Sleeping on the job

[LAX Short Timer]

I recall being delayed boarding out of MIA to DFW once because they had to go on board and wake up the overnight AMTs first. There were four of them camped out in first class. Of course, this was admittedly years ago and it isn't to say they did it, or do it, all the time but all one would have to do is let their mind wander on the issue and it probably wouldn't be far from the truth.

Everyone sleeps on the job if they can get away with it, and everyone is wrong for doing so. It is unfair for an employer to be expected to pay a nights pay for no work.

Does anyone understand the fact that mechanics are like firemen? They get their work done and are done until another job pops up. I have worked numerous nights where everyone was done working in the hangar by 3 am. What do you expect the mechanics to do when all the work is finished. If you would like them to continue doing preventative maintenance on the aircraft, none of them would make it out on time. Management does not want extra work done on the aircraft that would jeopardize their flight schedule. Maybe we can start having firefighters go out and start fires in the middle of the night just to save the counties or cities money. Talk to 95% of local management and they would rather have their guys sleeping and accessible than causing more headaches.

 

[FA Mikey]

Does anyone understand the fact that mechanics are like firemen? They get their work done and are done until another job pops up. I have worked numerous nights where everyone was done working in the hangar by 3 am. What do you expect the mechanics to do when all the work is finished. If you would like them to continue doing preventative maintenance on the aircraft, none of them would make it out on time. Management does not want extra work done on the aircraft that would jeopardize their flight schedule. Maybe we can start having firefighters go out and start fires in the middle of the night just to save the counties or cities money. Talk to 95% of local management and they would rather have their guys sleeping and accessible than causing more headaches.

95% of management would rather their mechanics come to work and sleep rather than work. Why do I find that so hard to believe? Did you know those firefighters are on 24 hour schedules. No one expects them to stay awake that long. I am just amazed how you feel having mechanics have stay awake for 8 hours is such a torture.

I learned something here today. The reason the LAV door doesnt work, or the broken seat didnt get worked on. AA wants the mechanics to sleep, rather than fix planes.

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

firefighters are on 24 hour schedules. No one expects them to stay awake that long. I am just amazed how you feel having mechanics have stay awake for 8 hours is such a torture.

Here here Mikey! (thumps table)

I remember as a kid being staggered when my uncle (auto assemblyline worker) would brag about sleeping on the job. He was a good man and father but I just knew that was wrong.

Yeah, my father was a fireman too. And I was an altar boy with several priests in my family who regularly socialized with us on Sundays at my grandfathers' farm. But if one of them ever took advantage of the situation I can confidently state that I would have cleaned his clock.

Because I was raised to know that if in your gut you feel it might be wrong then it probably is.

 

[LAX Short Timer]

Here here Mikey! (thumps table)

I remember as a kid being staggered when my uncle (auto assemblyline worker) would brag about sleeping on the job. He was a good man and father but I just knew that was wrong.

Yeah, my father was a fireman too. And I was an altar boy with several priests in my family who regularly socialized with us on Sundays at my grandfathers' farm. But if one of them ever took advantage of the situation I can confidently state that I would have cleaned his clock.

Because I was raised to know that if in your gut you feel it might be wrong then it probably is.

I guess you are one who feels what the priests did to the children was and is right (because we all know it continues today) since you were an altar boy and had priests in the family. Did that feel right in the gut too. When you work nights for years on end and have a family that you have to take care of and do not get enough sleep, then come and try to tell us it is wrong to sleep on the job (WHEN THE JOB IS DONE). What do you idiots not get about WHEN THE JOB IS DONE. WHAT ELSE ARE THEY TO DO? Do you want the mechanics to clock out and go home when the job is finished? What happens when an airplane needs to be moved to the gate or something breaks and needs to be fixed.

 

[LAX Short Timer]

Your right, no one should ever sleep. Thanks for convincing me. As for being a waitress FA Mikey, I hope you never take any water from the aircraft.

