Monday, February 27, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Alaska Airlines Hiring
Description
Flight Attendant
Start your career at Alaska Airlines as a Flight Attendant!
We are accepting online applications starting Saturday Oct 15 thru Monday Oct 17th. You must apply during this time in order to be considered.
Please visit our website at careers.alaskaair.com/Alaska-CareerOps.asp where you can apply and attach your resume.
This position will be based out of Anchorage.
We offer a dynamic work experience with competitive benefits package including medical, dental, 401k and travel privileges.
We are an equal opportunity employer.
Source - Anchorage Daily News
Requirements
Please refer to the Job Description to view the requirements for this job
Flight Attendant
Start your career at Alaska Airlines as a Flight Attendant!
We are accepting online applications starting Saturday Oct 15 thru Monday Oct 17th. You must apply during this time in order to be considered.
Please visit our website at careers.alaskaair.com/Alaska-CareerOps.asp where you can apply and attach your resume.
This position will be based out of Anchorage.
We offer a dynamic work experience with competitive benefits package including medical, dental, 401k and travel privileges.
We are an equal opportunity employer.
Source - Anchorage Daily News
Requirements
Please refer to the Job Description to view the requirements for this job
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
How Not to get sick on a flight
A researcher who took swabs of various surfaces on planes in 2007 found the surfaces contaminated with the superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), norovirus, and E. coli. Norovirus and E. coli can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms and illness, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
While no data exists suggesting that people are more likely to get sick on a plane than elsewhere, it still is a confined space that can facilitate transfer of germs like this, as well as diseases such as influenza. So what can you do to protect yourself while you fly?
While numerous devices and germ-fighting concoctions can be purchased to disinfect surfaces you might touch on a plane, perhaps the best defense is simply washing your hands, experts say.
USA today also offers a few tips to help travelers avoid bacteria and viruses that could make you sick:
•Be wary of the airplane lavatory. Numerous studies have shown that these are teeming with E. coli on almost every surface.
•Sanitize your seat. Pack disinfectant wipes and wipe down any surface you're using.
•Protect yourself from sick passengers. Don't rub your eyes or touch your nose or mouth -- that's how many diseases spread.
•Don't go barefoot at security checkpoints. Wear or bring socks to avoid athlete's foot and other fungal infections.
For more of their suggestions, click on the USA Today link below.
Sources:
The New York Times March 2, 2011
USA Today March 2, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Modern conveniences are awesome and it is just amazing that we can fly across the country in hours rather than having to drive for days or months. However there is a price to pay for this convenience and it could be your health.
Since I travel regularly I thought you might appreciate how I have been safeguarding myself while flying and being exposed to radiation at 35,000 feet that humans were never designed to be exposed to. Remember the highest mountain in the world is 28,000 feet yet most of us think nothing of spending hours at higher altitudes.
There is some serious radiation exposure at 35,000 feet and that is your greatest danger. Here are some principles I use to help protect me when I fly.
#1 Fly at Night
This one doesn't cost you anything except some potential convenience and sleep. It might even save you money as night flights are typically less expensive.
Since a large percentage of the radiation is from the sun it is best to fly at night when the earth is blocking most of it. Just like you won't get sunburned at night you will have less risk of radiation at night.
#2 Use Astaxanthin
This is clearly the most amazing antioxidant that I know of. We have seen radical improvements in people's ability to tolerate sun exposure by using it. If you do get burnt the burn is much less severe and virtually no peeling occurs. It also is a powerful fat soluble antioxidant that will protect your cells.
The downside is that you really need to be on it for several weeks for it to work; you will get very little benefit if you only take it before you board the plane. Typical dose is 4 mg a day for three weeks prior to boarding the plane.
#3 Use an Earthing/Grounding Pad
It is now thought that EMFs and other ambient electrical interference can disrupt your body's bio-electrical communications, leading to weak electrical currents within your body. WiFi on many flights only worsens the problem.
Traveling on airplanes is a suspected cause of weakening bio-electric currents, as it disrupts the natural ground your body would receive when you're connected naturally to the earth through your feet.
One way to counter this bio-electrical disruption caused by airline travel is to use an earthing pad, also known as a grounding pad. I have been using one for the past six months. They are still in beta testing, but we hope to have them out later this year. They are also good for your car.
#4 Stay Hydrated with Water NOT Soda
Most airlines will offer you bottled or canned sparkling water. This is fine if you don't purchase water after you get though security. The LAST thing you want to do is drink one of the sodas they offer you as that will add insult to injury and serve to synergistically worsen the damage from the radiation.
#5 Walk Around on Long Flights
Being immobile on a plane and having a limited space in which to move increases the risk that blood clots will develop and then lodge in the lungs, an event called a pulmonary embolism. Over the last 30 years, about 100 cases of pulmonary embolism after air travel have been reported.
To reduce risk of pulmonary embolism, you should avoid alcohol, wear loose clothing, avoid crossing your legs, and engage in minor physical activity while flying, such as walking or moving your legs frequently during the flight.
