Displaced F/As
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I may have to call it quits. It will cost me my part-time job that we need to make ends meet. Without the part-time job, I do not see how I would be able to afford to commute. This of course is compounded by the fact that the baby just turned 2 and I am not comfortable leaving him for 6 days at a time to only be home for 2 days before having to go back for 6 days.
We are crunching the numbers and looking at options.
I will be heartbroken if I have to quit because I love my job. When I started this career my daughter was 18 and I was far more flexible. Now we have a toddler and the earning opportunity is not the same as it was, so I will have to give this some serious thought.
Well United is hiring 1700 next year in addition to the 1400 they hired this year despite no new aircraft. Thats, what, almost our whole janky airlines worth of F/As. Continental and Northwest are hiring too for anyone who still wants to do this but work for a real airline. Guess those airlines know how to staff and utilize thier employees. Starting over would suck but I guess we all just made the mistake of taking a chance with US three times.
As the news settles in more I'm more and more disheartened. I'm just waiting for the news and then I'll make up my mind whether or not to throw in the towel. I'm leaning towards hanging up the wings for good, why fight them any more, they don't want us, they don't pay us, they don't even give us the tools to do our jobs when we do work. Why turn my life upside down for them again. The definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
🙁
As the news settles in more I'm more and more disheartened. I'm just waiting for the news and then I'll make up my mind whether or not to throw in the towel. I'm leaning towards hanging up the wings for good, why fight them any more, they don't want us, they don't pay us, they don't even give us the tools to do our jobs when we do work. Why turn my life upside down for them again. The definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
🙁
FlightChic
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Even though I will probably be displaced from PHL in June, I will stick with US Airways for a while. I will take advantage of the "free" time I have (i.e. sitting reserve in a crashpad) working on some other ventures. I might possibly look for another job that pays more or go back to school. The only advantage to being a flight attendant is that it is low stress (minus the stress of receiving a low paycheck). I have worked in other places so I know first hand how stressful other careers can be. I came back to this because it was so much fun before I was furloughed. Times have changed. I don't think I can make it two more years here. The company nor the AFA cares. Their solution is, if you don't like it just quit. As much as I would like to go work for a real airline, I don't think it be right for me. I would still be junior, still probably have to commute because of the low pay, still be on reserve, etc.
aredeeyou22
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The grass is not always greener.... I have a new hire friend based in IAD for UA and he never, ever flies. Ever. He says they hire alot of new hires (at the current slave wages)and then offer these large voluntary monthly leaves for the senior FA's (sort of like replacing a junior with a senior... saves $$ I guess...)... unfortunately, not enough people are taking the leaves to allow him to fly.....IAD rents are thru the roof, and food stamps are in his future.....Some of his class went to LAX and they have not flown since New Years. Just another perspective......
When I get displaced I am going to apply for food stamps. I am making more now because of ETB, but, when I get displaced, I wont be able to fly on off days anymore. I will want to be home on those days. So, I will need the food stamps to eat. Sad..but true. 🙁
FlightChic
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Isn't it screwed up how the company is making it next to impossible for us to commute with the new ETC not working? Now they are displacing so many people that we will have a lot more commuters to compete with. There is no sense in living in your base because before you know it you will be forced to transfer. I can't afford to live in BOS, DCA, or LGA on $1300 a month. That won't even get you a cardboard box! I wonder how many more people will be fired because of being caught out of base.
Thats what I dont understand..f/a's are being fired and quitting and retiring...but we are still overstaffed?????
PITbull
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Remember, since you are being displaced, you CAN collect unemployment if the move will create a hardship for your family, both financially, and emotionally. If you can prove the "hardship", e.g., commuter pad costs, commuting space available with the great possibility that you may not get on the flight or get disciplines for "rsv" out of base if you are a reserve and risk termination, or just miss going to work and losing the income...coupled with the fact the many f/as may have children and the added days to commute is also a hardship on the family and/or marriage.
This information was provided in 2004 for f/as who were displaced in the PIT e-line on how to file unmployment if the displaced f/a decides they cannot move or commute and would rather resign. The Local sec/ treas, Candi and Mark G, the LECP should have the E-line to provide this information. Ask them to send it out again. This e-line gives the Director of unemployment in PA who provided all the info in this e-line.
