The Virgin Strike Thread II

[016FSM]

Going Sick?

Hey guys, it really surprises me that people are even considering going sick! Is that really not the cowards way out? Surely if you support the argument that we should be paid more then you should support the strike and either not turn in for work or if you wish, stand on the picket line.

If you think it's not the right course of action, then go to work and help the company run the schedule of flights.

I'll tell you one thing though, and by the way, I am in favour on the strike having been in the company over 21 years and during that time, my salary has gone from £8500 when I joined to currently £23900, when I next run into any crew member who complains about the fact that we only get £60 for going to Delhi/Bombay, or they can't come out for a meal in other places because they're saving their allowances, my first question will be, "did you support the strike to fight for better money?"

I have to say that whilst I strongly agree that all Virgin cabin crew are very low paid, I do feel that the offer the company put forward is really not a bad one if you've only been in the company about 3 years, but when you've been here for 15+ that kind of offer doesn't increase our basic to what it should be.

And here's some food for thought, sep instructors in the office, who have been here anywhere from 3 years plus, earn £28500 and have all week-ends and bank holidays off. AFTER the pay deal, had it taken effect, I wouldn't have been on that amount per year!! FSM's are supposed to be manager's, SEP instructors are office staff!! Is there not something wrong in a company where training staff are paid more than manager's?

Also please remember that we don't get increments so an FSM offered the job tomorrow who may have only been in the company 5 or 6 years, will come in on the same salary as I am on after being an FSM for nearly 12 years! These are some of the facts that people are overlooking, not to mention that we get £5 an hour overtime and can fly an 18 hour day without any rest and to that end, on the A340, the company even removed the crew rest area as a cost saving measure so on a 10 hour flight to and from India, the crew had NO REST at all and during that time, there really isn't that much time for a sit down, maybe 10 minutes here or there. But the crew are the first ones to help the company when we have to work 2 or 3 crew down and paid peanuts for doing so, or when crew have to work up a rank when needed as a result of being crew down, or enduring long delays and going into discretion to get the flight and pax away. That's all expected of us and we get little thanks, but ask to be paid the equivalent, not more, just the same as most other carriers and it has come to this!

We have always been paid minimal salaries but our benefits have always been excellent. Over the years however, more and more and more has been taken away from us, so now the benefits are not so amazing as they used to be and this is why, people have become sick of accepting such low salaries. When I joined over 21 years ago, our allowances for a US nightstop were $109, all this time later, they really haven't gone up that much at all, those of you who work for VS, think what we get for a US trip and think, 21 years ago, it was $109!!