Bruce Lakefield Letter To Employees

[USA320Pilot]

Letter from the CEO

Dear US Airways Colleagues:

My letter to employees last week prompted many of you to respond with e-mails and phone calls. No one was timid in speaking his or her mind. My characterization of a universal level of frustration that was shared by employees was accurate. I appreciate the fact that so many people are passionate about their jobs and this company. That is an asset that cannot be quantified.

I certainly did not get a lot of people volunteering for pay cuts or new work rules. But most of you have acknowledged that the airline business has changed and that, like it or not, we have to change too. Change is hard and it can be scary. But change is what the future holds. So I’d rather try to manage the change than have it manage us in ways we can’t control.

There were also some employees who clearly expressed that they did not want to change and who wanted to find someone to blame (management and the government got the most votes). I have tried to be respectful of that point of view as well -- although I’m uncertain as to how that is going to help us right now.

Most curious were the comments I heard directly or read in the press that criticized our growth plans for Fort Lauderdale service to the Caribbean and Latin America. I emphasize the word "growth," since we are seeking to leverage our successful position in the Caribbean and Latin America, and take advantage of a growing but underserved market in South Florida.

Apparently some people believe that at a time when we are looking to reduce costs, we have no business undertaking new opportunities. I think that defies logic. Our Transformation Plan is built on changing our business in necessary ways that will make us successful, including where we fly and how we schedule, price and sell our service. Our decision to downsize flying out of Pittsburgh and move that capacity to markets with more demand and greater potential for profitability is one of many ways we will change for the better. Not because we don’t like Pittsburgh. That has absolutely nothing to do with it. But we have to go to where people are, where people want to go, and where we can make money.

I know that our frontline employees are working hard and doing their best to ignore the distractions and the headlines, just like I know that there are scores of management employees working hard to put in place the elements of the Transformation Plan that are necessary for our success. No one is immune from hard work. And believe it or not, the management team’s motivation is grounded in our desire to preserve the jobs and the careers of so many of our frontline employees who have spent most of their working careers here at US Airways.

With every encounter with a labor leader or frontline employee, I have tried to convey in words and actions four key points:

That I respect the pride and the professionalism of our employees

That I respect the sacrifices people have already made

That I respect the fact that giving more is difficult

And that I will demand from every member of the management team that they show this same respect.

I can only continue to emphasize how we must focus on working together to find solutions. I have no interest in creating drama for the news media or opportunities for our competitors. This effort is devoted to seeing this company succeed and allowing our great employees to have the jobs that other airlines want to take away.

Sincerely,

Bruce R. Lakefield

 

[deltawatch]

CWA local 3641 President's Letter to Members

AUGUST 25, 2004

Dear Members,

It looks like Mr. Bronner and Mr. Lakefield have both spoken out lately about the Unions not getting anything done. Wow, what a statement coming from a Company that has put itself in such a state due to mismanagement.

How many times do we have to hear that we (the Company) were successful in emerging from bankruptcy?

I don’t know about you, but if I tried to tell any of my neighbors that I had just recently been successful coming out of bankruptcy, only to tell them that I was going to do it again a year later, they would not call the first one a success. Here in lies the problem. The past CEOs of our Company don’t measure success the same way that the common person does. This is probably why the CEO’s and the Board of Directors pay large sums of “unproductive money†to departing Executives, at the same time they ask for every “unproductive dollar†to be cut from labor.

After giving previous concessions, we only got promises of success, not a plan.

The other contracts on the property (ALPA, IAM, TWU, AFA) have been in place for many years and have many work rules, productivity clauses and benefits in them that we don’t enjoy. This was never so clear to me until the first year after concessions when I compared W-2 changes between my wife (AFA) and me. While our concession numbers were close to the same, I gave up approximately $7,000 and she gave up $2,000. I obviously can’t approach this unfairness in conversations at home, because I don’t feel that our couch is all that comfortable.

Another example was the recent article in the local paper stating that one employee group is being asked to give up 16.5% in pay scale, and also to work an additional 10 hours per month. The net result at the end of the year will be very close to the same amount of money earned before the pay scale cut. This would mean a much smaller percentage change in W-2 for their group than for our group.

