Are we really the most miserable?

[InternationalShannon]

Couldn't sleep last night, so I was reading everything on our message board until I ran out, and then decided to check out other airlines' message boards.

It could be my rediculous lack of sleep but it seems like we are by far the most miserable employees in the system.

It is probably going to be hard to save an airline with so much venom on the inside - - regardless who is responsible - -

The vets are tired and over it - - the newbies don't understand - - and some of us in the middle (only 7 years in this industry) are nauseated from the most prolonged and unsatisfying rollercoaster ride ever, but can't get off for the love of the industry....not the particular job...and lack of other similar opportunities elsewhere.

How disappointing to invest such a long time in a career to be so unsatisfied with conditions. I hope it gets better so the vets can retire happily instead of just pooped out and frustrated.

 

[PO'ed PHX Ramper]

ALL of us are negative. I see this when I ride the bus back to the employee lot. I park in the South lot here in Phoenix and I listen to our guys talk, then I listen to Southwest employees.

Pilots, FA, Fleet - Every single one of them always have smiles, never complain about their jobs, are NICE to eachother. (unlike flight attendants, I'm serious you guys are negative) They all have made careers for themselves, and have no contract squabbles, financial troubles, V.D., (lol) and are generally HAPPY.

 

[Atlantic]

Don't believe everything you read.

 

[InternationalShannon]

I agree, I know people who work/have worked for WN, and they seem to be very satisfied. It would be so wonderful to be in this industry without all the negativity.

US Airways has what it needs to be a great airline, all of the essential body parts are present and it seems as if things financially are going better for them too.

Ultimately, the cancer within; the hostility that is so contagious among its employees are going to be the demise of the carrier, even though most people want to blame it on Dougie.

I don't know when the last time I heard someone say "I love US Airways" was....unless the damn carrier went under and then everyone would be all nostalgic about it.

 

[YVINTERN]

I agree, I know people who work/have worked for WN, and they seem to be very satisfied. It would be so wonderful to be in this industry without all the negativity.

US Airways has what it needs to be a great airline, all of the essential body parts are present and it seems as if things financially are going better for them too.

Ultimately, the cancer within; the hostility that is so contagious among its employees are going to be the demise of the carrier, even though most people want to blame it on Dougie.

I don't know when the last time I heard someone say "I love US Airways" was....unless the damn carrier went under and then everyone would be all nostalgic about it.

So Truee...Soo Sadd...

I know I'd definitely say that until I die if US Airways went under!

One of the best airlines that I've flown with and have the pleasure of knowing some of the finest in the industry, it'd be a gloomy day if it happened.

 

[Itestwell]

So Truee...Soo Sadd...

I know I'd definitely say that until I die if US Airways went under!

One of the best airlines that I've flown with and have the pleasure of knowing some of the finest in the industry, it'd be a gloomy day if it happened.

I love USAirways!

Better living thru chemistry, folks....... Start taking the right meds, and the world seems so bright! Everyone is doing it! :wacko:

 

[flygirl74]

Doesn't SW f/a's top out at 55 bucks an hour? And reserve is what...2 years? No paycuts or staffing cuts?? Heck when I was blockholder the first time around, I came to work with a smile too. I had such high standards too. Only did 2 days to the west coast or the Carribean, never worked weekends or holidays. Never, ever worked the 737. I only worked 80 hours a month, which was fine because that was before the pay cuts. I would always tell my friends that were on the 105 that they were nuts, 80 hours was enough money for me. Now, different tune. I have to work many more days just to get to the same pay I was at before cuts. Forget being off weekends or holidays and with reserve in PHL at 12 years...talk about being a step down. With the LTO system NO ONE gets a full paycheck. Not working penalizes too...no per diem. I could go on and on, but this story is fodder for a country song. No happy trails for a lot of people. Some say leave but after vesting time here, many are leery of trying to start all over at yet another airline. It is a shame to see so much infighting, hopefully some good changes are coming!

