A Hope For A Great 2004!

[FibberMcGee]

I hope for only the best for American Airlines in 2004. I also hope that we can put behind us some of the petty bickering that was 2003. Let's focus on the positives for once and start working together so that as many as can be are able to return to work! I look forward to 2004 and hope EVERYONE prospers. Happy holidays to one and all and I hope the troops will be home long before the holidays begin next year!

 

[Hopeful]

That's a nice thought there, Tiny Tim!
I would venture to say that AA most likely will prosper, but don't expect any employee to share in it. Most of us are locked out of the sharing any of the good fortune due this company. Of course we all want AA to survive, but the company has proven itself by the way they went after our livelihoods. AA is not done by a long shot when it comes to cost cutting. Many of the folks I work with are feeling the paycut crunch as the holiday season draws near. The amount they plan to spend on gifts has reduced dramatically since last year.
And before someone else reminds me that these people are lucky to be employed, let me say this. Most people did not have a problem helping the company, but they should of at least provided for a snap back of some sort. Instead, we, union represented members that is, will have to wait until 2008 to begin to negotiate all over again. The gains that were made over decades of collective bargaining that were taken away from us with the stroke of a pen will now become bargaining chips. "You people want a raise, ok, no vacation restore, no sick time restore, etc, etc." "Oh you people want vacation back, sick days, ok, then no pay increase for you, etc etc,."

And like I just said, before you all remind me that we are lucky To have jobs, I tell you what!

Why don't we all work for another 20% less so we can have full employment!

For most employees, this has been a terrible year financially. I have seen wives having to go back to work, husbands going back to midnights so they can babysit all day long till the wife comes home from work. If they're lucky, these guys can squeeze in a few hours sleep before they have to return to work on the night shift.
I have seen homes sold, cars sold, vacations cancelled. Need I continue?

But while AA employees struggle to adapt to their newfound financial situation, we see the upper elite of the executive staff leave AA for higher compensation elsewhere. Some of these executives are the ones who put us in this situation, maybe for not adjusting to the changing industy and economy in general, who knows. But the difference is, when these people leave for other positions elsewhere, they take their golden parachutes with them. The rest of us don't have that luxury. If we quit AA or get furloughed, we usually take several steps backward in compensation and benefits.
One might ask who would hire these AA executives. My answer would be who WOULD'NT hire them? They succeeded in stripping the average worker of pay and benefits and self esteem and moralE. They essentially broke the unions at AA. So in the business management world, these formewr AA executives will prove invaluable to their firms.

For 2004, I see AA and companies in general start to go after our pensions. This is the next expense they will look to eliminate. After all, the AA executive elite don't get pensions, why should we? No, they just leave with a few million in cash, but they don't get monthly check.

So, to sum up my outlook for 2004, I see AA prospering, but not the employees.
Of course having a job is better than no job. But what good is a job when one has no self esteem and pride in that job. When it becomes all about the paycheck, which it has at American, the future becomes quite bleak.

HAPPY HOLIDAY'S TO ALL!

 

[FWAAA]

I hope for only the best for American Airlines in 2004. I also hope that we can put behind us some of the petty bickering that was 2003. Let's focus on the positives for once and start working together so that as many as can be are able to return to work! I look forward to 2004 and hope EVERYONE prospers. Happy holidays to one and all and I hope the troops will be home long before the holidays begin next year!

Agreed. Why use this thread to rant and rave about how AA screwed you this year (and every year for the last how many years)? It's not like there are hundreds of threads on that topic.

I sure wouldn't want to invite Hopeful to dinner or a cocktail party.

May AA's finances continue to improve, may more furloughed employees be recalled, and, yes, may the ex-TWA staffers be recalled as well. Happy Holidays.

 

[Hopeful]

Read Fibber's post!

"Focus on the positive"
There's more negatives than positives!

FWAAA, you should realize that morale is at an all time low. People are fed up, depressed, angry and frustrated at what this company did.

Focus on the positive?

All the folks I work with, myself included have our jobs, and I can tell you this, NOONE has a positive outlook. I wish I did. We all wish we did.

FWAAA, this isn't just about me, HOPEFUL, ruining your cocktail party. It's about reality. The only brightness in most of our lives and holiday season is our family.
Plain and simple! It's not about AA. And admittedly I was and am still against the TWA purchase, but look at what this company and unions did to the TWA people.

"Focus on the positive?"

This company cares only about profits and shareholders, we are the necessary evil
that enable AA to sell its product and sell it where it's attractive to use the product and yes to buy stock.

I don't see how anyone can be postive and optimistic about this company.

