PSA1979 said:
What is next? Well, for a 50+year old uneducated flight attendant who is married to a 50+year old uneducated flight attendant, there is not much hope of a job that even pays at half of what this one once did, or even does now.
Pay off bills? Okay, send me some extra money and I will. It cost over $20,000 a year to put a kid through college. That is in a state school and he has a loan for the tuition. But someone has to pay for living expenses, an automoble, insurance, etc. (oh and he only drives the auto to go to work to pay off the tuition loan, he rides his bike to school even in the rain)
For all those of you that have paid off everything and are ready to burn this place down, good for you that you actually had extra money and are now prepared. For those of us that are striving to make ends meet, (Between us we took a $25,000 dollar a year cut, wow we just paid for a junior reserve to sit around and not work) going to school to learn something new is expensive. We don't have any toys to sell, unless you count our cars, but then how would we get to a new job?
Does anyone know what unemployement pays? What do I do when that runs out? Wait until I can collect my retirement? What retirement, I heard they are going to take that too? Social Security? When I'm 67, if that isn't bankrupt.
Nope, there aren't too many jobs out there that we are qualified for. There aren't too many jobs out there period. I have been looking, I have been preparing as best as I can. But, I am willing to try to help this airline get back on course, and I am over playing the blame game. Look around you, Jet Blue is only 5 or 6 years old. They don't have to go to employees for cuts, their employees make minimum wage. They have no senior people. Even Southwest is only 30 years old, so how many topped out flight attendants can they possibly have?
The world of airline business is changing, the business customer isn't willing to foot the bill anymore. Things have to change, we either change with it or give it up to let someone else take up where we left off. And they are waiting in the wings licking their lips waiting for us to self destruct. Which is exactly what we are doing!
No Virginia, their is no Santa Claus!!!!!!!
First off, thanks for your decades of service. because of people like you the airline(s) have a wonderful history.
That being said the following is merely an opinion. Some things might surpise you in one way or another. The hand you have been dealt surely is not a great one but on Independence Day, America is what YOU make of it. There are no guarentees, Luck sometimes prevails over perservance, but i have never met and unsuccesfull hard worker who refused to give up ever in any endevour, from sports, to work, to family. that is one of the great things about america you a free to choose, choose to try, choose not to try, to do anything or nothing.
Thoughts are in different color
What is next? Well, for a 50+year old uneducated flight attendant who is married to a 50+year old uneducated flight attendant, there is not much hope of a job that even pays at half of what this one once did, or even does now.
please see bill cosby on this one. College, Technical College, even specialized classes to help you learn new skills are available in every state including some paid for by the state. Sorry but some people choose to go to school others did not (not taking away from those that "were forced to work due to useen circumstances")
Pay off bills? Okay, send me some extra money and I will. It cost over $20,000 a year to put a kid through college. That is in a state school and he has a loan for the tuition. But someone has to pay for living expenses, an automoble, insurance, etc. (oh and he only drives the auto to go to work to pay off the tuition loan, he rides his bike to school even in the rain)
Where does it say a parent must by law pay for the childs education? I paid for my college through loans and jobs. yes i had quite abit of debt upon graduation but i paid that off too. I'm not going to address the car. Ask around campus i'm sure you will find students there with no car, and have to work and get loans just to get by. It is nice if you can offer more to your child than you got and hopefully this will be the case for most everyone. yet you can go to college in many ways. if it were easy we would pay money and get the degree but thats not the way it works anythng ANYTHING worth while must be worked hard for otherwise it is not appreciated once achieved including education.
For all those of you that have paid off everything and are ready to burn this place down, good for you that you actually had extra money and are now prepared. For those of us that are striving to make ends meet, (Between us we took a $25,000 dollar a year cut, wow we just paid for a junior reserve to sit around and not work) going to school to learn something new is expensive. We don't have any toys to sell, unless you count our cars, but then how would we get to a new job?
I could go into my situation, but why all the employees took paycuts you are not the only ones. moreover talk to the ones that took the 100% pay cut, have no insurance and have childern to support, mortgages to pay and so on.do I do when that runs out? Wait until I can collect my retirement? What retirement, I heard they are going to take that too? Social Security? When I'm 67, if that isn't bankrupt.
