I only had 2 people on mine... so I would think that you would have 2 on yours as well!?! Goodluck Pinklemonae :)

I'd rather two or three than one for some reason? I feel more comfortable talking with more people than just focusing on one.

Thanks :)

Foot in the door
 

I also heard that they might be looking for someone in Mildura... do you think it'd be a good short term option as a way to get a foot in the door for longer term?? How bad can the lifestyle be?? Anyone??

As I mentioned in an earlier post, non-native Mildura based flight attendants don't last long. If you're not the kind of person who can relocate easily to a town where you don't know anyone, it's not for you. Think about how much you depend on your family and friends before you decide to move if you are offered a position. Getting a transfer to another base may take longer than you think.

Medical
 

Ok everyone in the know!

What exactly goes on at a Medical? Are they looking to fail you? My eyesight is not the best so am concerned about an eyetest. How strict are
they on the weight thing, I'm probably a bit underweight would that matter.


Thanks :)

How was your interview today Pinklemonae? ;)

I hope you did alright, I think a few were getting interviews
today from what I was told.

Hi there

Interview involved a lot of tough questions :) Unsure of how I went but I really gave it my best. Can't do anymore than that :)

Now the waiting...

:O

About being a little underweight. I am sure it does not matter unless you are A LOT underweight, then there is cause for concern. Some people are naturally a little under, and I believe that is fine.

Pinklemonae:

Good luck! Who interviewed you? Was it the same people who were at the Recruitment day a week or two ago?

Isn't the waiting awful?!! AARRGGHHHH :rolleyes:

Pinklemonae when did they say they'd let you know?

They said a week I think?

I was just told to check my emails if I was unsuccesful! Not a good sign hehe..

Sorry to break up the party, but Eastern FA is a !!!!e job. Why do you think so many people are leaving?

They pay !!!!e

They treat their staff like !!!!e

They lie about progression (are they still telling you guys it will happen in interviews?)

They constantly operate single FA on 300's and draft (read forced overtime) on the end of your shift. Expect to do 10-11 hours a day. Thats 10-11 hours pretty much entirely on your feet and 6 sectors, often without a break.

Think very carefully before taking a job with these sharks.

Well thanks for your information, I quite often go around blind before I leap into something...

And FYI I personally know some Jet* FA's who left Eastern and now are desperately trying to get back in.

Can't be all that bad then. :ouch:

And by the way ggrowler who would you suggest I go with.

Woo-hoo, it's better than Jetstar - big deal. It's like comparing STD's.

If you show me a few FA's who are "desperate"to come back, I'll show you dozens who are desperate to leave (and are leaving in large numbers).

I have stated the facts so that I don't have to see more disillusioned, lied-to FA's when I go to work. It's not glamourous, the work is bloody hard, and the rewards are almost insulting.

I have seen several FA's almost in tears from anger and frustration as their shift goes from being 7 hours to 12 hours. I spoke to someone who did a 16+! hour duty the other day (union approved, but thats another story :yuk: ). Try organising things such as doctors, dentists, hair, picking up kids, etc, etc.

As for where else to go, that's up to you. I'm not saying don't come to EAA, I'm saying if you do, don't whinge when it is as I've stated.

Well the way I look at it some STD's are worse than others. :cool:

And don't worry if I do get the job I won't whinge because I have been
informed by yourself and others that fly with them. A good friend of mine who works for QF LH Crewing said to me a while ago that the "reign of the flight attendant is over" the good old days are gone.

And this forum informs us of the good, bad and the ugly. So your right no whinging from the informed.

grrowler, are you among the droves who have left? If not, why have you stayed? Not having a go at you, just curious...

Have never been, never will be, and, before anyone starts, haven't "missed out". I'm posting as an informed outsider.

I presume you are an EAAFA - is anything I have posted not fact?

8 Drafting's before lunch yesterday due to management not allowing uncovered shifts to be offered to people on days off (as per the INTENT of the FA EBA)...

Grrowler, with comments like "...seen several FA's almost in tears from anger and frustration as their shift goes from being 7 hours to 12 hours. I spoke to someone who did a 16+! hour duty the other day..." and "8 draftings before lunch...." you must work there - how would you get to know that level of detail? So come on Grrowler! Give us the dirt.

