Mar 5, 2018, 1:08 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Update 5 March 2018 per Chicago Tribune (and confirmed by internal employee memo
United walks back new bonus lottery system that angered employees
Per Chicago Business Journal, 2 March 2018
United Airlines employees shocked: Bonuses replaced with lottery
United walks back new bonus lottery system that angered employees
United Airlines on Monday reversed plans to begin awarding bonuses through a lottery system that angered employees.
Scott Kirby, president of the Chicago-based airline, said United was “pressing the pause button” on changes that would have handed out larger bonuses to only a fraction of its workers after hearing employees’ feedback since announcing the changes late last week.
Scott Kirby, president of the Chicago-based airline, said United was “pressing the pause button” on changes that would have handed out larger bonuses to only a fraction of its workers after hearing employees’ feedback since announcing the changes late last week.
Per Chicago Business Journal, 2 March 2018
United Airlines employees shocked: Bonuses replaced with lottery
United Airlines President Scott Kirby sent shock waves through the employee ranks at the Chicago-based airline today.
Kirby issued an employee memo in which he announced that the Chicago-based airline is dropping the quarterly performance bonuses the carrier had been giving out to all employees qualified to receive them.
Kirby said in the memo, obtained by the Chicago Business Journal, that the bonus payouts are being replaced with a new program called "core4 Score Rewards," which Kirby said would include quarterly prizes like cash ranging from $2,000 to $40,000, luxury cars, vacation packages, and a grand of prize of $100,000 awarded to one eligible employee per quarter.
Kirby issued an employee memo in which he announced that the Chicago-based airline is dropping the quarterly performance bonuses the carrier had been giving out to all employees qualified to receive them.
Kirby said in the memo, obtained by the Chicago Business Journal, that the bonus payouts are being replaced with a new program called "core4 Score Rewards," which Kirby said would include quarterly prizes like cash ranging from $2,000 to $40,000, luxury cars, vacation packages, and a grand of prize of $100,000 awarded to one eligible employee per quarter.
UA employees shocked: (qtrly performance) Bonuses replaced with lottery (on "pause")
Mar 4, 2018, 9:16 pm
#136
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Los Angeles / Basel
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 26,910
Mar 5, 2018, 12:34 am
#137
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: SNA
Programs: UA LT Plat, 2.5mm, Hilton LTD, SPG LT Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Whatever
Posts: 161
Posted on change.org
https://www.change.org/p/oscar-munoz...share_petition
Dear United Management Team:
First of all, thank you for all that you do. While we appreciate your work, we have some concerns. Some of my colleagues and I are feeling some frustration recently, after the recent (and quite frankly egregious) alteration to our quarterly on-time bonus program and everything leading up to it.
First we signed a contract and they didn't offer retro pay or a signing bonus. Shortly after signing our contract, they announced the hiring of Scott Kirby and gave him a generous signing bonus, and bragged about how wonderful it is to have him on board. We rolled our eyes a little, but kept doing our jobs with a smile.
Next we were introduced to the "quick turn", and we got reprimanded for complying with Scott's fantastic new speedy-boarding ideal, and boarded the plane in 22 minutes, beating the 35 minute mark. But we still had a "documented conversation", because that wasn't good enough. It's not the weather's fault. It's the frontline worker's fault that the plane pushed late. Nevermind the fact that we could barely board the plane when there were bar carts and cleaners and bags of garbage blocking our way. We still did our jobs. And we did our jobs quickly. And we still smiled.
After that, they implemented a "point system" that restricted our flexibility with sick calls. We still do our jobs.
(And for that matter, we probably do our jobs when we aren't feeling great, because we can't afford to accrue points. And now, we need to not be sick in order to be eligible for the new awards program. This is disconcerting. Flu season is in full force and we do see colleagues coming to work sick already, when they should be at home in bed.)
We watched our industry friends at Jet Blue, Southwest, American, Alaska, and Virgin America get $1000 tax cut bonuses. When we questioned why we too can't have them we were told "United already had a tax break". Oh yeah? So did American. Why did *they*get the bonus? Because they care about their employees? That's why. Novel idea.
Then we saw a low profit-sharing percentage, which made us feel precisely like Clark Griswald felt when awarded the jelly of the month club membership. We made quadruple that amount 3 years ago in profit sharing. But we still keep coming to work and doing our jobs.
