Reserve Flight Attendants need to quit your #*^@$ing!

[FlightChic]

Maybe the negotiations are going so slow because every proposal the company offers Mr. Flores tells them its not good enough, passes it back. (Only speculating). Would much prefer the union to take their time, get it right this time, bring us a contract that provides better work rules, a better reserve system, better vacation, better compensation, better sick pay/credit, etc etc etc. It takes both parties to negotiate, the company is in NO hurry to reach a single agreement. They can turn a much bigger profit running two seperate contracts.

That's because Douggie wants to wait until our contracts run out. We probably won't see a new contract until then.

I have been called to fly T/A in the middle of the night, twice. As far as I am concerned that was two too many. It sucked. Any way you look at it even if they were to go to some type of shift, someone is going to have to be AVL to do it. Would you prefer the fence go back up? You talk as if I don't know what its like. I have been on reserve my entire career with the exception of like 8 months. I know I am several years senior to you. Please don't speak to me as if I haven't walked the walk. The problem is I am not angry like most other reserves on this board, I do not scream and yell to make a point. I know what it means to be bound by a contract that was ratified by the membership. Doesn't mean I like it, but I am not going to wage a war with the blockholders in this company because they have a block and they have the ability to drop their trips on the AIL and the ETB. I have many friends that are lineholders and most are fully aware of how badly this LTO needs revamped. Whether you like it or not Safety Stud was correct there is NO growth. Until there are retirements/seperations and the top gets lighter we are stagnet.

I would work the graveyard shift if I knew I had the daytime to sleep. I'll take all the late night calls for transatlantic trips if they let me work that shift, but until we get shifts I'm not going. I don't really care whether the fence goes back up or not. I love to travel to Europe but if it means I have to fly with a bunch of senior mamas who patronize me because I am not familiar with the service then no thank you. I'd rather not work those flights. I'll remain on domestic. It's not like I ever get transatlantic trips anyway, so what is the difference? The reason we scream and yell is because we want our voices heard. Nobody is listening to us and so we are going to make some noise. I truly am not wagin war against the blockholders. I fly with them all the time on domestic and we always get along just fine and many times we have fun on trips. It's not the blockholders I am against, but rather the union and the company. They do nothing to offer us any relief. While there is no growth, that doesn't mean that they can't make a few changes to make our lives just a little easier. I am fed up with this and so yes, I am going to make it known. How many airlines do you know who have such a horrid reserve system or who treat their employees like we are treated? It's just not right!

 

[lildutchgrl]

I will put this out to every blockholder on this board:

How would you feel if you worked the first week of the month, just to sit around not being called for 2 weeks by scheduling? During the day when you check the coverage, you see 20 trips opened up due to sick calls or unable to commute and the trips all went to blockholders. Christmas eve comes around and you think your safe because you have an off day on the 26th and 27th. Not so much, scheduling calls after going in the book with 170 trips and 62 blockholders, they have to assign you into both of your days off and give them back on the 28th and 29th. After 9 years, I don't think I deserve that. The old system was different in many ways, the LTO system just SUCKS.

This is what happens to nearly every reserve over Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, 4th of July, etc. We have every right to be hateful about a job most of us love doing when we actually get to do it. We have a system that forces people to either fly on their days off or to work other jobs on their days off. No one seems to understand that our reserve system would only work with pref. bidding (which would be a dream for most of our flight attendants). At no point should a base have 500 reserves and none of them getting their time in.

I don't hate blockholders, I hate the system. I hear constantly when I talk about leaving, that this is the best job out there. It would be if I had my schedule a month ahead of time instead of 6 days before the start of the month. If I had a schedule of trips that I knew I was going to fly, that would be great.

I am sure I will get blasted from this, but it is what it is. We have a system that just does not work, but I have promised to stick around until I get a vote on the next contract. Whether that be 1 year or 3 years or more, I will stick it out.

 

[Travelpro72]

As an east reserve we are here to work when a blockholder does NOT. THAT is one part of the problem. We're not utilized like what a "reserve" really should. I mean what does Reserve mean anyway? We should be there to cover irregular ops, sick calls NOT because Sally can't make her commute. It's BS. I am sick and tired of hearing how "we paid our dues too". No you didn't. A blockholder has NEVER, EVER dealt with a system as we do. To make matters worse you have NO SENIORITY within your group of reserves. I don't believe in straight seniority either to a degree due to the fact that as reserves we'd be throwing our even more junior reserves under the bus since they'd never fly. This system is not gonna work until 2011. If we don't get some amended changes all hell is going to break loose. People are at the end of their rope and eventually it IS going to cause problems. So there really isn't any hatred toward reserves but possibly resentment. We hear how many understand but they never really WILL until they sit as we have with this horrid system. I don't know the answer to fixing it but it needs fixed NOW.

