CAL 8th best company to work for!

[densoo]

Finally, due recognition.

Dec 16 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines topped the list of the 50 best U.S. places to work, based on employee opinions, according to research released on Wednesday.

The following are the top 50 companies to work for, according to Glassdoor.com, an online jobs site which collected and compiled reviews from U.S.-based company employees throughout 2009. 1. Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N) 2. General Mills Inc (GIS.N) 3. Slalom Consulting 4. Bain & Company 5. McKinsey & Company 6. MITRE 7. Boston Consulting 8. Continental Airlines Inc (CAL.N) (note: CAL employees selected from a completely random sampling at director level and above making one million annually in salary, with retirement benefits imputed at a rate of 17 years to one only after at least three days of employment, have health benefits that accrue retroactively to when they were zygotes, live in gated communities with an unlisted zip code, are provided full-ride college scholarships for four children (if they didn't have four children, they were provided free of charge), and have one of roll of "forever stamps" in their possession at the time of the survey, not after) 9. Procter & Gamble Co (PG.N) 10. Juniper Networks Inc (JNPR.N) 11. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co NMLIC.UL 12. Kraft Foods Inc (KFT.N) 13. National Instruments Corp (NATI.O) 14. Google Inc (GOOG.O) 15. NetApp Inc (NTAP.O) 16. Goldman Sachs & Co GSGSC.UL 17. FactSet Research Systems Inc (FDS.N) 18. Medtronic Inc (MDT.N) 19. Publix Super Markets Inc (PUSH.OB) 20. Chevron Chevron Corp (CVX.N) 21. FedEx Corp (FDX.N) 22. Apple Inc. (AAPL.O) 23. Edelman 24. Edward Jones Money Market Fund JRSXX.O 25. Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) 26. CareerBuilder 27. Novell Inc (NOVL.O) 28. Schlumberger Ltd (SLB.N) 29. Adobe Systems Inc (ADBE.O) 30. Booz Allen Hamilton Inc BOOZA.UL 31. Scottrade 32. Sherwin-Williams Co (SHW.N) 33. EMC Corp (EMC.N) 34. GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK.L) 35. Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N) 36. Turner Broadcasting System Inc TWXTB.UL 37. Paychex Inc (PAYX.O) 38. Kaiser Permanente 39. Travelers Companies Inc (TRV.N) 40. Rackspace Hosting Inc (RAX.N) 41. Intel Corp (INTC.O) 42. Cintas Corp (CTAS.O) 43. SAP America 44. Intuit Inc (INTU.O) 45. Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) 46. Harris Corp (HRS.N) 47. Prudential Plc (PRU.L) 48. Whole Foods Market Inc (WFMI.O) 49. PricewaterhouseCoopers PWC.UL 50. Marriott International Inc (MAR.N)

The following companies were ranked worst to work for, starting with the lowest ranked, according to Glassdoor.com. Gibson Guitar Corp GIBSN.UL United Airlines (UAUA.O) Spherion Corp (SFN.N) AutoZone Inc (AZO.N) Rain Bird DHL Express (USA) DHL.UL Level 3 Communications Inc (LVLT.O) Dominion Enterprises Hertz Global Holdings Inc (HTZ.N) Houghton Mifflin Harcourt LexisNexis DISH Network Corp (DISH.O) Xilinx Inc (XLNX.O) Acxiom Corp (ACXM.O) Kmart RadioShack Corp (RSH.N) Panduit Ferguson Enterprises Cognizant Tech Solutions Forever 21 Affiliated Computer Services Inc (ACS.N) Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N) Sports Authority Fastenal Co (FAST.O) Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY.O) (Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst; Editing by Eric Walsh)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idAFN1524514420091216?rpc=44

 

[Mach 80]

Be advised, many many companies, have taken themselves out of the running for these awards because it takes a lot of company resources and time to tour people and talk to people and have their employees surveyed for the representatives from the outfits who determine this stuff. Some companies refuse to pay the game and use up employee productivity to cater to those outfits and magazines. Perhaps this rueters determination was done without taking up any company's time though.