I cannot cover everything that I saw unfair about the previous negotiations or the current one, but the Company, in the first round of concessions, said they had about a $1 Billion dollar pension problem, which we were NOT a part of. However, the pension problem was not eliminated in the first round of concessions. Now in the third round of concessions, we have a $100million dollar problem with the remaining two pensions, which again has nothing to do with us. The company wants passenger service to “chip in†by cutting our little defined pension contribution down to nothing. Who wants to share in bailing the pensions out again? Ya’ll don’t all jump at once now.

I get questioned all the time about how we (the negotiating team) intend to trade something to get the Company’s hourly wage of 13.10/hr up to a higher rate? The reality is the Company left this group with nothing of value to trade. We already enjoy the most productive contract on the property. Our contract is even more productive than South West, which is why the Company quit comparing us to them.

The only difference that we have is the seniority and that is why this Company should focus on an early out program. The early out program could be offered several times over the next few years and over a short period of time our Company could become competitive with seniority. The best example of this is South West themselves. They are offering an early out package to their employees even now, with only an average seniority of 5 years, and they have made similar offers in the past. If the Company does not look seriously at the buy out proposal and the work at home proposal as a way to save money then we will be stuck giving up a full 35% from our salary.

This group has seen the business plan going forward just like every other group and the Customer Service Group, which has had the most jobs lost of any group on the property, will continue to lose even more jobs going forward. Boy, seeing that has just got to make you want to give doesn’t it. NOT!

I want to be very clear to everyone that I want this Company to survive and prosper. I mean, come on, I have told you both of my household incomes are depending on it. I am tired however of the magic show that this Company has been giving the Customer Service Employees. The Company has seen 10 stations in our local alone downgraded to either Express or Mainline Express and in each case the agents opted to leave rather than take the wages of 13.01/hr.

Every Company that plans for the future counts on historical data to make their plans. The reality of this historical data is that over 90% of our workforce would end up leaving within the next couple of years rather than work for what the Company is proposing. They however figure the cost savings on everyone staying at the 13.10/hr rate of pay. This is bogus accounting for the savings and a misrepresentation of the value, plain and simple.

Other Union groups have got to stop undermining us during bargaining. When they take a cut, they put these “YA’LL TOO†clauses in there, which is just a stick for the company to beat us with. Where were they during the 9 years when our pay and pension were frozen? They were getting raises and continued with their defined benefit pensions. I don’t know about ya’ll but I am NOT feeling the love here.

Well I better get back to watching the phone. I know it has to ring soon. It has been a week and a half and the Company has still not called us to let us know when they want to meet again. I just read in the paper they were in a hurry or was that 4 or 5 papers ago.

By not bargaining it looks like they have intentionally set this up to fail.

Everyone needs to take pride in the job that they do, because it is how you value yourself that is important. The Company has no regard for your value so why would they be so surprised when you have none for them.

Sincerely, James Root, Local 3641 President

 

[WestCoastGuy]

It always amazes me the kind of spin the company puts on the facts given the sacrafices the Customer Service has given over the years, while other work groups gave very little. There isnt much left the company can take away from us, but they keep trying and finding little crumbs and pieces to literally steal from the front line. Oh but Im sure Messers Glass, Lakefiled and Crellin will figure out a way to once again get into the purses and wallets of every Customer Service Agent on the property.

 

[Schatzee]

Letter from the CEO

Dear US Airways Colleagues:

My letter to employees last week..... blah blah blah......

I certainly did not get a lot of people volunteering for pay cuts or new work rules.

blah blah blah......

I can only continue to emphasize how we must focus on working together to find solutions. I have no interest in creating drama for the news media or opportunities for our competitors. This effort is devoted to seeing this company succeed and allowing our great employees to have the jobs that other airlines want to take away.

Sincerely,

Bruce R. Lakefield

[post="173770"][/post]​

Dear Bruce,

You will not get a lot of people to volunteer for pay cuts, outsourcing, new work rules, etc with the team that has been assembled for you by Dr. Bronner. Until that group gets at the front of the BOHICA :mf_boff: line, volunteers are going to like hen's teeth. This is not your fault but unfortunately, you have inherited a lot of tired, frustrated and untrusting (well earned I might add) employees :wacko: that are not even going to give a blink at what's been put on the table so far. These letters are not helping. :angry:

To put it simply, it's time for management to put up or shut up. The first 2 upper management personnel that most would like to see at the head of the BOHICA line is Jerry G and Al C. Looking at their salaries, they should be running to make a shining example of themselves. :jerry:

 

[usair_begins_with_u]

Lakefied and Bronner to employees:

Bend over.

