Virgin Crew Pay Ballot Have You Had Enough
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am really delighted with all the support on this forum by all the crew, flight crew, etc
hopefully something good will come out of this all so keep up the support
and remember there always is money in the pot when it comes to virgin!!!
be safe
virgincrew99
xx
Join the union we need your support!!
hopefully something good will come out of this all so keep up the support
and remember there always is money in the pot when it comes to virgin!!!
be safe
virgincrew99
xx
Join the union we need your support!!
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Guys, having read through every single comment about your striking action/ballotting, I can only applaud you.
The airline and hospitality industry is well-known for being low paid. I get comments from passengers about us(all cabin crew) being 'Angels of the Sky' and that 'we deserve better pay' for the remarkable job that we do.
I agree.
We all knew what the money would be like when we joined whatever companies we all work for, but when there is rent to pay and for some of you, dependants to clothe and feed, a pay increase at the realistic rate of inflation wouldn't go amiss and yes, airlines do make money, even in this day and age of rising fuel prices and airports taxes etc.
I work for a LHR based airline too, I love my job, I gave up a 35k a year PA job in london to earn the £12,500 basic and about £4k extra a year in commission and flight pay.
I LOVE MY JOB!!!
We are having similar talks with our union at our airline about pay and T&C's, so I symathise and empathise with u all and support you for fighting your cause.
I'm sure you all love your jobs, so if all u VS crew go on strike outside the Queens building, a certain female (me) in my Navy Blue Uniform and hat will bring out the tea in support.
Good Luck with it all and I hope you all get the outcome that you want and deserve.
Crewchick
xxxxxx
The airline and hospitality industry is well-known for being low paid. I get comments from passengers about us(all cabin crew) being 'Angels of the Sky' and that 'we deserve better pay' for the remarkable job that we do.
I agree.
We all knew what the money would be like when we joined whatever companies we all work for, but when there is rent to pay and for some of you, dependants to clothe and feed, a pay increase at the realistic rate of inflation wouldn't go amiss and yes, airlines do make money, even in this day and age of rising fuel prices and airports taxes etc.
I work for a LHR based airline too, I love my job, I gave up a 35k a year PA job in london to earn the £12,500 basic and about £4k extra a year in commission and flight pay.
I LOVE MY JOB!!!
We are having similar talks with our union at our airline about pay and T&C's, so I symathise and empathise with u all and support you for fighting your cause.
I'm sure you all love your jobs, so if all u VS crew go on strike outside the Queens building, a certain female (me) in my Navy Blue Uniform and hat will bring out the tea in support.
Good Luck with it all and I hope you all get the outcome that you want and deserve.
Crewchick
xxxxxx
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thanks a million crew chick your support is greatly appreciated!!
anyone heard anymore news on pays talks its all gone quiet at the moment? management must be on holidays again....
however i did enjoy ridgeways comments on the intranet regarding the airlines postion....... we are never profitable apparently....oh and he did mention how the present problem with oil prices are effecting the company AGAIN and he even managed to throw in how US airline are making crew redundencies ......... please mr ridgeway your scare tactics are not working i am surprised you didnt mention sept 11th as another factor why virgin is going to have hard times ahead... i love the way the management give such an uplifting newsletter it really motivates everyone in the company......NOT.....
remember everyone join the union it time to take action....
happy flying
anyone heard anymore news on pays talks its all gone quiet at the moment? management must be on holidays again....
however i did enjoy ridgeways comments on the intranet regarding the airlines postion....... we are never profitable apparently....oh and he did mention how the present problem with oil prices are effecting the company AGAIN and he even managed to throw in how US airline are making crew redundencies ......... please mr ridgeway your scare tactics are not working i am surprised you didnt mention sept 11th as another factor why virgin is going to have hard times ahead... i love the way the management give such an uplifting newsletter it really motivates everyone in the company......NOT.....
remember everyone join the union it time to take action....
happy flying
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ohpleaaaaaassse
You really, simply do, misunderstand what I am trying to say.
First of all, I don't take away from the job. It's physically hard. But lets face it campers, you're not Chariman of IBM - you work on a flight. The reference to the AF flight in YYZ. Thanks to the studying that some guy / girl did into aircraft evacuation at Toulouse Uni, that A340 evacuated quick stix, due to the design of the aircraft, not 'cos of your god like training. Yes, I totally hold my hands up and say that your role was important, but, to be honest, no different from the National Express Bus 025 hitting the central reservation and the hostess evacuating the bus successfully.