This past snowstorm at JFK was like amateur hour. Numerous employees from all workgroups chose to stay home and be safe rather than come in and give it their all for the passenger. It is no longer important for that employee to spend double shifts deicing those aircraft for time and a half wages. Have you been in that deicing bucket for hours on end lately? Employees looked forward to it and yes, for the extra money. So this year, less people were available to decice. How about Sunday? There were aircraft arriving after 3,4,5 6, 7 hour flights only to wait on a taxiway another THREE HOURS FOR A GATE! And after three hours of waiting for a gate, there was no one to offload baggage!!!!!!!!!!!
Another 2-3 hours to wait for their bags!

What positive do you speak of?

EMPLOYEES DO NOT HAVE THE SAME PRIDE AND COMMITMENT THEY ONCE HAD!
IT'S GONE AND WILL PROBABLY NEVER RETURN!

I'll tell you this, the only people you can depend on and who will always be there for you will be your family. ANd that family is not AA.

 

[FibberMcGee]

I'm positive you're the "Anti-Hopeful". I tried folks.

 

[Bob Owens]

I'm positive you're the "Anti-Hopeful". I tried folks.

Try getting us a raise instead of an inspirational little speach. Nothing works better than hard cash, which is what they took from us.

Hopeful is right. All the ex-EAL and Pan Am workers say its deju-vu.

When an employer preys upon its employees in a service company its future is dim, all the inspirational speaches in the world will not save it. Remember how EAL even televised their inspirational speaches as commercials in their last desperate days?

What the company has done is play a dangerous game that could be self fulfilling.

 

[FibberMcGee]

Try getting us a raise instead of an inspirational little speach. Nothing works better than hard cash, which is what they took from us.

Hopeful is right. All the ex-EAL and Pan Am workers say its deju-vu.

When an employer preys upon its employees in a service company its future is dim, all the inspirational speaches in the world will not save it. Remember how EAL even televised their inspirational speaches as commercials in their last desperate days?

What the company has done is play a dangerous game that could be self fulfilling.

You guys are just great. I'm furloughed and try to be upbeat and you can't even give it a rest for a couple of weeks. There was absolutely no reason for you to comment this way. I didn't ask that you guys give up more money...I am not your employer preying on you...I was trying to be...nevermind, some of you just like to wallow in self pity and can only see everything as an opportunity to be meanspirited. What a waste of time. Happy holidays.

 

[extwacaptain]

You guys are just great. I'm furloughed and try to be upbeat and you can't even give it a rest for a couple of weeks. There was absolutely no reason for you to comment this way. I didn't ask that you guys give up more money...I am not your employer preying on you...I was trying to be...nevermind, some of you just like to wallow in self pity and can only see everything as an opportunity to be meanspirited. What a waste of time. Happy holidays.

Fibber,

In our world today, it seems that a positive attitude is like a big SMILE.

It drives ‘em crazy.

If we can find a way to bottle yours, we can both become millionaires and give everyone a raise.

Thank you for your efforts for “ourâ€￾ airline.


Randy Kramer

 

[MiAAmi]

You all have to remember that these are the same people that bashed AA before we took concessions. I'm not nieve to think the company doesnt always have their own well being as top priority, but I chose to live with it. It sure beats not having a job. I don't think anyone is "happy" with the paycuts but not everyone hates the company as much as these posters. Lets face it, we all have a passion for aviation or we wouldn't even be on this site. Most of the negative posts on this board have always been less than positive posters. Some trying to enlighten us on the demons in management. News flash, we are not the only airline employees that took pay cuts! I refuse to be a victim of things I can't control. I agree lets hope things next year turn in our favor and we all end up better off a year from now. Lets hope that management does their job and brings us to a place where we all can feel secure with our jobs again. Lets hope that everyone wanting to come back to work gets that call. And for all the ney sayers, may you find peace from your frustrations.

Happy Holidays everyone and a very prosperous NEW YEAR 2004!

MiAAmi

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

I find myself in a "unusual" situation here(on this thread)

First and foremost, my respect for "extwacaptain"(randy), IS UNSHAKEABLE !!!

Second, I think "fibber" was sincere, in opening this thread.

BUT, and it's a "BIG" but,

I STRONGLY support "HOPEFUL", in EVERYTHING he said.
He has ALWAYS, "called em', as he see's em", and there is NOTHING WRONG with that. ( reminds me of someone "I" know VERY WELL) !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Same goes for Bob Owens, a guy who believed in a system, THAT WAS, AND HAS BEEN, A FRIGGIN" SHAM !!!!!!

It takes "STONES" to speak up against the establishment,(TWU/AA)(There one in the same) regardless the price.!!!!!!