We are watching them strip amenities domestically, dispose of our galley and our workspace on the 757, remove lavatories, and add seats, creating more passengers and less room to move. But we still do our service with a smile and a friendly way about us. Internationally we received a memo stating that staffing would be reduced to match our competitors. We have been working off of two different contracts for well over a year and it is not only confusing, but inevitably frustrating not knowing what has and has not yet been implemented. On the legacy-CO side of the contract, we are working without duty rigs that our colleagues receive. Also, if we are not at top-out pay, on the co-side, we receive our raises a month behind our colleagues with the same seniority. (We get ours the date we came online; they get theirs the date they started training.)
We watched an optional program "bonus bucks" become a mandatory program. We now announce and pedal card membership through the aisle. And we do it with a smile. The cheapened domestic plane has never felt so cheap, as we push this credit card on unsuspecting customers, who really don't want to be bothered.
Last, they took away our quarterly incentive bonuses, and changed it to a deplorable new system that only rewards an elite few. (No surprise, since they are good at only awarding an "elite few"- aka the upper management, and not the entire population of frontline workers.)
Above all, we are still grateful to have jobs, and we still somehow manage to squeak by with this company. We do a thankless job. We cheerfully greet our customers, without so much as a response. We assist a nervous flyer who has never stepped foot on a plane before. We hold the hand of an unaccompanied minor, deplaning to meet his estranged family. We cry with the "Make a Wish Foundation" children, eagerly flying to MCO to fulfill their dreams. We walk an elderly couple to their next gate.......yet, our paychecks are wrong lately, and we wait for months, we go through red-tape, we are handed off to multiple departments, sent on a wild goose chase, to find out where our missing money is.
For many of us, caring for customers is innate. We back up the company, we learn and we promote and we follow United's values. We do what we can to appease the management and do our jobs adequately (and beyond). Most of us have a background in customer service. We come from caring professions. Nurses, counselors, teachers, and even clergy. We do what they want us to do. We stand behind United. It is disappointing and quite frankly, downright disgusting that our caring for the company is not reciprocal.
Thank you very much for taking our concerns seriously and for reading this letter.
Sincerely,
United Airlines Flight Attendants
Writen by Laurie Vesalo, the voice behind all who have signed.
https://www.change.org/p/oscar-munoz...share_petition
Dear United Management Team:
First of all, thank you for all that you do. While we appreciate your work, we have some concerns. Some of my colleagues and I are feeling some frustration recently, after the recent (and quite frankly egregious) alteration to our quarterly on-time bonus program and everything leading up to it.
First we signed a contract and they didn't offer retro pay or a signing bonus. Shortly after signing our contract, they announced the hiring of Scott Kirby and gave him a generous signing bonus, and bragged about how wonderful it is to have him on board. We rolled our eyes a little, but kept doing our jobs with a smile.
Next we were introduced to the "quick turn", and we got reprimanded for complying with Scott's fantastic new speedy-boarding ideal, and boarded the plane in 22 minutes, beating the 35 minute mark. But we still had a "documented conversation", because that wasn't good enough. It's not the weather's fault. It's the frontline worker's fault that the plane pushed late. Nevermind the fact that we could barely board the plane when there were bar carts and cleaners and bags of garbage blocking our way. We still did our jobs. And we did our jobs quickly. And we still smiled.
After that, they implemented a "point system" that restricted our flexibility with sick calls. We still do our jobs.
(And for that matter, we probably do our jobs when we aren't feeling great, because we can't afford to accrue points. And now, we need to not be sick in order to be eligible for the new awards program. This is disconcerting. Flu season is in full force and we do see colleagues coming to work sick already, when they should be at home in bed.)
We watched our industry friends at Jet Blue, Southwest, American, Alaska, and Virgin America get $1000 tax cut bonuses. When we questioned why we too can't have them we were told "United already had a tax break". Oh yeah? So did American. Why did *they*get the bonus? Because they care about their employees? That's why. Novel idea.
Then we saw a low profit-sharing percentage, which made us feel precisely like Clark Griswald felt when awarded the jelly of the month club membership. We made quadruple that amount 3 years ago in profit sharing. But we still keep coming to work and doing our jobs.