 

[johnboy99]

If it is such a great place then why do new hire pilots have no insurance for the first six months. Bottom of the majors in terms of pay and drum roll please you get to sit next to an over 60 scab tell you how great his life is while crossing the Atlantic.

This is one interview I'm glad I turned down but hey if it's a top ten job in America I must be missing something.

 

[se1776]

where is Mesa?

 

[SFR]

If it is such a great place then why do new hire pilots have no insurance for the first six months. Bottom of the majors in terms of pay and drum roll please you get to sit next to an over 60 scab tell you how great his life is while crossing the Atlantic.

This is one interview I'm glad I turned down but hey if it's a top ten job in America I must be missing something.

You are missing a lot unfortunately.

Who cares about that first 6 months of insurance (that goes by fast). Why is that such a big deal. We have free healthcare in this country, people just don't use it. I had 1 child when I got hired at CAL in 2005 and we signed her up for Peachcare is GA. It was free and covered our expenses 100% (better than having insurance). Sure, my wife nor I had coverage, but I got sick once and had a friend get a z-pack for me. Cost me $100, wow!

Maybe I should not have come to CAL because of that, yeah right. All I can say is that I have never gotten paid this much money and worked this little in my aviation career since I have come to CAL. Best decision I ever had a choice to make.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

You are missing a lot unfortunately.

Who cares about that first 6 months of insurance (that goes by fast).

Wow.

Imagine if you didn't have that kid...and REALLY got hurt...then what would happen?

 

[Stifler's Mom]

You are missing a lot unfortunately.

Who cares about that first 6 months of insurance (that goes by fast). Why is that such a big deal. We have free healthcare in this country, people just don't use it. I had 1 child when I got hired at CAL in 2005 and we signed her up for Peachcare is GA. It was free and covered our expenses 100% (better than having insurance). Sure, my wife nor I had coverage, but I got sick once and had a friend get a z-pack for me. Cost me $100, wow!

Maybe I should not have come to CAL because of that, yeah right. All I can say is that I have never gotten paid this much money and worked this little in my aviation career since I have come to CAL. Best decision I ever had a choice to make.

Nice avatar. Looks like you're cramping up from sucking so much management dick.

 

[54fighting]

You are missing a lot unfortunately.

Who cares about that first 6 months of insurance (that goes by fast). Why is that such a big deal.

I think you are missing the point. If you want any hopes in recovering the profession, the rationalization needs to stop. Right now it is fine to go without insurance for six months. What's next, no per diem for the first year. This type of thinking absolutely amazes me.

 

[SFR]

Nice avatar. Looks like you're cramping up from sucking so much management dick.

You are the first one who got it. I did that picture, I call it my GAF (Gay Anus Face).

 

[SFR]

I think you are missing the point. If you want any hopes in recovering the profession, the rationalization needs to stop. Right now it is fine to go without insurance for six months. What's next, no per diem for the first year. This type of thinking absolutely amazes me.

I guess when you take it out of context. My point is that we made it work instead of complaining.

Either way.....I will take my paycheck and sit at home just fine.

 

[SFR]

Wow.

Imagine if you didn't have that kid...and REALLY got hurt...then what would happen?

Yeah, but it didn't happen and now I have insurance.

 

[Mamma]

Nice avatar. Looks like you're cramping up from sucking so much management dick.

Could not have said it better! Maybe he was sucking off Instructordude. They sound the same.

 

[100/hour/5y]

SFR... The sad thing is you always worked for a crap airlines and you don't know any better! Cal sucks... At Express, I had better work rules and had a better quality of life and made more money... I am on 4th year pay and I still made more at express... 5th year will be different... If you were sitting Reserve at DAL you would be making $16 more an hour and you would have a better quality of life and still be sitting at home not working!

 

[SFR]

SFR... The sad thing is you always worked for a crap airlines and you don't know any better! Cal sucks... At Express, I had better work rules and had a better quality of life and made more money... I am on 4th year pay and I still made more at express... 5th year will be different... If you were sitting Reserve at DAL you would be making $16 more an hour and you would have a better quality of life and still be sitting at home not working!