It's the same thing - really it is.
So, my basic, fundamental point is.....
1) You have a great job
2) Safety - Wise, it is very important but you're not Oskar Schindler are you?
3) Have fun for a few years, get paid, take it for what it is, and piss off and get a life.
4) Seriously, it makes sense - really - it does.
I mean it - kind regards
rb
x
First of all, I don't take away from the job. It's physically hard. But lets face it campers, you're not Chariman of IBM - you work on a flight. The reference to the AF flight in YYZ. Thanks to the studying that some guy / girl did into aircraft evacuation at Toulouse Uni, that A340 evacuated quick stix, due to the design of the aircraft, not 'cos of your god like training. Yes, I totally hold my hands up and say that your role was important, but, to be honest, no different from the National Express Bus 025 hitting the central reservation and the hostess evacuating the bus successfully.
It's the same thing - really it is.
So, my basic, fundamental point is.....
1) You have a great job
2) Safety - Wise, it is very important but you're not Oskar Schindler are you?
3) Have fun for a few years, get paid, take it for what it is, and piss off and get a life.
4) Seriously, it makes sense - really - it does.
I mean it - kind regards
rb
x
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Oh my God real world really think you missing the point... you think our job is just a good time and really quiet in significant...? Well we dont need comments like that... we are trying to unite and get a better deal for us. We need constructive comments. you really do have no idea...You think our job is no different to the national express...we work on a plane, slightly more people, we tend to travel at rather fast speeds at a rather big height and carry a tad more fuel...and next time someone is slightly ill on the aircraft i will tell the driver to divert to the nearest hospital....you know the score on that plane we are all them passenger have... we save there lives! So real world sorry to sound childish but sod off we need constructive help to get a better deal......And for all you virgin crew...a new pay deal is going to be presented in next few weeks..I belive its going to be a increase in trip pay, 3% pay increase over 1 years and all the pay back dated to jan. We also have to vote on monthly standby.... Watch this space...
Last edited by LaMostyn; 27th Oct 2005 at 11:35.
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Seriously Real world i hope you realised i was joking when i said i missed you.
We are getting of track in this forum though arnt we? 'My jobs harder than your job', 'your not exactly chairman of IBM (I beleive his salary is 400k?!)' etc...
No need for it all, if you dont like these posts then dont read them, let us discuss the pay deal.
LaMostyn isnt that pay deal the same as what we were last offered? I cant remember, but i like the idea of back dating to jan.
What happens after the year, do we get another increase or is there more talks?
We are getting of track in this forum though arnt we? 'My jobs harder than your job', 'your not exactly chairman of IBM (I beleive his salary is 400k?!)' etc...
No need for it all, if you dont like these posts then dont read them, let us discuss the pay deal.
LaMostyn isnt that pay deal the same as what we were last offered? I cant remember, but i like the idea of back dating to jan.
What happens after the year, do we get another increase or is there more talks?
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Im not 100% sure...Just rumor..But the last deal was 3% over three years but this time they have offered better trip pay for all ranks. but i belive this deal is slightly better than the last..I think they want us to accept monthly standbys with whatever deal they offer us and from what a can gather monthly standbys will in the long run decrease the amount of standby days we do each year. But please dont take my word for it. Its all rumors at the mo and knowing the company it wont be all its cracked up to be..Wait and see what is offered on the table first. But whatever happen lets keep fighting for what we deserve!
Not sure whats happening with performance monitoring...but its needs sorting I must be one of the longest reining juior..it simply doesent work and people keep getting over looked....
Not sure whats happening with performance monitoring...but its needs sorting I must be one of the longest reining juior..it simply doesent work and people keep getting over looked....
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In reply to some of the other posts...
I have worked for BA for over 12 years. I feel I am fairly paid for what I do.
Some people on this thread seem to think that the job of Cabin Crew is like the Club Tropicana video from the heady days of Wham!
When our job is good... it's great.
What people in so called "normal" jobs forget is that our airline pays for the fact that we are away (yes, away, not just "at work" but, out of the country, sometimes unable to contact friends and family for long periods of time) for birthdays, weddings , funerals, kid's first days at school, nativity plays, parents evenings etc They pay for our lives.
Our job on the face of it is pretty easy, if very tiring. How many times do you hear a passenger tell you that they have just completed their 3rd longhaul flight this year and, oh.. how tired they are!!!!!
