Employees of American Airlines-Owned American Eagle Make Less Than $10 an Hour (Now Congress Wants Answers)

Whether someone makes $20 an hour or $200 an hour isn't the issue. NO-ONE, in this country should be earning less than $10 an hour. It isn't healthy for the individual and it isn't healthy for our economy. The fact that Congress can't or won't pass a new minimum wage rate, while passing legislation that only helps the very wealthy is a sign of just how sick our country is becoming.

Is a $1 an hour job better than No job... I love how people on this issue don't take time to learn they would rather just spout nonsense... Enjoy: youtube.com/watch?v=S6LtyFTEdis

all I can say to some of those commenting here is "walk a mile in my shoes"..the majority of airline employees (not all) are represented by a union of some kind or other,from pilots to flight attendants to "rampers", to agents..the industry has changed dramatically throughout the last 10-20 years with mergers,outsourcing,cross utilization and other things,and the pay scales have changed accordingly..to say a person gets paid "what they are worth"is really an insult to a lot of people..the marketplace,whether its the airlines or burger king,sets the rate of pay depending upon federal regulation,demand and competition in whatever area..those with union representation have a bargaining representation as a group for better benefits and wages, and a basis for comparison to other industry pay scales..obviously pjshield has never needed that sort of backup..merit increases are no longer the "norm" in most large businesses,particularly in the airline industry,because it was found that a raise,no matter how small, was based upon an individual supervisors opinion (like or dislike) of a particular employee,rather than his or her actual business knowledge or work ethic,.the systems were changed to yearly cost of living raises for an entire work group,from top to botton,by seniority...I might add that those who work for "regionals" do a multi faceted job requiring a lot of different hats from working the ticket counter, to dispatching an aircraft, to loading bags and catering..

So it sounds like democrats here whining about wages. If you don't like the job move on. People like you think that burger flippers should earn 20+ and hour plus bennies and sick leave. But you don't want to pay 15.00 for a burger either so get off the soap box.

A person gets paid what they are worth doing the job they are doing. Want more money, get a higher paying job within or outside the company. Most employers will pay as little as possible to get the jobs done the way they want them done Raises are a way to show employees they are doing a better job and becoming more valuable to a company. In most instances, unions destroy these merit increases by demanding the chaff rides a rising tide along with the cream and eliminates any incentive to excel. And that's the truth! The reality is that some companies NEED employee unions because they believe increasing profits for shareholders should partly come at the expense of underpaid employees.