#6 Avoid Junk Food
If you're unlucky enough to arrive hungry to the airport, most of your options are junk food or processed food. My advice to you is avoid these choices. This goes for any in-flight meal options that are often nothing more than processed food.
Junk food is loaded with salt, sugar and feedlot animals (animals that present a number of health problems of their own when you consume them), and these three things will do more to impair your germ fighting abilities than they will to ward off any disease.
The truth is that fasting is much better than eating junk food when you travel. Fasting does less to impair your body's natural disease fighting mechanisms.
Other Dangers of Public Places, Including Airplanes
In case you missed my recent article about how to avoid getting sick from your hotel room, you can view it here. Today we're talking about airplanes and other public places where a lot of people congregate and touch things. Let's face it, people are dirty. They touch things they shouldn't be touching, they don't always practice proper hygiene and worst of all they bring these germs with them wherever they go and spread them by touching things.
As the article above rightly points out, you can't let the prevalence and ubiquity of germs make you go crazy to avoid them, but you can take steps to reduce your exposure to the one to two percent of germs in public places that can actually make you sick. The superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), norovirus, and E. coli are certainly three strains you don't want to become infected with as they cause some nasty negative health consequences if they overpower your immune system.
The NY Times article above details some devices you can purchase in your fight against invading germs, like personal air purifiers worn around your neck, or seat covers for airplane seats, but the article also points out that your best defense when traveling on an airplane is to frequently wash your hands.
It is also important to not touch your mouth, nose or eyes after touching common public surfaces in airplanes like door handles, seat-back trays and water faucets or toilet handles (before your hands have been washed) because this is how the germs get from your hands into your body.
Cold and flu viruses can last up to 72 hours on plastic surfaces and the nasty norovirus can survive for two to four weeks – so chances are that you're very likely to touch a surface with some germs on it while you're in a confined space with many other people, like on an airplane (or in public places general).
While some airlines like American Airlines and Southwest tout their thorough deep cleaning requirements for their fleet of planes, including scrubbing and de-sanitizing nooks and crannies every thirty days, you can still bet that many surfaces like arm rests, seat-back tables, magazines and lavatory toilets receive at best minimal cleanings after most flights.
So do yourself a favor and wash your hands when you touch anything on an airplane that other people have also touched in the last 72 hours. And there's actually no need to ever use antibacterial hand soap, as there's plenty of evidence showing that nothing works better to cut germs than simply washing your hands with plain soap and water!
For the Best Protection of All, Keep Your Immune System Healthy
Hand washing is an excellent preventive tool against the germs lurking anywhere on an airplane or on public surfaces in general, but a strong immune system will always be your best defense against any pathogenic bacteria you come across anywhere, and will serve you well if you nourish it with the proper tools.
You can support your immune system by:
•Getting a good night's sleep.
•Minimizing stress in your life.
•Exercising regularly and effectively.
•Getting enough sun exposure in order to optimize your vitamin D levels.
•Avoiding sugar and grains, and instead eating plenty of raw foods including raw vegetables, raw milk and raw eggs.
•Taking a high-quality probiotic (good bacteria) and eating plenty of fermented foods like kefir and natto, which are natural sources of probiotics.
When you follow these steps you can have peace of mind that any germs that do enter your body will be no match for your well nourished and highly capable immune system, which will always be your best line of defense against disease of any kind.
While no data exists suggesting that people are more likely to get sick on a plane than elsewhere, it still is a confined space that can facilitate transfer of germs like this, as well as diseases such as influenza. So what can you do to protect yourself while you fly?
While numerous devices and germ-fighting concoctions can be purchased to disinfect surfaces you might touch on a plane, perhaps the best defense is simply washing your hands, experts say.
USA today also offers a few tips to help travelers avoid bacteria and viruses that could make you sick:
•Be wary of the airplane lavatory. Numerous studies have shown that these are teeming with E. coli on almost every surface.
•Sanitize your seat. Pack disinfectant wipes and wipe down any surface you're using.
•Protect yourself from sick passengers. Don't rub your eyes or touch your nose or mouth -- that's how many diseases spread.
•Don't go barefoot at security checkpoints. Wear or bring socks to avoid athlete's foot and other fungal infections.
For more of their suggestions, click on the USA Today link below.
Sources:
The New York Times March 2, 2011
USA Today March 2, 2011
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
Modern conveniences are awesome and it is just amazing that we can fly across the country in hours rather than having to drive for days or months. However there is a price to pay for this convenience and it could be your health.
Since I travel regularly I thought you might appreciate how I have been safeguarding myself while flying and being exposed to radiation at 35,000 feet that humans were never designed to be exposed to. Remember the highest mountain in the world is 28,000 feet yet most of us think nothing of spending hours at higher altitudes.
There is some serious radiation exposure at 35,000 feet and that is your greatest danger. Here are some principles I use to help protect me when I fly.
