Fa Shortage For The Holidays?

[MarkMyWords]

And wasn't it you that was against incentive programs because it would cause people to come to work sick? Try again.

I love how you won't answer the questions. What is the real number of sick calls? Or wold that number not support your arguements?


You also said earlier that we had the same percentage of sick calls as most carriers.......does that make it right? Look at AA.....they were in much worse shape then we were. So is that what we are striving for now.....to be industry leading in sick calls on Christmas Day?

 

[Light Years]

At least we'd be industry leading in something!


I'm kidding. 😛h34r:

 

[Colby]

Let's do some rough math and this is just that rough

F/A wages = $25/hr x basic 8 hours per day = $200

$200/day x 30 days = $6,000.00

$6,000/per man day x 60 average sick calls/day = $360,000.00 each 30 day cycle

Now before everyone tells me the F/A's earn more/less and all of that I picked a number that was easily multiplied to show the impact.

Now let's take it up to what I have been told is a more realistiv 160 average sick calls per day.

$6,000/per man day x 160 average sick calls/day= $2,160,000 per 30 day cycle. this rate over a full year is in excess of 25 MILLION dollars in wasted money. Money that could be used to advertise and grow US Airways and a portion of it is stolen.

Ponder what this doesn't include:

Incremental costs of getting persons to a flight (like CLT example posted)

flight delays/cancellations etc.

Bob, Im kind of surprised no one corrected you here.... Your Math is Fine...But the F/A pay is a little different....

A F/A that is Making 25.00 Per Hour...That is Based on an Average 80 hour work Month....Not the Typical 40 hour work week Like many of your 9-5/ Mon-Fri workers...

Just wanted to Clarify.....



Light Years.... Whatchya been Drinking.....Your on a Roll !!!!

 

[Light Years]

Sutters Home wine, only the best for me Colby! 😛

and you're right about the math....

 

[PITbull]

And wasn't it you that was against incentive programs because it would cause people to come to work sick? Try again. I stated, f/as were forced to come to work ill because of the SICK PAY PENALTIES.

I love how you won't answer the questions. What is the real number of sick calls? Or wold that number not support your arguements?


You also said earlier that we had the same percentage of sick calls as most carriers.......does that make it right? Look at AA.....they were in much worse shape then we were. So is that what we are striving for now.....to be industry leading in sick calls on Christmas Day?

There was no incentive program to curb sick calls. Again you are confusing the "employee suggestion Program" that was instituted this year. If those suggestions were accepted, managment would give a reward. That I thought was "lame".


I notice, you tend to mix things up, specifically issues with f/as. If you are saying there was an incentive program for no sick calls, please cite the new program of this year???????? I know of NONE! I stated, f/as were forced to come to work ill because of the SICK PAY PENALTIES.


And with regard to answering your questions, read the post above real slow, specifically the first sentence. Since you think you may know me, call me.

Regarding sick calls in other airlines, I was refering to the same percentages outside this holiday. I don't know what percentage of sick calls other airlines had this holiday, and frankly, I'm not interested.

 

[MarkMyWords]

No, a long time ago we had a discussion about attendance (we have danced this dance so many times it is not funny). I recommended that the company create an employee incentive program to reward the employees that do come to work when they are supposed to. I sited the CO type incentive program as a model of what we should develop. Your response was to poo-poo the idea because it would make people come to work sick and infect others.

While it would be lovely to chit chat on the phone....I prefer to humiliate you here in a public forum.......it is just so much more fun! 😀

Answer the questions......

It is one thing to identify a problem, but it is much more difficult to solve them. You have yet to 1) admitt there was a HUGE spike in sick calls over Christmas. 2) refute my numbers with your own (If I am not on target, I am very close) 3) Offer suggestions to reduce the numbers of sick calls - on holidays and for the rest of the year. 4) Admitt that there is a sick call issue.

So is it your intent, or the intent of the "PIT AFA President" to have an industry leading sick call count since you no longer have an industry leading contract? Your people brought these changes on themselves. The people that have legitimate sick issues are being penalized for those that abuse the system. There is no other way to do it without looking like you are playing favorites. Ask the PIT AFA President what would happen if Molly had 8 sick calls in a year due to an "illness" and Susan had 8 sick calls in a year due to an "illness", Susan is fired because of abuse of sick time, but Molly is allowed to stay because her sick calls were more legitimate then Susan's. You and I know that by sparing one you can't get rid of the other. Policies have to be applied the same across the board. If not a whole host of lawsuits would be filed showing discrimination or something of the sort.

Tell me how you would get rid of the abuser without penalizing the legitimate and not open yourself up to lawsuits.