Also, if we did a similar job on the ground, when the sh1t hits the fan you can call the fire brigade, ambulance, police etc. Well, it's just us , isn't it?
Ok, major emergencies don't happen (thankfully) very often, but, we get god knows how many drunks, minor health problems, catering issues ad nauseum...
So, I wish you VS crew all the best in gaining what you deserve. SRB WANTS you to leave after 5 years so he can recruit more attractive keen young staff. He's a businessman... what do you expect?
I have worked for BA for over 12 years. I feel I am fairly paid for what I do.
Some people on this thread seem to think that the job of Cabin Crew is like the Club Tropicana video from the heady days of Wham!
When our job is good... it's great.
What people in so called "normal" jobs forget is that our airline pays for the fact that we are away (yes, away, not just "at work" but, out of the country, sometimes unable to contact friends and family for long periods of time) for birthdays, weddings , funerals, kid's first days at school, nativity plays, parents evenings etc They pay for our lives.
Our job on the face of it is pretty easy, if very tiring. How many times do you hear a passenger tell you that they have just completed their 3rd longhaul flight this year and, oh.. how tired they are!!!!!
Also, if we did a similar job on the ground, when the sh1t hits the fan you can call the fire brigade, ambulance, police etc. Well, it's just us , isn't it?
Ok, major emergencies don't happen (thankfully) very often, but, we get god knows how many drunks, minor health problems, catering issues ad nauseum...
So, I wish you VS crew all the best in gaining what you deserve. SRB WANTS you to leave after 5 years so he can recruit more attractive keen young staff. He's a businessman... what do you expect?
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hi all thanks for the info
have also heard the rumours recently regarding the pay apparently they want t increase the sector pay and the basic by 3% on the conditions that we accept monthly standby!!
bottom line is if we except this we are fools once again we will never be taken seriously by the mangement and once again be taken for a ride... as regards monthly standby i think this is going to be the death of our commuters... another questions is what if you only get called out twice in your month of standby your are fiancially at a loss is the company going to compensate the reduction in your basic salary and loss of allowance and trip pay the answer is simply NO !!! vote no to monthly standby
no matter what the outcome if we dont vote no we will never get anywhere as much as we all dont want to strike it looks like the only option in order for ur to succeed in getting better pay
thanks all
xx
have also heard the rumours recently regarding the pay apparently they want t increase the sector pay and the basic by 3% on the conditions that we accept monthly standby!!
bottom line is if we except this we are fools once again we will never be taken seriously by the mangement and once again be taken for a ride... as regards monthly standby i think this is going to be the death of our commuters... another questions is what if you only get called out twice in your month of standby your are fiancially at a loss is the company going to compensate the reduction in your basic salary and loss of allowance and trip pay the answer is simply NO !!! vote no to monthly standby
no matter what the outcome if we dont vote no we will never get anywhere as much as we all dont want to strike it looks like the only option in order for ur to succeed in getting better pay
thanks all
xx
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I am a commuter and allthough i dont love the idea of monthly standby, i dont think it will be that bad. We can still call pre ops ahead to try to get a flight and if we dont manage to it will mean sitting halfway or having to stay down, but that may only happen once or twice in the month, no different than throughout the year.
Also we will get our guaranteed amount of days of after a trip, ie 3 days after lax. As for not getting called out i can honestly say i never not get called out on a standby but that could just be my luck.
I agree its not brilliant and i would rather not do it but if it happens i dont think it will be as bad as all that. I know our flight deck are allready doing monthly standby but do any other cabin crew from other airlines do them?
Also we will get our guaranteed amount of days of after a trip, ie 3 days after lax. As for not getting called out i can honestly say i never not get called out on a standby but that could just be my luck.
I agree its not brilliant and i would rather not do it but if it happens i dont think it will be as bad as all that. I know our flight deck are allready doing monthly standby but do any other cabin crew from other airlines do them?
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I'm a commuter too and I agree that it is a better option than the current situation. For the last 4 months I have had 4 days of S#1 every month which I hate! They might as well roster me in for a vile MIA or MCO because I know that's what I'll get called for! If VS can guarantee 1 month of standby per year and minimal roster disruption (allowing for operational changes or cancelled flights etc) then I'm happy to vote yes on this aspect of the pay deal.