:angry:

 

[28yrsnojob]

GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY LAKEFIELD SO THE PEOPLE OF U
CAN GET ON WITH THEIR LIFE.THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU 1 DIME BACK AND IF THEY DO THERE WRITING THEIR OWN
DEATH SENTENCE.

 

[Dea Certe]

Dear Mr. Lakefield,

I truly believe labor relations would vastly improve if we could see a small act of good faith from the company: Remove Jerry Glass. I mean, have him leave with no traveling money, no pay out or pay off. He might scream it violates his contract, but he should understand that contracts are made to be broken. Or at the very least, disreguarded.

I think that one, simple act would greatly improve morale (and the morals) of this corporation. You inheirited some very fine employees and that acknowlegement is appreciated.

Also, please ask your fellow executives to accept the same level of sacrifice expected of the rank and file. Don't give bonuses of any kind until they are earned by more than just sticking around.

Please consider this and move quickly. As you have said, we don't have much time left. I want very much to see US Airways survive and grow. I believe we can do that with just a little cooperation from both sides.

Yours Truly,

Dea Certe

 

[N513AU]

Under served South Florida market? Duh, who USED to own Florida? Maybe we should start a Florida shuttle service with regional jets? I wonder who came up with that idea, and who destroyed it. Hmmm....who made the moronic decision to downgrade service to MCO, TPA and MIA? FLL Sounds a lot like the "OH SH1T! We just gave away BWI to WN, so now we need to go back in and take it over."

Same old story, folks. It's our fault. We're lazy, unproductive and incompetent and just could grasp the light of illumination that management held before us. I have never seen such a collection of imbicels as those who led this corporation, with perhaps the exception of those in a mental health institution. PSA and Piedmont, "Cool Northern Efficiency," Operation high ground, Colodney burgers, Business Select, Depressions of Impotence, "Parity plus one," Wolfie's Jaguars and loss year bonuses, stock buy backs, GhettoJet, screwing Boeing to buy the Airbus fleet, the midnight Gestapo raid on TPA base maintenance, illegal second votes for the IAM (NO MEANS NO, DAMMIT!), Davey "Work with labor" Siegel, Dr. "Roscoe P Coltraine" Bronner from starz n barz 'Bama.....oh the list goes on.

Heck, at least the MIA IAM wants me to vote for a certain Presidential candidate that publically expressed that US Air going away wouldn't be such a bad thing. Any of you employees, past or present that forget the Honorable Gentleman from Massachusett's comments about US Airways and vote for him, well, are just about as incompetant as our former management. Might as well vote to put the Dynamic Duo of Wolfie and Gangwal back in charge of US Air.

As always, laid off and pissed off. Full pay to the last day. Just say no. Friends don't let friends vote for concessions.

513

 

[hp_fa]

Dear Mr. Lakefield,

Also, please ask your fellow executives to accept the same level of sacrifice expected of the rank and file. Don't give bonuses of any kind until they are earned by more than just sticking around.

[post="173987"][/post]​

Dea, maybe add that the airline could not exist without the frontline. The frontline might be able to do at least some of the work of the suits, but the majority of suits could not do the frontline work.

Maybe you could have a "Bring a Suit to Work Day" where they actually do frontline work such as being a gate agent, a ramper, a person in the baggage claim office, etc. Then they can take you to their world. My bet would be you do better in their world then they do in yours.

 

[youngblood]

This may be a crude comparison, but here goes.

My daughter was 5 yrs old and I told her that if she cleaned her room once a week I would give her an allowance. She attempted to clean it the first time and I thought her efforts were valiant so I gave her the allowance. She spent her allowance on a cheap toy phone and cried when the phone broke. So, being a typical mother, I told her that if she cleaned up her mess - she called a bedroom- the next week, she would get another allowance and could spend it on another toy. Her second week of cleaning was not as good as the first, but I gave her the allowance anyway hoping that she would learn the value of earned cash. This time she "misplaced" it. The kicker was her attitude. Not only did she expect me to replace the money she lost, but she told my mother that I would buy her a new phone. Needless to say, the third cleaning was on her and we have not discussed "allowances" since.