 

[Hello Newman]

WE ALL COMPLAIN BUT NONE OF US EVER LEAVE

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

This board is like an old timers bar where complaining is entertainment.

At one end of the bar is a guy who says things aren't the way they used to be (when things were good!).

At the other end of the bar is a guy who says he doesn't know what the other guy is talking about(things were always bad!).

In between the two you have cross conversations such as the pilots the F/As,rampers,T/As,etc yelling at each other.

The HP people are like new arrivals who walk in the door and can't believe people actually talk like this to each other.

You have elder statesmen such as BB who acts as a voice of fact and can settle (or continue) disputes.

PB is like the guy who lives next to the big paper mill in town and voices his displeasure with the smell of his neighbor.

The workers from the mill(US), alternatively agree/disagree with him.

Everybody knows a place like this.

In the end it is entertainment with occasional shreds of knowledge.

If you look at it in these terms you may actually enjoy this place.

 

[galley princess]

Every time I get discouraged about how bad it is here, and I wonder what kind of a loser I must have been for choosing this airline to begin with, I remember that this whole thing is a great big aberration. It happened on 9/11, a horrible day, it has wrought so much pain for so many people.

One of the more offensive results of 9/11 was how some very greedy amoral executives parlayed it into the biggest gutting of labor contracts in history. Remember, before 9/11, Jerry Glass lost. The contract we had was not a "parity + one" contract. Did we take concessions we shouldn't have? Sure, that happened, but what happened with the bankruptcy contracts was unprecedented. The manipulation of the bankruptcy process was unprecedented. There were a lot of factors at work and one was that there was a real and present danger of US turning the lights out. So we lost. Big.

What no one foresaw, or at least that can be my hope, that they really didn't foresee how this new breed of management would exploit and milk these contracts for all they are worth. It is my belief that Mr. Parker et. al have no intention of negotiating. They have the lowest paid workforce in the industry. Why would they give it up? The old management was actually concerned about the UsAirways name, that gave labor leverage. Unhappy employees=unhappy customers. To this management of accountants the name is irrelevant. It's clear. We are the voted worst airline in the world. How far in the toilet can you go? But they aren't bothered. Throw in that so far they aren't exactly wrong, the flying public clicks on cheap ticket, not name, and they're formidable.

We are having to reinvent the wheel on this one. This kind of management requires a new approach. Even the fuel burn doesn't move them. At some point we're going to have to find a way to really inflict some pain, but the only kind they respond to is financial. For the flight attendants I do see some good trends. This is not the group that got dragged under the bull dozer of bankruptcy. There are more flight attendants in school, with small businesses, other jobs etc. They will strike when the time comes because they have less to fear. That is assuming that US continues to exist. This is the kind of group that would think nothing of breaking US into pieces and selling it for the highest profit while they cash out.

As I said once before, time to get one's house in order. And as we get closer to 2011, the end date of the F/A contract, think hard about settling for anything. The only game this management plays is hardball. It might behoove us to wait to 2011 and get to a strike. The major victim in this is of course AWA. They were already far along in their negotiations. They were dealt a raw deal on this one, and typical of this management, they were maneuvered out of their only real power, the right to strike. Remember this when whatever tentative they cough up is produced. Whatever they offer, it won't be enough.

 

[EastUS]

Every time I get discouraged about how bad it is here, and I wonder what kind of a loser I must have been for choosing this airline to begin with, I remember that this whole thing is a great big aberration. It happened on 9/11, a horrible day, it has wrought so much pain for so many people.

One of the more offensive results of 9/11 was how some very greedy amoral executives parlayed it into the biggest gutting of labor contracts in history. Remember, before 9/11, Jerry Glass lost. The contract we had was not a "parity + one" contract. Did we take concessions we shouldn't have? Sure, that happened, but what happened with the bankruptcy contracts was unprecedented. The manipulation of the bankruptcy process was unprecedented. There were a lot of factors at work and one was that there was a real and present danger of US turning the lights out. So we lost. Big.