#1 Fly at Night
This one doesn't cost you anything except some potential convenience and sleep. It might even save you money as night flights are typically less expensive.
Since a large percentage of the radiation is from the sun it is best to fly at night when the earth is blocking most of it. Just like you won't get sunburned at night you will have less risk of radiation at night.
#2 Use Astaxanthin
This is clearly the most amazing antioxidant that I know of. We have seen radical improvements in people's ability to tolerate sun exposure by using it. If you do get burnt the burn is much less severe and virtually no peeling occurs. It also is a powerful fat soluble antioxidant that will protect your cells.
The downside is that you really need to be on it for several weeks for it to work; you will get very little benefit if you only take it before you board the plane. Typical dose is 4 mg a day for three weeks prior to boarding the plane.
#3 Use an Earthing/Grounding Pad
It is now thought that EMFs and other ambient electrical interference can disrupt your body's bio-electrical communications, leading to weak electrical currents within your body. WiFi on many flights only worsens the problem.
Traveling on airplanes is a suspected cause of weakening bio-electric currents, as it disrupts the natural ground your body would receive when you're connected naturally to the earth through your feet.
One way to counter this bio-electrical disruption caused by airline travel is to use an earthing pad, also known as a grounding pad. I have been using one for the past six months. They are still in beta testing, but we hope to have them out later this year. They are also good for your car.
#4 Stay Hydrated with Water NOT Soda
Most airlines will offer you bottled or canned sparkling water. This is fine if you don't purchase water after you get though security. The LAST thing you want to do is drink one of the sodas they offer you as that will add insult to injury and serve to synergistically worsen the damage from the radiation.
#5 Walk Around on Long Flights
Being immobile on a plane and having a limited space in which to move increases the risk that blood clots will develop and then lodge in the lungs, an event called a pulmonary embolism. Over the last 30 years, about 100 cases of pulmonary embolism after air travel have been reported.
To reduce risk of pulmonary embolism, you should avoid alcohol, wear loose clothing, avoid crossing your legs, and engage in minor physical activity while flying, such as walking or moving your legs frequently during the flight.
#6 Avoid Junk Food
If you're unlucky enough to arrive hungry to the airport, most of your options are junk food or processed food. My advice to you is avoid these choices. This goes for any in-flight meal options that are often nothing more than processed food.
Junk food is loaded with salt, sugar and feedlot animals (animals that present a number of health problems of their own when you consume them), and these three things will do more to impair your germ fighting abilities than they will to ward off any disease.
The truth is that fasting is much better than eating junk food when you travel. Fasting does less to impair your body's natural disease fighting mechanisms.
Other Dangers of Public Places, Including Airplanes
In case you missed my recent article about how to avoid getting sick from your hotel room, you can view it here. Today we're talking about airplanes and other public places where a lot of people congregate and touch things. Let's face it, people are dirty. They touch things they shouldn't be touching, they don't always practice proper hygiene and worst of all they bring these germs with them wherever they go and spread them by touching things.
As the article above rightly points out, you can't let the prevalence and ubiquity of germs make you go crazy to avoid them, but you can take steps to reduce your exposure to the one to two percent of germs in public places that can actually make you sick. The superbug methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), norovirus, and E. coli are certainly three strains you don't want to become infected with as they cause some nasty negative health consequences if they overpower your immune system.
The NY Times article above details some devices you can purchase in your fight against invading germs, like personal air purifiers worn around your neck, or seat covers for airplane seats, but the article also points out that your best defense when traveling on an airplane is to frequently wash your hands.
It is also important to not touch your mouth, nose or eyes after touching common public surfaces in airplanes like door handles, seat-back trays and water faucets or toilet handles (before your hands have been washed) because this is how the germs get from your hands into your body.
Cold and flu viruses can last up to 72 hours on plastic surfaces and the nasty norovirus can survive for two to four weeks – so chances are that you're very likely to touch a surface with some germs on it while you're in a confined space with many other people, like on an airplane (or in public places general).
While some airlines like American Airlines and Southwest tout their thorough deep cleaning requirements for their fleet of planes, including scrubbing and de-sanitizing nooks and crannies every thirty days, you can still bet that many surfaces like arm rests, seat-back tables, magazines and lavatory toilets receive at best minimal cleanings after most flights.
So do yourself a favor and wash your hands when you touch anything on an airplane that other people have also touched in the last 72 hours. And there's actually no need to ever use antibacterial hand soap, as there's plenty of evidence showing that nothing works better to cut germs than simply washing your hands with plain soap and water!
For the Best Protection of All, Keep Your Immune System Healthy
Hand washing is an excellent preventive tool against the germs lurking anywhere on an airplane or on public surfaces in general, but a strong immune system will always be your best defense against any pathogenic bacteria you come across anywhere, and will serve you well if you nourish it with the proper tools.
You can support your immune system by:
•Getting a good night's sleep.
•Minimizing stress in your life.
•Exercising regularly and effectively.
•Getting enough sun exposure in order to optimize your vitamin D levels.