 

[swdriver]

I guess you are one who feels what the priests did to the children was and is right (because we all know it continues today) since you were an altar boy and had priests in the family. Did that feel right in the gut too. When you work nights for years on end and have a family that you have to take care of and do not get enough sleep, then come and try to tell us it is wrong to sleep on the job (WHEN THE JOB IS DONE). What do you idiots not get about WHEN THE JOB IS DONE. WHAT ELSE ARE THEY TO DO? Do you want the mechanics to clock out and go home when the job is finished? What happens when an airplane needs to be moved to the gate or something breaks and needs to be fixed.

I would say that FA Mikey knows a lot. He knows that you are not supposed to sleep on the clock, regardless of the job you have with AA, unless it is spelled out in a contract, like the pilots and F/A's have on their long flights.

 

[lpbrian]

This thread is a real gem. All these stupid idiot know-it-alls who think they know A/C maintenace. Work all the way up to the bell! If you can lean, clean! That won't help pax on the 6am flight to MIA .

 

[Hopeful]

95% of management would rather their mechanics come to work and sleep rather than work. Why do I find that so hard to believe? Did you know those firefighters are on 24 hour schedules. No one expects them to stay awake that long. I am just amazed how you feel having mechanics have stay awake for 8 hours is such a torture.

I learned something here today. The reason the LAV door doesnt work, or the broken seat didnt get worked on. AA wants the mechanics to sleep, rather than fix planes.

Well Mikey, since mechanics don't FIX anything, it's amazing that you're still alive to post here. Instead of the fixing the lav door or broken seat, I may have been up all night troubleshooting the noise in the tail of an A300 reported by the flight attendants working the rear galley. maybe a legitimate gripe or maybe just paranoia following T587 Then I may have to fly on the FCF and maybe see what it's doing in flight because I can't duplicate the noise on the ground.

I didn't realize you were such a saint....hey I'm gonna call you SAINT MIKEY from here on...
You never dozed off on a long flight especially at night when the cabin lights are all dim...RIGHT...

And I bet you don't know ANY flight attendants who ever did something disgusting to the meal meant to be served to that annoying and vulgar passenger sitting in seat 4D...


Spare me, ST. Mikey

 

[FA Mikey]

Well Mikey, since mechanics don't FIX anything, it's amazing that you're still alive to post here. Instead of the fixing the lav door or broken seat, I may have been up all night troubleshooting the noise in the tail of an A300 reported by the flight attendants working the rear galley. maybe a legitimate gripe or maybe just paranoia following T587 Then I may have to fly on the FCF and maybe see what it's doing in flight because I can't duplicate the noise on the ground.

Please show me where I said mechanics dont fix anything. I have no gripes with mechanics. AA is the only airline I will fly on, work or pleasure, part of that is due to our mechanics.

What is interesting now is that you want to say you guys were up all night working, yet others like nlax short timer makes this statement "Management does not want extra work done on the aircraft that would jeopardize their flight schedule". That was what I was responding to.

I didn't realize you were such a saint....hey I'm gonna call you SAINT MIKEY from here on...
You never dozed off on a long flight especially at night when the cabin lights are all dim...RIGHT...

That is correct. I know my schedule and when I know I have to work all night I do the responsible thing and make sure I am rested and ready. Not a saint, just a responsible employee.

And I bet you don't know ANY flight attendants who ever did something disgusting to the meal meant to be served to that annoying and vulgar passenger sitting in seat 4D...

That is correct, seat 4D or any other. Try that BS on my flight, I promise you will be very sorry.

Spare me, ST. Mikey

Like it or not, sleeping on the job is wrong. The fact that no one has yet been able to make even a slightly convincing argument for it, shows how wrong it is.

 

[Hopeful]

Please show me where I said mechanics dont fix anything. I have no gripes with mechanics. AA is the only airline I will fly on, work or pleasure, part of that is due to our mechanics.

What is interesting now is that you want to say you guys were up all night working, yet others like nlax short timer makes this statement "Management does not want extra work done on the aircraft that would jeopardize their flight schedule". That was what I was responding to.

That is correct. I know my schedule and when I know I have to work all night I do the responsible thing and make sure I am rested and ready. Not a saint, just a responsible employee.

That is correct, seat 4D or any other. Try that BS on my flight, I promise you will be very sorry.


Like it or not, sleeping on the job is wrong. The fact that no one has yet been able to make even a slightly convincing argument for it, shows how wrong it is.