 

[theFLYonthewall]

No one said it was right, however its what was negotiated and ratified. Pref bid will not fix the LTO system. This company runs off a % of reserves for each base. They set that figure, if they want a minimum of 15% reserve factor they will stop building lines to leave 15% on reserve. Remaining trips will fall into open time.

Everyone hears your cries. The problem is screaming and yelling makes you look very unprofessional, it also discredits your cause. You would get much farther getting involved in the union that you are fighting. Learn how things work, as much as everyone would like you just can't open and close sections of a signed agreement at will because you dont like it. When items in the contract have been changed it because both parties have agreed to it. How many times does the company have to say we will not change the reserve section of the contract outside of a new single agreement? There is absolutely nothing the union can do to make them, we have a contract. The union and the company are in talks right now, I believe they (M.F.) knows how badly we need to change this reserve system. If you do not like the agreement that is brought to us then you can vote NO.

 

[Travelpro72]

Let's just pose a hypothetical question for a second. What do you think would happen if they slashed all secondary lines for each base by half or MORE. Contractual bs aside. Just imagine the kicking, screaming and fighting. There would be no END to the fits of rage. It would be dealt with. If they don't do something they are gonna have problems. Do they seriously think reserves are just gonna take it and take it and take it until 2011 or a ratified agreement which will be oh hell 2025?

 

[FlightChic]

How many times does the company have to say we will not change the reserve section of the contract outside of a new single agreement? There is absolutely nothing the union can do to make them, we have a contract. The union and the company are in talks right now, I believe they (M.F.) knows how badly we need to change this reserve system.

And how many times have they made changes to benefit the blockholders? Funny how the company agrees to help the blockholders but not the reserves. BTW, when have I ever approached someone from the union or the company and screamed and yelled at them? Never. You don't know me so please don't judge me and call me unprofessional. Anybody who knows me knows that I am actually a really quiet and subdued person and I am polite too. Rarely do I yell or scream and I am very professional. However, if you think I am just going to let the company and the union continue to take advantage of us and treat us like crap then you better think again! We cannot, will not, and should not have to suffer from this horrible and demeaning reserve system any longer! Whether you like it or not, I will see that they make some changes.

Just out of curiosity, are you planning on going to the union meeting in PHL?

 

[N109UW]

I don't believe in straight seniority either to a degree due to the fact that as reserves we'd be throwing our even more junior reserves under the bus since they'd never fly. This system is not gonna work until 2011.

At least with a straight seniority system, I can still say I have walked in those shoes for many years. Most BH's couldn't. Although I have never been furloughed, I have had all the rest of the "great" things happen to me. I did get a furlough notice back in 1991, but 3 weeks later, after I had done lots of things to prepare to lose my job, the company sends it's, " we were just kidding, you are not furloughed. You are DISPLACED to another base in 2 weeks." letter. Also, this system was designed to work in conjunction with pref. bid, not the ail/bid sheet. It's like magnets opposite of each other.

 

[RSVSUCKS]

Please excuse my ignorance but is pref bid the "term" that the old system back in 2000 used or is this something different? A few F/A's were discussing it today and each had different answers - I know what I think it is but I just want to make sure? When Sched called and you said I want a 2 day and they didn't have it and you passed and they called you back if they had a 2 day open up. Is that pref bid?? Thanks for your help - I know someone on this board can clue me in

 

[N109UW]

Please excuse my ignorance but is pref bid the "term" that the old system back in 2000 used or is this something different? A few F/A's were discussing it today and each had different answers - I know what I think it is but I just want to make sure? When Sched called and you said I want a 2 day and they didn't have it and you passed and they called you back if they had a 2 day open up. Is that pref bid?? Thanks for your help - I know someone on this board can clue me in

