I read on other sites the turmoil going on between stalwart union supporters and those who really just do not care. If it does not affect you personally, should you care? Should flight attendants that are not involved be cautioned about speaking out against the EI-UA flying? Is it professional for flight attendants in uniform at the airport to call the EI flight attendants derogatory names? Is it right for pilots from other airlines to attempt to block in the EI aircraft when it is cleared to leave the gate?
For me, all of this is immature, and far from professional. But then I am on the outside looking in. I do not work for a union carrier, I did but left them about 10 years ago. Do I think airlines need unions? Absolutely!
I just think calling the EI flight attendants "scabs" is unprofessional. I have friends that fly for EI, and they love it, they are not going to quit. What they don't like is the walk through the terminal at IAD.... It is truly sad when mature, professional flight attendants have to make that walk miserable for people who want a job. There are no UA flight attendants on furlough, they are on voluntary leave...at least that is what I read on another site. So why is everyone in an uproar about the EI flight attendants taking the UA jobs?
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I agree all should act professionally, but one must also see the other side of the story. The EI project is just that: a pilot project. They are seeing if it shall be successful and will share this operation with other airlines. Montie Brewer, once of United, then Air Canada, is now on the board with Aer Lingus. People North of the border fear Air Canada will do the same thing as now their management has a common contact at EI. Airlines cannot compete with the low wages EI is paying the new cabin crew at IAD. The fear is that they will try to force current crew over to this low wage, or turn to other European companies for a 'code share'. Crews are upset and scared, because in essence, by taking a job at one of these companies like EI, one is supporting that operation. Companies will go as low as they can with wages; it is the employees that have to step in and stop it from reaching the bottom. It would be one thing if UAL had gone to the unions and explained this operation, but they did not. We can dance around it, or call it what it is.
ReplyDeleteIn Canada, a new phenomenon is forming. Currently, airlines are having a struggle getting new hires. Maybe finally young people are as well saying ' if you want good crew, you should pay a fair living wage'. Time will tell.
I guess my next question would then be, why did Aer Lingus not offer a living wage?
ReplyDeleteI am a UAL flight attendant on voluntary furlough. The majority of us who opted to take the voluntary leave (22-33 months) are junior flight attendants (less than five years) who were pretty anxious that if we did not take the voluntary furlough, we would be involuntarily furloughed.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, I don't think that our flight crew should behave unprofessionally towards the Aer Lingus flight crews but I have to say that when I read that announcement about the Madrid flights, it made me angry and sad.