Why are the Fulltime Workers cleaning planes for United Airlines at National Airport getting paid only $10/hr?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

If Walmart workers deserve a living wage (and they do,)
certainly United Airline cleaning people deserve a living wage. -OP

Please cite your source. I really want to learn more about this. All you are giving us is one piece of information that you say was on the evening news. Which evening news? I've searched and cannot find it.

These workers marched on Washington today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is completely OUTRAGEOUS. It's not like the airlines haven't been raking in BIG bucks for decades. Top execs are still getting HUGE bonuses and almost unlimited first class flight benefits for themselves and their friends.

How would anyone live on $10/hr in the DC area? Get social services so the airline industry can keep making share holders richer? So we're footing the bill for their enormous profits?... In more ways than one.

This is a SHAMEFUL outrage.

Um, because any number of immigrants are waiting to take their jobs? So sure, bring more in and lower it to $9/hour. Or $8. It will lower ticket prices as a I fly over flyover country. HAHAHAHA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is completely OUTRAGEOUS. It's not like the airlines haven't been raking in BIG bucks for decades. Top execs are still getting HUGE bonuses and almost unlimited first class flight benefits for themselves and their friends.

How would anyone live on $10/hr in the DC area? Get social services so the airline industry can keep making share holders richer? So we're footing the bill for their enormous profits?... In more ways than one.

This is a SHAMEFUL outrage.

That is one janitor job that should pay well. Does a TSA person check their work or inspect the plane? What if they are in collusion with terrorists or are terrorists?

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Okay, OP. I did find a clip of it on NBC4.


I agree that the pay is egregious. However, these workers do not work for the airlines. They work for independent contractors. Does that make it okay? NO. But, it does have different rules. For the woman who was interviewed that made 8.50 an hour, I did not hear anyone ask her how long she had worked there.

For the Skycaps --they get tips. That is like working as a waitress or waiter. For the one who has worked there for 50 years--he must have done okay, or surely he would have found another job.

For those blaming Virginia laws, DCA falls under MWAA. I'm not sure what there rules are.

No company is keeping anyone from going out and getting a better job. Cleaning airplanes is pretty unskilled work. I would hope that no one expects to be doing that forever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, OP. I did find a clip of it on NBC4.


I agree that the pay is egregious. However, these workers do not work for the airlines. They work for independent contractors. Does that make it okay? NO. But, it does have different rules. For the woman who was interviewed that made 8.50 an hour, I did not hear anyone ask her how long she had worked there.

For the Skycaps --they get tips. That is like working as a waitress or waiter. For the one who has worked there for 50 years--he must have done okay, or surely he would have found another job.

For those blaming Virginia laws, DCA falls under MWAA. I'm not sure what there rules are.

No company is keeping anyone from going out and getting a better job. Cleaning airplanes is pretty unskilled work. I would hope that no one expects to be doing that forever.

What a tired, useless excuse. Where exactly do you expect these poor people on social services to 'move up' to, Einstein?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No company is keeping anyone from going out and getting a better job. Cleaning airplanes is pretty unskilled work. I would hope that no one expects to be doing that forever.

These kinds of comments always make me laugh. To people really believe there are enough skilled paying jobs in the US for all workers? People always naively look at jobs on an individual level. When you look at jobs on a society level you will soon realize there are way more people than skilled jobs. Sure, one specific individual could pull their bootstraps up, gain a skill, and get a better paying skilled job. But as a society can all the unskilled employees become skilled employees? Obviously no. So the whole idea that it is OK to pay below a living wage for low skills jobs is short sited at best.

[Anonymous]

Do you realize that the flight attendants only make $20 an hour? And they aren't paid until the doors open? So all the help they give during boarding and off boarding is free. It makes their rate very low.

[Anonymous]

And what about assistant profs with PhD and postdocs and years of experience making $12 an hour teaching at university? No health benefits.

OP, there are many underpaid professions in this world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you realize that the flight attendants only make $20 an hour? And they aren't paid until the doors open? So all the help they give during boarding and off boarding is free. It makes their rate very low.

*arent paid until the doors close.

[Anonymous]

1. They're viewed as fungible, low-skill labor. So airlines bid the work out to the lowest bidder. Should they? No.

2. The airport authorities and TSA make it easy for the airlines to do so. TSA effectively doesn't charge anywhere near cost to clear high-turnover employees and issue the required TWIC. The airport authority police agencies conduct zero supplemental screening for these positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. They're viewed as fungible, low-skill labor. So airlines bid the work out to the lowest bidder. Should they? No.

2. The airport authorities and TSA make it easy for the airlines to do so. TSA effectively doesn't charge anywhere near cost to clear high-turnover employees and issue the required TWIC. The airport authority police agencies conduct zero supplemental screening for these positions.

Viewed as low-skilled? Is that why the trays at every seat are full of e-coli bacteria?

[Anonymous]

Daycare workers? Classroom aides? Both are shamefully underpaid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is completely OUTRAGEOUS. It's not like the airlines haven't been raking in BIG bucks for decades. Top execs are still getting HUGE bonuses and almost unlimited first class flight benefits for themselves and their friends.

How would anyone live on $10/hr in the DC area? Get social services so the airline industry can keep making share holders richer? So we're footing the bill for their enormous profits?... In more ways than one.

This is a SHAMEFUL outrage.

Um, because any number of immigrants are waiting to take their jobs? So sure, bring more in and lower it to $9/hour. Or $8. It will lower ticket prices as a I fly over flyover country. HAHAHAHA.

Race to the bottom. The 1% skims the profits, the rest of the country just goes to hell.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand this entire argument about what unskilled workers should be paid.

It is pretty simple to me: they get paid what the market says they should be paid. It is so for just about every profession whether they are teachers, grocery store cashiers, day care workers, fast food workers, etc.

My brother emigrated to this country and was working at minimum wage which did not enable him to support his family. So what did he do? He worked a second job and would spend evenings and weekends when he was free attending classes and developing a skill that would pay better. It took him a few years but as a result of his efforts he became an IT professional and today earns over $150K annually.

Not once did I ever hear him say that he should in some way get a leg up that he was not willing to work for. I admire him for what he achieved and for the lesson that he imparted to his children - who are all doing well - that you have to work and earn your way in life.

[Anonymous]

When you look for tickets on orbitz, do you do a search for the cheapest flights, or a search for the airline that pays the highest wages?


There is your answer.