Cabin Crew Absenteism
From the cabin crew point of view at SHLGW.
We have had "pattern" sickness looked at and someone was sacked as a result.
This had put the frighteners on the whole community not to go sick on any national holidays, weekends, before or after days off or part time weeks, or if it's a day in the week that ends in Y!!!
Result....
Crew flying around with colds, flu, and god knows what else because they are scared of going sick at all giving it to fit crew who then go sick because.....they are!!!
3 or more periods of sickness within 6 months stops you from going for any jobs, promotion, or transfer within the company.
I've flown with so many ill crew over the last 3 months and have been sick twice myself already because of it. I have nearly blown my eardrums once before and was off for 5 days because of bruising. It's not an experiance I wish to have again....so if I'm sick I GO SICK!!!
This ensures I have time to recover fully and do not pass it on to PAX or collegues.
When we are trained we are told that we as crew are expected to have a higher sickness level because we are not supposed to come to work even if we have a cold because of the risks of contamination to others and risks to ourselves.
The culture that our management our touting now is causing exactly what they are trying to prevent, AND IT'S CRAZY!!
This only applies to flying staff though, as for others in the offices and on the ground, I have no idea on what is expected.