•Avoiding sugar and grains, and instead eating plenty of raw foods including raw vegetables, raw milk and raw eggs.
•Taking a high-quality probiotic (good bacteria) and eating plenty of fermented foods like kefir and natto, which are natural sources of probiotics.
When you follow these steps you can have peace of mind that any germs that do enter your body will be no match for your well nourished and highly capable immune system, which will always be your best line of defense against disease of any kind.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thailand Airline Claims To Be First To Hire Tranny Flight Attendants
Thailand Airline Claims To Be First To Hire Tranny Flight Attendants
VIBE.COM By: GangStarr Girl Posted 1-29-2011 11:46 am
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A newly formed airline in Thailand has hired six transsexuals as flight attendants in an effort to promote equal opportunities for what's called the "third sex" in Southeast Asia. More than 100 transsexuals applied for the coveted positions with PC Air, and more are expected to be hired.
“I think these people can have many careers, not just in the entertainment business, and many of them have a dream to be an air hostess. I just made their dream come true," said Peter Chan, the airline’s president.
Thailand has one of the largest transsexual populations in the world. Surgeons there have come up with cheap and speedy sex change techniques for those wanting to go under the knife.
Nontransexuals were also hired. According to Chan, what's important is they have the necessary language skills and can provide good service.
PC Air expects to be in operation, serving South Korea and Japan by April. [NY Daily News]
VIBE.COM By: GangStarr Girl Posted 1-29-2011 11:46 am
Share
A newly formed airline in Thailand has hired six transsexuals as flight attendants in an effort to promote equal opportunities for what's called the "third sex" in Southeast Asia. More than 100 transsexuals applied for the coveted positions with PC Air, and more are expected to be hired.
“I think these people can have many careers, not just in the entertainment business, and many of them have a dream to be an air hostess. I just made their dream come true," said Peter Chan, the airline’s president.
Thailand has one of the largest transsexual populations in the world. Surgeons there have come up with cheap and speedy sex change techniques for those wanting to go under the knife.
Nontransexuals were also hired. According to Chan, what's important is they have the necessary language skills and can provide good service.
PC Air expects to be in operation, serving South Korea and Japan by April. [NY Daily News]
Monday, January 17, 2011
How to Look Good After a Long-Haul Flight: 8 Beauty Tips from Flight Attendants || Jaunted
This is good advice. One of the most important things to do before getting on a flight is to make sure you bath or shower before the flight. Nothing is worse than dirty body and hair smell. It is not necessarily body odor, but that musty smell that comes from not cleaning yourself before being in a crowded public place!
How to Look Good After a Long-Haul Flight: 8 Beauty Tips from Flight Attendants || Jaunted
How to Look Good After a Long-Haul Flight: 8 Beauty Tips from Flight Attendants || Jaunted
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Airline hiring back "overweight" Flight Attendants
Airline Hiring Back 'Overweight' Flight Attendants
by Fran Golden Subscribe to Fran Golden's posts
Posted Dec 2nd 2010 12:50 PMTEXT SIZE:
AAA21 CommentsPrint this page|EmailShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on DiggShare on LifestreamCash-strapped Air India is trying to hire back flight attendants the airline fired last year saying the women were overweight.
Experiencing a major shortage of cabin crew, the carrier has approached nine of the 10 women with offers, according to news reports.
"About three of them have indicated that they would be willing to come back," a spokesman says.
But the women will be required to stay slim enough to meet the carrier's strict staff weight requirements – based on height and age – if they want their old jobs back.
"We are not relaxing our standards," the spokesman says.
At the time of the firings, the carrier said the crew members were significantly overweight and had been given time to slim down.
In August, Turkish Airlines likewise said it was giving 28 flight attendants six months off to lose weight or face reassignment. The group placed on unpaid leave included 13 women and five men.
Some of the fired Indian flight attendants have tried unsuccessfully in the country's courts to have Air India's policy changed.
Meanwhile, an Indian newspaper reports Air India may run out of cash and be unable to pay its staff after March, unless it gets a government bailout.
by Fran Golden Subscribe to Fran Golden's posts
Posted Dec 2nd 2010 12:50 PMTEXT SIZE:
AAA21 CommentsPrint this page|EmailShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on DiggShare on LifestreamCash-strapped Air India is trying to hire back flight attendants the airline fired last year saying the women were overweight.
Experiencing a major shortage of cabin crew, the carrier has approached nine of the 10 women with offers, according to news reports.
"About three of them have indicated that they would be willing to come back," a spokesman says.
But the women will be required to stay slim enough to meet the carrier's strict staff weight requirements – based on height and age – if they want their old jobs back.
"We are not relaxing our standards," the spokesman says.
At the time of the firings, the carrier said the crew members were significantly overweight and had been given time to slim down.
In August, Turkish Airlines likewise said it was giving 28 flight attendants six months off to lose weight or face reassignment. The group placed on unpaid leave included 13 women and five men.