Moral of the story? Don't give a five year old an allowance and don't expect them to take care of the money when you do. The difference between my daughter and U management? At least she attempted to earn the cash the first and second time before she tried to squander more money from me.

Don't you feel like you are dealing with a bunch of toddlers?

 

[youngblood]

O yeah! BTW Bruce where the hell have you been? Not only has the working force of U "volunteered" for pay cuts twice, but they have also have a miriad of cost saving suggestions - some of which your geniuses have managed to implement in the past 6 months.

I know how you can show us repsect. Inforce the level of cuts in pay and benefits on managment that the employees have taken.

You say you don't want negative media attention; however, you post an simple-minded, egotistical letter that just happened to hit my local Sunday paper.

Explain to me why just a week and a half ago we had 150+ calls on hold with OT in 16 out of 24 hours a day and now we have nothing? I'll tell you why. Because DR. Boner and yourself managed to give this company more bad press in a matter of days than all labor groups combined over a six month period.

 

[Aryeh]

Mr. Lakefield should understand that US Airways' employees aren't with the company as volunteers, nor are we prisoners working in a prison camp's factory.
In exchange for our labor, we receive pay; and at minimum, our pay must be a livable and fair. Labor costs are normal expenses for any corporation. If the company isn't able to pay its workers, without whom company revenues would be impossible, I guess the company has no business being in business.

P.S. Ever notice timing of when we are addressed as "colleagues." If I'm not mistaken, use of this title began with Steve Wolfe who, like Wakefield, suddenly addressed employees this way when he needed concessions. “Colleague,â€￾ more than simply meaning employees within the same company, also suggests feelings between peers, friends, comrades or equals. For some odd reason, our relationship with management hasn’t felt chummy for a long time and certainly not now. Just his using this word smacks of being disingenuous. When they address me as their colleague, the lines that follow will contain another appeal for sacrifice.

 

[Dea Certe]

hp fa,

What a great idea! "Take a suit to work day." I think "the suits" would benefit greatly from such a program. Let them sit in a REZ chair with a pair of headsets slapped on for 8 hours. Let them work the ticket counter and podiums for a shift. A day in the bag room in PHL would be a good exercise. Better yet, let them work the Lost Bags counter.

I think they would begin to see the value of the work done in those places, as well as the merit of having well-trained, experienced employees behind the counters, desks and headsets.

Inflight, I still say just riding around in the center seat of coach on a full flight would serve them all well. It would help them understand what our customers go through, many of them on a daily basis.

No copping out working the kiosks area for twenty minutes, either.

After just such a day in real life, I think they would come to appreciate how hard our CWA friends work and why a good one is worth their wieght in gold.

I would love to sit in on the board meetings, I'd like to see what actually happens. Oh, I'd be sure to bring my trusty bottle of Maalox. I don't doubt they work hard too. But maybe having learned a little compassion for the front line and recognizing exactly how a shift goes, they'd be more educated on the cogs in the wheels that keep this airline running.

thanks for the idea!

Dea

 

[usjacket]

The practice of sending letters to employee groups to take pay and benefit cuts while giving away the farm to award huge golden parachutes is a waste of time! The practice of sending letters to employee groups to take pay and benefit cuts while awarding management with bonuses is a waste of time! The practice of sending letters to employees to take pay and benefit cuts while stealing their work is a waste of time! The practice of send out letters to employees to ask them to please work with us while labor relations declares war on the employees is a waste of time! Letters will not save this airline, true positive actions will!

 

[cavalier]

Labor costs are normal expenses for any corporation. If the company isn't able to pay its workers, without whom company revenues would be impossible, I guess the company has no business being in business.

=============================================================
When I said this a few weeks ago I was PMed with hate and distain saying I was full of hate and anger and couldn’t think straight. It was the other way around because I still feel the exact same way and agree 100% with this statement. My future is not with U because not only do I believe this statement, but follow thru with action instead of sitting around crying woe is me and everyone is dumping on me. If you stay at U expect to be dumped on, it's now part of being an U employee, it's required and you shouldn’t b-i-t-c-h knowing as much. Step back and see the reality U has made for you, the employee.