For those crew that commute from much further afield, I do feel for you, but it is your own choice to live so far away from London and standby is an integral part of our role as crew. I hope I don't get anyone's back up when I say that but I think we need to be a bit more flexible and open to suggestion if we expect the company to offer us a better pay deal next time...
KTPxx
For those crew that commute from much further afield, I do feel for you, but it is your own choice to live so far away from London and standby is an integral part of our role as crew. I hope I don't get anyone's back up when I say that but I think we need to be a bit more flexible and open to suggestion if we expect the company to offer us a better pay deal next time...
KTPxx
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Hmmm i've been both crew and ground staff for VS, and whilst i genuinely think everyone deserves a pay rise as both roles are tough, disruptive to your life and tiring in their different ways, maybe a more fruitful time profit wise should be selected to ask for a pay rise.
Yes, we made a profit last year but that money has to go to re-investment to keep the company afloat.
I barely survive on what i earn but i wouldn't want to work anywhere else.
All good things come to those who wait, and we'll get our pay rise - when the company can afford it.
And as for striking - i can't believe there are people selfish enough to jepordise everyone's jobs - not just crew, ground staff but EVERYONE in the company to have a few extra pounds in their on-line pay slip.
A strike would ruin us and make us look like a crack pot airline.
Grin and bear it for now! The future's bright, the futures Virgin!
Yes, we made a profit last year but that money has to go to re-investment to keep the company afloat.
I barely survive on what i earn but i wouldn't want to work anywhere else.
All good things come to those who wait, and we'll get our pay rise - when the company can afford it.
And as for striking - i can't believe there are people selfish enough to jepordise everyone's jobs - not just crew, ground staff but EVERYONE in the company to have a few extra pounds in their on-line pay slip.
A strike would ruin us and make us look like a crack pot airline.
Grin and bear it for now! The future's bright, the futures Virgin!
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maybe a more fruitful time profit wise should be selected to ask for a pay rise.
Just putting things into perspective...
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^ Lol i'm sure that is just Galley FM airing it's usual 'facts'!!!!
But even if it was true, i appreciate Airshare for what it is - a one off bonus every year. I'd rather have a long term pay rise!
But even if it was true, i appreciate Airshare for what it is - a one off bonus every year. I'd rather have a long term pay rise!
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airshare is a complete and uttter joke no scale for long service or loyality would prefer to recieve a decent payrise in my basic
we all deserve a decent payrise its a real shame the ground staff arent standing up to the management aswell rather then loving there jobs too much... not enough money in the pot! rubbish a recent top manager from accounts told fsm's at a recent meeting that theres more then enough money to justify a payrise!!! virgin is a private company the accounts are private of course they love to tell us that we only ever make a small profit!! that helps to keep employees wages down!!
moral in virgin flying is at an all time low!!
and we are all fed up with these delayed pay talks its quite obvious why they were delayed so crew would except the ballot with christmas around the corner of course we are going to need cash!!!
vote NO
we all deserve a decent payrise its a real shame the ground staff arent standing up to the management aswell rather then loving there jobs too much... not enough money in the pot! rubbish a recent top manager from accounts told fsm's at a recent meeting that theres more then enough money to justify a payrise!!! virgin is a private company the accounts are private of course they love to tell us that we only ever make a small profit!! that helps to keep employees wages down!!
moral in virgin flying is at an all time low!!
and we are all fed up with these delayed pay talks its quite obvious why they were delayed so crew would except the ballot with christmas around the corner of course we are going to need cash!!!
vote NO
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^ I think ground staff are more tuned into what would happen if we demanded a pay rise. (In fact, when i moved to the ground, i found that in general - the ground staff are more, well, grounded!) We'd simply be replaced by agency staff like they have at LGW and the outstations quicker than you can serve 300 economy meals.
It's not a 'them against us' situation at LHR - we actually get along with all levels of management. All service sector is bad pay unless you're top brass.
Some, like VS is worse than others but each company has it's pro's and cons and like i've said before i wouldn't want to work for any other other company, and i doubt neither would most crew moaning about a pay rise as they would have left already for greener pastures.
It's not a 'them against us' situation at LHR - we actually get along with all levels of management. All service sector is bad pay unless you're top brass.
Some, like VS is worse than others but each company has it's pro's and cons and like i've said before i wouldn't want to work for any other other company, and i doubt neither would most crew moaning about a pay rise as they would have left already for greener pastures.