Some of the fired Indian flight attendants have tried unsuccessfully in the country's courts to have Air India's policy changed.
Meanwhile, an Indian newspaper reports Air India may run out of cash and be unable to pay its staff after March, unless it gets a government bailout.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
New Job for Steven Slater
New job for former JetBlue flight attendant
Buzz up!0 votes
By Brian Alexander – Mon Nov 15, 6:53 pm ET
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Steven Slater will put his vast experience of memorable air flights to use after signing a deal to judge travelers' 'craziest' stories.
The former JetBlue flight attendant will represent the "Mile High Text Club" contest which invites travelers to text in their most outrageous stories.
The deal is with the company behind a mobile communication application, Line2, which allows inflight texting on Wi-Fi equipped planes.
Peter Sisson, CEO of Toktumi, the company behind the application, called Slater "a perfect judge for a contest concerning the current state of air travel.
"After talking with Steven, I realized that despite his dramatic approach - which he regrets - he was making a statement about the need to return civility and common courtesy to flying."
The "Mile High Text Club" pushes the cause of communicating via text on a flight so other passengers are not disturbed by loud voice calls.
Slater made national headlines in August after he made a dramatic emergency slide exit from a JetBlue plane after an altercation with a passenger over luggage.
(Editing by Zorianna Kit)
Buzz up!0 votes
By Brian Alexander – Mon Nov 15, 6:53 pm ET
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Steven Slater will put his vast experience of memorable air flights to use after signing a deal to judge travelers' 'craziest' stories.
The former JetBlue flight attendant will represent the "Mile High Text Club" contest which invites travelers to text in their most outrageous stories.
The deal is with the company behind a mobile communication application, Line2, which allows inflight texting on Wi-Fi equipped planes.
Peter Sisson, CEO of Toktumi, the company behind the application, called Slater "a perfect judge for a contest concerning the current state of air travel.
"After talking with Steven, I realized that despite his dramatic approach - which he regrets - he was making a statement about the need to return civility and common courtesy to flying."
The "Mile High Text Club" pushes the cause of communicating via text on a flight so other passengers are not disturbed by loud voice calls.
Slater made national headlines in August after he made a dramatic emergency slide exit from a JetBlue plane after an altercation with a passenger over luggage.
(Editing by Zorianna Kit)
Monday, September 6, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Delta Airlines
Delta Air Lines Inc., the world’s largest carrier, said it will recall furloughed attendants and hire an undetermined number of new workers as it adds flights.
The airline expects to begin training the attendants in January and have them flying by mid-2011, Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson told employees in a recorded message today. He didn’t say how many flight attendant jobs will be filled at the Atlanta-based carrier.
Delta is adding international flights as the economy recovers and businesses resume travel. The airline said Aug. 4 that its passenger traffic across the Pacific Ocean rose 6.2 percent this year through July, while Latin American traffic increased 3.4 percent.
“We need lots of folks with language skills, given the extensive nature of our international network and the need to be able to communicate with passengers in their own language,” Anderson said.
Airline labor agreements generally require furloughed employees be given a chance to return before new workers are hired.
The carrier is adding flights between London and its hubs at Detroit and Atlanta starting Oct. 31, and is expanding facilities at New York’s Kennedy airport for international routes.
Delta last month said it would fill 1,000 jobs at its 25 biggest U.S. airports to help with planes flying at near-record capacity and cope with weather disruptions. Delta, with about 81,000 workers, has also announced plans to hire 240 pilots.
To contact the reporter on this story: Mary Schlangenstein in Dallas at maryc.s@bloomberg.net.
The airline expects to begin training the attendants in January and have them flying by mid-2011, Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson told employees in a recorded message today. He didn’t say how many flight attendant jobs will be filled at the Atlanta-based carrier.
Delta is adding international flights as the economy recovers and businesses resume travel. The airline said Aug. 4 that its passenger traffic across the Pacific Ocean rose 6.2 percent this year through July, while Latin American traffic increased 3.4 percent.
“We need lots of folks with language skills, given the extensive nature of our international network and the need to be able to communicate with passengers in their own language,” Anderson said.
Airline labor agreements generally require furloughed employees be given a chance to return before new workers are hired.
The carrier is adding flights between London and its hubs at Detroit and Atlanta starting Oct. 31, and is expanding facilities at New York’s Kennedy airport for international routes.
Delta last month said it would fill 1,000 jobs at its 25 biggest U.S. airports to help with planes flying at near-record capacity and cope with weather disruptions. Delta, with about 81,000 workers, has also announced plans to hire 240 pilots.
To contact the reporter on this story: Mary Schlangenstein in Dallas at maryc.s@bloomberg.net.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Delta Hiring
Delta Airlines is hiring flight attendants! Go to their website and apply! It is a great opportunity to get start flying with one of the biggest airlines.
http://www.deltajobs.net/career_destinations.htm
http://www.deltajobs.net/career_destinations.htm
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Victory for Organized Labor
Rule change favors unions at airlines, railroads
By SAM HANANEL (AP) – 6 days ago
WASHINGTON — In a major victory for organized labor, unions will have an easier time signing up airline and railroad workers after the Obama administration Monday changed a 76-year-old rule on union elections.
