Good Points Made:
THIS IS SOMETHING FOR F/A's WITH SENIORITY OF 15 YEARS OR LESS(IN PARTICULAR) TO THINK ABOUT.
As we all know that we are approaching the long celebrated end of the term of Tommie Hutto-Blake as president of APFA. I personally have a problem with my union president being too senior to hear me. Ms. Hutto-Blake went into office with over 30 years of seniority and look how its worked out for us. I see that we are already being bombarded with those who wish to run for office with over 25 years of seniority. With promises of taking care of us (Hmm) I have recently had several conversations with senior F/A's on trips the I have picked up that typically go from 25 to 35 years who are friends of the candidates. My concern is that we junior F/A's need to be mindful that our needs are not necessarily the same as theirs.
There are already candidates who are actively campaigning, who are soliciting for money to support them and your votes. I implore you to please be careful about supporting any candidate that cannot understand or shows little to no interest in what your needs are. We have been living with this lack of concern about our needs under the current administration and I don't wish to continue with the same sense of apathy. Don't get me wrong, EVERYONE HAS LOST QUITE A BIT. Before I go any further spare me the " YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR DUES" speech. No one has paid as much in the past 5 years as the junior flight attendants. I really need everyone to take notice that since the initial concessions agreement where everyone gave up money, vacation and the same work rules; and yes it was a huge hit financially for everyone. I personally got pulled back to new hire pay in my 4th year of flying as well as never getting that 5 year salary jump that was so expected. As bad as it was for everyone to lose vacation time earned, how about losing half of your entire vacation as opposed to a second vacation.
Many of us haven't noticed we here at the bottom have been raped repeatedly since the agreement. In the heated conversations that I had with the senior F/A's I had to point out that the trips they fly haven't changed for the most part and that their work days aren't any longer then they were before the agreement. While we have seen our work days extended to 9 hours of flying and up to 14 hours almost daily. I so agree that the senior F/A's have earned the right to not fly those brutal 24 hour four day trips that have 3 or more legs a day with not just short layovers, but minimum time on the ground. Where AA moves departures up by 3 minutes to make the exhausted crew legal for the next 14 hour duty day. Consequently, because the sequences are scheduled so tight, it is not unheard of to have an even small delay to cause at least 2 trips to break up in a month and no way of making up the hours because make up never reaches us. I don't have a problem with senior F/A's not having to do it, my problem lies with a president that allows this to happen with little done about it. Its not an issue if it doesn't effect you, right candidate?
Also I wish to point out that since the agreement junior F/A's have lost positions on the Airbus and 737 which is a drop in seniority in itself. The speaker test only benefited the senior speakers. The purser program is a mess. But, its not an issue if it doesn't effect you, right candidate?.
UNLIMITED PVD's
With PVD's being unlimited now, I cant even spell it. It NEVER reaches us here at the bottom. Say what you want, that is not fair that only the top 5% get the few that are handed out ALL THE TIME!!!.When there were limited PVD's at least we at the bottom had a shot at one occasionally. Its not an issue if it doesn't effect you, right candidate?
.
RESERVE
We all know that reserve is here to stay. However I believe that reserve does not have to be so brutal. I would like to see reserve assignments given out no later than 4 PM. This would really help the quality of life for everyone. I don't think its fair that we have to wait until 7 PM for an assignment while the top 15% are given 3 rounds of make up especially since make up doesn't typically reach the bottom of the list. Its funny how many F/A's drop the premium trips then go on make up and we have to suffer the consequences. If there was just one round of make up after availability has been taken care of then reserve assignments can be released. This is something that can be very especially useful to commuters. Its not an issue if it doesn't effect you, right candidate?
These are just a few of the many issues that face us. If you have concerns that I haven't mentioned, I suggest that you bring them to the floor so they can be heard. I bring this out so you can be informed of what's going on around you and hold the candidates to address these issues. Please don't be fooled into allowing the candidates to give general answers to your questions that aren't helpful and watch that their entourage don't try to intimidate and brush you off. Tommie Hutto-Blake and her cronies were very good at that. Also if you see some of the names in the current administration running again, what changes do you expect will come?? And I don't care who the president is.
SEAN DANIELS
JFK F/A 9 YR SEN.