 

[PITbull]

MMW,

If your intent is to humiliate.....how funny....I feel none.

What was presented to management was a monetary incentive, to address THIS HOLIDAY issue only, on a NONprecedent setting basis. Because the circumstances surrounding so many sick calls in my estimation are unique to just this holiday, and what is about to ensue in the next couple months with the reserves, new time balance system with no one being able to break guarantee specifically high option flyers, suggestions were made. However, management thought for hours on it and talked their way out of this offering for cost reasons. I guess they felt that if their were possible cancellations or delays for not enough crew staffing, than they would rather endure that. PIT pres. was willing to e-line something out to the f/as (for the second time) to make themselves available and partner with crew sched. to cover the operation which was critical on the 24-25-26.

Inasmuch as having same policies to address two different f/as with the same number of sick calls....I CAN POINT BLANK TELL YOU, YOU ARE WRONG AGAIN! A f/a who has a chronic disease that is documented by a physican is treated differently than someone who has the same sick calls with no medical documentation citing a chronic disease of some kind. You make me laugh....you make this stuff up as you go along.

A company has to be careful with incentive programs when it comes to sick policies because you don't want people coming to work sick. A headache is a headache. Take two pills and it slowly goes away. However if you have chronic migranes, 2 pills won't do it. As far as an intent to have leading sick calls in the industry.... if you are refering to the PIT Pres, or just to me, you insult me. And I will cease to answer your questions, when they insult my intelligence.

You need to sign up for the PIT e-line and PHL e-line. You learn a lot about union leadership there.

 

[Whatnow?]

You two can go round and round on this issue no matter what the topic is!

MMW,
This new sick policy is weeding out the "abusers" of the system. You can no longer benefit from calling in sick like days of the past. One regretful part of this new system is that it is making the "abusers more leary of calling in sick for lack of "wanting" to go to work. It no longer pays to, as you called it in a previous post "dial for dollars". You are now penalized and cannot claim up to your actual option anymore....so, in turn you are taking a paycut unless you want to fly it back! No respectfully lazy f/a is willing to fly back all of their sick time to get them up to their option....so, when you call in sick because you don't want to go to work, you are taking a cut in pay that month. It's not worth it!

Pitbull,
I do however agree with the fact that F/A's are fed up with the new reserve system and took action on Christmas. I have said over and over on this board that I have 15 years with the company, and I'm on RSV Transatlantic, and cannot fly to get my time in for the month. I actually would STILL be on RSV Domestically in all bases except DCA & LGA.....but why would I relocate to either one of these 2 cities with their outrageous cost of livings! The problem here in lies with the Company, this new RSV system should have "FOLLOWED" preferrential bidding, it would have worked then. Right now, there are WAY too many F/A's to time balance for each month. My pay for the last 2 months, since the new system was put in place is absolutley ridiculous! I am literally making what I made in my FIRST year of flying right now! It's very hard to make ends meet.....I'm fed up with the countless attacks on these F/A issues. I do understand the POINT some of these F/A's are trying to make...but right now....is it really worth it? The so called "witch hunt" is on FULL FORCE. Unfortunately, we (RSV's) are working for NOTHING right now, meaning we won't break guarantee as little as we are flying, but to remain on good standing...we have to do what we have to do! :down:

 

[PITbull]

What now,

Your issue and point, is my point. This holiday, it appears, was a unique situation because of the constant attacks on the reserves.

Here it is, a reserve speaks out.

 

[Whatnow?]

I sure hope for all of our (RSV's) sake that things will get better soon. I cannot believe that 1)....I am STILL A RSV AT 15 YEARS SENIORITY and....2) we are dealing with working situations as "POOR" as these. I really would wish that the others could understand what it's like to "WALK IN OUR SHOES" as they say! It's AWFUL out there, and getting worse by the day! But obviously, WE are fighting a losing battle here! 😛h34r:

 

[PITbull]

What now,

We are not losing the battle. We will continue to push our issues until management pays attention. Doesn't matter what folks who don't know think.

 

[Whatnow?]

Well, let's push the issues until we can no longer do it anymore! I know that the rank and file are now waking up and standing to attention! Hopefully, F/A's will be more ACTIVE with all the issues the Company is literally "SHOVING down our throats! It's now affecting all seniorities, not just the most junior! :angry:

 

[PITbull]

Picket and leafleting will commence in 2004. It is being planned now and applying for airport permits again.

 

[700UW]

I want to be the first to congratulate you on your 2,000 posts!

 

[Whatnow?]

Wow, 2,000 posts 😱 You've been busy! good to know somebody out there is taking all these issues to "heart". Keep up the good work Pitbull!