The change is the most significant so far in a string of White House moves designed to boost unions, which are struggling to reverse years of decline in membership.
The new rule, announced by the three-member National Mediation Board, would recognize a union if a simple majority of workers who cast ballots approve organizing. The previous rule required a majority of the entire work force to favor unionizing. That meant workers choosing not to vote at all were effectively counted as "no" votes.
Airlines that fought the change say it will lead to more labor disputes that could disrupt commerce and increase delays in an industry already reeling from recession, higher fuel costs and stepped-up security measures.
The most immediate impact of the change would be at Delta Air Lines Inc., where unions are trying to organize about 20,000 flight attendants. Unions are also expected to target workers at smaller carriers, including Allegiant Air, JetBlue Airways, Republic Airways and SkyWest.
"We applaud the NMB for taking this historic and courageous step to bring democracy to union elections," said Patricia Friend, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.
But the Air Transport Association, which represents most major airlines, is expected to file a lawsuit challenging the new rule.
"It is quite clear to us that the NMB was determined to proceed despite the proposed rule's substantive and procedural flaws, leaving us no choice but to seek judicial review," the industry group said in a statement.
The rule will take effect 30 days after publication Tuesday in the Federal Register. The flight attendants' union said it would seek a representation election at Delta soon afterward.
Proponents of the change say the old rule ran contrary to democratic standards, where the outcome of an election is determined by the majority of those who vote. The change puts union elections at airlines and railroads under the same procedures followed by most other companies, which are overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.
"After decades of operating within a system that is rigged against them, rail and aviation workers have at least gained a right that most of us take for granted," said Edward Wytkind, president of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department.
The board proposed the rule change in October after a request from the AFL-CIO. That request came soon after President Barack Obama named Linda Puchala — the former head of a flight attendant union — to a seat on the board, shifting the balance of power.
The final rule was approved 2-1, with chairwoman Elizabeth Dougherty issuing a fierce dissent. Dougherty, appointed by President George W. Bush, said the change is "an unprecedented departure for the NMB and represents the most dramatic policy shift in the history of the agency."
Delta spokeswoman Gina Laughlin said Delta would support an industry lawsuit challenging the rule change.
"While disappointed, we are not surprised by the majority members' decision in view of the way this rule change has been handled," Laughlin said.
Airlines and railroads employ more than 500,000 workers, and about two-thirds of those are already in unions. That's much higher than the overall union membership rate of 12 percent.
One exception to the higher rate of union representation is at Delta, where only about 15 percent of workers were union members before the carrier merged with heavily unionized Northwest Airlines two years ago. Unions representing flight attendants and ground workers who worked for Northwest want the new rules to cover elections at the combined carrier.
In a 2008 election, 5,253 Delta flight attendants voted to be represented by the AFA. But the union lost under the old election rules because the roughly 8,000 flight attendants who didn't vote were counted as "no" votes.
The new election rules will also help the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents Northwest ground workers such as baggage handlers and gate agents. Delta says it has roughly 30,000 workers in that group, including roughly 10,000 who came from Northwest.
AP Airlines Writer Joshua Freed in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
On the Net:
National Mediation Board: http://www.nmb.gov/
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
By SAM HANANEL (AP) – 6 days ago
WASHINGTON — In a major victory for organized labor, unions will have an easier time signing up airline and railroad workers after the Obama administration Monday changed a 76-year-old rule on union elections.
The change is the most significant so far in a string of White House moves designed to boost unions, which are struggling to reverse years of decline in membership.
The new rule, announced by the three-member National Mediation Board, would recognize a union if a simple majority of workers who cast ballots approve organizing. The previous rule required a majority of the entire work force to favor unionizing. That meant workers choosing not to vote at all were effectively counted as "no" votes.
Airlines that fought the change say it will lead to more labor disputes that could disrupt commerce and increase delays in an industry already reeling from recession, higher fuel costs and stepped-up security measures.
The most immediate impact of the change would be at Delta Air Lines Inc., where unions are trying to organize about 20,000 flight attendants. Unions are also expected to target workers at smaller carriers, including Allegiant Air, JetBlue Airways, Republic Airways and SkyWest.
"We applaud the NMB for taking this historic and courageous step to bring democracy to union elections," said Patricia Friend, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.
But the Air Transport Association, which represents most major airlines, is expected to file a lawsuit challenging the new rule.
"It is quite clear to us that the NMB was determined to proceed despite the proposed rule's substantive and procedural flaws, leaving us no choice but to seek judicial review," the industry group said in a statement.
The rule will take effect 30 days after publication Tuesday in the Federal Register. The flight attendants' union said it would seek a representation election at Delta soon afterward.
Proponents of the change say the old rule ran contrary to democratic standards, where the outcome of an election is determined by the majority of those who vote. The change puts union elections at airlines and railroads under the same procedures followed by most other companies, which are overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.