THIS IS SOMETHING FOR F/A's WITH SENIORITY OF 15 YEARS OR LESS(IN PARTICULAR) TO THINK ABOUT.
As we all know that we are approaching the long celebrated end of the term of Tommie Hutto-Blake as president of APFA. I personally have a problem with my union president being too senior to hear me. Ms. Hutto-Blake went into office with over 30 years of seniority and look how its worked out for us. I see that we are already being bombarded with those who wish to run for office with over 25 years of seniority. With promises of taking care of us (Hmm) I have recently had several conversations with senior F/A's on trips the I have picked up that typically go from 25 to 35 years who are friends of the candidates. My concern is that we junior F/A's need to be mindful that our needs are not necessarily the same as theirs.
There are already candidates who are actively campaigning, who are soliciting for money to support them and your votes. I implore you to please be careful about supporting any candidate that cannot understand or shows little to no interest in what your needs are. We have been living with this lack of concern about our needs under the current administration and I don't wish to continue with the same sense of apathy. Don't get me wrong, EVERYONE HAS LOST QUITE A BIT. Before I go any further spare me the " YOU HAVE TO PAY YOUR DUES" speech. No one has paid as much in the past 5 years as the junior flight attendants. I really need everyone to take notice that since the initial concessions agreement where everyone gave up money, vacation and the same work rules; and yes it was a huge hit financially for everyone. I personally got pulled back to new hire pay in my 4th year of flying as well as never getting that 5 year salary jump that was so expected. As bad as it was for everyone to lose vacation time earned, how about losing half of your entire vacation as opposed to a second vacation.
Many of us haven't noticed we here at the bottom have been raped repeatedly since the agreement. In the heated conversations that I had with the senior F/A's I had to point out that the trips they fly haven't changed for the most part and that their work days aren't any longer then they were before the agreement. While we have seen our work days extended to 9 hours of flying and up to 14 hours almost daily. I so agree that the senior F/A's have earned the right to not fly those brutal 24 hour four day trips that have 3 or more legs a day with not just short layovers, but minimum time on the ground. Where AA moves departures up by 3 minutes to make the exhausted crew legal for the next 14 hour duty day. Consequently, because the sequences are scheduled so tight, it is not unheard of to have an even small delay to cause at least 2 trips to break up in a month and no way of making up the hours because make up never reaches us. I don't have a problem with senior F/A's not having to do it, my problem lies with a president that allows this to happen with little done about it. Its not an issue if it doesn't effect you, right candidate?
Also I wish to point out that since the agreement junior F/A's have lost positions on the Airbus and 737 which is a drop in seniority in itself. The speaker test only benefited the senior speakers. The purser program is a mess. But, its not an issue if it doesn't effect you, right candidate?.
UNLIMITED PVD's
With PVD's being unlimited now, I cant even spell it. It NEVER reaches us here at the bottom. Say what you want, that is not fair that only the top 5% get the few that are handed out ALL THE TIME!!!.When there were limited PVD's at least we at the bottom had a shot at one occasionally. Its not an issue if it doesn't effect you, right candidate?
.
RESERVE
We all know that reserve is here to stay. However I believe that reserve does not have to be so brutal. I would like to see reserve assignments given out no later than 4 PM. This would really help the quality of life for everyone. I don't think its fair that we have to wait until 7 PM for an assignment while the top 15% are given 3 rounds of make up especially since make up doesn't typically reach the bottom of the list. Its funny how many F/A's drop the premium trips then go on make up and we have to suffer the consequences. If there was just one round of make up after availability has been taken care of then reserve assignments can be released. This is something that can be very especially useful to commuters. Its not an issue if it doesn't effect you, right candidate?
These are just a few of the many issues that face us. If you have concerns that I haven't mentioned, I suggest that you bring them to the floor so they can be heard. I bring this out so you can be informed of what's going on around you and hold the candidates to address these issues. Please don't be fooled into allowing the candidates to give general answers to your questions that aren't helpful and watch that their entourage don't try to intimidate and brush you off. Tommie Hutto-Blake and her cronies were very good at that. Also if you see some of the names in the current administration running again, what changes do you expect will come?? And I don't care who the president is.
SEAN DANIELS
JFK F/A 9 YR SEN.