We are watching them strip amenities domestically, dispose of our galley and our workspace on the 757, remove lavatories, and add seats, creating more passengers and less room to move. But we still do our service with a smile and a friendly way about us. Internationally we received a memo stating that staffing would be reduced to match our competitors. We have been working off of two different contracts for well over a year and it is not only confusing, but inevitably frustrating not knowing what has and has not yet been implemented. On the legacy-CO side of the contract, we are working without duty rigs that our colleagues receive. Also, if we are not at top-out pay, on the co-side, we receive our raises a month behind our colleagues with the same seniority. (We get ours the date we came online; they get theirs the date they started training.)
We watched an optional program "bonus bucks" become a mandatory program. We now announce and pedal card membership through the aisle. And we do it with a smile. The cheapened domestic plane has never felt so cheap, as we push this credit card on unsuspecting customers, who really don't want to be bothered.
Last, they took away our quarterly incentive bonuses, and changed it to a deplorable new system that only rewards an elite few. (No surprise, since they are good at only awarding an "elite few"- aka the upper management, and not the entire population of frontline workers.)
Above all, we are still grateful to have jobs, and we still somehow manage to squeak by with this company. We do a thankless job. We cheerfully greet our customers, without so much as a response. We assist a nervous flyer who has never stepped foot on a plane before. We hold the hand of an unaccompanied minor, deplaning to meet his estranged family. We cry with the "Make a Wish Foundation" children, eagerly flying to MCO to fulfill their dreams. We walk an elderly couple to their next gate.......yet, our paychecks are wrong lately, and we wait for months, we go through red-tape, we are handed off to multiple departments, sent on a wild goose chase, to find out where our missing money is.
For many of us, caring for customers is innate. We back up the company, we learn and we promote and we follow United's values. We do what we can to appease the management and do our jobs adequately (and beyond). Most of us have a background in customer service. We come from caring professions. Nurses, counselors, teachers, and even clergy. We do what they want us to do. We stand behind United. It is disappointing and quite frankly, downright disgusting that our caring for the company is not reciprocal.
Thank you very much for taking our concerns seriously and for reading this letter.
Sincerely,
United Airlines Flight Attendants
Writen by Laurie Vesalo, the voice behind all who have signed.
Updates
Mar 5, 2018, 2:47 am
#138
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,324
Well this letter sounds more like a general greievances document versus focusing on one particular issue (quarterly incentive program). But quickly the reason AA have a tax break is b/c their profit sharing scheme was always far lower than what UAL had offered. This appears written by a new hire sCO FA, most of whom have enjoyed a free party bidding premier routes. The new contract means they are either back to reserve or back to last pickings. Not trying to impune everything they said, I agree with aircraft comments (there’s also a lot of the complaints related to no pass through walkway on the new 2-class 767 and tight slimline seats), but it’s overall disjoint and lacking nuance.
Mar 5, 2018, 6:15 am
#139
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: San Francisco, CA (SFO)
Programs: UA 1K, UA .53 MM, Marriott Gold, Nexus, GE, TSA Pre, Hertz PC
Posts: 581
I felt bad for the guy because the whole situation was absolutely cringe worthy - I breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. No doubt though, this sales pitch was a mandate from HQ - and the petition is dead on, it felt cheap.
Mar 5, 2018, 6:37 am
#140
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Bucks County
Programs: UAL GS & Million Miler; Delta Lifetime Gold; Hilton Diamond; Marriott Platinum; Legion Etrangere
Posts: 1,608
I experienced this last night on my SFO-ORD flight. Towards the end of the service, the Service Coordinator came over the PA, apologizing for the interruption, to tell us all about this amazing offer, including 50,000 bonus miles, free checked bag, etc, etc. He sounded like he had a smile on his face. But that wasn't enough...he had to walk through the entire plane politely presenting the brochure to everyone, even when it became awkward.
I felt bad for the guy because the whole situation was absolutely cringe worthy - I breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. No doubt though, this sales pitch was a mandate from HQ - and the petition is dead on, it felt cheap.
I felt bad for the guy because the whole situation was absolutely cringe worthy - I breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. No doubt though, this sales pitch was a mandate from HQ - and the petition is dead on, it felt cheap.
Mar 5, 2018, 6:46 am
#141
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 29,945
I experienced this last night on my SFO-ORD flight. Towards the end of the service, the Service Coordinator came over the PA, apologizing for the interruption, to tell us all about this amazing offer, including 50,000 bonus miles, free checked bag, etc, etc. He sounded like he had a smile on his face. But that wasn't enough...he had to walk through the entire plane politely presenting the brochure to everyone, even when it became awkward.