16 Hour duty? I'mpossible! I've just read the drafting clause and the max u could do would be 11 hrs planned. Either you're talking about "tours eitherside of a layover" and if you're talking about the guy that went to MQL, I heard about that too and apparently he got $175 for an extra 2 hrs work... not bad money for 2 hrs work if you ask me! :p

Grrowler... if you do work there, then why don't you exercise your choice to leave? Isn't that what people do when they don't like a job? :rolleyes: I've heard of bad Management before, but surely they aren't 'chaining' people to the workplace!?

Fingers Crossed; Yeah I've heard that two people from JQ are back with EAA - they apparently hated it over there... you just don't know who to believe really!

Many times I have done 16-19hour unplanned duties... in a disrupt this is to be expected and to have your duty extended is not uncommon for any airline so really growler your not telling anyone anything any airline these days wouldnt expect.

The only things that have limits on them is the amount of sectors you are legally able to operate, in nz we are allowed to pax one and then operate up to 5 domestic, or pax/operate one domestic and then operate 2 international.

EAA is not a bad company... yes the work is hard, and yes it will take a while for any sort of progression but if this is the job you want go for it. Opportunities that are full time and that do have eventual progression are hard to come by in aussie so i wish you all the best! :ok:

grrowler,
Unfortunately, the INTENT of the EBA is irrelevant if the clauses in question do not actually state that duties should be offered to staff on days off before drafting occurs. The only conditions the company must meet before resorting to drafting cabin crew are:

1 All reallocatable flight attendants have been utilised.
2 All reserve flight attendants have been utilised.
3 A new duty has been rejected by a flight attendant.

I don't understand how you can be so passionate about an issue which bears no relation to you personally.

Most the major airlines in Aus all have duty hour restrictions. As an average they hover around 10hr30-11hr planned duty, extendable to 12 under disrupts. Anything over that needs to be approved by the FAAA.

Jetconnect SH had a restriction of max 22hrs when I was there - I never did more then 13 hours though and the base I was in only ever did Trans Tassies so we were doing the longer (but easier!) duties. I don't quite know how on earth you'd ever manage to hit 22 (and neither does the company or that's what you'd probably be working!!).

If it's the dream job, go for it, but just know it's not the best thats on offer. Other regional airlines offer a better deal and so do the domestics. I took a job at JC years ago knowing that it wasn't the best deal and used it for and enjoyed the experience - I couldn't stand the people I worked with everyday whinging about the money and conditions though - everyone saw the CEA before they took the job. Don't be one of them if you take the gig at EAA.

On the up side - it's probably one of the last ways to get a FT gig at QF SH - that's if it still exists once you sit out the 5-7 years on a Dash!

How much does Eastern flight attendants earn in a month for their allowances. I know the base is not the best, but I was under the impression that the allowances make up for it.

Also Overhere you mentioned that there are other better regionals to work for is that due to pay or EBA?

And Pinklemonae have you had any news yet? :)

Hi there :)

Nup nothing yet. Not hopeful though

Crashaxe, if you read my post you would notice I said I was not an EAA FA. I don't hate my particular job, which is why I am still doing it. There are more than flight attendants at EAA.

EAAFA, unfortunately you are correct. However, when an EBA is ratified, there is generally a meeting between management and an FA rep to discuss how the specific clauses will be interpreted, in other words a "handshake" or goodwill arrangement. eg. Single FA operations were to be used to enable a service to operate back to home base if a FA became sick mid-duty, not for the purpose of operating out of home ports. Over the years, as management changes, this goodwill is discarded in order to penny pinch and earn brownie points with upper management. They do not consider the intent important. But looking at the big picture, perhaps this attitude is exactly why people are leaving and sick days are so incredibly high.

This attitude is so typical and part of the problem. No one gives a sh!t unless it affects them personally.

I am passionate about this matter because it could affect me one day. If management are allowed to treat a group of staff with such disrespect in order to save a few $$, they are certainly going to try it on in other parts of the company. I really don't know why I bother caring though, as it's fairly obvious that most people are short-sightedly looking after only themselves.

Fingers Crossed,

I'm sure some of the others on here will know about the allowances, but as a rough idea, the average take home wage seems to be around $1200 per fortnight, including the allowances. It does vary up and down a fair bit. Stand to be corrected...

grrowler, you seem determined to create conflict. While I don't disagree with most of the things you've said, I maintain that what counts is what is in writing not intentions, handshakes, goodwill, etc.
"This attitude is so typical and part of the problem. No one gives a sh!t unless it affects them personally."
Do you actually believe you are helping anyone with your attitude? Telling my colleagues and me that we have a s**t job and work for s**t money (refer to your earlier posting), doesn't sound to me as if you are looking out for other people in the company. I'm not interested in which capacity you work for EAA, but would you appreciate someone insulting you for the work do and the conditions which you accept? I for one don't need your kind of support.
I think that the bigger problem is people complaining about being screwed over by an EBA that they themselves voted for and accepted. Drafting is allowed, minimum rest overnights are allowed, long duties with short breaks are allowed, etc.
What we need is for current staff to be fully informed about our EBA and going into the vote for the next one with open eyes and analytical minds. Most of all I hope that people won't be stupid enough to give up the hourly limit after minimum rest for a $5000 pay rise as is rumoured.

