I am cabin crew, and many of us feel that the system basically stinks, having had no movement for close to ten years, while the top 30% have a great life - we suffer with no end in sight.
Thats aviation for you. Mates rates, nepotism, 'old school' and rorting. Get used to it as it will never change. Perhaps it is time for a career change?
Suffering? Hardly. Spend a week in the Ethiopian desert and you will discover 'suffering'. The male attendants seem to be doing ok.Toughen up princess.
It affects the trips we can go on, the destinations we visit, the days we have (don't have more to the point) at home, whether we can sleep onboard the aircraft in our rest time - seniors always take the better breaks. It affects our fatigue levels, our stress levels, junior fa usually end up doing the galley (back injuries) and the duty free (major stress), bullying can occur, it also affects our pay. It affects our days off, holidays, long service leave, time with partners and kids. Lack of control in the work enviroment has been shown to be a determinent of ill health in the workplace by mulitiple studies. Lack of sleep is known to cause diabetes, depression, stress, and much more. And that is just one small aspect of seniority. Not to mention muscular skeletal injury
due to constantly doing the economy galley on a 747.
Again, that is aviation. You are better off working at Woolworths Monday-Friday, 0800-1600 by the sound of it? Shift work in aviation always causes the very things you mention? Again, the male attendants tend to cope much better. Maybe it is a strength thing, both mentally and physically? What are you seeking - $80k per year to work Mon-Fri? Bizzare! You must be Gen Y who is now in your late 20's to early 30. Toughen up princess.
Does anyone here reading this know how we go about changing the system based on the significant OHS issues of health involved here, as it is not just a union issue, it is a workcover issue also?
You will never change the system. Get used to it, it is now your lot in life.
I am one of the older school aviators who has done the hard yards and now enjoys a more 'relaxed' work ethic at the expense of the younger, newer aviators. I for one am happy with the system. It is amazing how newbies don't like it how others are more privledged! 10 years you say? Thats a Newbie! And thats nothing, after the next 7-10 years you will start to enjoy the benefits of this crooked system. Hang in there, not too long to go!!
It also seems downright discriminatory to me a lot of the time, encouraging bullying at times. Bullying is illegal, but.... Thankyou
Indeed it is. But it is part of the sytem. Illegal - maybe, but it is accepted. Life goes on and the bills get paid. Just work hard, do as your told and you will be fine. Male attendants tend to speak out or slug it out when bullying occurs, so maybe it is more of an issue with females, who are the weaker sex? I am not sure. Anyway, life is good for me. Toughen up princess.