a herd. That reminds me…where’s the Captain been?
Curt EX cavalier Ex U employee, same mind

[post="233124"][/post]​

Cav, you're my buddy, and you know that 90% of the time we agree on most issues; but on this one I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you. I'm definitely not a company man. I'm not brainwashed either. And I think I know when it's time to fish or cut bait. Right now I still think I'm still alright with my pole in the water. But you can bet when it's time to cut bait I'm taking everything I can get my hands on and running as fast as I can. I don't like current management any more than the next guy. In fact, I'm pretty extremeist and radical. I probably like our current situation a lot less than a lot of guys do. I just happen to believe these sick outs are hurting our fellow employees a lot more than they are the company. The big wigs have already got their money; all we're doing is hurting our passengers and each other.

The Lazarusman
FSA Lead
USAirways DFW