America is running about 5.6% unemployment that means 94% are working sometimes you dont get to do what YOU want to do but there are opportunities out there you might surpise yourself if you give it a shot.
Nope, there aren't too many jobs out there that we are qualified for. There aren't too many jobs out there period.
I know that is not a fully true statement. suffice to say opportunities are out there you may not like them, it may not be in your choosen field, perhaps a return to school to change your vocation or sharpen or gain new skills to be applied elsewhere. i see 2 ways a looking at this. 1. i have been screwed and got an unfair shake and its not fair (which i wholehartedly agree) (for its affects read A320s posts you can see him grow angry that his way of life is now directly being affected and dislikes it immensely) or 2. ok its a pile of lemons but new challengers await, lets see what i am capable of or what can i do, or how far can i go now. or what is it like outside aviation. There is nothing that says you or I for that matter can not work elsewhere for a while only to return to the industry if so desired at a later date.
I have been looking, I have been preparing as best as I can. But, I am willing to try to help this airline get back on course, and I am over playing the blame game. Look around you, Jet Blue is only 5 or 6 years old. They don't have to go to employees for cuts, their employees make minimum wage. They have no senior people. Even Southwest is only 30 years old, so how many topped out flight attendants can they possibly have?
Southwest is the most Unioinized airline in the World (based on % of union vs total employees) Southwest employs the highest paid 737 pilots in the world. Southwest pays more (w2) on average for Pilots, Mechanics.. (i do not have current F/A data) however they are slated for a 30% INCREASE in pay next few years
JetBlue you are correct is only 5 years (4 operational) hence "no senior employees" but that does not mean you can not look at at Top of Scale rates and predict with accuarcy what they might be making then and compare them at that point. of course that is years in the future. just for reference though they are far from the lowest paid remember you must add compensation that normally when "your" company holds the LCCs up in comparission seem to forget about. i am talking about 150% of pay rates paid above a certain hour mark, profit sharing, matching 401k contriubutions, options that vest and can be exercised before seperation with company (years past at U not UAIR).
Reside yourself to the fact that when it comes to "blame" Labor (no matter what industry) will probably be at fault. sometimes rightfully so, most of the time not. it is Mangaments job to say that. In excellent companies that exceed expectattions worldwide that simply is not the case they change managment teams, they dont "fire the players" (see New York Yankees, GE, MSFT, DELL, INTC) Great Managers inspire , motivate and lead by example, poor ones point the finger (not saying which finger) and blame others for poor performance.
The world of airline business is changing, the business customer isn't willing to foot the bill anymore. Things have to change, we either change with it or give it up to let someone else take up where we left off. And they are waiting in the wings licking their lips waiting for us to self destruct. Which is exactly what we are doing!
you hit the nail right on the head, the business is changing and companies must adapt (not just airline but all companies) those that dont fail and go away, those that do continue to exsist and survive then thrive in times of good. Cutting wages and salaries will help the cashflow maybe enough maybe not but re read your statement "The world of airline business is changing, the business customer isn't willing to foot the bill anymore"
now apply that statement to UAIR what exactly are they doing to make people think of USAirways when they want to travel on an airplane? How you make them go to USAirways website before Southwests, How do you make them compare the 2 services and decide that UAIR provides a better value or service for the dollar? is it simply low fares? UAIR charges less than SWA now but yet that is not the PERCEPTION of the consumer. Are you telling them what they get for their travel dollar vs what they get for the same dollar elsewhere? or is it simply we need to lower costs (wages) i dont see management hammering Airbus, or Boeing, or the 5 largest states they serve to lower landing fees or get tax breaks, it merely appears that labor is the only thing they know how to reduce? or merely that is the one they can control the easiest?
No Virginia, their is no Santa Claus!!!!!!!
Finally, a simple thank you to all those people that serve that make our country great and safe for me and my family on this Independence Day (the armed services, police, fire, yes airline people who got no thank you for returning to the air post 9/11 even though more airline personel died on 9/11 than police officers)
God Bless the USA