I would not be doing better there. I could not have gotten hired there until 2007 , therefore I would be 2 years behind my current scale. In addition, my other business would not be doing as well in the ATL or any of their other bases.

If you don't like CAL why would you stay? I wouldn't.... can you answer that?

 

[Jar Jar]

note: CAL employees selected from a completely random sampling at director level and above making one million annually in salary, with retirement benefits imputed at a rate of 17 years to one only after at least three days of employment, have health benefits that accrue retroactively to when they were zygotes, live in gated communities with an unlisted zip code, are provided full-ride college scholarships for four children (if they didn't have four children, they were provided free of charge), and have one of roll of "forever stamps" in their possession at the time of the survey, not after

This wasnt in the reuter's article.

 

[Ben Franklin]

Some questions:

1. Which "MAJOR"/"LEGACY" carriers were interviewing and mailing "congratulations, you're hired" letters in 2002/2003 time frame?

2. What does anyone hired at CAL 5/2005 or after have to do with negotiating/casting a vote on/condition of the current CBA?

3. What was the economy looking like in 2002/2003?

4. Has anyone seen the CALMEC contract proposal that was just put across the table to the company? Are any of the problems with the current CBA addressed in the new proposal?

I find it hard to call really any CAL pilot hired since 5/2005 "part of the problem". Pilots like "SFR", myself and the other 1400 or so hired were faced with a choice of not having any insurance for 6 months - faced with that choice back in 2002/2003.

You took the job and no insurance for 6 months or you didn't. I don't think any one of us sat there and threw a party or were happy specifically because we were taking a job that didn't provide insurance for 6 months.

I, too had an infant at home. I paid $600 for a 6 month policy with a $3,000 deductible (full coverage). I spent $150 for 3 Dr. visits for my son in 6 months. The same 3 visits, WITH INSURANCE would've cost me $45 in co pays plus $540 in premiums for having company insurance.

I spent an extra $165 out of my pocket for "not having insurance for 6 months" with the potential to had to have spent an extra $3,000 if something "bad" happened. Not saying it's right, just saying it happened.

I hope someone can respectfully, factually and sincerely answer the questions I posed above.

Sincerely,

B. Franklin

 

[densoo]

note: CAL employees selected from a completely random sampling at director level and above making one million annually in salary, with retirement benefits imputed at a rate of 17 years to one only after at least three days of employment, have health benefits that accrue retroactively to when they were zygotes, live in gated communities with an unlisted zip code, are provided full-ride college scholarships for four children (if they didn't have four children, they were provided free of charge), and have one of roll of "forever stamps" in their possession at the time of the survey, not after

This wasnt in the reuter's article.

Must be a typo.

 

[Ben Franklin]

Cal sucks... At Express, I had better work rules and had a better quality of life and made more money...

A brief history, as I'm sure you already know:

XJT: Young pilots eager to excel in the industry, then Contract '95 + Contract '97 + Contract '04 in a rapidly expanding segment of the industry coupled with the strongest and most unified pilot group since Comair went on strike.

CAL: Start with a weak pilot group... then, Contract 95 then Contract '97, then they elected a bunch of strike-breakers into powerful union positions, then 9/11, then some folks on committees sold out the pilots for their own management position(s)... and now you have contract '04 to live with until contract 08?09?10? is settled.

You mention DAL? Interesting to note that they've been successful at pattern bargaining for over 70 years and they finally have to take a couple of cuts? of course they are still going to be better.

There's a lot of history in this industry and within each airline that cannot be ignored. Why so many keep taking individual items, like one payrate out of context .. it's just absurd.

Sincerely,

B. Franklin

 

[lookin4better]

They going to call back furloughs in 2010? Or should I lay off the glue?

 

[100/hour/5y]

SFR: I am waiting for SWA or FedEx... I will be around 5-6 year pay at cal and would still leave... better quality of life beats pay! 6 crossings in the summertime sucks if your are a EWR FO above 50%.