EAAFA: I'm with you! What's in print is what is followed. Handshakes mean nothing.

Grrowler: The rules surrounding Single FA Operations are governed by CASA (well at least that's my understanding). There's no 'handshake' or intent behind that one - just a passenger ratio that enforced.... there's no other group involved in this one (correct me if I'm wrong!!) I wonder if It'll ever extend to Single Tech Crew Operation :eek: :eek:

Further to this, I have a friend who works in Crewing at EAA and he had a look at the sick leave on last year and apparently it's less than this year! So your theory is actually incorrect. Although, with the speculation that takes place on this forum, you're probably just pontificating like a lot of people do on these forums. People get on to a small bit of info and run with it!! It's fascinating and indeed a little sad what people will say when they're protected by anonymonity isn't it! :yuk:

EAAFA: Hmmm $5K for removing an aggregate?! :rolleyes: God, if people go for that then they really are in to selling their souls! BAD MOVE EAA FA's! :=


Interesting times really........................................ but hey, the sad thing is that it's the same everywhere!!!!!

CrashAxe and EAAFA

What do you mean by this 5K pay rise to give up hourly limit. What does this all mean? :eek: :eek: :confused: :confused:

Crashaxe, last year was pretty bad too, so comparing sick leave to then probably isn't an effective guage. Perhaps your friend looking back further would be more effective. Also, I didn't say sick leave was the highest, I just said it was incredibly high,which surely you must agree with. You also must agree that these draftings, single FA, etc are happening with a much greater frequency. Somewhere along the line, the loopholes in your EBA have been exploited - that's a fact. I agree that an EBA needs to be black and white, but it is basically impossible to draft a document which cannot be interpreted in different ways. This is one of the reasons why there are unions. As an example, and I don't have the document available now, but it says that a rostered shift of greater than 8 hours requires a break. When that was written, it wouldn't have been thought about too much. Shifts were shorter, and draftings were basically non-existent. Do you really think it was intended that you could be rostered 7 hours, then drafted to 10 hours without the requirement for a break? I believe this is a mis-interpretation for the benefit of the company.

EAAFA, I was informing potential recruits of what they are getting themselves into. I guess my initial comments were a little harsh, but I was actually saying you guys are worth more. Perhaps, if the truth is out there, there will be less starry-eyed hopefuls lining up at the door, and you will have a stronger position to negotiate from. As far as my job is concerned, I believe I'm on s**t money as well, the difference is that our management aren't as intent on screwing us.

From my experience, you need to be in communication with your EBA negotiators now, before a document is drafted, making it clear that giving up your hour limit clause for money is not acceptable. Once it's put to the vote, it's really hard to do anything about it. The company will offer you a take it or leave deal with your EBA. If you vote it down, you will most likely lose backpay. If you choose to fight that through protected action (very difficult under the current laws anyway), you are going to need the support of the other employee groups. They would be quite happy to work around you with strike breakers or whatever, which you can't do anything about, but which we can at least try to help prevent.

Anyway, I am actually on your side, so no need to get on your high horses and defend the company. If you don't want any support then perhaps you could lend me a pair of your rose coloured glasses?;)

grrowler,

I'm glad to see you admit that you were a bit harsh.

I'd be the last person to defend the company, I'm just telling it as it is. There's a big difference between having a s**t job and a s**t employer, and if I thought my job was s**t I would leave.

As for the point you made about the wording of the EBA which creates loopholes to the benefit of the company, I doubt whether the company managers didn't do that on purpose. They're not the most intelligent of individuals, but they sure make up for it with sneaky instincts.

Fingers Crossed, the hourly limits I referred to previously apply to minimum rest overnights. In our current EBA we have a clause which limits our shift on the second day if our rest period is only 9 hours. The company is desperately trying to remove this limit so they can roster us for long shifts on both days of the overnight.

I've said it to the union reps in person and I'd like to say it on-line: NO WAY!

