American Airlines Just Surveyed All Its Employees – And Things Are Pretty Bad

And I CSO 1 day in almost 10 years, and still have almost 300 hours of sick time at my disposal. But you fight for what you think is important to you.

I fight for contentment and inner solitude Bob.
 
And I CSO 1 day in almost 10 years, and still have almost 300 hours of sick time at my disposal. But you fight for what you think is important to you.

I started with this company when the primary reason to work for it was health insurance and flight benefits, as $7.50/hour wasn't really paying the bills, so second jobs were common. Even with the current starting pay, while greatly improved, it still isn't great. For some it was a good part-time job for a spouse while raising kids. Each one of those situations flexibility being able to drop and pick-up shifts became critical. Even as the pay improved with a series of mergers and CBAs, the desire to keep the job in aftermath of furloughs, the issue of flexibility continued its importance as some commuted.

My point being that I recognize there are some "legitimate" reasons (instead of those who really don't want to be here less for benefits) for which I sympathize especially the acceptance as I age my ability perform as I did in my 30's may cause me to reduce my hours, as well. I also recognize there are many part-time people who work full-time hours, and without the ability for some to drop hours there won't be hours to pick-up.

While I agree there might be a need to tighten-up some trades/swaps, a hatchet job to eliminate the flexibility strikes me as just mean-spirited and petty.
 
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Just read the comments on this subject, and wanted to comment on the original topic that the posted brought up. At my airline, we are constantly taking surveys. (just took one online last month). Since the new management cam in, we've took several surveys, and it has been a mixed back of results to say the least. IMHO, I think that things are improving since the last regime almost destroyed the airline. Things are looking up somewhat. But we still have to recover from the bad decisions that the previous management made. And the fallout, like lost revenue and contracts that we are trying to recover. Hopefully your management team should and would take heed to the surveys, instead of paying 'lip service" to them.



BTW Kev do you notice a specific word in this comment?

“I spoke with Patrick O’Keeffe, American Airlines Senior Vice President – People, who was candid about the results, he suggested the most important thing for American is now having a “robust set of data” that they can work from. He says they need to work on the bond between “team and company” and “changing the culture” is their goal“

.......Heard those same set of phrases before. First during the first regime (after the merger) And again during the second management team. At least the second team is "trying" to bridge the gap between the management and the employees. Jury is still out



Filter THANK YOU!!!!! I agree 100%. Even though a great thing about working in the Airline industry is the flexibility we work with too many people who want to be flexible out the door and never be seen.

And these people even though 1 is too many are a very very small minority of the overall workforce.

And that's why I like my job......the flexibility that comes with it. I can make my monthly nut in less time, by picking up trades; doing doubles; and picking up OT whenever available. And can trade of days (or have personal "deals" with co-workers to swap shifts). You can be really creative at this job, and make a lot of money at the same time. Or take more days off to do other things, and not fall below the minimums.




Day at a time vacation.

For those of you on the AA side this is an IAM thing.

Say at the beginning of the year you get 20 days of vacation , you have several options on how to use them.

You can bid four weeks of block vacation.

You can bid three weeks of block and five days to use as a “Day at a time”.

Or you can bid two weeks of block and take 10 DATs.

This all comes out of your vacation bank.

You also get 10 holidays, if you work the day you can take it as double time and a half or you can take it as time and one half and then bank eight hours as a comp day.

If you don’t work the holiday you can take it as eight hours of straight pay or you can bank the eight hours as a comp day.

So a DAT is totally separate from the comp days.

We can use up to 2 weeks of DAT's (I usually only take 1) if you have 4 or more weeks of vacation. Either floating or fixed (you have to bid for fixed DAT's in the final round of vacation bidding. Plus the "birthday floater" and a second floating holiday helps a lot.
 
I started with this company when the primary reason to work for it was health insurance and flight benefits, as $7.50/hour wasn't really paying the bills, so second jobs were common. Even with the current starting pay, while greatly improved, it still isn't great. For some it was a good part-time job for a spouse while raising kids. Each one of those situations flexibility being able to drop and pick-up shifts became critical. Even as the pay improved with a series of mergers and CBAs, the desire to keep the job in aftermath of furloughs, the issue of flexibility continued its importance as some commuted.

My point being that I recognize there are some "legitimate" reasons (instead of those who really don't want to be here less for benefits) for which I sympathize especially the acceptance as I age my ability perform as I did in my 30's may cause me to reduce my hours, as well. I also recognize there are many part-time people who work full-time hours, and without the ability for some to drop hours there won't be hours to pick-up.

While I agree there might be a need to tighten-up some trades/swaps, a hatchet job to eliminate the flexibility strikes me as just mean-spirited and petty.


Except there’s not going to be any hatchet job to the benefit. If you want to work for the Airline essentially you have to come to work 3 days one week and only 2 days the next and everything is fine.

You see just the fact we’re even arguing about it tells me we’ve been just a little bit privileged in our careers.