Again, I will recap for you.....No one is saying sleeping is justified, at least I am not.....what is at issue here is that management has allowed it for over 50 years....And the only reason that it is lately becoming a problem is because Corporate Security is receiving anonymous tips about people sleeping and it is no longer covered up by local management...

 

[The Foreigner]

Does anyone understand the fact that mechanics are like firemen? They get their work done and are done until another job pops up. I have worked numerous nights where everyone was done working in the hangar by 3 am. What do you expect the mechanics to do when all the work is finished. If you would like them to continue doing preventative maintenance on the aircraft, none of them would make it out on time. Management does not want extra work done on the aircraft that would jeopardize their flight schedule. Maybe we can start having firefighters go out and start fires in the middle of the night just to save the counties or cities money. Talk to 95% of local management and they would rather have their guys sleeping and accessible than causing more headaches.

How do do you think these MEL s would go over, autopilot inop... :angry:
or cabin crew rest door damaged, door secured and locked closed DO NOT USE.
lavs by door 1L and 1R inop {crew lavs on 777}
crew rest seats recline inop, parts nis this station
2 ovens inop aft galley etc
There are plenty of mels that can go on, and the A/C will depart too. But we try to get as much done as fast and as SAFE as possible so that OUR planes are ready at departure. So instead of milking a job, you work through breaks and lunch to get the job done, then kick back and relax and hope you don't get any call backs. also don.t forget to do all the paper work and sign offs that take longer to do than the job did. lol Remember the rest of the airline only sees MX when it is a call back, most of the heavy work goes on at night, on turn arounds we try to do as much as possible for a SAFE departure.

I don't think there are that many that go out of their way to make a nest and plan on sleeping, some might. But most are just relaxing after busting a** to get their plane out of town, on time.

Like I said before have you ever heard a mechanic say "I'M OUT OF HOURS" I didn't think so. Most will work the plane till it's ready or if lucky enough have another shift take over.

I suggest we close this now as we will never agree, if you never worked a/c mx you will never know what goes on there, it's not all coffee and newspapers,tv etc, there is a reason that American airlines aircraft are some of the most reliable. We may bit@h about alot of things but most of us like seeing our planes leave on time.

 

[The Goose]

... snip
I suggest we close this now as we will never agree, if you never worked a/c mx you will never know what goes on there, it's not all coffee and newspapers,tv etc, there is a reason that American airlines aircraft are some of the most reliable. We may bit@h about alot of things but most of us like seeing our planes leave on time.

What you're saying is true - unless you've been there, ...


Reminds me of a little truism I read once:

"Only two kinds of people understand the Marines - other Marines and the enemy."

 

[swdriver]

What you're saying is true - unless you've been there, ...


Reminds me of a little truism I read once:

"Only two kinds of people understand the Marines - other Marines and the enemy."

This topic is going nowhere. Mechanics think it is their god-given right to sleep on the job and draw a paycheck at the same time.
I do have one question, where did they ever get this idea? Work 8 hours and get paid 8 hours. Work 6 hours and sleep 2 hours, get paid for 6 hours. Thats pretty simple for most people to figure out.

 

[The Goose]

This topic is going nowhere. Mechanics think it is their god-given right to sleep on the job and draw a paycheck at the same time.
I do have one question, where did they ever get this idea? Work 8 hours and get paid 8 hours. Work 6 hours and sleep 2 hours, get paid for 6 hours. Thats pretty simple for most people to figure out.

The issue is not sleeping on the job. The issue is the tacit approval by the management-types of the 'sleeping on the job' for many years and various supervisors/managers/directors not being shown the door for allowing the practice.

Any fool know that as time nears for an announced management reduction (even though only the best are ever thrown under the bus at AA, the human dregs are protected and hidden) it's time for brownie points to be made. The long standing practice of napping after the work was done was fair game for an attaboy or two, not to mention there was without a doubt an mech or two in the group whose presence was not wanted anymore by said management.

The mechs were definitely at fault here because they were foolish enough to trust a management type with their job; the management type, considering the reductions that were announced, acted predictably.

When push comes to shove, the snake will bite.

Speaking of management, which one are you?

 

[Kieran]

This topic is going nowhere.

Quite correct. Topic closed.