"After decades of operating within a system that is rigged against them, rail and aviation workers have at least gained a right that most of us take for granted," said Edward Wytkind, president of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department.
The board proposed the rule change in October after a request from the AFL-CIO. That request came soon after President Barack Obama named Linda Puchala — the former head of a flight attendant union — to a seat on the board, shifting the balance of power.
The final rule was approved 2-1, with chairwoman Elizabeth Dougherty issuing a fierce dissent. Dougherty, appointed by President George W. Bush, said the change is "an unprecedented departure for the NMB and represents the most dramatic policy shift in the history of the agency."
Delta spokeswoman Gina Laughlin said Delta would support an industry lawsuit challenging the rule change.
"While disappointed, we are not surprised by the majority members' decision in view of the way this rule change has been handled," Laughlin said.
Airlines and railroads employ more than 500,000 workers, and about two-thirds of those are already in unions. That's much higher than the overall union membership rate of 12 percent.
One exception to the higher rate of union representation is at Delta, where only about 15 percent of workers were union members before the carrier merged with heavily unionized Northwest Airlines two years ago. Unions representing flight attendants and ground workers who worked for Northwest want the new rules to cover elections at the combined carrier.
In a 2008 election, 5,253 Delta flight attendants voted to be represented by the AFA. But the union lost under the old election rules because the roughly 8,000 flight attendants who didn't vote were counted as "no" votes.
The new election rules will also help the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which represents Northwest ground workers such as baggage handlers and gate agents. Delta says it has roughly 30,000 workers in that group, including roughly 10,000 who came from Northwest.
AP Airlines Writer Joshua Freed in Minneapolis contributed to this report.
On the Net:
National Mediation Board: http://www.nmb.gov/
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Skywest Airlines Hiring
With all the major airlines scaling back, the small regional airlines are getting a boost in routes. Many of the major airlines are pulling out most of their flights from certain routes and putting the regional airlines on their routes. Skywest which is a regional airline for United Airlines is hiring. You can go to:
http://www.skywest.com/careers/skywest-airlines-jobs.php
The most recent group hiring is:
All Group Interviews are subject to time and location changes. Please check back periodically for confirmation.
LOCATION TIME / ADDRESS
DENVER, CO Thu. September 3rd - 3:00 PM, Doubletree Hotel 3203 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80207
http://www.skywest.com/careers/skywest-airlines-jobs.php
The most recent group hiring is:
All Group Interviews are subject to time and location changes. Please check back periodically for confirmation.
LOCATION TIME / ADDRESS
DENVER, CO Thu. September 3rd - 3:00 PM, Doubletree Hotel 3203 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80207
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Demographics of the US Flight Attendants
Here is an article sent to me, and it is so true...
he Changing Demography of U.S. Flight Attendants
by Rogelio Saenz and Louwanda Evans
June 2009
Over the last several decades, many industries have experienced significant structural changes that have affected their employees. The airline industry, for example, has faced major policy and economic forces that have changed the demography of its workers, especially its flight attendants.
Civil rights laws in the mid-1960s made it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of age, sex, or race. Thus, the airline industry had to abandon its preference for hiring young women as well as its no-marriage and no-pregnancy rules and weight restrictions. In addition, deregulation of the airline industry in the late 1970s led to a hiring freeze of flight attendants and an ensuing preferential treatment for hiring workers furloughed by other airlines.1
Finally, the Sept. 11 attacks resulted in significant layoffs of flight attendants. In this environment, many flight attendants with low levels of accrued seniority were often the first to be furloughed.
Flight attendants have become older compared with the overall U.S. workforce over the last several decades. The ongoing economic crisis suggests that the population of flight attendants will age even more in the coming years as many workers are likely to postpone their retirement.2
The Aging of Flight Attendants
The age structure of flight attendants has changed dramatically since 1980. While flight attendants were younger than the overall U.S. workforce in 1980, they are now older (see Figure 1).3 Indeed, between 1980 and 2007, the median age of all U.S. workers increased by six years (from 35 to 41), but the median age of flight attendants rose by 14 years (from 30 to 44).
Figure 1
Median Age of U.S. Flight Attendants and All U.S. Workers, 1980-2007
Source: American Community Survey data.
During this period, there has been a tremendous shift in the age distribution of flight attendants (see Figure 2). While the percentage of flight attendants younger than 35 dropped from 78 percent in 1980 to 21 percent in 2007, the percentage of these workers 45 years of age and older shot up from 6 percent in 1980 to 50 percent in 2007.
Figure 2
Age Distribution of U.S. Flight Attendants, 1980-2007 (%)
Source: American Community Survey data.
More Diversity, More Men, and Lower Real Wages
Other important changes have taken place among flight attendants since 1980. The racial and ethnic composition of flight attendants has become less white (82.6 percent were white in 1980 compared with 70 percent in 2007), and more black (8.5 percent in 1980; 14 percent in 2007) and Latino (4.9 percent in 1980; 9.1 percent in 2007). Still, Latinos are relatively underrepresented in this occupation.