Pref Bid is what the neg. committee sold everyone at US on at the same time as the LTO rsv system. Essentially what it would do would be to let you build your own block of time. More Senior f/a's would build by trips, whereas more junior ones would end up putting in parameters. If you wanted to build a 45 hour block, then thats what you would do. You would not have to bid a 70-80 hour line and then adjust it 4 times to get down to 40-50 hours. This was all supposed to be implemented "no later than June 2004", whereas the LTO system was put in place in Oct 2003 and we never got Pref. Bid. This would have essentially eliminated the bid sheet, as most of the trips would have been put into lines of flying. You possibly could even of had split lines. That way we could get to the actual number of rsv's we need at US. US keeps too many rsv's on the property, which is evident by noone(sorry,17 out of 425 in CLT) breaking guarantee. We were led to believe that these two items were tied together, when in fact, they were not. Too late now for that.
What you are referring to about the "passing" is just our old rsv system, which went by senority.

 

[theFLYonthewall]

And how many times have they made changes to benefit the blockholders? Funny how the company agrees to help the blockholders but not the reserves. BTW, when have I ever approached someone from the union or the company and screamed and yelled at them? Never. You don't know me so please don't judge me and call me unprofessional. Anybody who knows me knows that I am actually a really quiet and subdued person and I am polite too. Rarely do I yell or scream and I am very professional. However, if you think I am just going to let the company and the union continue to take advantage of us and treat us like crap then you better think again! We cannot, will not, and should not have to suffer from this horrible and demeaning reserve system any longer! Whether you like it or not, I will see that they make some changes.

Just out of curiosity, are you planning on going to the union meeting in PHL?

This debate is going no where obviously. You see it how you see it and that is it. Trust me, your ranting and ravings on this board and your blog is only ruining your creditablity. I hope you maintain professionalism, I would love to see you get involved in your local. Sitting around PHL 19 days a month and not flying, go volunteer in the office. Channel that energy to work with union instead of against it.

Thank you for the invite however, I will be on duty in CLT because that is where I am based. If I were based in PHL I would not be a career reserve. I believe my seniority holds primary lines in the summer and pretty decent secondary lines in the winter. Good luck.

 

[Travelpro72]

This fact usually gets lost so I'll state again, "Reserves at US east are here for the sole purpose of working when a blockholder doesn't want to or CAN'T get to their trip". Besides the minimal irregular ops thats it in a nutshell. We suffer so they can have a VERY cushy system. No hatred toward blockholders but resentment toward the UNION who let it happen. It is what it is and won't change until 2011 or a new contract which is even further away to be quite honest.

 

[US1YFARE]

"Reserves at US east are here for the sole purpose of working when a blockholder doesn't want to or CAN'T get to their trip". Besides the minimal irregular ops thats it in a nutshell.

Betty states ----> Look sugar (I'm practicing for my transfer to CLT), I've given up 33 years of my life for this place and you new hires think we should hand you seniority in a plastic party cup? Do you know how many of Boots' Christmas pageants I missed??? It's your turn now. Now, would you be a dear and help me pick up trash--I love your earrings by the way--did you get them at Boscov's?

only stating opinions.

 

[Itestwell]

This fact usually gets lost so I'll state again, "Reserves at US east are here for the sole purpose of working when a blockholder doesn't want to or CAN'T get to their trip". Besides the minimal irregular ops thats it in a nutshell. We suffer so they can have a VERY cushy system. No hatred toward blockholders but resentment toward the UNION who let it happen. It is what it is and won't change until 2011 or a new contract which is even further away to be quite honest.

Very true. The company has no intention of making *ANY* changes to this reserve system outside of a newly ratified joint contract. Not one. The union has tried.

 

[N109UW]

Betty states ----> Look sugar (I'm practicing for my transfer to CLT), I've given up 33 years of my life for this place and you new hires think we should hand you seniority in a plastic party cup? Do you know how many of Boots' Christmas pageants I missed??? It's your turn now. Now, would you be a dear and help me pick up trash--I love your earrings by the way--did you get them at Boscov's?

only stating opinions.

Hey Grandma(I'm practicing for your transfer to CLT), I've given up 18 1/2 years of my life to this places RSV system( you haven't come close to any of that, and not your fualt also), but this crap needs to change. Bring yourself on down here, we love helping the elders out. If an agent asks me if I need any wheelchairs, I'll tell them just the one for the f/a commuting to PIT. Now be a dear and pull up your support hose or is that really your skin?

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> Hey Grandma(I'm practicing for your transfer to CLT),