I'll close now, by wishing "extwacaptain", "hopeful", "bob owens", "fibber", and their FAMILYS, "seasons greetings", and good health in "04"

NH/BB's

ps,

"TOTALLY" minus(-) AA,
I wish everyone(especially the regulars, on here) health, and prosperity, in "04" !!

 

[Hopeful]

NH/BB'S: Thanks as always for your support! Same for you Bob Owens!

Fibber, extwacap, and MiAAmi are more than entitled to having an optimistic outlook for 2004. But you must think I'm a manic depressive who does not want to be optimistic about the future. You think I thrive on being optimistic. That's assinine.
I state my views the way I do because I have been in the airline industry for many years. I was here for the dawn of deregulation. I have seen great airlines like EAL and PANAM fly off onto the sunset due mostly to greedy corporate tycoons who want to produce a product cheaply at the expense of employees. That is my objection. You think I like seeing employees all of a sudden changing the way they live affecting their families as well?
I wish everyone a Happy New Year. But the prosperous part pertains only to our families. Not the AA family. We have all seen our livelihoods altered beginning 9/11. But 9/11 is past, albeit always in our memories. But American Airlines, along with other airlines have taken advantage of that tragedy, they have used the economy, NOT to seek relief and help form their employees, but to blatantly strip us of what was earned and negotiated of decades of collective bargaining. This past year we say Don Carty plead his case about concessions. I don't recall any employee not being willing to do his/her part. But that wasn't enough, they went after us with a vengeance.

To Fibber, extwacap and MiAAmi: What don't you agree with? Of course we want AA to survive, but do you remember CartY and elite 44 getting their "golden guarantees" EVEN IN THE EVENT OF BANKRUPTCY? Did you not see the deceit then? OOPS, sorry we didn't tell you!
I ask you how can you ever trust this management!
To this day I still don't see the pain being shared by mangement. At JFK, there are more supervisors tripping over themselves. AA wants us to do more with less, but they get to do less with more! Please explain that to me.
DOES ANYONE HERE HONESTLY BELIEVE YOU WILL GET BACK WHAT YOU LOST?
We have the TWU now telling the rank and file, that in 2008 they are going to get back every penny we lost! Does anyone here realize that the company will use those concessions as bargaining chips in the future?

To those of you who are laid off, I wish you people most of all a prosperous new year. But I cannot, through experience, be optimistic about being treated fairly by American Airlines. That does not make me Scrooge.

Keep this in mind! Let's see how happy you are down the road when AA looks to change the pension plan. In 2004 AA, by law, has to make a hefty payment into the underfunded pension plan. Congress is preparing the pension relief for a vote. But even DUBYA is against it. If this gets rejected, expect AA to come back to us with an offer. "Give us your pension and we'll give you a few percent increase in pay."

I guess I don't have a right to my pension either!

By the way, EXTWACAPTAIN: Fibber's optimism does not "drive me crazy"
It amazes me any one can trust this management! I know what its like to be unemployed. Having worked in this industry for the years I have, believe me I symphatize with Fibber.

If it makes you all feel better, I wish AA makes a billion dollars in 2004 so Arpey can retain the key executives who might be considering moving on to higher compensation!

There I said it!

 

[TransWorldONE]

I think Fibbers post was well entended and heartfelt...I wish all of "us" prosperity and happiness in the coming year. As I watch from the sidelines, hopefully folks will begin working for the good of all and not just themselves, at all levels, it really does make the journey easier. Happy Holidays

 

[Hopeful]

Of course Fibber's post was sincer and heartfelt. I never said it wasn't. I wish all people health happiness and prosperity. But with corporations and the people who head them having little regard for the lower class, it's awful difficult to be optimistic.

 

[TransWorldONE]

Of course Fibber's post was sincer and heartfelt. I never said it wasn't. I wish all people health happiness and prosperity. But with corporations and the people who head them having little regard for the lower class, it's awful difficult to be optimistic.

It is very difficult to optimistic during tough times....but it's what keeps you going....long past when people predicted you wouldn't keep going.

 

[orwell]

Most people did not have a problem helping the company, but they should of at least provided for a snap back of some sort.

Snapbacks in an environment like this are nothing more than a wish that the uncertain could be made certain.

Sure - being promised that you'll "snap back" to the good old days wage-wise would be comfy. But where's the guarantee that the company's profits - you know, that little thing that generates pay checks - will snap back in a commensurate fashion?

You can't have one without the other! Well, you can, by living on credit until you are finally flushed down the toilet of Chapter 7. If you're arguing that "we might as well at least enjoy the ride down by way of unrealistic snapbacks, I guess there's nothing the realm of logic that can answer that.