THIS JUST IN...

So my company announced today that they are opening 3 new crew bases. One in Greensboro, NC (with about 90 flight attendants), one in NYC - JFK (about 90 flight attendants), and one in either Orlando or Tampa (about 40 trolly dolly's). This all comes on the heels of the company demanding that the flight attendants extend their contract by one year, and agree to a three year pay freeze. The pay freeze would go into effect one week before my big raise (you make shit money as a flight attendant until your second longevity raise), meaning I would continue making the same money for the next three years... By happenstance, the day the company asked for these concessions was the day I filed my taxes, so I actually saw how little I made last year. There is a slight chance that I would be forced to move to either JFK or Greensboro (if I were to stay with the company). I can barely survive in Cincinnati on the salary that I make, I can't imagine trying to live in New York on it.

As is always the case when a company is pushing for concessions, the upper-level management is making their rounds trying to sell their plans. This was the case on thursday. The new CEO (who I believe was hired with the sole purpose of getting these concessions so that we are more marketable to sell) was speaking in the crew area in Cincinnati. The pilots just agreed to a three year pay freeze. Pilots generally make significantly more than most flight attendants (I say generally, because as a first year first officer, you actually make the same as a first year flight attendant...pathetic) The CEO said that as an airline we would get no new airplanes unless the flight attendants agree to the pay freeze.

Those of you who know me, know that I am not one for keeping my mouth shut, and this man was dumb enough to open himself up for questions. I raised my hand and asked why the upper level management were paid so highly for their jobs. His response was that they had to pay the upper level management high salaries in order to keep competitive people, he went on to point out that they had taken a 10% pay cut to help support the cause. I replied that flight attendants are just as crucial to the operation of a commercial airline since legally we had to be on board. I propose that you cut your Board of Directors salary to $30k which is the pay rate of a flight attendant with 8 years seniority, I am sure that if the flight attendants saw that these people who are making between 500k and 1 million dollars a year plus bonuses were willing to make what we make, that we might be willing to deal. When one of your Board of Directors has to be in the shoes of a first year first officer or a flight attendant that has been with the company for up to 3 years that is living on pretzels and biscoff cookies because it is 3 days before payday and you can't afford food, that maybe they might reconsider requesting a pay cut. It was suggested that I leave the crew facility and get to my airplane to work.

The thing is, being a flight attendant used to be a wonderful career. Today, if you wish to make it a career, you must have a second job for the first 3 - 5 years. I used to make twice the ammount of money waiting tables at Macaroni Grill. To give you an example, I am on a 5 day trip right now. meaning I am away from my home for 105 hours. Of that time, I am only paid for 23 of those hours. The company does provide a hotel for every overnight, but because money is so tight at airlines, we generally stay in remote areas, where there are no outside food options so you are forced to eat at the hotel restaurant. Last night, for example, the cheapest item on the hotel menu was a hamburger for $13. During the day, we are required to eat at whatever airport that we get a 15 minute break in. We all know how expensive eating in the airport is (Burger King in JFK charges $9.50 for a medium size whopper value meal). I used to carry a bag full of food for my trips, I could usually pack food for up to a 3 day trip. Unfortunately, very few of our hotels have a microwave for us to use, so I was eating cold ravioli, and 3 of our hotels offer a refrigerator in our rooms, so I couldn't pack anything that might go bad.

So to bring this all home, on behalf of all flight attendants that are low on their seniority lists everywhere, I say take your pay freeze and shove it up your ass. I am lucky, I at least have a union to protect me. Flight attendants at Delta Mainline are not represented by a union, and when the company decided it was time for a paycut, they didn't have to get permission from anyone. Flight attendants came to work one day to find a memo in their mailbox informing them that they would be taking a 35% pay cut effective immediately. The flight attendants had no recourse. They could quit, but if they did, they would not be missed. There is always someone waiting in the wings desperate to try the career.

I say career, because that is what it used to be. Today, it is a job. Just like working at McDonalds (except you make more there). I would like to point out the leaders of airlines across the country: minimum pay = minimum work and minimum customer service.