Again TWU side had no Contractual Language so we really didn’t have any arguments we could make or win against the Company to have it remain more liberal.
 
I started with this company when the primary reason to work for it was health insurance and flight benefits, as $7.50/hour wasn't really paying the bills, so second jobs were common. Even with the current starting pay, while greatly improved, it still isn't great. For some it was a good part-time job for a spouse while raising kids. Each one of those situations flexibility being able to drop and pick-up shifts became critical. Even as the pay improved with a series of mergers and CBAs, the desire to keep the job in aftermath of furloughs, the issue of flexibility continued its importance as some commuted.

My point being that I recognize there are some "legitimate" reasons (instead of those who really don't want to be here less for benefits) for which I sympathize especially the acceptance as I age my ability perform as I did in my 30's may cause me to reduce my hours, as well. I also recognize there are many part-time people who work full-time hours, and without the ability for some to drop hours there won't be hours to pick-up.

While I agree there might be a need to tighten-up some trades/swaps, a hatchet job to eliminate the flexibility strikes me as just mean-spirited and petty.

i understand..that's your story and the story of others.

when i got hired at aa, weekend warriors were p/ters, because the union; and to some extent - the company, incentivized FT work, shifts, days off. many F/T had weekends off, and p/t were around to work their weekends.

in my station now, p/t with 3 years seniority have am/weekends off in desirable work areas. the lax CS policy now sees corrupted shifts - a p/t will bid an am shift in a desirable work area, then CS off 3-4 days a week to a F/T who belongs to an exclusive CS 'club'.

everyone has a 'situation', i don't feel the company is obligated to take care of a p/t worker who works 2 times a week for their family's health benefits. i certainly feel the union should look out after F/T workers...especially those who have paid thousands of dollars in union dues through the years.
 
Just read the comments on this subject, and wanted to comment on the original topic that the posted brought up. At my airline, we are constantly taking surveys. (just took one online last month). Since the new management cam in, we've took several surveys, and it has been a mixed back of results to say the least. IMHO, I think that things are improving since the last regime almost destroyed the airline. Things are looking up somewhat. But we still have to recover from the bad decisions that the previous management made. And the fallout, like lost revenue and contracts that we are trying to recover. Hopefully your management team should and would take heed to the surveys, instead of paying 'lip service" to them.





.......Heard those same set of phrases before. First during the first regime (after the merger) And again during the second management team. At least the second team is "trying" to bridge the gap between the management and the employees. Jury is still out





And that's why I like my job......the flexibility that comes with it. I can make my monthly nut in less time, by picking up trades; doing doubles; and picking up OT whenever available. And can trade of days (or have personal "deals" with co-workers to swap shifts). You can be really creative at this job, and make a lot of money at the same time. Or take more days off to do other things, and not fall below the minimums.






We can use up to 2 weeks of DAT's (I usually only take 1) if you have 4 or more weeks of vacation. Either floating or fixed (you have to bid for fixed DAT's in the final round of vacation bidding. Plus the "birthday floater" and a second floating holiday helps a lot.


Long time no hear from T5. Hey Happy Holidays to you and your family.
 
i understand..that's your story and the story of others.

when i got hired at aa, weekend warriors were p/ters, because the union; and to some extent - the company, incentivized FT work, shifts, days off. many F/T had weekends off, and p/t were around to work their weekends.

in my station now, p/t with 3 years seniority have am/weekends off in desirable work areas. the lax CS policy now sees corrupted shifts - a p/t will bid an am shift in a desirable work area, then CS off 3-4 days a week to a F/T who belongs to an exclusive CS 'club'.

everyone has a 'situation', i don't feel the company is obligated to take care of a p/t worker who works 2 times a week for their family's health benefits. i certainly feel the union should look out after F/T workers...especially those who have paid thousands of dollars in union dues through the years.

But it isn't just PT to desire a liberal drop/swap policy... plenty of FT do, as well, and some even do down into PT number of weekly hours too!

I agree the Company has no obligation to cover people who are barely here, and I think there is general agreement. While I recognize long-term, FT workers have paid decades of dues, I assume they were represented during that time, as well? We all pay dues, both PT and FT, and those payment were for representation during that time of employment.

In terms of "better" or more desirable work locations and times, operational necessity should dictate the allocation of PT and FT shifts. We are never going to find a perfect bidding routine as FT will trade even amongst themselves as lower seniority guys find themselves with more desired times and locations if they are doubling with a higher seniority person. There has always been plenty of gamesmanship when people buddy bid.
 
It has nothing to do with making extra money.

I don’t commute I enjoy doing double, double, single every other week to have four days off one week and single, single, single double and have three days the other weeks.

And then pick up any overtime I want.
 
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DAT sounds like what used to be a PVD (personal vacation day, borrowed against your existing allotment or next year's allotment).

Working double-double-single has always seemed like a safety issue the union willfully ignores. It implies you've had less than 8 hours of rest two days in a row.