Ok, I have looked back. After all, I'm on this forum.
Since quitting, I've worked for an airline. I've been to Toronto, Winnipeg(WHOOOO!), LA, and I'm going to Chicago this weekend to see the flames take on the blackhawks. I may go to Montreal for new years eve, I'd like to go back to Japan for a few days, a buddy is taking me to see his family in Ireland in February, and ms. hoser and I plan on going to Brasil in April. The pay sucks, however, and because I'm part time and the company is still considered to be "restructuring" (HUGE concessions from the union were given in 2003), I don't get a $1 raise until TWO YEARS of employment. However, the contract is up in 2009 and everyone is crying doomsday.
The scheduling at this place sucks. It's a shift bid system. There are 220 full time employees and if I were full time, I'd be at 211. There were 28 part timers, and I am 28. Despite this, I got a pretty good line de-icing planes from Tuesday-Saturday 1630-2100. The company is projecting 60 part timers by the next bid, so this means I will have a LOT of seniority on people without really having seniority (the most senior pt has been there since 2000). The bids are for 6 months at a time, the next one for summer is up in April. Summer sked sucks, part timer lines are normally 25-32 hours a week, while winter skeds are normally 20-24hrs a week. Because I am paid for every day regardless of whether I work them or not, I have to "sell" my days if I want them off. I can also "buy" days for cash or a shift trade. While I make $x an hour, the sell/buy rate is usually 30% more than what I make, so I either lose a lot of money or buy a lot of shifts and use that to sell my days. I choose the latter so finances aren't an issue.
The union is pretty good, the IAMAW. There was an issue with overtime with the company, and despite me not being initiated within the union yet, I got an answer and solution within hours. They have an office right beside our lunch room, and the local president (who we re-elected) is great.
The work environment is great, which is why the pay sucks. Last night I groomed one flight and another flight I threw ten bags and pushed back, and that was it. No hidden jobs, no surprise trailers full of volume, nothing. You do your flights and your spare time (on the clock) is your spare time. The rest I just read/studied/watched tv. Managers are pretty good, they REALLY respect our rights and they don't try ANY funny stuff. Any violations of the contract I found to be incidental more than intentional. Many employees don't feel the same way, but when you're making $29/hr and you're told that you're now making $23/hr, I'd be pissed as well.
Overall, it's great. I love my co-workers, I love the benefits, but I miss the consistent schedules, the fact that I was almost top of the seniority list with 8 months in, and THE PAY. I just thought I would let you guys know about what it's like with another company. Each has their pros and cons, UPS definitely wins with the pay, benefits, scheduling, and the fact that I can REFUSE OVERTIME.
Anyone else on the forum who left, said they haven't looked back, when really, they have?
Since quitting, I've worked for an airline. I've been to Toronto, Winnipeg(WHOOOO!), LA, and I'm going to Chicago this weekend to see the flames take on the blackhawks. I may go to Montreal for new years eve, I'd like to go back to Japan for a few days, a buddy is taking me to see his family in Ireland in February, and ms. hoser and I plan on going to Brasil in April. The pay sucks, however, and because I'm part time and the company is still considered to be "restructuring" (HUGE concessions from the union were given in 2003), I don't get a $1 raise until TWO YEARS of employment. However, the contract is up in 2009 and everyone is crying doomsday.
The scheduling at this place sucks. It's a shift bid system. There are 220 full time employees and if I were full time, I'd be at 211. There were 28 part timers, and I am 28. Despite this, I got a pretty good line de-icing planes from Tuesday-Saturday 1630-2100. The company is projecting 60 part timers by the next bid, so this means I will have a LOT of seniority on people without really having seniority (the most senior pt has been there since 2000). The bids are for 6 months at a time, the next one for summer is up in April. Summer sked sucks, part timer lines are normally 25-32 hours a week, while winter skeds are normally 20-24hrs a week. Because I am paid for every day regardless of whether I work them or not, I have to "sell" my days if I want them off. I can also "buy" days for cash or a shift trade. While I make $x an hour, the sell/buy rate is usually 30% more than what I make, so I either lose a lot of money or buy a lot of shifts and use that to sell my days. I choose the latter so finances aren't an issue.
The union is pretty good, the IAMAW. There was an issue with overtime with the company, and despite me not being initiated within the union yet, I got an answer and solution within hours. They have an office right beside our lunch room, and the local president (who we re-elected) is great.
The work environment is great, which is why the pay sucks. Last night I groomed one flight and another flight I threw ten bags and pushed back, and that was it. No hidden jobs, no surprise trailers full of volume, nothing. You do your flights and your spare time (on the clock) is your spare time. The rest I just read/studied/watched tv. Managers are pretty good, they REALLY respect our rights and they don't try ANY funny stuff. Any violations of the contract I found to be incidental more than intentional. Many employees don't feel the same way, but when you're making $29/hr and you're told that you're now making $23/hr, I'd be pissed as well.
Overall, it's great. I love my co-workers, I love the benefits, but I miss the consistent schedules, the fact that I was almost top of the seniority list with 8 months in, and THE PAY. I just thought I would let you guys know about what it's like with another company. Each has their pros and cons, UPS definitely wins with the pay, benefits, scheduling, and the fact that I can REFUSE OVERTIME.
Anyone else on the forum who left, said they haven't looked back, when really, they have?