What no one foresaw, or at least that can be my hope, that they really didn't foresee how this new breed of management would exploit and milk these contracts for all they are worth. It is my belief that Mr. Parker et. al have no intention of negotiating. They have the lowest paid workforce in the industry. Why would they give it up? The old management was actually concerned about the UsAirways name, that gave labor leverage. Unhappy employees=unhappy customers. To this management of accountants the name is irrelevant. It's clear. We are the voted worst airline in the world. How far in the toilet can you go? But they aren't bothered. Throw in that so far they aren't exactly wrong, the flying public clicks on cheap ticket, not name, and they're formidable.

We are having to reinvent the wheel on this one. This kind of management requires a new approach. Even the fuel burn doesn't move them. At some point we're going to have to find a way to really inflict some pain, but the only kind they respond to is financial. For the flight attendants I do see some good trends. This is not the group that got dragged under the bull dozer of bankruptcy. There are more flight attendants in school, with small businesses, other jobs etc. They will strike when the time comes because they have less to fear. That is assuming that US continues to exist. This is the kind of group that would think nothing of breaking US into pieces and selling it for the highest profit while they cash out.

As I said once before, time to get one's house in order. And as we get closer to 2011, the end date of the F/A contract, think hard about settling for anything. The only game this management plays is hardball. It might behoove us to wait to 2011 and get to a strike. The major victim in this is of course AWA. They were already far along in their negotiations. They were dealt a raw deal on this one, and typical of this management, they were maneuvered out of their only real power, the right to strike. Remember this when whatever tentative they cough up is produced. Whatever they offer, it won't be enough.

That, imho, is a pretty accurate summation of what all the employee groups are up against with this current "management" bunch.

 

[phlus2]

Only did 2 days to the west coast or the Carribean, never worked weekends or holidays. Never, ever worked the 737. I only worked 80 hours a month, which was fine because that was before the pay cuts. I would always tell my friends that were on the 105 that they were nuts, 80 hours was enough money for me.

And you want people to feel sorry for you? Give me a break! And employees on this board wonder why customers don't feel sorry for them. With postings like this - it is no wonder people don't have any sympathy for the bitchy employees of US.

 

[soc-hpjester]

But the real question is this. If HP had never looked at US in 2004 where would the hp employees be today and where would the US employyes be ? IF only......

 

[EastUS]

And you want people to feel sorry for you? Give me a break! And employees on this board wonder why customers don't feel sorry for them. With postings like this - it is no wonder people don't have any sympathy for the bitchy employees of US.

More like a case in which some simply don't grasp the concept of "worked 80 hours - 105 hours" meaning block flying time...which is hardly ANY indication of days spent actually on the job to get those totals, much less time away from home/etc. A "7 hour day" might well mean 14 hours actually on the job. Four fairly long days of work can yield few, to barely over 20 hours/etc. It's a crazy industry that's rarely understood by many outside, and isn't much comparable to the vast majority of other jobs. "80 hours" in standard job speak would mean merely 10 days of 8 hour shifts...which has absolutely nothing to do with airline pay via flight hours.

 

[phlus2]

More like a case in which some simply don't grasp the concept of "worked 80 hours - 105 hours" meaning block flying time...which is hardly ANY indication of days spent actually on the job to get those totals, much less time away from home/etc. A "7 hour day" might well mean 13-14 hours actually on the job. It's a crazy industry that's rarely understood by any outside, and isn't much comparable to the vast majority of other jobs. "80 hours" in standard job speak would mean merely 10 days of 8 hour shifts...which has absolutely nothing to do with airline pay via flight hours.

This is true - however - while I am not a FA or a pilot - I do travel for my job - and am out of town anywhere from 2 to 4 days per week. So yes - I too work many 8 hour days but am away from home for 24 to earn that pay check - and I have many hours of travel time that I am not getting paid for - and many late arrivals home because of delayed flights - so don't expect me to feel sorry for anyone that complains about how hard you work for your pay or how much time you have to spend away from home. There are plently of other people in the world that do the same thing - as in many of the people that are flying everyday on this and other airlines.