The path not taken

[hoover]

This question is directed at current Continental dispatchers.

Two years ago, I declined an offer from Continental Airlines. Had I accepted, my hire date would have been in April 2006. I have no regrets, but with the new cutbacks, I am wondering how I would have fared. Where would a dispatcher with my hire date be on the seniority list? What shift would he be working? Would he be laid off

Thanks

 

[RJAA]

Since you asked, I am an April 2006 hire holding an afternoon international line with Europe and Asia/Pacific desk rotation. After I did one full year of domestic, and the international sign off, I became an international relief with no midnights, mostly afternoons. As a relief, worked tons of days with long stretch of days off toward the end of the year due to maxed out on days for the year. There was a period of three months I was junior manned to an international line with split Euro afternoons and midnights and that was the worst it got. We hired 25 dispatchers since April 2006 and we have lost 5-6 junior dispatchers for better opportunities in the oil industry in the city. Not to say I am completely safe and I do not like to lose anyone involuntarily, but I count 20 dispatchers below me. You would have been just slightly above the bottom 20% line on the list. We are short 7-8 dispatchers to run the current summer schedule. There are also a few pending retirements. Chances are good there will be no furlough in September when the cuts are due to the current staff shortage unless they go for deeper cuts. They still want to hire. Overtime goes around everybody twice and more and expected to continue. Easily 20-25% in overtime on top of base salary if you want it.