Did you hear they are going to start locking the door to the PHL crew room at night? Classy. Now our crews will be sleeping upstairs in the terminal in front of the delayed passengers. But kick out the people who live there and bring in more commuters. They tried to stop people from sleeping in the crew room at DCA during MDA. Two girls slept in a mechanics trucks in the employee parking lot and one of them got pneumonia.
None of us can afford rent where we live plus crash pads in any of those cities! Or to move! Even if we could afford the move itself, you can't just break your lease every few months just because your company wants to shift bodies around. How do they expect people to do this? Or do they just think we'll quit?
I think it would be a hoot to show up for the first day at our new base looking disheveled. Show up in front of the US Airways Shuttle counter pulling a cardboard box through the airport, holding a bottle of piss, and a sign that says "Will point out exits for food".
This is seriously too much. Let them lose thier good F/As. Then maybe they can hire again. If they can't keep people in PHX, wait till they try and hire people for New York City! We make $1300 a month after 8 years, what on earth would a new hire make? 700? 800? They might put some homeless people to work, thats about it.
Until they get displaced.
aredeeyou22
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Well, at least at United, they let their new hires sleep in the crew lounge....Apparently, along with the MIA FA's that commute to IAD now, there are about 50 of them in there on any given night.... Fun .......Sure you wanna start all over?
Well, at least at United, they let their new hires sleep in the crew lounge....Apparently, along with the MIA FA's that commute to IAD now, there are about 50 of them in there on any given night.... Fun .......Sure you wanna start all over?
At the height of MDA, when the company decided within a week it wanted to move 70% of the division to DCA I remember there were dozens of F/As and pilots there every night. Some in the crew room and some would sleep on chairs in other terminals, or on the airplanes.
I doubt I'd have the patience to start over- gave it a shot, chose the wrong airline. My point was that you can be a new hire at one of the real airlines and be in a better position than you are here. You would have thousands under you in a year instead of less than a hundred after seven years. Pay would not really be that different. You would go to interesting places on real airplanes. I seriously doubt it would be as embarrassing to work at another carrier.
And oh yeah, lets say one of our Philly F/As went to UAL. They could drive to IAD with a four hour reserve call-out as opposed to our 90 minute callout. Not going to make it PHL to DCA in 90 minutes. EWR with Continental is an even shorter drive, they treat thier employees well and provide a premium product. My friend that went there just raves about it and can't understand why we are still here. It would be a tough choice, but for people who really love the job they are better off elsewhere. I'm just pointing out that theres nothing for these F/As to lose... they have no pay, base, or seniority worth anything now so why not if they want to still be a F/A? There's some really good F/As, US really doesn't deserve them.
aredeeyou22
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Wow... how depressing....well, best of luck to you in whatever you choose. There must be something better out there for you.....
Walmartgreeter
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"Did you hear they are going to start locking the door to the PHL crew room at night?"
Yes, very interesting. As a Capt I must check the WX and catcrew legalities for each flight. Company policy says I cannot use a public terminal, and it does not matter as those terminals cannot access the internet anyway.
I have two departures around that time on my next trip. I will plant myself in a seat on B6 and wait for the door to open. Otherwise my flight does not go. Maybe the Chief Pilot can stick around to let me have access to "my place of work?"
Film at eleven.
Greeter.
Yes, very interesting. As a Capt I must check the WX and catcrew legalities for each flight. Company policy says I cannot use a public terminal, and it does not matter as those terminals cannot access the internet anyway.
I have two departures around that time on my next trip. I will plant myself in a seat on B6 and wait for the door to open. Otherwise my flight does not go. Maybe the Chief Pilot can stick around to let me have access to "my place of work?"
Film at eleven.
Greeter.
The only way is up from poverty wages and moving cities or getting laid off every year!
I'm sure theres something better for all of us... It all happens for a reason. Can't say we didn't give it a shot!Walmartgreeter- my understanding is that the quiet room will be locked and all chairs and couches will be removed from the main room.