I felt bad for the guy because the whole situation was absolutely cringe worthy - I breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. No doubt though, this sales pitch was a mandate from HQ - and the petition is dead on, it felt cheap.
I felt bad for the guy because the whole situation was absolutely cringe worthy - I breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. No doubt though, this sales pitch was a mandate from HQ - and the petition is dead on, it felt cheap.
All the airlines have shrunk to new lows. It’s the world we live in.
Mar 5, 2018, 6:49 am
#142
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 129
This is an excellent program. I love seeing ways of companies promoting hard work and rewarding people for it. Hopefully this is a good cost savings program as well in the short term but also in the lI ng term with more employees working efficiently. It should also help promote competition between employees which will weed out the under performers and hopefully provide grounds for getting rid of those underperforms.
Mar 5, 2018, 7:22 am
#143
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MBS/FNT/LAN
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Mariott Gold
Posts: 9,630
After initially publishing an unedited announcement about the program change on Friday. On Saturday UA's AFAMEC posted a bulletin knocking the program.
http://unitedafa.org/docs/2018/4core%20response.pdf
AFA E-Lines Special Edition
http://unitedafa.org/docs/2018/4core%20response.pdf
AFA E-Lines Special Edition
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Yesterday afternoon management released details of their 2018 Operational Performance Rewards Program known as core4 Score Rewards.Since details of the program were released, the adverse reaction of Flight Attendants, in fact all employees, to this program has been swiftly and clearly expressed on the company’s website. During this same time period, we’ve heard from many of you questioning why the leadership of the Union appears not to have spoken out against the changes to the company’s more traditional Performance Rewards Program which has historically been more inclusive of all employees.
Yesterday afternoon management released details of their 2018 Operational Performance Rewards Program known as core4 Score Rewards.Since details of the program were released, the adverse reaction of Flight Attendants, in fact all employees, to this program has been swiftly and clearly expressed on the company’s website. During this same time period, we’ve heard from many of you questioning why the leadership of the Union appears not to have spoken out against the changes to the company’s more traditional Performance Rewards Program which has historically been more inclusive of all employees.
Mar 5, 2018, 7:49 am
#145
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,478
This is an excellent program. I love seeing ways of companies promoting hard work and rewarding people for it. Hopefully this is a good cost savings program as well in the short term but also in the lI ng term with more employees working efficiently. It should also help promote competition between employees which will weed out the under performers and hopefully provide grounds for getting rid of those underperforms.
Mar 5, 2018, 8:06 am
#146
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: VPS
Programs: IHG Diamond, Delta PM, Hilton Gold, Accor Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 7,253
Sadly, probably not, never mind that an airline is a far more complex organism than a 'coffee is for closers' used car dealership and so many time we want to encourage collaborative problem solving moreso than cut throat competition.
Last edited by beachmouse; Mar 5, 2018 at 8:12 am
Mar 5, 2018, 8:31 am
#147
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MRY - CNX - TXL
Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC
Posts: 7,058
United Staff has enough benefits.
They get to fly essentially free by paying employee rates. They also get to standby in every class.
Most of the staff that I know bring on their family to sit in Business/First on long international flights. We as loyal customers don't get upgraded.
They get to fly essentially free by paying employee rates. They also get to standby in every class.
Most of the staff that I know bring on their family to sit in Business/First on long international flights. We as loyal customers don't get upgraded.
I’m going to bet most employees would want more MONEY that can help out in a middle class American life than getting to hop on a plane to London or Honolulu.
I worked on the corporate side of retail for 6 years. I got on average 30-50% off the retail price of things in the stores/online. It was nice for stuff I didn’t really need but I would rather have had a 20% pay increase.
Mar 5, 2018, 9:19 am
#149
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Denver
Posts: 451
Rather than a random lottery it would be better if it was at least performance based. Sort of like the United 100 program, where employees are nominated by their peers for going above and beyond. Give the winners of that some substantial bonus money, and maybe that would be incentive enough to try harder on a daily basis.
A lottery is just a slap in the face. Especially once the first winners are announced and there inevitably ends up being some lazy POS who doesn't do anything beyond the bare minimum who wins, creating even more disdain and division. Bad all around.
A lottery is just a slap in the face. Especially once the first winners are announced and there inevitably ends up being some lazy POS who doesn't do anything beyond the bare minimum who wins, creating even more disdain and division. Bad all around.
Mar 5, 2018, 9:23 am
#150
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 29,945