EAAFA: Interesting... whilst I may agree with you re the aggregate limits, I'm not convinced that your view will be shared by all. People will chase cash all the time.

RE: Your comments associated with Management.... I've actually heard that they're pretty switched on! That "new guy" is apparently switched on... not sure about the other woman. Didn't she work for the FAAA at some point?!

Ahh well, anyway good luck Fingers Crossed.

[QUOTE=CrashAxe;2877330]EAAFA: Interesting... whilst I may agree with you re the aggregate limits, I'm not convinced that your view will be shared by all. People will chase cash all the time.

I really don't think 5k would be enough, it would be an awful lot more work and worth more in $$

Crashaxe thanks for the luck think I really need it just playing the waiting game now :hmm:

MQL The place to be!
 

Okay for the inside scoop!

Mildura base is one of the best:p , while the flying is limited, the crew are fantastic to work with, and it is a real family atmosphere. I can confirm they will be recruiting too. I know from first hand that outsiders have not lasted long, however, I was an outsider and I have fitted in, the crew will make you feel at home.

Good luck to all:ok: .

Mouse

grrowler must be in (s)crewing if he has all that info at his fingertips

on the subject of crewing, am I the only one who is pissed off with them making deals with the people they like, while they screw the rest of us over?

I will admit I've heard stories about that m00ving on. :*

Does this happen much at Eastern? Crewing making deals and having favourites??

I know of flight attendants who seem to know people in crewing and as a result play by their own rules instead of abiding by the EBA.

The problem is that as flight attendants we don't have access to the crewing computer systems, so we can only base our opininons on hearsay. Without proof we can't do anything about it.

EAAFA:

Oh come on, everyone rorts the system if they can. Then there's people who complain enough hoping that they'll get what they want. There's apparently a guy down in MEL who has complained about every NTL hotel where the crew stay just so that they'll try and move the crew.... I mean that's just human nature. Everyone winges, just about different things and it's normally self serving.

I actually got the inside goss on that guy re the ADL base. Apparently the "new guy" stuffed up there re. that guy staying in ADL base.... bit rough on those on the list thoughbut then again we're all human I guess!

m00ving_on:

I reckon that if you had the opportunity, you too would do a deal to benefit your own pocket... surely that's just human nature isn't it?



Perhaps it's a Gen Y issue.... ROFL

Hiya all,
I'm attending an EAA (QantasLink) assessment centre on Tues24th Oct - would anyone be so kind to fill me in on what happens on that day? I would love to work for them...

Thanks in advance.
PS. Does QantasLink have a base in Melbourne?

Hi Nanock! I use to work for EAA based out of Syd for 4 1/2 years (left over 2 years ago) and absolutely loved it!! Its also a great stepping stone into other airlines (im soon about to start with EK) as the training you are provided with is invaluable! Dont know what the interviews are like these days, but I can tell you they definately have a base in MEL (and BNE), Best of luck!

Cheers:p

CrashAxe wrote:

"Oh come on, everyone rorts the system if they can. Then there's people who complain enough hoping that they'll get what they want."

No, most people do not rort the system. 99% of crew respect the EBA and their colleagues enough to work within the rules.

"There's apparently a guy down in MEL who has complained about every NTL hotel where the crew stay just so that they'll try and move the crew.... I mean that's just human nature. Everyone winges, just about different things and it's normally self serving."

That doesn't narrow it down. Everyone (tech and cabin crew) in MEL complains about the accommodation in NTL. Besides, how is getting better accommodation for EVERYONE self serving? Also, you say "every NTL" hotel. In the time I've been with Eastern, we've only used 3 hotels in NTL. The first was excellent and I never heard anyone complain about it, the second wasn't approved by the union and the third is the current one. Not once was a hotel changed as a result of crew preferences.

I think it's interesting how much inside information your "friend" in crewing actually shares with you...:hmm:

To OzyOS, the BNE base is part of Sunstate, so you would have to apply separately.

As far as I'm aware the Eastern EBA is different to the Sunstate one. Will this all be brought under the one umbrella or continue to have different EBA's under Qantaslink as a whole?

crashaxe, you said

"I reckon that if you had the opportunity, you too would do a deal to benefit your own pocket... surely that's just human nature isn't it?"

the point is that crewing should not be making deals with people who try it on. since not all people are greedy, selfish a******s, i wouldn't excuse it as human nature

can you ask your friend :suspect: in crewing if it's true that one flight attendant has 60 DILs owing???