 

[SFR]

SFR: I am waiting for SWA or FedEx... I will be around 5-6 year pay at cal and would still leave... better quality of life beats pay! 6 crossings in the summertime sucks if your are a EWR FO above 50%.

You are 100% correct, 6 crossings would suck (I do about 1 crossing a year and I don't like that!) That is why I don't do them.

I am not part of some special club. Anyone senior to me could have sat at home this year as much as I did.

I hope you do get hired with SWA or FDX, especially if you are senior to 12/6/05.

Honestly, you won't be happy there either. Everyone I know that is a complainer will complain anywhere, regardless.

Either way, I still only have 210hrs YTD.....

 

[100/hour/5y]

The problem is IAH... I would love to sit rev on the 756 in IAH but it's too dam hot and too many scabs!

 

[Crucianpilot]

Well lets see, it snowed here 2 wks ago and its been raining and 40 to 50 since. Not many of those left so you just deal with it when you have to. I'm 45 and been thru 7 airlines so I don't plan on going anywhere else. Once we get a new contract, this should be a great company to work at. IAH base has been great for me the last 5 yrs and I don't plan on changing anytime soon. Unless of course they open that Orlando base.

 

[Captain X]

They going to call back furloughs in 2010? Or should I lay off the glue?

I don't think they test for glue.

 

[nimtz]

You are 100% correct, 6 crossings would suck (I do about 1 crossing a year and I don't like that!) That is why I don't do them.

I am not part of some special club. Anyone senior to me could have sat at home this year as much as I did.

I hope you do get hired with SWA or FDX, especially if you are senior to 12/6/05.

Honestly, you won't be happy there either. Everyone I know that is a complainer will complain anywhere, regardless.

Either way, I still only have 210hrs YTD.....

Sean have you ever considered politics. Looks like the Republican party could use some serious leadership down there in Houston. I'm mean golly they just elected a lesbian mayor! They need young talent to kick the party into line. With your business savvy, free time, and pipeline to solid RNC supporters that populate the left seat, there is a major opportunity to be had...

 

[Mike man]

8. Continental Airlines Inc (CAL.N) (note: CAL employees selected from a completely random sampling at director level and above making one million annually in salary, with retirement benefits imputed at a rate of 17 years to one only after at least three days of employment, have health benefits that accrue retroactively to when they were zygotes, live in gated communities with an unlisted zip code, are provided full-ride college scholarships for four children (if they didn't have four children, they were provided free of charge), and have one of roll of "forever stamps" in their possession at the time of the survey, not after)

If it is number 8 they definitely didn't ask any front-line employees.

 

[EMBpilot]

Simple - hire substandard people who can't get a job anywhere else. Treat them like garbage and keep propaganda going on how lucky they are to be there.
They'll vote you number #1 employer.

 

[Jetjockey]

Simple - hire substandard people who can't get a job anywhere else. Treat them like garbage and keep propaganda going on how lucky they are to be there.
They'll vote you number #1 employer.

That's a mighty big paint brush your using there, second only in size to your ego I'm sure.

 

[SFR]

Simple - hire substandard people who can't get a job anywhere else. Treat them like garbage and keep propaganda going on how lucky they are to be there.
They'll vote you number #1 employer.

Actually, CAL pilots have the best skill in the industry. I have jumpseated on all the majors and have found this to be true. That is one reason I came here.

If you don't believe me check the accident stats within the past 10-15 years.

 

[SFR]

The problem is IAH... I would love to sit rev on the 756 in IAH but it's too dam hot and too many scabs!

Are you fat? If you are then I understand that. If not, you are nuts.

Lets see, I sit around by Lake Conroe, go out on the boat a bit and wait for the phone to ring. Play golf a lot if I want to, or go ro Rio 24 in the Woodlands and walk the river with a cigar in my mouth, all while sitting reserve.


Yeah, I think you are better off in CLE or EWR for sure!HA