Although flight attendants continue to be predominantly female, males have increased their presence between 1980 (19.3 males per 100 females) and 2007 (26.4 males per 100 females).
There has also been a dramatic shift in the earnings of flight attendants since 1980. After adjusting for inflation, the median hourly wages (in 2007 dollars) dropped by 26 percent between 1980 and 2007. In contrast, the median hourly wages of all U.S. workers rose by 13 percent during this period. Furthermore, while female flight attendants used to have higher wages than male workers (perhaps due to greater levels of seniority), males now have slightly higher wages.
Implications
We find that other segments of the airline industry have not aged as much as flight attendants. For example, the median age of airline pilots increased by six years and that of airline mechanics rose by four years between 1980 and 2007.
The existing economic crisis suggests that the population of flight attendants are likely to become increasingly older in the coming years, as many workers postpone retirement. Because health care needs escalate with age, flight attendants will likely have a significant impact on health care costs to the airline industry.
Rogelio Saenz is professor of sociology at Texas A&M University. Louwanda Evans is a doctoral student in the department of sociology at Texas A&M University. Evans is a former flight attendant. The authors appreciate earlier conversations with Joachim Singelmann on this topic as well as the helpful comments of Karen Manges Douglas on an earlier draft of this report.
he Changing Demography of U.S. Flight Attendants
by Rogelio Saenz and Louwanda Evans
June 2009
Over the last several decades, many industries have experienced significant structural changes that have affected their employees. The airline industry, for example, has faced major policy and economic forces that have changed the demography of its workers, especially its flight attendants.
Civil rights laws in the mid-1960s made it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of age, sex, or race. Thus, the airline industry had to abandon its preference for hiring young women as well as its no-marriage and no-pregnancy rules and weight restrictions. In addition, deregulation of the airline industry in the late 1970s led to a hiring freeze of flight attendants and an ensuing preferential treatment for hiring workers furloughed by other airlines.1
Finally, the Sept. 11 attacks resulted in significant layoffs of flight attendants. In this environment, many flight attendants with low levels of accrued seniority were often the first to be furloughed.
Flight attendants have become older compared with the overall U.S. workforce over the last several decades. The ongoing economic crisis suggests that the population of flight attendants will age even more in the coming years as many workers are likely to postpone their retirement.2
The Aging of Flight Attendants
The age structure of flight attendants has changed dramatically since 1980. While flight attendants were younger than the overall U.S. workforce in 1980, they are now older (see Figure 1).3 Indeed, between 1980 and 2007, the median age of all U.S. workers increased by six years (from 35 to 41), but the median age of flight attendants rose by 14 years (from 30 to 44).
Figure 1
Median Age of U.S. Flight Attendants and All U.S. Workers, 1980-2007
Source: American Community Survey data.
During this period, there has been a tremendous shift in the age distribution of flight attendants (see Figure 2). While the percentage of flight attendants younger than 35 dropped from 78 percent in 1980 to 21 percent in 2007, the percentage of these workers 45 years of age and older shot up from 6 percent in 1980 to 50 percent in 2007.
Figure 2
Age Distribution of U.S. Flight Attendants, 1980-2007 (%)
Source: American Community Survey data.
More Diversity, More Men, and Lower Real Wages
Other important changes have taken place among flight attendants since 1980. The racial and ethnic composition of flight attendants has become less white (82.6 percent were white in 1980 compared with 70 percent in 2007), and more black (8.5 percent in 1980; 14 percent in 2007) and Latino (4.9 percent in 1980; 9.1 percent in 2007). Still, Latinos are relatively underrepresented in this occupation.
Although flight attendants continue to be predominantly female, males have increased their presence between 1980 (19.3 males per 100 females) and 2007 (26.4 males per 100 females).
There has also been a dramatic shift in the earnings of flight attendants since 1980. After adjusting for inflation, the median hourly wages (in 2007 dollars) dropped by 26 percent between 1980 and 2007. In contrast, the median hourly wages of all U.S. workers rose by 13 percent during this period. Furthermore, while female flight attendants used to have higher wages than male workers (perhaps due to greater levels of seniority), males now have slightly higher wages.
Implications
We find that other segments of the airline industry have not aged as much as flight attendants. For example, the median age of airline pilots increased by six years and that of airline mechanics rose by four years between 1980 and 2007.
The existing economic crisis suggests that the population of flight attendants are likely to become increasingly older in the coming years, as many workers postpone retirement. Because health care needs escalate with age, flight attendants will likely have a significant impact on health care costs to the airline industry.
Rogelio Saenz is professor of sociology at Texas A&M University. Louwanda Evans is a doctoral student in the department of sociology at Texas A&M University. Evans is a former flight attendant. The authors appreciate earlier conversations with Joachim Singelmann on this topic as well as the helpful comments of Karen Manges Douglas on an earlier draft of this report.
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